Should rail trails be classified as road biking?

Route of the Hiawatha trail in Idaho

In addition to my own trail website, I enjoy contributing to other trail communities. After all, it is my hope that we all have the same general goal: to promote the enjoyable and healthy lifestyle that trails offer.
However, I am having trouble convincing other websites that there should be a third category of biking besides mountain biking and road biking.
My most recent foray into this topic was with Russell of Alltrails.com. First, I want to thank Russell for replying to my request. I appreciate that he took the time to consider the issue and give me a detailed reply. As with all people in the internet trail business, he is most gracious and helpful.
Here is what Russell had to say about my request:

"Thanks for the suggestion Kevin. Today we classify most of the rail trails under road biking since as you pointed out they are paved surfaces that require little to no mountain biking skills. When we spoke with users most people found adding an additional category for biking to be confusing. That being said, we do appreciate the feedback and we'll make sure to revisit this in future updates to the site."

This is similar to the replies I have gotten from other websites such as Everytrail, Trails.com, Mapmyride, Ride with GPS, etc. So my intent is not to say that Alltrails is out of line. In fact they are right in line with all the others. Instead, I would like to offer my own suggestions regarding this issue and hope that I can convince one of the major trail-information websites to take the bold step of adding a third category of trails called trail biking:

1. Rail trails should definitely not be classified as road biking!! The obvious reason for this is because it does not involve a road, but a trail. In fact, most people who ride on rail trails are doing so to avoid riding on roads.
2. It would not confuse people to add a third category. Much more confusing is to classify rail-trails as road biking. By definition, a trail is basically the opposite of a road when it comes to biking and hiking.
3. Although many rail-trails are paved/concrete, many (possibly most) are not. Some are gravel, some cinder, some ballast, some dirt... Each one is different. But they all have one thing in common. They are all family-friendly and they all cater to the needs of all demographic groups, unlike mountain biking and road biking.
4. Both road biking and mountain biking, at least in the minds of many people, offer some element of danger and risk. Trail biking, once again, is quite the opposite. It is relaxing and extremely safe. It attracts a completely different type of user.
5. It is estimated that only 1% of Americans ride bikes on a regular basis. Despite the fact that bike riding is fun, healthy, environmentally-friendly, inexpensive, and (potentially) relaxing, something is keeping people from riding bikes on a regular basis. It is my firm belief that our stringent policy of categorizing all biking into the two narrow categories of mountain biking and road biking is a major factor in the limited biking habits of most Americans.
6. I first became interested in trail biking (I was already an avid mountain biker.) when I took my one-year-old daughter on the Hiawatha Trail in Idaho. Of course she was in a bike trailer and I was pulling her behind my bicycle. It was a revelation to me. I loved the idea that I could enjoy trails with my daughter while avoiding the risks of road biking and mountain biking. Our father/daughter biking trips continued on trails such as the Withlacoochee Trail in Florida and others throughout the country. We were biking together, but we were not mountain biking or road biking. My daughter has never been interested in the rigors of mountain biking, and I don't like the odds of serious/fatal accidents involved with her biking alongside large, fast-moving, often distracted drivers and their automobiles. (side note - Believe me, I am the polar opposite of an over-protective parent, and I would gladly allow my daughter to road-bike if she had such an inclination.)
7. As I travel the country and ride the various family-friendly trails, I can't help but notice that they attract a completely different type of recreationalist. In general, these people are incredibly friendly, laid back, nature-loving, slow-paced individuals and families. That's what they have in common. What they don't have in common is age, income, background, or lifestyle. They seem to come from all walks of life and have varied ages, backgrounds, and socio-economic status. Most of them have no desire to risk life and limb on a road or mountain bike trail. They just love getting out and enjoying the laid-back offerings of a safe and simple trail.

It is for the reasons listed above and many more, that I started the trails network website. I wanted to help other people find the joy of these trails without the risks of road biking and mountain biking. Trail biking is as different from these other two categories as hiking is different than backpacking or trail-running. Alas though, my website is just a small fish in a big pond and doesn't attract the  visitors that the other big websites do. And since my objective is to introduce as many people as possible to the joys of trail riding, I'd prefer to have at least one other site promote trail biking.

It isn't my goal to change all of the various trail websites to my way of thinking. In fact, I hope that there remains variety and choices among the different sites. However, I hope I can convince just one of them to add the category of trail biking so we can spread the word about a third category of trails. It is my dream to raise the percentage of regular bikers in America from 1% to 50% or 75% or, what the heck, let's shoot for 100%. Biking does not have to be dangerous, competitive, or mundane. I am so glad that I get to experience, on a daily basis, the joys of trail-biking throughout America. I look forward to seeing more people join me in this healthy, green, and enjoyable pursuit.

Should rail trails be classified as road biking?

The five newest & coolest forms of human-powered transportation

Elliptigo

At trailsnet, we're all about human-powered transportation, and normally, we highlight the standard fare of biking, hiking, snowshoeing, nordic skiing, inline skating, & horseback riding. But we're also intrigued by some of the newer forms of sweat-equity transportation; so here's a list of some cool new ways of getting around while getting in shape:

The Schweeb

• The Schweeb, by Google is like a hybrid between a bike and a monorail. It is currently located in New Zealand as a recreational application, but it's potential for transportation is sky-high!

• Those of you who enjoy the elliptical trainer at your local gym will love the Elliptigo. It allows you to cruise like a bicyclist while standing upright like a cross-country skiier. It's like running without all the jarring impact.
• The Trikke, like the Elliptigo, allows you to stand up while moving down the street or trail. But it's a lot less expensive and more of a full body workout. And once you master the Trikke, it'll be a cinch to move onto the Skki during the winter months.
• Okay, recumbents aren't all that new, but they haven't yet caught on like I think they're bound to someday soon. So many of you may not even be aware of the recumbent movement. However, if you give one a try, I predict you'll be hooked. I know I was.



recumbent

• Technically velomobiles are a form of recumbent. But I think they look way cool, and seem to have their own following, so I'll give them their own category. They look like the human-powered machine of the future.

