Goin' To The (Frozen) Lake: Amelia & Mark Visit Mora (Day 2)
MORA, Minn. (WCCO) – Minnesota is great for a quick getaway, even in winter. That's why we're Goin' to the (Frozen) Lake this February! For our second trip, Amelia Santaniello and Mark Rosen are headed to Mora.
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Sportsmen's Cafe & The Pizza Pub In Mora
The small town, which is about 70 minutes north of the Twin Cities, becomes a cross-country skiing mecca this weekend. The Vasaloppet attracts skiers from all over the world. But that's not the only attraction in town!
Amelia and Mark did a lot of sightseeing Friday, but wrapped up the busy day at the Pizza Pub in downtown Mora. They were very grateful to Shelby the manager for letting them come in to warm up.
While the weather may not have been warm, the reception the duo has gotten in town certainly was. Everywhere they went around town, they were greeted by banners welcoming them. You can tell this is a community that is proud of where they come from, and they should be!
Amelia and Mark also hit up the Sportsmen's Cafe Friday, which is right off of Highway 65. Many viewers have told WCCO that Amelia and Mark had to stop there for breakfast, and they happily did just that. It was delicious -- from the omelets to the hashbrowns to the marble rye toast. It's easy to see why this place has been a staple here in Mora for the last 60 years.
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Fat Tire Biking In Mora
Along with its lakes and breathtaking state parks, Minnesota is known worldwide for its biking community. With snow on the road and trails, people are enjoying a different way to get around on two wheels. We've been talking a lot about what a cross-country skiing mecca Mora is, but they also use all those trails for other things -- like fat tire biking
In fact, the Vasaloppet has added a fat tire bike race to their list of events for the first time this year. Once Mark and Amelia heard that, they knew they just had to give a shot. They want to give a big thanks to Jack, who got them all geared up.
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Vasaloppet Prep And The Fish House
Union Street in Mora underwent a big transformation Friday. Starting in the late afternoon, the street was shut down for blocks so city crews could come in and start filling the street with snow. Yes, you read that right! Instead of clearing snow off the street they are putting it on! That's because Union Street is going to become the start and finish line for Saturday's big ski race. So all night they'll be putting down snow and using grooming equipment to make the street race ready.
And when the weather is cold, nothing warms you up like a nice cup of coffee. Amelia and Mark found a great little coffee house right off Highway 65 called The Fish House, which opened in November. They offer up specialty coffee drinks and treats. Amelia enjoyed the Almond Joy Latte, while Mark got the White Chocolate Peppermint. The Fish House is run by Monica and Jeremy Voss, and they're hoping it will become a community gathering place.
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Mora's Spark Sled Race
Mark and Amelia started the day on some fat tire bikes and then moved on to Lake Mora to try something known as a spark sled, which is commonly used in Sweden and Finland to help folks get around in the winter. They'll even use them on the sidewalks to run errands.
On Sunday, you can come down to Mora Lake and watch as folks race on those sleds, which starts at 10 a.m.
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Click here for a photo gallery of our time in Mora!
Other Mora Links
Women Anglers of Minnesota
Vasaloppet Nordic Center
Fast Track Program