Apr 08 2012

Loop Trail Around Boulder, Colorado

A multi-use trail around Boulder, Colorado has finally been officially proposed. It’s nice to know that I’m not the only one with these wild and crazy ideas. At least four years ago, I started talking to people about a trail that encircles Boulder. Why  not?

dirt path lined with flowers

Connect trails for a loop trail.

  • The land is there, since Boulder is surrounded by protected open space.
  • The need is there, since Boulder may be the outdoor recreation capitol of the world.
  • The people are there, since Boulder has a huge community of trail bikers, trail hikers, and trail runners.
  • The motivation is there since Boulder was recently voted the most healthy community in America and would love to keep that designation.
  • And now, the organization is there…

According to an article in today’s Boulder Daily Camera, numerous groups  may be working toward the goal of creating a trail that encircles the People’s Republic of Boulder:

  • Boulder’s Open Space and Mountain Parks
  • Boulder Area Trails Coalition
  • Boulder County
  • Colorado Department of Transportation
  • City of Boulder and…

Trailsnet!!  Okay, trailsnet wasn’t mentioned in the article, but I’d love to get involved in the process because I think it’s a great idea. Of course I think all trails are a good idea. I’m especially sold on the idea of creating trails that are functional (commuter trails), easily accessible, and heavily used. A Boulder loop trail would definitely meet all those criteria.

The article also mentioned Portland, Oregon and Loveland, Colorado as cities that either currently have such a loop trail or are working toward completing one. I’m guessing there are probably other loop trails around communities in existence or being created. I know that Denver has four unofficial loop trails all radiating from Confluence Park and utilizing the Platte River Trail as their common denominator. If you know of any other community loop trails, I’d love to hear about them.

Permanent link to this article: https://trailsnet.com/2012/04/08/loop-trail-around-boulder-colorado/

Apr 06 2012

Big Dry Creek Trail in Colorado

hikers on big dry creek trail in colorado

Hikers enjoy Big Dry Creek Trail in Colorado.

There is no shortage of diversions on this trail. In fact, getting from point A to point B may not even be your goal on the Big Dry Creek Trail. Having fun along the way seems to be the order of the day.
In fact, at the (Westminster) City Park area alone, you could see a movie, go ice skating, have a great lunch, watch a softball game, play soccer, throw a frisbee, or hang out at the Butterfly Pavilion. You could also head off on another trail such as the Highline Canal Trail.
Another great aspect of this trail is that you are only on a road for about a half mile and that road (99th Ave.) is a very sedate little byway. It is hard to believe that this trail passes through such a busy, industrious part of Colorado, because it is such a relaxing ride. It’s one of those types of rides where you could put yourself on auto-pilot and just let the bike follow the path while you daydream and sightsee.
For out-of-town guests on this trail, it has a few hotels near mile 4.3 (if you’re starting at Standley Lake). Even better, you will find a variety of types of hotels from fairly expensive to relatively cheap. One of the hotels is a Westin and another is called Spring Hill Suite by Marriott.

Permanent link to this article: https://trailsnet.com/2012/04/06/big-dry-creek-trail-in-colorado-2/

Apr 03 2012

New Orleans Also the City of Trails

New Orleans Bike Trails

Tammany Trace Trail skirts Lake Pontchartrain in Louisiana near New Orleans.

View Lake Pontchartrain from the Tammany Trace trail.

Tammany Trace Trail: Covington, Louisiana

I just flew in from New Orleans and boy are my legs tired!!

Although most people associate New Orleans with Mardi Gras and Cajun food, it’s also trail central for outdoor enthusiasts. Located directly across Lake Pontchartrain from the Big Easy, the Tammany Trace trail is a bike rider’s paradise. It’s easy to find, easy to ride, and easy to fall in love with. Trail lovers will start their tour of Tammany Parish in the beautiful southern community of Covington, Louisiana. Stay at one of the many local bed & breakfasts such as the Camillia House Bed & Breakfast, and they may even let you use one of their trail bikes for free.

