Oct 17 2010

Water Trail in the Black Canyon of the Colorado River

kayak on Colorado River

I haven’t spent much time talking about water trails in this blog, but a recent article about the Hoover Dam Bypass Bridge in Parade magazine prompted me to write a little about the water trail in the Black Canyon of the Colorado River and my kayak experience in that stretch of the river.

To be brief, it was awesome.

While my buddies were gambling in Vegas, I was enjoying the serenity of the Colorado River between Hoover Dam and Lake Mojave.

one of the many natural hot springs

view from one of the hot
springs looking down on
the Colorado River

But it was more than just serenity. And it was more than just beauty, although the trip is beautiful and occasionally surreal.

The surprise that awaited me was the hot/warm springs. I had no idea they existed, so I was pleasantly surprised to find out that those little streams that joined the Colorado River were actually flowing with warm water. And on some of them, that warm water was dammed to form pools that were filled with bathtub-like water that was just the right temperature. Talk about relaxing. I kayaked all day and visited three warm spring canyons. That whole time, I only saw two other people on the river and one other person in the hot springs.

I loved it, and I suggest you give it a try. I’ll take kayaking and hot springs soaking over Black Jack and roulette any day.

Permanent link to this article: https://trailsnet.com/2010/10/17/water-trail-in-the-black-canyon-of-the-colorado-river/

Oct 16 2010

Funny Onion article about biking socks

I love this Onion article about a guy who’s trying to convince his friend about the importance of buying expensive bike socks and matching clothing.

It reminds me of the road-bikers I see on a daily basis. I’m glad trail bikers are a little less pretentious. Reason # 438 as to why I prefer riding trails over roads.

Permanent link to this article: https://trailsnet.com/2010/10/16/funny-onion-article-about-biking-socks/

Oct 16 2010

Halloween Graveyard Trails

Halloween is almost here. It’s my favorite time of the year:

  • The fall colors are beautiful.
  • The smell of autumn permeates the air.
  • People have their halloween decorations adorning their houses providing a festive atmosphere.
  • The fall harvest provides us with fresh pumpkins, apples, squash, etc.
  • The temperatures are perfect for outdoor activities such as biking, hiking and horseback riding.
  • We have an excuse to buy lots of candy. (Of course it’s only for the trick-or-treaters.)
Well for you trail lovers, you have two more themed rides, also:
  • Fall foliage rides are gorgeous in nearly every state.
  • Halloween themed rides are less well-known, but growing in popularity.
What is a “Halloween themed ride?” 
First & foremost, it involves graveyards. Spooky cemeteries abound, but New England trails and other Northeastern United States trails have the best haunts.
My favorite spooky graveyard trail is the Ashuelot Rail Trail in Keene, New Hampshire. Located in Cheshire County New Hampshire, this trail drips of scary cemeteries, abandoned factories, and other spooky backdrops.
Even if you’re not into the whole halloween bike ride thing, you’ll love the autumn leaf colors and the peaceful serenity of this premier rail-trail. I have included some pictures of the trail for your viewing pleasure.

I would appreciate hearing from any of you who can suggest other good Halloween or fall foliage trails. Feel free to send them via the comments below or by contacting me directly using the link on this page or the contact form on the trailsnet website.

Permanent link to this article: https://trailsnet.com/2010/10/16/halloween-graveyard-trails/

Oct 15 2010

Water is our theme for Blog Action Day

Trailsnet is taking part in Blog Action Day. Our theme for this year is “water.”

Take a look at the enclosed video for a hint about why water is our theme and why it is so important.


Blog Action Day 2010: Water from Blog Action Day on Vimeo.

Permanent link to this article: https://trailsnet.com/2010/10/15/water-is-our-theme-for-blog-action-day/

Oct 14 2010

Alaska lights trail for long winter nights.

While Alaskan summers are famous for their long days of sunlight, their winters are infamous for a lack of sunshine. And that lack of sunshine translates to very short days.

To many of us hard-core trail lovers, that would be a complete bummer. It would mean our trail time would be sorely limited and on many days, non-existent.
So the town of Soldotna came up with a great solution: light the trail. They have installed lights on a ten mile loop trail, and now their residents have seen the light and can enjoy their trails year-round.
We’d love to hear from Soldotna residents or anyone else who has used these “night trails.” It must be a surreal experience.
By the way, the trail is available for hikers, trail runners, mountain bikers, and cross-country skiers.

Permanent link to this article: https://trailsnet.com/2010/10/14/alaska-lights-trail-for-long-winter-nights/

Oct 13 2010

bike storage

It’s not quite time to store your bike for the winter, but it will be soon. Even if you’re lucky enough to live in a place where you can ride your bike all winter, you’ll probably at least want it out of the way so you can get at your skis and muckalucks. Does anyone wear muckalucks anymore? Did they ever?

Start preparing for winter.

Anyway, there was an article in today’s newspaper about bike storage, so I thought I’d share with you so you would have some good bike storage ideas or at least get you to thinking about where you’ll keep your bicycle during the cold months ahead.

Permanent link to this article: https://trailsnet.com/2010/10/13/bike-storage/