biking | SouthernPaddler.com

biking

Kayak Jack

Well-Known Member
Aug 26, 2003
13,976
171
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Okemos / East Lansing Michigan
PEDAL YOUR A$$ OFF

As cool weather rolls around, Julie and I have been riding bikes. We both have folding bikes that can be carried in either my Subaru Outback or in the Ruptured Duck. So far, we haven't put them into the Duck. Soon.

Over the Labor Day weekend, we took two rides. The nicest one was on the Lakelands Trail that goes through a few small towns in south-central Michigan. On the W'ly end, is Stockbridge. Riding E'ly, the trail goes through Gregory, Pinkney, and Hamburg.

As railroads were going out of business, their specialised corridor Right of Way (ROW) had to be preserved on the spot. Otherwise, such a corridor could never again be assembled in that, particular area. Rails to Trails was born in many places in the USA. Even a cursory review of the documents by which railroads gained title to vast tracts of land in the 1800's, quickly shows you that they actually - once in a while - got the land legally. But most of the time, no.

This attitude of arrogance unfortunately permeated much of railroad management for the next hundred years. Customers had difficulties getting deliveries to specified locations at specified times. Only options that were convenient for the railroad were offered. The customer be damned!

Long story short - today there are very few railroads and very many trucking companies. Old railroad rights of way are now playgrounds for cyclists, walkers, and horsemen. One helluva " Gothcha!"
 

Kayak Jack

Well-Known Member
Aug 26, 2003
13,976
171
86
Okemos / East Lansing Michigan
Many more bike trails are around than most of us realize. It would be easy to organize trips across country, planning stops at towns/motels, and not camp at all. Or, carry dome light weight gear and camp.
 

oldsparkey

Well-Known Member
Aug 25, 2003
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Central , Florida
www.southernpaddler.com
Kayak Jack said:
Or, carry dome light weight gear and camp.

Down here you can go from the Atlantic side to the Gulf of Mexico by bike and camp along the way. Using the bike paths , roads and even threw some state forests so most of the bikes in the rally's are the Mountain bike variety.
The Counties and the State are adding paths all the time and fairly soon there will be a nice one which will cover a lot of Central Florida's 5 or 6 county area.