Whether you rent a bike, bring your own, or borrow one from your hosts, you’ll love the activities available on the Tammany Trace. For the younger crowd, there are numerous “state of the art” playgrounds right beside the trail. There’s one in Abita Springs, one at the Tammany Trace (Caboose) Headquarteres, and a children’s Splash Fountain at the Mandeville Trailhead.
For the adults, there are also a couple recreation areas in the form of a brew pub and a brewery. The Abita Brew Pub is located right on the trail in Abita Springs and serves great food and drinks. The Abita Brewery is officially located in Covington but is much closer to the actual town of Abita Springs. The brewery is located near Josephine Street which crosses over the Tammany Trace Trail. It offers a free tour and beer tastings at 2:00 on weekdays and twice daily on the weekends.

Longleaf Trace Trail: Hattiesburg, Mississippi

bike riders on the Longleaf Trace trail in Mississippi

Bike riders enjoying the Longleaf Trace Trail in Mississippi

Another biking trail within easy reach of New Orleans is the Longleaf Trace Trail in Southern Mississippi.

How do we love this magnificently charming Mississippi trail? Let us count the ways:

  1. It is a short side trip from food, parties and culture of New Orleans.
  2. It is also near the Tammany Trace trail just south of New Orleans.
  3. Because it is a paved trail with negligible hills, it is perfect for the entire gamut of personal transportation vehicles including recumbents, Trikkes, Elliptigos, inline skates, Street Striders, & more.
  4. For the same reason, it is the perfect trail for children, recreational bicyclists, commuters, seniors, etc.
  5. Due to its southern location, it makes a nice destination trail during the fall, winter & spring.
  6. It has an abundance of southern charm & makes a great southern travel destination.
  7. It is a botanists dream with labels for most of the trees including ones w/ unique names like loblolly Pine and Sugar Magnolia.
  8. The trail length is perfect for a two day ride starting in Hattiesburg, MS, traveling to Prentiss, MS; stay overnight in Prentiss then ride back to Hattiesburg.
  9. Rent a recumbent at the Gateway at Southern Miss bike rental center that just happens to be located right at the trailhead.
  10. Enjoy a southern immersion tour starting in the college town of Hattiesburg and traveling through quaint southern towns like Sumerall, Carson, Bassfield, & Prentiss.

If you have ever visited the Longleaf Trace Trail or the Tammany Trace trail, we’d love to hear from you. Leave a comment below. If you have any questions about these two wonderful trails or the bike riding experience in and around New Orleans, don’t hesitate to ask.

 

Permanent link to this article: https://trailsnet.com/2012/04/03/new-orleans-also-the-city-of-trails/

Apr 03 2012

California’s Santa Ana River Trail

bike trail beside California's Santa Ana River

The Santa Ana is a beautiful California trail

You would think that traveling from the beaches of Huntington and Newport to the Chino Hills would be a tough workout. But surprisingly, the elevation climb of west to east was easier than vice-versa. But more on that later.

The best route for starting California’s Santa Ana River Trail is from the Huntington Beach Trail to Weir Canyon Road. You will notice very little difference, exertion-wise, when going either way on the trail due to the winds usually blowing west to east. So you’ve got elevation gain going west to east, but you’re bucking headwinds going east to west. So it’s a wash.

Even on the weekend, this trail isn’t nearly as crowded as its sister trail, the Huntington Beach Trail… (Learn more about the Santa Ana River Trail here.)

Permanent link to this article: https://trailsnet.com/2012/04/03/californias-santa-ana-river-trail/

Apr 02 2012

Mountain Bike Trail Test of SpinPower Phone Charger

Bicycle Phone Charger Works on Mountain Bike Trails

We tested the Bike2Power phone charger on a cruiser bike a couple weeks ago, and it worked like a charm. It charged an iPhone with no problem, was easy to install, and held the phone just fine on relatively smooth roads, cement paths, and gravel paths.

