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/

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/

American Trails National Symposium

Although a symposium may sound like a cross between a symphony and a gymnasium, in the case of the 2010 American Trails Symposium, it is actually a very worthwhile gathering of like-minded trail-enthusiasts.

official logo for
the 2010 American
Trails Symposium

One of these years, trailsnet will make their presence known at this important, annual event. But in the meantime, we were one of the sponsors last year and are sponsors once again this year. (at the Carolina Wren level, no less)

I’m not sure if being a non-attending sponsor is like being a bridesmaid  & never a bride, but I suspect it’s even worse, since I have no desire to be a bride but would love to attend the symposium. (There’s that word again.)

This year’s symposium (-: is in Chattanooga, which is even more fun to say than symposium. If that is located near the Chattahoochee River, then we’ll have a trifecta of fun words.

If you are a trail enthusiast and want to be promoted to a trail “mover and shaker” then you should plan to attend this Chattanooga symposium near the Chattahoochee River. How can you not have fun?

Permanent link to this article: https://trailsnet.com/2010/10/13/american-trails-national-symposium/

trail blogs?

Colorful autumn leaves adorn this
 impressionistic trail artwork.

Has anyone run across any great trail blogs out there?


I have been looking and can’t find very many of them. I’ve found a few bicycle blogs and some specialized blogs like recumbent bikes and road bikes; but blogs about trails or, more specifically, bicycle trails seem to be pretty scarce.


I’d love some feedback / comments from my blog followers regarding trail blogs. I’d love to subscribe to a couple informative blogs on the subject. 


Please either send me an email or add a comment (below) if you know of any good trail blogs.

Permanent link to this article: https://trailsnet.com/2010/10/11/trail-blogs/

C & O Canal Towpath trail

I thought I would have finished my C & O Canal Towpath trail web page by now, but it’s taking me longer than I thought. Sorry ’bout that.

The east side of the Big Savage Tunnel
on the C & O Canal Towpath Trail in Maryland

Anyway, I do have the pictures, a brief description, and the vital trail statistics up, so take a look at my C & O Canal Towpath trail web page and let me know what you think. It was a great ride, and I highly recommend this bike path to those of you who want a long bike ride or an even longer hiking trail.

Permanent link to this article: https://trailsnet.com/2010/10/10/c-o-canal-towpath-trail/

Tammany Trace trail

This video is to help users of the Tammany Trace trail, in Covington, Louisiana find the trailhead. It’s a little difficult if you’re not familiar w/ the trail or the town of Covington.

Permanent link to this article: https://trailsnet.com/2010/10/08/tammany-trace-trail/