Apr 22 2012

PurifiCup Provides Safe & Sanitary Water on the Trail

Whether you’re riding bike on a rail-trail, hiking on mountain path, or backpacking through Europe, water is a necessity. But sometimes, carrying a big water purification system with all its tubes and filters and accessories can be a pain to pack and a hassle to set up.  So I was pleased for the recent opportunity to demo the PurifiCup Portable Water purifier. I started out by testing it at home with good old tap water. Then I took it on the trail for a trial-by-stream test.

water purification system

Portable Water Purification

My first impression of the PurifiCup was a positive one when I saw how compact it was. I was pleased to note that it could easily fit in a daypack or even a bicycle seat-pack. From the outset, this meant that the PurifiCup was the best choice for shorter outings such as sight-seeing tours or day trips. As a regular bike rider, I can imagine just keeping one of these water filters in my bicycle pack so I could always be assured of safe drinking water on my cycle excursions.

Easy to Assemble Water Purification

I was a bit worried about assembling the PurifiCup. You see, I’m not the most mechanically inclined person on the planet. I never finished a single shop project in my high school days. However, between the clearly written instructions and the nicely

assembled water purification cup

engineered product, I had no problem with the assembly and had it ready to test in a matter of minutes. Of course, my next worry was whether I could take the PurifiCup apart for storage… No problem! That was just as easy.

Trail Test

Once I was satisfied that the PurifiCup was easy to assemble and reassemble at home, I took it on the trail. In this case, I tried it on one section of the Colorado Trail. So once again, I took the PurifiCup out of my day pack and assembled it. Easy Peezy!! Then it was time to field test the unit. We were resting near a beautiful beaver pond, very near the portion of the trail where the Colorado Trail spurs off to a side trail for climbing Mt. Elbert. This would be the test: cold water, short period of time, and no countertops, sinks, or faucets like I had at home. Would it work?

beaver dam

Absolutely no problem.The filter worked, the water tasted great, and not one hint of stomach discomfort afterward. So now I knew that the PurifiCup worked both at home and on the trail. I guarantee you, this won’t be the last time I use this handy, portable water purification system. I would not use it as my only source of water on a very long, self-contained back-packing or snowshoe trip. It ‘s fantastic for producing easy, tasty and quick drinking water. It probably wouldn’t be ideal for producing large amounts of cooking water for a big group of people. Oh, I would still take it on those trips as my source of drinking water. In fact, I’d probably convince someone else in the group to bring the cooking water filter. I think I’ll be happy to carry the PurifiCup on all my biking, hiking, & backpacking trips. It’s fast, it’s easy, and it works.

This review can also be found under the trailsnet reviews button on the top menu bar.

Permanent link to this article: https://trailsnet.com/2012/04/22/purificup-provides-safe-sanitary-water-on-the-trail/

Apr 21 2012

National Trails in England, Scotland & Wales

British National Trails

National Trails are long distance routes for walking, cycling and horse riding through the finest landscapes in England and Wales. In Scotland the equivalent trails are called long distance routes.

coastal path in southwest wales

Pembrokeshire Coastal Path

Altogether, in England and Wales, there are about 2,500 miles (4,000km) of National Trail. They have all been created by linking existing local footpaths, bridleways and minor roads and by developing new ones where there were gaps. There are 15 Trails in England and Wales (when complete 2 of these will be suitable for use by horse riders and cyclists along their entire length) and 4 in Scotland.

via About the National Trails – National Trails.

List of National Trails in England, Scotland and Wales

Permanent link to this article: https://trailsnet.com/2012/04/21/national-trails-in-england-scotland-wales/

Apr 20 2012

China Footpath Both Scary and Marvelous

Chinese trail dangles on steep cliff

Shifou Mountain Footpath in China

A 3Km (9483 ft) path doesn’t seem that long by western standards considering that the Great Allegheny Passage and the C & O Canal Trail combined are nearly 320 miles. But what China’s Shifou Mountain Footpath lacks in distance, it makes up for in height, engineering and awe-inspiring views. But don’t take my word for it. If a picture paints a thousand words, then this video must be good for at least a million.

Permanent link to this article: https://trailsnet.com/2012/04/20/china-footpath-both-scary-and-marvelous/

Apr 16 2012

Otago Central Rail Trail is Part of the New Zealand Cycle Trail

The New Zealand Cycle Trail is also called the Nga Haerenga and is actually a series of many  trails throughout New Zealand. In all, there  are 20 trails that comprise the New Zealand Cycle Track. The bike trails are in various stages of development:

  • 4 are currently completely open and ready for bike riding from end to end.Nga Haerenga, The New Zealand Cycle Trail logo
  • 13 of the New Zealand trails have sections open and are still being constructed.
  • 3 of the bike tracks are still in the planning phase.