But what about on bumpy, rutty, steep mountain bike paths? How would it perform on a Colorado single-track trail like the Heil Ranch trails? Rather than keep you in suspense, the answer is: It worked just fine. Here are the high points:

mountain bikers on trail

single track trail

  1. The universal phone holder that is available from Bike2Power, is absolutely amazing. It is like some kind of James Bond gadget. It literally grabs ahold of smart phones in a bear hug and never lets go. That was my biggest concern with using the phone charger on mountain bike trails. I was worried the phone would fall off. Fortunately, it didn’t.
  2. Switching the SpinPower from one bike to another was surprisingly fast and easy.
  3. As with the cruiser bike, it takes a little more energy to pedal the bike with the SpinPower unit engaged, but I must emphasize the “a little.” And after all, you’re out there to get exercise, aren’t you? So what’s a little extra exertion?
  4. If your phone is idle, you will actually see the charge indicator inching up throughout your ride. However, if you use a GPS-enabled mapping app while on the trail, you will see the available charge remain about the same or even possibly go down just a little bit over time. But without the SpinPower, you’ll see your phone juice depleting rapidly. GPS units are power hogs. My guess is that if you were on the trail, with your GPS going, you’d probably still have power left at the end of your ride. Whereas without the SpinPower unit, you’re likely to run out of power.

Suggestions for Using Your SpinPower Unit on the Trails

  1. If you’re going to be on the trail all day, especially if you’ll be using your phone (and its apps) a lot, the SpinPower by Bike2Power is a great alternative to packing around spare charging cases for your smart phone.
  2. If you are going to be on an especially steep or bumpy trail or you are in a big hurry, you may want to consider using either a battery case for your phone or limiting your phone use rather than using the SpinPower.
  3. The SpinPower is perfect for flat trails and can definitely be used on mountain bike trails if you keep suggestion #1 in mind.
  4. Absolutely make sure you have the universal mount for your phone if you’re going to be riding mountain bike trails with your Bike2Power Spinpower unit. I wouldn’t consider taking the unit on a bumpy trail with the standard handlebar mount. It might work, but then again, it might not. However, I felt very comfortable using the universal mount on the single track trails.

It was my pleasure to run this unit through the gauntlet. I would love to hear from anyone else who has had the opportunity to use the Bike2Power Spinpower unit.

Permanent link to this article: https://trailsnet.com/2012/04/02/mountain-bike-trail-test-of-spinpower-phone-charger/

Mar 28 2012

Multiple Use Paths and Bike Trail Weather

weather forecast in newspaper looks perfect for bike trail riding

perfect trail weather

We are having ideal trail weather this week. So of course I went on a mountain bike ride. And it truly was a mountain bike ride. It was in the mountains; I could see the mountains, and it was on a mountain bike trail.

But those of you who have read this blog know where I’m going with this. Yes, Kevin, we know… most trails aren’t mountain bike trails, but that’s the generic name given to all bike trails. Well not only do I drone on about that trail topic on this blog, but I also bore people with my opinions about it in person. So, of course, the topic came up again today.

But wait, the story takes a semi-bizarre turn for the better. When I got home and was checking my email, I discovered that those canny Brits have already solved this problem. Leave it to the Limeys. I was informed by a member of the Denver Bicycle Touring Club that in the U.K. they have a peculiar acronym for some particularly popular trails: MUP

I had seen MUP used repeatedly in some recent correspondence from a British biker who had been temporarily living in the U.S. Often times, in his emails, he referred to MUPs. So I queried as to what an MUP was. And it turns out that it’s a… (blare of trumpets)

Multiple Use Path

Holy cow, it’s so simple that it just might work. It’s not perfect; it doesn’t do a good job of describing a particular type of biker as in, “I’m a Multiple Use Path biker.” But it is a relatively useful & generic term for the vast majority of trails in this country. So what do you think?  Should all rail trails, canal trails, urban trails, park trails, etc. be classified into the general heading of multiple use paths? To paraphrase Humphrey Bogart, “You know how to comment, it’s easy…”

 

Permanent link to this article: https://trailsnet.com/2012/03/28/multiple-use-paths-and-bike-trail-weather/