Best Halloween Book: The Legend of Decimus Croome

Classic Halloween Story

The Legend of Decimus Croome: A Halloween Carol is destined to become a Halloween classic tale.  It has all the makings of a Halloween favorite novel. There's humor, romance, ghosts (lots of ghosts), a witch, a black cat, a vampire, a werewolf, a scarecrow and all the Halloween necessities. And it's obvious the author had fun writing it. He included tons of word play as well as lots of entertaining literary elements like alliteration, metaphors, similes and so on.

A Modern Charles Dickens for Halloween

A Halloween Carol - The Legend of Decimus Croome is a remake of A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens... with lots of fun twists. First of all, it's set in contemporary America rather than nineteenth century England. Speaking of setting, it's also set on Halloween rather than Christmas. The characters are nicely reimagined also with Decimus Croome rather than Ebenezer Scrooge and Tommy Bobbich rather than Tiny Tim. And the ghosts are a little spooky but a lot funny. Just like A Christmas Carol, A Halloween Carol has four ghosts. The first one is Croome's mostly departed wife who warns him of the pending visits with three more spectral sages. But nothing can prepare Decimus Croome for the antics of the pumpkin-headed tour guide, the wacky-but-wise witch and the hauntingly mute specter.

A Halloween Carol, the Movie

As you read this book, you'll find many reasons to enjoy it. Whether it's the word play, the humor, the nostalgic looks at Halloweens past or the lively characters who keep you wanting to read more. But you should read the book with one particular goal in mind. Try imagining this Halloween book as a Halloween movie. Think about it. Are there really any awesome Halloween classic movies. I suggest there are not. Oh, there are plenty best Halloween movie lists out there, but take a close look at them. They consist of:

• Halloween movies that are too gruesome for the whole family.
• Halloween movies that are geared toward young children ONLY.
• Movies that are considered Halloween movies but have very little to do with Halloween.

Compare this with all the classic Christmas movies that people watch over and over each year. Up until now, there really aren't any classic Halloween movie equivalents. The Legend of Decimus Croome: A Halloween Carol would make the ideal timeless Halloween movie:

• It would be a Halloween movie suitable for all ages.
• It has a great mix of humor, great characters, a timeless theme and great visual appeal.
• It Has just the right amount of Halloween spookiness to be fun, but not too much to scare the kids.
• It makes a nice transition from Halloween to Christmas with the Charles Dickens tie-in.

A Halloween Carol the Graphic Novel

The Legend of Decimus Croome: A Halloween Carol would also make the best Halloween graphic novel or comic book. Imagine the ghosts, scarecrow, witch and specter brought to life in a full-color graphic format. Once again, it would be a wonderful classic Halloween tale for all ages.

Best Halloween Book: The Legend of Decimus Croome

Trailsnet Trail Blog Has Moved

You can now find the best trail website on the internet at www.trailsnet.com where you can find out information about your favorite trails, trail vehicles, trail supplies & trail travel. Whether you like bike trails, hiking trails, rail trails, canal trails, long-distance trails, park trails, urban trails, mountain bike trails, recreational trails or commuter trails, you'll find everything you need to know on Trailsnet. Also find Trailsnet on Facebook, Trailsnet on Twitter & Trailsnet on Pinterest.

Trailsnet hearts trails and trail lovers.

So please visit the new trailsnet blog and website and thank you for sticking with Trailsnet throughout this tumultuous process. We plan to just keep getting better, adding new trails, and providing trail information to all you trail lovers.

And for those of you who enjoy trail travel and bicycle tours, you'll love www.ActiveTravelTours.com a Trailsnet partner on the internet.

Trailsnet Trail Blog Has Moved

Trailsnet named in Top 100 Camping Blogs

Trailsnet nominated for top 100 Camping Blogs

Trailsnet has been nominated once again for a blog award. This time, we have been chosen as one of the top 100 Camping Blogs and are eligible to win the #1 Camping Blog award.


This is an especially big honor for us since our main focus is on trails and camping is just one portion of our blog content. So a big thank you goes out to JustBackPacksOnline for nominating us for this award. We know the competition is stiff, but we also know that trailsnet is an awesome outdoor website/blog.

Trailsnet named in Top 100 Camping Blogs

Big switch coming up

I would like to send a big thank you for those of you who are signed on to follow the trailsnet blog. I appreciate your support & following.

Like the good trail leaders that we are, we'll try to keep
you on track as we make the big switcheroo. Thanks for
your patience and persistence.

I will soon be switching the trailsnet blogspot blog over to WordPress. I'm not quite sure whether your RSS Feed (followship) will be switched over with the big swap. If I had to make a guess, I would say not. In fact, I'm worried that quite a few things will have to change, whether I like it or not.
But the change is a necessary one to keep (start) the blog and website running more smoothly since my website host works with WordPress but not Google (Blogspot/Blogger).
The favor I would like to ask of you is to continue following trailsnet, even if it means signing on w/ the WordPress feed. I want to keep the loyal trailsnet followers as we move into this new era at trailsnet.
There will be more information forthcoming. In fact, I've already written a WordPress blog entry explaining the 3-step process of transforming trailsnet.com.
As always, your comments about this issue are welcomed below.

Big switch coming up

SmartTrail app.