The New Zealand Cycle Trail offers bike trails for everyone including cycling trails with varying grade levels:

  • bike rider going over bridge on Otago Central Rail Trail in New ZealandTwelve of the New Zealand cycle tracks are considered easy.
  • Three of the New Zealand cycle tracks are considered intermediate.
  • Three of the New Zealand cycle tracks are considered advanced.
  • One of the New Zealand cycle tracks is considered expert level.

One of the most famous cycle tracks in New Zealand is complete and makes a great bike ride for all levels of riders. Named after the original railway line, built between 1891 and 1907, the Otago Central Rail Trail, New Zealand’s original ‘Great Ride’, was first opened to the public in 2000.

Steeped in history, the rail-trail offers a 150 kilometre scenic and historic journey into the Central Otago heartland.  This is big sky country where cyclists will traverse ever-changing mountainous, dry and rocky landscapes, high country sheep stations, spectacular river gorges, tunnels, viaducts and more.

There are over 20 townships located on and off the trail to explore… (Read more by visiting the link below.)

via Otago Central Rail Trail | Nga Haerenga, The New Zealand Cycle Trail.

Permanent link to this article: https://trailsnet.com/2012/04/16/otago-central-rail-trail-is-part-of-the-new-zealand-cycle-trail/

Apr 15 2012

Milford Track Trail. All the information you could want about Milford New Zealand

 

Once described as the finest walk in the world, the Milford Track is one of New Zealand’s most popular walks, with approximately 14000 people completing the Milford track each year. This website aims to be a comprehensive information resource on the Milford Track, letting you have all in the information you need in one place. We cover the walk itself, the history of the track, where it’s actually located and you’ll also find some photos taken by people on the walk.

via Milford Track. All the information you could want about Milford and the Milford Track.

Permanent link to this article: https://trailsnet.com/2012/04/15/milford-track-all-the-information-you-could-want-about-milford-and-the-milford-track/

Apr 14 2012

Trikke Personal Transportation Vehicle & Trikke Trails

Trikke Trail

Trikke Trail

Trikke Carving Vehicles

Trikke carving vehicles (Trikkes) are the brain-child of Gildo Bileski and may be the ultimate full-body workout for trail lovers. Trikkes are powered by a combination of leg, hip and arm power and are usually seen swaying down the trail in a back-and-forth motion like a trout swimming upstream. The tri- in Trikke stands for the number three and that number is very important. Trikkes have three wheels, three extensions, and are accelerated in three stages. The first stage uses mostly the brute force of your arms, the second stage incorporates more of the entire body and the third stages adds rhythm and momentum into the process. There are even three cardinal rules for operating a Trikke: 1.) Know your terrain. (trails baby) 2.) Rhythm is king. 3.) Protect your momentum.

Trikkes can either be purchased online or from a certified local Trikke dealer. Whenever possible, it is best to purchase your Trikke from a certified dealer and/or, better yet, a certified Trikke Trainer. Trikkes are an absolute blast for riding on trails, but there’s a bit of a learning curve when you first start to use them. It is best to have a certified Trikke trainer show you the proper way to operate a Trikke for maximum fun, safety and efficiency.

Visit the Trikke website to get an idea of the different models of Trikke available. In addition to the various sizes and colors of the regular Trikkes, you also have the option of purchasing a hybrid Trikke that can be electrically powered in addition to body powered. Of course you should be familiar with the rules of your local trails in regards to  riding ahybrid Trikke (Pon-e). For a list of Trikke trails, check out the links in the next section (below).

Trikke on Trail

Trikke on Trail

Trikke Trails

Trikkes can easily be used on roads or on trails. But, due to the side-to-side motion needed for propelling them, trails provide the safest option for recreational Trikking. The best Trikke trails are usually asphalt trails or concrete trails and often have a gentle grade of less than 2%.  Rail-trails often make the best Trikking trails. Some examples of excellent Trikke trails include Georgia’s Silver Comet Trail, Virginia’s Mount Vernon Trail, Colorado’s Platte River Trail andCalifornia’s Huntington Beach Trail.

Permanent link to this article: https://trailsnet.com/2012/04/14/trikke-personal-transportation-vehicle-trikke-trails/