The Dirt Bum blog

I enjoy finding blogs about bicycle touring and the people who ride their bikes for enjoyment and exploration.

bike riding w/ friends on a
great American rail-trail

One of my recent finds is the Dirt Bum blog. It's by a guy who enjoys exploring the back roads of Kansas on his bike. I think what really caught my attention was his information about the time he spent riding a couple different recumbents. I usually assume (sometimes incorrectly) that people who ride recumbents are more into the scenery, relaxation, and recreation of riding rather than the speed & competition. Since that's my style of biking, it's fun to read the experiences of like-minded individuals

Of course I had to ask, in the comments section of the blog, if he'd had any experience on rail-trails.  I know that Kansas is home to the Prairie Spirit Rail Trail and a few smaller ones also.

Don't get me wrong. Sometimes I enjoy biking the back roads. But when I really want to relax and enjoy my biking, nothing beats a good rail-trail.

I'd love to continue exploring blogs that are related to trails, bicycling, and active travel. If you have any suggestions, please leave a comment. I love to get reader feedback about the other favorite blogs out there.

The Dirt Bum blog

New Bike Rental Service Solves Big Trail Problem

Okay, my trailsnet Velolet bike inventory
isn't quite this big, but maybe someday...

I travel all over the country in search of great bike trails.

The trails are easy to find. They're nearly everywhere and expanding each day thanks to organizations like American Trails and Rails-to-Trails Conservancy. And, since I've started trailsnet.com, there are now many fantastic trail locating websites like Everytrail, trailsnet, trails, traillink, Map My Ride, Ride With GPS, etc.

But there are still some logistical problems for those of us who enjoy exploring new trails. Among these logistical trail concerns are: finding trailside lodging, finding trailside dining, finding trailside bike repairs, finding trailside bike rentals....

Hold on just a minute. We can now cross that last little dilemma off the list thanks to a new website called velolet.com. Velolet offers local bike rental options, provided by local people & businesses. That alone is reason for celebration. But it just keeps getting better. I was elated to see that they offer a wide selection of cycling options including... wait for it... recumbents.

Those of you who read my posts know that I love trying out new human-powered means of locomotion. I don't own a recumbent (yet), but I love renting them when the opportunity arises. Unfortunately, until now, the opportunity has not arisen very often. I'm hoping that as more people begin listing with Velolet, there will be more options. And who knows, maybe Velolet will also add categories like Trikkes, Elliptigo, velomobiles, etc. The more choices, the merrier.

And this is doubly good news for you bicycle junkies. Not only can you rent bikes while you're on the road, you can also rent out your own bikes. Velolet has made it extraordinarily easy to list your bikes with them.

I was so impressed by Velolet, I immediately added three of my own bikes to their inventory of bicycle rentals. So feel free to rent one of my bikes today. Of course, my Velolet username is trailsnet... What else?

New Bike Rental Service Solves Big Trail Problem

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

Bike equipment for rail-trails.

I have often spoken of the many benefits of rail trails when it comes to health, the environment, alleviating traffic congestion, family togetherness, and saving fossil fuels.

Rail trails are for everyone.

Another benefit of rail trails is their versatility. Not only are they an ideal fit for nearly all possible riders, regardless of age, size, or ability, they are also versatile when it comes to equipment. Nearly any type of cycle will work on most rail-trails. Personally, I have ridden recumbents, mountain bikes, cruisers, road bikes, and hybrid bicycles on rail trails. And I was quite comfortable in all instances. (Sometimes road bikes are less-than-ideal on dirt or gravel trails, so I use one of the other types of bikes for those trails.)

It's nice to know that you don't need something fancy, expensive, or technical to enjoy the vast network of rails-to-trails out there. Not only is it physically possible to ride just about any type of non-motorized wheeled vehicle on the rail trail network, but it's also socially acceptable. Unlike road and mountain biking, there is no expectation that you wear certain clothes and ride expensive bikes. Rail trails are like the great equalizer. Everyone from all backgrounds and socioeconomic groups is welcome. Spandex or no spandex, fancy bike or plain Jane bike, you're accepted just the way you are.

Ya gotta love rail trails.

Bike equipment for rail-trails.

Recumbent bikes and trikes

For those of you interested in recumbents, I just added the recumbent bicycle source to the blogroll (in the left column).

I still think that recumbents and rail-trails are the perfect mix. Riding a recumbent trike or bike on a rail trail is about as close to heaven on earth as we can get.

I rented this recumbent for my ride on the Longleaf Trace Trail in Mississippi

Recumbent bikes and trikes

Renting a bike is still the way to go on trips

I just finished paying $134 to ship my bike to Connellsville, PA to ride the Great Allegheny Passage Trail.

I much prefer to rent bikes on my trips, but the logistics of renting a bike on one end of the trail, then getting it back to the rental shop after reaching my destination on the other end of the trail just wasn't working for me.

I'm hoping that someone will start renting bikes on the longer rail-trails that will allow users to drop the bike-rentals off at either end of the trail, sort of like U-Haul does w/ their rental trucks.

In the meantime, I just took a look at the RentaBikeNow.com website. It offers rental locations in numerous locations in the U. S. and Canada. It looks like an excellent business and one that could be very helpful on future rail-trail trips. The idea of a one-stop bike rental process is very appealing and would save lots of time on the planning stages of a trail excursion.

I'll keep you posted on future rental experiences, but for now, I'm recommending bike rentals over bike shipping. Bike rentals, as I've pointed out in a previous blog, allows you to meet locals, save money over shipping, and pack lighter. It also allows you to try new bikes such as hybrids, mountain bikes, cruisers, and recumbents.

Renting a bike is still the way to go on trips

Big Dry Creek Trail in Westminster, Colorado

If you want to see trail pictures, a trail map, and a trail description, for Colorado's Big Dry Creek Trail, click on this trail link.

Below is a quick look at the trail as seen on my Everytrail trip guide. It is approximately ten miles long and can easily be done with a trail bike, hybrid bike, and some recumbents. Although many people ride the trail on road bikes, it's not ideal w/ high pressure tires. A little less than half of it is cement. The rest is mostly gravel and a bit bumpy in places. It's a good trail for bike trailers, so bring the kids out for a weekend bike ride.

Big Dry Creek Trail

Plan your trips with EveryTrail Mobile Travel Guides

Big Dry Creek Trail in Westminster, Colorado