The five newest & coolest forms of human-powered transportation

6 Tips for Choosing a Hiking Trail

If you're thinking about getting into hiking, whether as a hobby, as part of a health plan, or just because you've got too much time on your hands, (I can't relate to that, but...) the hiking & trails website has a list of tips to help you choose the trail that best suits your needs:

Get on Track: 6 Tips for Choosing the Best Hiking Trails

Wondering how to choose hiking trails that are right for you? Here are some considerations...

1. A great place to start is a hiking trail without any big changes in elevation, like a flat trail around a pond or along a shoreline.

That was just the first tip. Visit the hiking & trails website for more information/tips.

6 Tips for Choosing a Hiking Trail

Trail Sharing

Some things we just take for granted.

For example, most trails I've ridden on around the U.S. were shared trails. One very limited example of a shared trail is one on which both hikers and bikers can recreate. (Not procreate... that would be just a little too sharesy for most jurisdictions.)

But many trails also include numerous other forms of trail mobility including inline skating, horseback riding etc.

But in a recent email from Barry, in Japan, I was surprised to learn that "In my country cyclists are forbidden to ride on hiking trails under the jurisdiction of the "Department of Conservation", or National Parks."


I've been meaning to write a blog on the topic of shared trails for a while, so my thanks go out to Barry for prodding me to "...get 'er done." So without further ado, here was my email reply to Barry:

I am so glad you asked me about shared trails...

The majority of trails in the U.S. are shared trails... some more than others. The last two Everytrail Guides I completed were about trails shared by: snowmobilers, cross-country skiers, snowshoers, hikers, bikers, and equestrians. One of the two was also shared by ATVs and motorcycles.

However, those trails were not quite the ordinary. Most trails prohibit motor vehicles. But many of the paved trails do allow inline skaters.

As for whether I support them... Wholeheartedly. It goes back to, "Why can't we all just share and get along?"

Now for the unspoken question: "Do other people agree with me?"

If you judged based upon the letters to the editor in my local newspaper... Absolutely not!!

Many people are vehemently opposed to sharing trails with bicyclists. Needless to say, biking is one of the most important activities in my life, and I do it on a daily basis, mostly on trails. But I can't blame people who are enraged by bikers. To some people/bikers, all life is a race. They're always rush, rush, rushing. This is intimidating, unsafe, and unfriendly for hikers. 

I have experienced this rush, rush attitude w/ bikers on roads and on mountain bike trails. I have not seen it on rail-trails. It seems like bikers on rail-trails are more calm, relaxed, and courteous. It also helps that rail-trails are usually much wider than mountain bike trails.

Anyway, that was the just of my email response to Barry. Now if it sounds like I'm picking on bikers and want to limit their trail use, quite the opposite is true. Anyone who knows me knows that I'm a tireless advocate for more bike trails. However, that's not going to happen as long as bikers are rude and inconsiderate to other trail users.

Oh, and by the way, I think just as many hikers are equally rude. Why do some hikers feel compelled to take up the whole path and have to be asked/begged to share the trail? I am also a hiker and I always stay to the far right and am aware of what's going on in front of me and behind me. I love to share the trail and stay out of the way of other trail users. Whether I am biking or hiking, I do so in single file about 90% of the time. If I ride/walk side-by-side, I pay even more attention to other trail users and move over when I see someone approaching.

The Mount Vernon Trail in Virginia is a
 good example of  a shared trail
with bikers, trail runners, walker, skaters...

It's all about courtesy and sharing. Trails are one of the greatest luxuries in life. Let's all respect one another and share the wealth.

It sounds like this may be a good subject for the next survey in the left sidebar. What do you say? As always, I'd love reader feedback.

Trail Sharing

Fall foliage voting results and trail snack voting

don't forget to hydrate

The polls have closed and we have a winner.

Our question was, "What is your favorite way to view fall colors?"

58% of you preferred to view them on the seat of a bicycle.
33% of you preferred to view them while hiking or backpacking
9% of you preferred to view them in the comfort of your car.

I wouldn't exactly call the survey scientific since the people who visit our website are usually trail lovers so they have a tendency to enjoy biking and hiking. But I like the results, so I'm glad to publish them.

trick or treat on the trail

Our newest poll (in the column to your left) is a Halloween themed survey. In honor of trick-or-treating, we'd like to know which treat does the trick for you when you hit the trail. Do you prefer Power Bars, Luna Bars, Clif Bars, Gu Energy Gel, or trail mix?
We know there are many other choices, so of course we have the ubiquitous "other" as a choice also.


Cast your vote today and come back on November 10 to see the results.

Fall foliage voting results and trail snack voting

Pedestrian & Bike Images website

For those of you out there who are also creating blogs and websites about biking and bike trails, I just found a great site with free (conditional) web images for your bike trail or hiking related sites.

It is the pedbikeimages website and it contains quite a few royalty free biking, bicycle trail, and pedestrian-friendly web images.

The picture to the left is an example of an image from the pedbikeimage website.

Pedestrian & Bike Images website

Andalucia for active travel in June

June is a pretty good month for travel worldwide, but it's also crowded in most spots, and the weather is starting to get a bit hot and muggy.

One option for your June active travel vacation is Andalucia. It's great for hiking, biking, & horse riding. The weather is fairly reasonable for most of the month, the costs are relatively low, and Andalucia is less crowded than many other travel destinations.

For information about an active vacation in Andalucia try visiting activeandalucia.com.

Andalucia for active travel in June