Thursday, June 23, 2011

On your next trail trip, should you drive or fly?

So you want to ride the Silver Comet Trail and you're trying to decide whether you should fly into Atlanta, Georgia or drive. With the price of gas, it's no longer assumed that driving will be cheaper. But how do you find out for sure whether tis cheaper to drive or fly?

Should you fly or drive on your next active travel trip?
Now there's a website called befrugal.com that helps you decide. It even figures in such details as airport parking, hotels on the road, and local transportation fees. Unfortunately, it doesn't figure in bike rental or shipping costs; other than that, befrugal is pretty darned thorough.

I just figured out that I'll save a little bit on my upcoming Montana trip by driving instead of flying.

Give it a try and let me know what you think.

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4 comments:

MagEllen said...

So tell us more about this Montana trip! We are loyal followers and also trail chasers - have done many of the trails you describe. Being a Montanan (now living in FL) I wonder where you are going. One beautiful (but too short) trail runs from Polson down the mission valley to Ronan with stunning views of Flathead and the Missions... Then of course the Hiawatha and Couer D'alene are just across the line...

trailsnet said...

I'm a huge fan of the Hiawatha & Couer d' alene trails. The Hiawatha was my (sigh) first rail trail and got me started on this whole crazy trail thing.
They are in the process of extending the Hiawatha 40 miles into Montana and eventually all the way to Missoula. Won't that be an awesome trail? Especially since the Hiawatha will eventually connect to the Couer-d' alene which will connect to the Idaho Centennial, to the Spokane Centennial, to the John Wayne until it reaches the Pacific coast. Most of that is already in place w/ just a few connectors missing.
As for current Montana trails, there are disappointingly few. I will be riding the Kootenai trail up by Libby and then doing a few hikes up in the Cabinet Mountains. We'll also stop by Yellowstone on our way up, but no big trails planned there.
Montana has incredible trail potential. There's an old rail line that runs between Billings & Great Falls that would make an awesome rail-trail, but I haven't heard of any plans.
I also know that Billings is in the process of developing an ambitious trail system, but my guess is that it will take awhile.
I may also check out the Great Northern Trail in Kalispell or I might just wait until they add onto it a little more. It'll be another good one when it's done, as long as it doesn't cross too many roads at-grade. We'll see.

trailsnet said...

By the way, where are you from in MT?
And do you know the name of the trails from Polson to Ronan? I drive that route at least once or twice a year and have never seen that trail.

trailsnet said...

By the way, where are you from in MT?
And do you know the name of the trails from Polson to Ronan? I drive that route at least once or twice a year and have never seen that trail.