Those wonderful outdoor folks in Boulder, CO are at it again. The people at Boulder Mountain Bikes are creating an app called SmartTrails to help users locate & navigate bike trails. The app will not only help you find a trail but will provide updated trail conditions, trail descriptions, and trail ratings.

There was a great story in the Boulder Daily Camera about the SmartTrails app. The developers are seeking a grant to help them get this worthwhile project off the ground. If you'd like to help them out and put them over the top, you can vote for their grant idea on the GOOD Boulder Fund website. It's easy to vote, doesn't cost you anything and helps support a good trail cause.

So far, the only problem I see w/ this app is that it's not quite available for iphone yet; but according to BMA rep. Andria, they are on top of it. In fact, they "have an iOS developer working in parallel..." What I think that means to us non-techie folks is that they are soon going to have an [iphone] app for that.


If you want more information about the app, you can drop an email to smarttrail@bouldermountainbike.org.

In the meantime, I'm curious what apps, GPS, or other trail-navigation devices you guys are using out there. Leave a comment below.

SmartTrail app.

Great Biking Road in the Smoky Mountains

I finally found a road that I'd love to ride my bike on. Take a look at this video, and you'll see why.

Great Biking Road in the Smoky Mountains

New Trail Poll

Yes, government money should be used to build trails!!

100% of the people who responded to last month's poll agreed that tax dollars should be used to pay for some or all of trail funding.

Hopefully Oklahoma Senator Tom Coburn is paying attention to our poll. Recently, he said he would refuse to support transportation funding if it included money for trails????

Our next poll is another yes or no answer: Have you ever hiked or biked on a National Scenic Trail?

Below is a list of our National Scenic Trails: (You can obtain a map of the National Trail System from the U.S Department of the Interior.)

mountain bikers on one
of America's great trails

Appalachian National Scenic Trail

Arizona National Scenic Trail

Continental Divide National Scenic Trail

Florida National Scenic Trail

Ice Age National Scenic Trail

Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail

New England National Scenic Trail

North Country National Scenic Trail

Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail

Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail

Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail

And hopefully, someday we can add: Great Plains Scenic Trail

We'd love to hear about your experience on any of these trails. Please leave a comment below.

New Trail Poll

Bikes patiently waiting to be rented in Aspen, CO.

“Progress should have stopped when man invented the bicycle.”  - Elizabeth West

Trails Benefit Communities & Nation

According to recent articles in American Trail magazine, trails provide enormous benefits for communities, workers, and the nation in general.
Here are some important economic figures that relate to the benefits of trails:

hikers enjoying the trail

• Active outdoor recreation generates $730 million to the economy each year.
• Trails and other outdoor pursuits provide 6.5 million jobs annually.
• There are 437 million recreational visits to Interior-managed lands.
• One U.S. trail generated an estimated 80,000 trips w/ trail users spending $40.8 million.
• Bicycle recreation supports more than $924 million in tourism.
• Although the per capita annual cost of trail use is $209, per capita annual direct medical benefits was $564. This means that every dollar spent on trails provided $2.94 in direct medical benefit.

While one U.S. Senator is refusing to vote for highway funding as long as some of the money is going for trails, the opposite should be happening. In light of the figures presented above, and for numerous other reasons, the amount of trail funding in transportation apportionments should be increased. Unlike roads, trails:

• are cheaper to build
• are cheaper to maintain
• provide more jobs per mile
• provide health benefits
• provide recreational opportunities
• provide viable transportation options
• are much more environmentally sustainable

If you haven't yet done so, contact your representative and urge them to fully fund all trail options in U.S. transportation funding. 

Coming up on the trailsnet blog:

• Information about new active travel websites
• Information about a possible huge format change for the trailsnet website
• Information about new maps to be included on the trailsnet website
• Information about the National Trails System

Trails Benefit Communities & Nation

If you're looking for real adventure, check out the Great Himalaya Trail website.
By the way, I probably won't be doing this one. I'm out of breath just thinking about it.

Photo Book

Click here to view this photo book larger

Photo Book

Ohio Is This Year's Trail State

View these great long-distance trails
 on the Ohio Bikeways website.

Ohio has incredible trails, and lots of them.

Thanks to an email from Ohio trail advocate, Pam, I recently became aware of the miles and miles of trails in Ohio. Pam directed me to the Ohio Bikeways website where I found not only a great trail resource, but also an area specifically devoted to long distance trails in Ohio. I believe this is the only website I know (besides trailsnet of course) that has a specific section just for long-distance trails.

Keeping in mind, only a couple states have trails that are over 100 miles long, Ohio has at least four trails that are slated to run over 100 miles; these trails are the Ohio to Erie Trail (325 miles),  the North Coast Inland Trail (NCIT) (270 miles), The Ohio & Erie Towpath trail (100 miles), and the Great Ohio Lake-To-River Greenway (100 miles). Most of these trails are not yet complete, but when they are, Ohio may well become the go-to destination for active travelers worldwide.

So thanks to Pam for alerting me to the wonderful network of trails in Ohio and thanks to the visionaries in Ohio for seeing the need for such trails and moving toward a true Trailtopia. Last year, trailsnet christened Wisconsin as the "Trail State of the Year." This year, we're casting our vote for Ohio. I can't wait to visit Ohio to ride its trails, meet its people, and enjoy the beautiful sights.

Ohio Is This Year's Trail State