Cycling 43 Miles in 4 Hours in Indiana on the Great American Rail-Trail

The Great American Rail-Trail is the nation’s first cross-country multiuse trail, stretching more than 3,700 miles between Washington, D.C. and Washington State. It is in development in 12 states and currently about 55 percent of the trail is complete. A rail trail is a public path built from a former railroad corridor that is used for many non-motorized activities, such as walking, running, and bicycling.

My first experience cycling on a rail trail was in the summer of 2001 when I rode the Route of the Hiawatha trail in northern Idaho. 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.

Yesterday, I cycled a portion of the Great American Rail-Trail that I've been wanting to do. I logged 43 miles on a roundtrip ride from Peru, Indiana to Rochester, Indiana on the Nickel Plate Trail. I posted videos and pictures on my Instagram and Facebook accounts. The temperature was 85 degrees and I completed the ride in 4 hours -- including stops. I experienced 1,100 feet of elevation gain and truly enjoyed this peaceful ride through Miami County and Fulton County. About half of the route has a nice canopy of trees, providing welcomed shade on sunny days.

Several road crossings are necessary to completely navigate this trail, but I found none of them to be difficult. The Nickel Plate Trail surface is paved asphalt and smooth. It is typically at least 6 feet wide and there is a painted dividing line and metal bollards at street crossings along the trail. The majority of the trail is estimated to be in the mostly gentle grade category (5% or less). Anyone interested in cycling the trail from Peru to Rochester should bring enough water. There are no nearby off-trail places to refill water bottles. If you're doing a roundtrip of 43 miles as I did, you'll definitely want a few bottles on an 85-degree and hotter day! By the way, the trail is open year round.

So, that's another section of the Great American Rail-Trail that is off of my to-do list!

Gotta Roll,

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:

• United States in 2006 (3,260 miles solo in 108 days at age 41)
• Montana in 2008 (620 miles solo in 20 days at age 43)
• Alaska in 2009 (500 miles solo in 18 days at age 44)
• Germany in 2010 (500 miles solo in 21 days at age 45)
• The Mojave Desert in 2011 (506 miles solo in 17 days at age 46)
• Various Photos From Mileposts Gone By
• Students Worldwide Who Ran With Me Virtually
• Roadside Sights From My Running Adventures
• Some Cycling Moments From The Past

30 Years of Rails-to-Trails Conservancy

Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC) is an American nonprofit organization formed in 1986 and based in Washington, D.C. that works with communities to preserve unused railroad corridors by transforming them into rail trails within the USA for walking, running and bicycling. With more than 2,000 rail-trails and more than 31,000 miles of multiuse trails nationwide, RTC's focus is on linking these corridors — creating trail networks that connect people and places, just as the railroads once did.

RTC uses a three-pronged strategy to realize its vision of trails at the heart of healthy, thriving communities: changes in public policy, changes in infrastructure and changes in personal behavior.

I'm a long-time user of rails-to-trails pathways, with my favorite (so far) being the Hiawatha Trail in northern Idaho. In Indiana, where I live, I've enjoyed running and biking on the Nickel Plate Trail and Panhandle Pathway. On my list to do is the Cardinal Greenway, a 62-mile path which touches five Indiana counties. I'd also like to cycle the Katy Trail in Missouri. Want to find a rails-to-trails route near you? Go to www.traillink.com. It is an excellent resource set up by the RTC, providing verified maps and detailed information about 31,000 miles of trails across the USA.

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

Paul J. Staso

_______________________________________

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

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

• United States in 2006 (3,260 miles solo in 108 days at age 41)
• Montana in 2008 (620 miles solo in 20 days at age 43)
• Alaska in 2009 (500 miles solo in 18 days at age 44)
• Germany in 2010 (500 miles solo in 21 days at age 45)
• The Mojave Desert in 2011 (506 miles solo in 17 days at age 46)
• Various Photos From Mileposts Gone By
• Students Worldwide Who Ran With Me Virtually
• Roadside Sights From My Running Adventures
• Some Cycling Moments From The Past