May 06 2011

A dozen of Colorado’s best trails

Denver’s 5280 magazine recently published a list of great Colorado trailsbroken into these categories:

  • Day Hikes
  • Weekend Trips
  • Multi-day Trips
  • Mountain Biking
Check them out to see what you think. I’ve only been on a couple of them, but they look pretty awesome. Most of them are not for the faint-hearted.
If you’d like some more gentle and accessible trails, you may want to try these:
Colorado Trail near Mt. Elbert

Permanent link to this article: https://trailsnet.com/2011/05/06/a-dozen-of-colorados-best-trails/

May 05 2011

Exercise is Medicine

Hills are better than pills!

“Exercise is Medicine” is a global initiative that encourages doctors to prescribe exercise much like they now prescribe drugs.

It’s not a  crazy idea and it might just work. In fact, according to a New Zealand study, a group of inactive women was prescribed exercise, and two years later, 39% were still at it.

“Hike two miles and call me in the morning.” It has a nice ring to it.  I prescribe a local trail. They’re a lot safer, healthier, prettier, and more exciting than medicine.

Permanent link to this article: https://trailsnet.com/2011/05/05/exercise-is-medicine/

May 05 2011

Pikes Peak Greenway Trail overnight

Pikes Peak Greenway trail

I just published the Pike Peak Greenway trail guide on Everytrail, and it reminded me of a fun overnight experience.

Most of us think of urban trails as a fun little morning or afternoon activity. Hop on your bike; ride from point a to point b; go home and do another trail tomorrow.

And that is indeed lots of fun. But have you ever thought of turning it into an overnight? It’s pretty easy to do and doesn’t take a lot of planning. Basically, make a hotel reservation, pack and extra pair of skivvies and a t-shirt and you’re ready to go. Since it’s an urban trail, you’ll have plenty of eating options along the way.

It’s like a mini-vacation, but way cheaper and easier to plan. The next day, after a restful night at a hotel (preferably one with a pool) you feel refreshed and ready to hit the trail again.

Some reasons why this is a great option include:

Side trails off Pikes Peak Greenway
  • It allows you to ride a longer trail than you normally would since you don’t have to go all the way out and back.
  • It allows you to combine two trails. For example, I combined the New Santa Fe Regional Trail and the Pikes Peak Greenway Trail. 
  • It allows you to explore side trails. The Pikes Peak Greenway, for example, has tons of side-trail options including one to historical Colorado City. (See picture w/ trail options above.)
  • It allows you to try out new restaurants.
  • As mentioned above, it’s like going on a mini-vacation with fewer hassles.
Am I the only one who has tried this mini-vacation on the trail thing? If you’ve ever done it or have some trail suggestions, feel free to leave a comment below.

Permanent link to this article: https://trailsnet.com/2011/05/05/pikes-peak-greenway-trail-overnight/

May 01 2011

Physical Activity is the Key to Fitness

Colorado is firmly established as the least obese state in the U.S. It is often cited as being the healthiest state overall.

Biking trails are part of a well-rounded fitness program.

In today’s Parade magazine, it was clear that exercise, not diet, is the leading cause for Colorado’s enviable fitness level.

Colorado did not make the short list of states that ate the most fruits and vegetables. However, it did make the list of top five states for physical activity.

Good job, Colorado. In essence, this means the key to a healthy, fit, trim life is exercise. To me, that’s great news because I enjoy exercise such as bike riding, hiking, and other forms of trail-related activities. However, I also love to eat. Oh sure, I make small concessions when it comes to diet; but in general I eat early, often, and prodigiously. It’s one of life’s little pleasures.

This also bodes well for other trail users. You’re staying fit while having fun. In my mind, this is just one more reason why trails should be funded, built, and maintained at a higher level. They are incredibly important to the health, recreation, and environment in this country.

I’d love to hear what you think is more important to people’s health:

  • exercise
  • diet

Permanent link to this article: https://trailsnet.com/2011/05/01/physical-activity-is-the-key-to-fitness/

Apr 30 2011

Epic Trails on the Horizon

Neighborhood trails are fine for that quick bike ride after work or a family stroll on a weekend. But what about those of us who love to spend full days on the trails… even enjoy planning our vacations around long-distance trails?

