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Last week, we honored the Dam Store with an official ride titled THE BEST DAM PIE THANK YOU RIDE.

Since 2011, the Mankato area has hosted a very popular bike ride. The former River Ramble attracted riders from all over the state and from across state lines. Riders loved the event.  Great snacks were served and music from local talent poured over us as we pulled up to each rest area. We danced to the music, or we threw ourselves on the grass in exhaustion. We guzzled coffee or Gatorade, refilled water bottles, and gobbled snacks.

But there’s no question about the highlight of everyone’s day. The one item people came from afar to enjoy was the Best Dam Pie ever, the famous highlight made by Jenny (Hruska) Barnes at the Dam Store. These are a few of my photos from a year ago.

Not only have we cyclists patronized the Dam Store on officially sanctioned rides for more than a dozen years, but almost every cyclist in the region made the Rapidan Dam store a destination or a stop along the way–for a meal–probably a tasty burger cooked by David Hruska, or a milkshake–or a piece of famous pie made by Jenny Hruska Barnes. And any a stop on a regular weekday almost undoubtedly meant a chat with their dad and originator of the Dam Store—their dad, Jim Hruska.

This year, when the Blue Earth River swelled out of its banks and carved a new path AROUND the old dam, the world watched as the Hruska family home was washed down the river, and the Dam Store was dismantled before the same thing happened to it. All local residents are familiar with this story, as coverage made international news. Monetary support poured in through Go-Fun-Me sites, and a highly successful fund-raiser at the Mankato Brewery.

But nothing replaces a way of life that was swept away.

David and Jenny and Jim want to rebuild, but that won’t be possible for a good long while, so as we locals know, they have now opened a temporary Dam Store Café on Front Street, in the old iconic Wagon Wheel location. For two weeks prior to its opening, every time I passed the location, I saw locals prowling past the door, waiting to see if they had opened yet.

We cyclists wanted them to know how much we have appreciated their work and service and willingness to work extra long hours to be ready for up to 1800 riders on one day! So Greater Mankato Bike Walk Advocates (GMBWA)–a chapter of BikeMN–organized a ride to say thank you: THE BEST DAM PIE THANK YOU RIDE.  We held this last Sunday, the final day BEFORE the new Dam Store opened. 

We gathered at Mount Kato for “The Best Dam Pie Thank You Ride.” 

Chris Corley, our GMBWA president, addressed the crowd from the Ski Chalet balcony, and explained our reasons for the ride and our intent for the future. (Stay tuned, but the current hopeful plan is a Kato Bike Fall Fest–a two-day extravaganza with options like a road ride, a gravel ride, try-it-out mountain biking, Cyclocross, BMX, and even a Cyclocross race, food trucks, beer available at the Ski Chalet, and more.  

  

 

And then the riders were on their way.

At the the new Dam Store Cafe location, GMBWA  and BikeMN, presented the Hruska family owners with a check of appreciation for their last twelve years of support and supplying and serving our riders on the organized autumn rides we held each year. We also hope this helps with lost income when they can’t sell us pie for 1800 riders for a single day in October.  Pictured are Jenny Barnes, the piemaker extraordinaire; Michael  Wojcik, Executive Director of BikeMN; and Chris Corley, GMBWA president. Other GMBWA members Paul Dobratz, Liz Johnson, and I photobombed the middle picture. While we’re at it, Michael Wojcik took most of these photos.  

 

Having Dam Store pie again with friends in the new cafe brought a lot of smiles!

Bikes parked in the parking lot across the street from the new Dam Store made the number of riders feel real.

During the afternoon, riders and Hruska family members and Cafe workers gathered and talked, as Jenny, David, Mark (Jenny’s husband who works endlessly behind the scenes), and Jim were still preparing for the big opening on Monday!

Update: Four times this week, I have stopped at or passed the new Dam Store location. Three of those times, the line to get a table was out the door. The other time, I made it inside and got to talk with Jenny and David, in spite of how busy they were. We ALL hope for huge and continued success for this family who have given so much to our local community. 

Thanks to Michael  Wojcik for coming from the Twin Cities to Mankato to do the ride with us, to participate in this momentous day, and for all the pictures he allowed me to use here! Michael was happy to say, “The Bicycle Alliance of Minnesota is proud to support the Greater Mankato Bike Walk Advocates 2024 Best Dam Pie Thank You Ride.”

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