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| Lake Mineral Wells State Trailway in TX |
“You can’t observe a lot just by watching.” – Yogi Berra
Normally, Yogi Berra is noted for his malapropisms rather than his words of wisdom.
But his quote above is actually quite perceptive and appropriate.
This past weekend, I drove thousands of miles to ride a couple epic Texas trails. I can tell you very little about what I saw on those thousands of miles of driving. But in slightly less than 100 trail miles, I can tell you a volume of great sights.
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| Trinity Trail in Fort Worth, Texas |
So to tie this back into the Yogi Berra quote, when you drive, you spend a lot of time watching. But when you are on a bike trail or hiking trail, you are constantly observing; you are immersed in your environment and you actually see and appreciate your surroundings.
Obviously, that is one of the reasons I love trails so much. They allow people to become a part of their surroundings and to be keenly aware of the rhythm and peculiarities of nature.
If you haven’t seen America by trail, you haven’t really seen America.
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Hi Kevin,
Another really-great article.I get great pleasure out of reading your posts,and comparing them to some of my experiences.
In this particular post,I can tie-in what you are saying with an experience I had back home. 37km from where I lived was a town known as Motueka.It's a nice spot to visit,which I did many times by car.Then,one day,I decided to cycle there.Wow.What I saw/experienced just blew my mind.There was so much to see.Things I didn't realise that were there.Also along the way I discovered many small lanes and tracks I could take.It soon became a popular destination for me and my bike.
As always,I look forward to your next article.Hope the weather is improving.Here it can't make-up it's mind if it wants to be cold or warm.I am sick-and-tired of putting away my winter clothing and have decided to leave it there and wait for it to warm-up.
Hi Barry,
Great to hear from you.
I've found that even when I bike in my own neighborhood, I see things I don't normally notice.
That happens on every bike trip. One of the most memorable was when I went back to my hometown. They had shut down the local mill where my dad and grampa were employed and where I worked to put myself through college. It was a lumber mill and had lots of logging roads for access. They also closed those roads to traffic, but left them open to foot and bike traffic.
It was extremely nostalgic to ride my bike through an area that was so rich in family/town history and used to be a bustling center of activity. I saw many of the old sites/sights and also noticed many new things that were probably always there, but had passed beyond my notice.
I'm sure many people travel the U.S. rail trails w/ the same nostalgia and appreciation of what used to be and what still is.
Bottom line, bike trips are so much more than just transportation or exercise and they are much more meaningful than car or plane trips. They allow for much more observation and introspection.
That last comment was supposed to be registered to trailsnet as opposed to OTM Tours.
That last comment was supposed to be registered to trailsnet as opposed to OTM Tours.
Hi Kevin,
Another really-great article.I get great pleasure out of reading your posts,and comparing them to some of my experiences.
In this particular post,I can tie-in what you are saying with an experience I had back home. 37km from where I lived was a town known as Motueka.It's a nice spot to visit,which I did many times by car.Then,one day,I decided to cycle there.Wow.What I saw/experienced just blew my mind.There was so much to see.Things I didn't realise that were there.Also along the way I discovered many small lanes and tracks I could take.It soon became a popular destination for me and my bike.
As always,I look forward to your next article.Hope the weather is improving.Here it can't make-up it's mind if it wants to be cold or warm.I am sick-and-tired of putting away my winter clothing and have decided to leave it there and wait for it to warm-up.