Trail Vacations
I’ve been fortunate enough to travel all over the world and visit castles, cathedrals, theme parks, beaches, and landmarks. But after all that, I’ve found the most satisfying and fulfilling vacations include lots of time on the seat of a bicycle or in a pair of hiking boots. I enjoy trails for numerous reasons:

  • I can see places I wouldn’t see otherwise.
  • I get exercise while touring.
  • The trails are usually less crowded and always have a nice mix of tourists and locals.
  • Long-distance trails often take you to authentic locations like a New England Village or an uncrowded beach.
  • Rail-trails often allow you to view historical sites that are mostly unchanged over the years.
  • Trails frequently go through a nice mix of urban, rural, and suburban.
  • The slower pace of biking trails and hiking paths allow for a better view of the local scenery.
American Discovery Trail
One new trail that is currently being planned and constructed is the American Discovery Trail. It travels east to west (or vice-versa) and spans the entire width of the United States. If traveling from the Pacific Ocean, you would venture through California, Nevada, Utah, and into Colorado where the trail splits into two tracks near Denver. The north track takes you through Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, and Indiana. The south track takes you into Kansas Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana. The trails come back together near the three-points region of Indiana, Kentucky, and Ohio. Then the trail continues through Ohio, West Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, and Washington D.C.
The ADT connects five national scenic trails such as the Appalachian and Pacific Crest trails. It also connects 10 national historic trails and 25 national recreation trails.
Great Plains Trail
Proposed map of Great Plains Trail
In the very early stages of planning, the Great Plains Trail runs north/south, like the Pacific Crest and Appalachian. In fact, it is our inland version of those two trails. It travels through seven states including Montana, South Dakota, Kansas, Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexico, and Texas. The GPT will highlight the best of the Great American Plains including such beautiful areas as the American Prairie Reserve, Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge, Black Hills, Scotts Bluff National Monument, Pawnee National Grasslands, Arikaree Breaks, Cammanche National Grasslands, Santa Fe National Historic Trail, and Guadalupe Peak in Texas.
You have a rare opportunity to get involved in these trails from the start and watch as they progress and come to fruition. I hope you become a part of history by following the development of two larger-than-life trails. Please let me know what part you play in the development of these great American classic trails.

Permanent link to this article: https://trailsnet.com/2011/04/30/epic-trails-on-the-horizon/

Apr 30 2011

Mountain Lion Spotted from Biking Trail

I spotted my first mountain lion (in the wild) while bike riding on the South Boulder Creek Trail in Colorado.

I swear, the blob you see in the middle of the
picture is a mountain lion… really!!

I was riding along and saw what I first thought to be two deer running through the field nearby. Then, I realized they were running too fast and decided it was a coyote chasing a deer, which was a little weird but nature is never totally predictable, so I chalked it up to an extremely hungry coyote.

On my return ride, as I was nearing the South Boulder Road trail underpass, I noticed lots of flashing lights on the road. Hmm? Car wreck, drug bust, or what?

Then, as I drew nearer, a guy told me they had a mountain lion cornered up a nearby tree. Unfortunately, I didn’t have my camera at the time… only my iphone. So I snapped a few pictures of a moving blob in the tree, then quickly drove home, grabbed my camera and got back to the scene (with considerably more spectators at this point) just as it was getting dark. Now, with my improved camera, I was able to get a zoomed in picture of a slightly bigger and darker moving blob in the tree. Only this blob clearly had a tail. (When Claude Monet paints fuzzy pictures, they’re called pieces of art. When I take a blurry photo, it’s called a crappy photo. Wazzup wid dat?)

So it turns out that what I saw earlier was a mountain lion chasing a deer. Now when I see the signs warning of mountain lions in the area, I know they aren’t just bluffing. They’re serious; they mean business; now I know that once every 50 years or so, I’ll actually see mountain lion from the trail.

Have you had any wildlife experiences on the trail lately/ever? I’d love to hear about them in the comments below.

Permanent link to this article: https://trailsnet.com/2011/04/30/mountain-lion-spotted-from-biking-trail/