Feb 07 2012

Colorado Bicycle Summit

I just spent the last two days in Denver, Colorado where I attended the Colorado Bicycle Summit.Over the next few days, I will highlight information from the bike summit in the trailsnet blog. Some of the information is specific to Colorado, but much of it is of  national bicycling interest and national trails interest.

Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper speaks at the Bicycle Summit.

Governor Hickenlooper

Let me start by highlighting and thanking some of the attendees/speakers at the summit:

  • Governor John Hickenlooper presented a warm welcome to the group. Throughout his speech it was obvious that he is a huge supporter of bicycling. It is also obvious that he is an avid cyclist and a supporter of fitness, outdoor recreation and alternative transportation.
  • CEO Shawn Hunter delivered a fascinating introduction and summary of the USA Pro Cycling Challenge. The 2011 Pro Cycling Challenge was held in Colorado was a screaming success, and it sounds like the 2012 version will be even better. Not only did the 2011 event host more spectators than any other sport in the history of Colorado, but the number in attendance actually
    speaker at Colorado Bicycle Summit

    Shawn Hunter

    eclipsed the attendance of the next six biggest sporting events all combined.

  • Jeff Miller, the President & CEO of Alliance for Biking & Walking, shared an extensive and fascinating list of important facts related to bicycling and pedestrian issues. I will be sharing some of that information in upcoming blogposts so hopefully all 5o million American bicyclists visit trailsnet to learn that information.
  • Dan Grunig, Executive Director of Bicycle Colorado served as Master of Ceremonies and also spoke about “Better Bicycling in Colorado.” Thanks to Dan and his cohorts at Bicycle Colorado, the Centennial State now has the best bicycle laws in the country, the largest membership of any state advocacy group, and some of the best biking facilities and competitions in the world.

The next trailsnet blogpost will feature some of the bicycling, pedestrian, and trail information presented at the conference. If you attended the Summit, I’d love to see your comments below.

Permanent link to this article: https://trailsnet.com/2012/02/07/colorado-bicycle-summit/

Feb 05 2012

Snowy Trails Offer New Opportunities

There are two ways to look at snow on the trails:

trail through the snow

trail in the snow

  • The trails are covered with snow, so now I can’t use them.
  • It snowed last night, so now I can blaze my own trail.

Don’t make excuses when it comes to getting out on the trail. All seasons offer new trail opportunities. If you live in an area that is occasionally blanketed in snow, buy some snowshoes or cross-country skis. Expense doesn’t have to be an issue. Nearly fifteen years ago, I bought a brand new pair of  nordic skis for $25 at an end-of-the-season clearance sale. My snowshoes were on sale for under $70. I’ve used both snowy trail devices over 100 times. Sometimes I take them up in the mountains, but most of the time, I use them right out my back door (see pictures).

Don’t forget garage sales, Craigslist, and want ads in the newspaper. You could also rent winter equipment, but from my experience, it makes more sense to just buy some snowshoes and/or nordic skis so you have them available when you need them. Over the years, you’ll probably get your money’s worth. I know I certainly have.

Permanent link to this article: https://trailsnet.com/2012/02/05/snowy-trails-offer-new-opportunities/

Jan 31 2012

Ski Trails are Trails Too

trailsnet sticker at Snow Basin

trailsnet goes skiing

Trailsnet covers many kinds of trails including mountain bike trails, rail trails, hiking trails, and snowshoe trails. But, other than cross-country ski trails, we haven’t really talked much about ski trails.

After spending a week skiing in Utah, I’m wondering if we shouldn’t reconsider that policy? First, let me correct myself. I wasn’t skiing in Utah, I was Skkiing in Utah. There’s a big difference. As has often been reported on this website, trailsnet is hugely supportive of alternative personal transportation vehicles. In keeping with that tradition, yours truly spent a week trying out the Trikke Skki on the slopes of Snow Basin.

It was absolutely incredible. It is wonderful for beginners, yet still a blast for experienced skiers and snowboarders. And as an added bonus, it allows users to wear their normal, comfortable boots rather than heavy, clunky ski boots. Since no poles, special boots, or bindings are required, the Skki, by Trikke, is comparably priced to a ski package.

You can check out a quick video and some pictures of the 2012 Skki Inn on my Facebook page or at the Trikke website. Please let me know, in the comments below, whether or not we should include ski trails in the trailsnet trail list.

Permanent link to this article: https://trailsnet.com/2012/01/31/ski-trails-are-trails-too/

Jan 21 2012

Bermuda Rail-Trail is an Awesome Island Trail

Bike trails, islands, beaches, ocean… These are a few of my favorite things.

Bermuda Rail-Trail

bike trail under palm trees on beach

bike trail on beach

And now it looks like I can enjoy them all in one place. Imagine riding your bike on a great rail-trail one  minute, then taking a break on a sandy  beach the next. That sounds pretty much like trail paradise to me. And thanks to Simon, the awesome webmaster at Bermuda Railway, I have discovered a new favorite island trail. If you’ve never visited Simon’s Rail Trail website, check it out. He’s done a nice job with the website and a general overview map of the trail. In fact, the map on Simon’s site is better than the official trail map I found online.

From the little research I’ve done so far, the trail is far from complete. It has some sections missing and some sections that are far from ideal for a relaxing bike ride. But hey, I’m willing to accept a few imperfections for a chance to ride my bike, on a trail, on an island. And dang, I may not finish the whole trail in one day; that means I’ll have to hang out on the island for a few extra days.

It’s a rough job, but someone has to do it. If any of you have ever ridden the Bermuda Rail Trail, leave a comment below. I’d love to read about your experience.

Permanent link to this article: https://trailsnet.com/2012/01/21/bermuda-rail-trail-is-an-awesome-island-trail/

Jan 18 2012

Another Personal Transportation Vehicle Post from Trailsnet

Permanent link to this article: https://trailsnet.com/2012/01/18/another-personal-transportation-vehicle-post-from-trailsnet/

Jan 17 2012

Bike Overnight Bicycle Destination Website

You enjoy active travel tours, but you don’t have the time or money to go on them very often. I have a hunch that keeps a lot of people from enjoying more bike trips and other active travel vacations. Fortunately, there’s a solution to the problem.

Bicycle pulling a trailer

Short but happy bike trips

Overnight Bike Tours

Thanks to a fairly new website called Bike Overnights, you can join or plan a brief overnight bicycle vacation without breaking your piggy bank or free-time bank. BikeOvernights.org allows bike riders to plan short bike trips with other biking fans. These are not full-blown bike tours that last for a week, but they’re also not those daily neighborhood rides that are starting to get a little old.

Bike overnights provides information about bike trips all throughout the United States and Canada including such destinations as Vermont, Ontario, Washington, Colorado, and Pennsylvania. There’s even an event planned for New Zealand.

Active Travel Planning Tools

In addition to the actual bike getaways, you can also find some great information about planning your active travel tour including:

  • family touring information
  • deluxe touring details
  • some how-to articles
  • recipes & food
  • photos
  • routes & rides
  • travel tips
  • bed & breakfast suggestions
  • ideas for bargain travel planning (see “Cheap”)
Check out Bike Overnights and let me know what you think. I don’t know about you, but I hope to get a lot of use out of this great bike travel website.

Permanent link to this article: https://trailsnet.com/2012/01/17/bike-overnight-bicycle-destination-website/