Thursday, March 21, 2019

I'm a Supporter of the Rails-to-Trails Program in the United States



Rail-trails are multipurpose public paths created from former railroad corridors. These paths are flat or gently sloping, making them easily accessible and a great way to enjoy the outdoors. Rail-trails are ideal for many types of activities (depending on the rules established by the local community) including walking, bicycling, wheelchair use, inline skating, cross-country skiing and horseback riding.

A railroad corridor is considered abandoned when rail service is discontinued; the Surface Transportation Board officially approves the abandonment; tariffs (pay schedules) are canceled; and, the railroad files an abandonment consummation notice with Surface Transportation Board. In most cases, the local, state or federal agency that buys the corridor builds the trail. The agency develops it using its own labor and equipment or hires an independent construction company. In a few cases, groups of citizen volunteers have constructed trails. Trails are generally managed by public agencies, but some are operated by other types of organizations, such as nonprofit citizen groups, land trusts and community foundations. There are more than 2,000 rail corridors that have been converted to usable trails, with at least one in every state. An additional 700+ are in the works, with new projects beginning each month.

I've always enjoyed bicycling and plan to purchase a new bike this spring. My first experience riding on a rail-trail was in the summer of 2001 when I rode the Hiawatha Trail in northern Idaho. One of the highlights of that ride is the St. Paul Pass (or "Taft") Tunnel -- a cavernous, very dark tunnel under the Bitterroot Mountains, connecting Idaho and Montana. It's 1.66 miles long! When each of my four children reached the age of 10, I took them on a one-on-one bike ride on that scenic trail through the Idaho Panhandle National Forest.

Back in May 2017, I officially retired from the world of long-distance running... after 42 years of logging miles. Two years ago, I wrote in this blog: "Cycling has always been my favorite cross-training activity. I've bicycled countless miles as I've prepared for solo ultra-endurance adventures... Over the years I've bicycled in various places, such as Alaska; Idaho; Oregon; Montana; Delaware; Maryland; Virginia; Indiana; and elsewhere... often taking advantage of the rails-to-trails pathways. It seems like a logical transition for me to go from running to bicycling."

I'm now focusing in on how I would like to make cycling more of a part of my life. I've shared with my wife that I would like to cycle the longest rail-trail in America, that being the Katy Trail, which extends about 240 miles across the state of Missouri (which I would likely do over the course of 5 days). Over half of the trail's length follows Lewis and Clark's path up the Missouri River, and I've already run and cycled large portions of the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail in Montana, Idaho, Oregon and Washington. The Katy Trail includes towering river bluffs, meandering farmland, and plenty of opportunities to encounter small-town Americana.

The Katy Trail is on my radar for the future and I already know where I'd like to begin that east-to-west ride -- at Our Lady of the Rivers Shrine, located in Portage Des Sioux, Missouri (along the Mississippi River), population 331. It is only 4 miles from the Katy trailhead at Machens, Missouri. The Shrine was placed by the St Francis of Assisi Catholic Church and the Legion of Mary Parish in gratitude to the Blessed Virgin when their prayers to her spared the City of Portage Des Sioux from flood waters in 1951. The name "Portage Des Sioux" was given to the city because the area was used by the Native Americans as a short-cut between the Missouri River and the Mississippi River. Instead of continuing to paddle down either of rivers to get to the other one, they would carry or "port" their canoes across the two mile stretch of land between the rivers, saving themselves considerable time and over 20 miles of paddling!

From Him, Through Him, For Him (Romans 11:36),

Paul J. Staso
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Visit my YouTube channel -- https://www.youtube.com/user/pacetrek

Click on any of the links below to see some of my adventure photos: