Rails to Trails

**blackhillsbiker** · 10-11-2009, 08:11 PM

Looking at your info makes me smile. I grew up in Lakewood, CO. My parents are still there.

Our "retirement" plans include riding "rails to trails" and watching minor league baseball (and finding the occasional yarn shop, and hunting for fountain pens).

Deb

**Zen** · 10-12-2009, 02:11 AM

Look at the links provided

**blackhillsbiker** · 10-12-2009, 05:20 AM

The way I understand it, no longer used railroad tracks are paved over (ours is shale gravel) and used for bike/hike/horseback trails. No motorized vehicles are allowed. The Mickelson is over 100 miles through some of the most beautiful parts of the Black Hills. An advantage of rails-to-trails is that fully-loaded trains (the Mick was built over old mining rails) don't like steep grades, so the hills are not as steep as riding some mountain trails, or some highway riding. You have to be aware of other users, but we usually have long stretches of solitude. They are not terribly primitive, so a hybrid or touring bike can negotiate them fairly easily as long as you are aware of loose gravel. The fee to use (we pay yearly) as well as some local development/memorial money and a grant from the Rails to Trails Conservancy helps to keep the trail very well maintained. I could be wrong in some of the specifics, but that's the gist. It is one of my favorite rides. I'm looking forward to exploring some of the other ones.

Deb

**Zen** · 10-12-2009, 07:53 AM

Deb- note signature line and number of posts of that "forum member"

**blackhillsbiker** · 10-12-2009, 10:23 AM

?? I'm not meaning to step on any toes.

Deb

**Zen** · 10-12-2009, 02:10 PM

Deb- that post has been removed. It was adspam.

**Kathi** · 10-12-2009, 06:51 PM

Originally Posted by blackhillsbiker

Looking at your info makes me smile. I grew up in Lakewood, CO. My parents are still there.

Our "retirement" plans include riding "rails to trails" and watching minor league baseball (and finding the occasional yarn shop, and hunting for fountain pens).

Deb

How long have you been gone? Can you believe that we retired and moved here 5 yrs ago to ski and bike?

Did you see that Lakewood got a bronze medal award for being a cycling friendly city from the League of American Bicyclists and was voted by Money Mag as one of the top 10 places in the country to retire to?

Our goal is to ride in every state. Knocked off 3 this summer. let me know the next time you visit.

fountain pens?

**blackhillsbiker** · 10-12-2009, 07:22 PM

I left in 1980 when I went off to school, and haven't really lived there since. We do visit, though. My parents live in Green Mountain. I biked until I got my driver's license when I lived there (like most kids). There were no bike trails, or really safe commutes. I did like biking around the Federal Center when my dad worked there.

Fountain pens – my collecting passion. I write and draw with them, fix them, give them away... they're so much more fun and expressive than ballpoints or even rollerballs. I've been limiting my acquisitions since I've been needing winter cycling gear. I do still browse antique shops (not antique malls!) for good pens looking for a little TLC.

**Zen** · 10-12-2009, 08:07 PM

Love writing with fountain pens but it's hard to find ink.
Plus, they're beautiful and nice to hold.

**e.e.cummings** · 10-13-2009, 03:19 AM

Have a look at this trail: http://www.laurentians.com/parclineaire/

I just did it and I loved it - whenever you are in the mood to come further north, it is a great trail. I am preparing my ride report right now!

I am so glad that you made this post, because I want to do exactly the same thing - find more rails for trails - it really nice touring on a dedicated trail.

**shootingstar** · 10-13-2009, 11:24 AM

From southwestern Canada, there are rail trails also which are not mentioned on Rail Trail Conservancy website, since it's American:

Go north of the border and go into winery country, etc.

http://www.spiritof2010trail.ca/trailMaps.aspx# Southern & central British Columbia is accessible to someone from SD. It is the Okanagan Valley wine region in western Canada. The region is also ecologically, Canada's desert (if you don't count that Canadian Arctic which is also a desert but covered with snow/ice often). Kettle Valley Trail system is one starting point to look into.

http://www.great-trails.com/myracanyon.shtml

http://www.canadatrails.ca/tct/tctbc.html Scroll down on pg. to find all sorts of links. Some of us have ridden certain portions.

**tulip** · 10-13-2009, 06:05 AM

Originally Posted by Zen

Love writing with fountain pens but it's hard to find ink.
Plus, they're beautiful and nice to hold.

Zen, there's a great fountain pen store with all sorts of ink (and pens) in Kensington. Well worth the trip, and it's bikeable from Rock Creek Park for all you other DC fountain pen cycling ladies.

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