Check out the Gyrobike / Gyrowheel.
I think I’m going to have more children just so I can teach them to ride a bike using this cool equipment:
Permanent link to this article: https://trailsnet.com/2010/12/27/a-revolutionary-new-way-to-learn-how-to-ride-a-bike-without-training-wheels/
Dec 27 2010
The Making of a Rail Trail
How does a rail trail get built?
I recently read an article from the Salem News (I love their witch-on-a-broom logo.) about building the Danvers Rail Trail which would run from Peabody to Wenham. Now I know nothing about Peabody, except that I once wrestled a guy from Montana whose last name was Peabody. But that’s beside the point.
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| construction on Mount Vernon Trail in Virginia |
I also realized that I know very little about building rail-trails either. You’d think that since I’m such a huge fan of them, I’d know more, but…
One of the first factors to consider has absolutely nothing to do with the physical labor involved w/ building a rail trail. It’s the paperwork, the community relations, the permits, etc. Community members must be notified, meetings held, people convinced of the worthiness. That would be way harder than swinging a pulaski.
Then, before the trail can be built, the old railroad ties & tracks haveto be removed, the routes has to be surveyed and graded. Vegetation needs to be thinned or removed. Remember, all of this has to be done before one bit of trail gets built.
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| construction on Mount Vernon Trail in Virginia |
Oh, did I mention finding the land, purchasing the land, obtaining the easements, zoning, safety regulations, contracting w/ a trail building company, building bridges, repairing bridges, meeting environmental standards, avoiding or replacing wetlands…
Yikes!! When I think about it, it’s amazing that we have so many of the best trails that we do. It also makes me appreciate those trails even more.
My thanks go out to the trail organizations, builders, fund-raisers, planners, and, of course, users. Next time you ride a trail, try to remember how special it is and all the work that went into planning and implementing the trail construction.
Permanent link to this article: https://trailsnet.com/2010/12/27/the-making-of-a-rail-trail/
Dec 26 2010
6 Tips for Choosing a Hiking Trail
If you’re thinking about getting into hiking, whether as a hobby, as part of a health plan, or just because you’ve got too much time on your hands, (I can’t relate to that, but…) the hiking & trails website has a list of tips to help you choose the trail that best suits your needs:
Get on Track: 6 Tips for Choosing the Best Hiking Trails
Wondering how to choose hiking trails that are right for you? Here are some considerations…
1. A great place to start is a hiking trail without any big changes in elevation, like a flat trail around a pond or along a shoreline.
That was just the first tip. Visit the hiking & trails website for more information/tips.
Permanent link to this article: https://trailsnet.com/2010/12/26/6-tips-for-choosing-a-hiking-trail/
Dec 25 2010
American Trails Needs Your Help
Whether you donate out of Christmas spirit or to get a 2010 tax break, a donation to American Trails will go a long way toward a lasting legacy of family fun, environmental assistance, & healthy habits. Oh, and one more thing, with your donation, you get a Trail Tales book that just happened to adorn my stocking on this fine Christmas morning.
Part of American Trails mission statement is as follows:
We advocate on your behalf – for more funding and for keeping trails open. As a free service, we host and provide access to theWorld’s largest online resource for planning, building, managing, enhancing, funding, protecting, and supporting trails and greenways at www.AmericanTrails.org. We connect you to state-of-the-art trails training and provide information about trails throughout the country. We are making a difference!
So now might be the best time to consider donating to American Trails. It’s tax deductible, & it goes for such a good, long-lasting cause. A little bit goes a long ways.
Merry Christmas to everyone and, as always, Happy Trails!!
Permanent link to this article: https://trailsnet.com/2010/12/25/american-trails-needs-your-help/
Dec 24 2010
GPS Good for More Than Just Trail Directions
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| Auto driver & bicyclist altercations are inevitable when riding on the roads. |
Whenever I ride my bike on the trails, I take my GPS to record information for trail guides. It turns out that it may come in handy for insurance purposes also.
To read a fun story about a bicyclist from Denver whose GPS came in handy after a car-bike collision, click on this link. It turns out a motorist rammed into this guy who was out on a training ride on his bike. Then she (the car driver) tried to lie to the police about it. Fortunately, the bike rider had his GPS running, & it corroborated his version of the story. For him, it turned out to be a happy ending since her insurance company ended up paying for his damages.
Permanent link to this article: https://trailsnet.com/2010/12/24/gps-good-for-more-than-just-trail-directions/
Dec 23 2010
Blumenauer Champions the Importance of Bike Trail Funding
Once again, Representative Blumenauer comes to the rescue of bicyclists and bicycling infrastructure.
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| The world as Senator Tom Coburn would have it. |
When Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK) tried to portray bicycle path signage as “wasteful,” Rep. Blumenauer set him straight with good old fashioned facts and figures.
For some reason politicians have no problem with throwing money at endless roads, lanes, and automotive spending ad nauseum. But when it comes to alternative transportation in general, and human powered transportation specifically, they are dead set against it. I guess they prefer pollution, obesity, traffic congestion, and traffic fatalities to environmental awareness, healthy communities, and family-friendly trails. Or do they just like the money from auto and petroleum lobbyists.
Hmmmmmm? You decide.
Permanent link to this article: https://trailsnet.com/2010/12/23/blumenauer-champions-the-importance-of-bike-trail-funding/