The Trails - Two Far 2018 - Trailing through the Rust Belt - CycleBlaze

The Trails

Why our tour is named "Trailing through the Rust Belt"

This is a list of trails that we have ridden on this trip.  (If you click on the links you will be transferred to the Traillink website which has more detail about the trails)

  1. Heritage Rail Trail - Day 1: Columbus, OH.  We rode about 5 miles of the 6.1 mile long trail.  A locally popular trail that is smooth, flat and straight.
  2. Indian Lake State Park Trail - Day 2: Russells Point, OH.  This is a short bike trail along the south shore of Indian Lake.
  3. Celina Coldwater Bikeway - Day 3: Coldwater, OH.  One of the few rails-with-trails we've ridden.  Unfortunately, we did not see any trains. The trailhead in Coldwater  was less than 1/4 mile away from our B&B - convenient!
  4. White River Greenway - Day 5: Noblesville, IN.  We rode a very short portion of this green-way along Hague Road.
  5. Midland Trace Trail - Day 5: Westfield, In.  We rode the section between Gray Rd and Union St. - short but nice.
  6. Monon Trail - Day 5: Westfield, IN.  We only rode the section between E. 169th Street and Westfield Park Road - probably less than a mile, but hey, they all count :-)
  7. MCT (Madison County Transit) Quercus Grove Trail - Day 11: Staunton, IL. Leaving Staunton this is a very nice paved Rail-with-Trail that went through farmland.   South of Hamel, the trail becomes hardpack and is more wooded (and shady!).  Overall this was a very nice and scenic trail.
  8. MCT Watershed Trail - Day 11: Edwardsville, IL. We only rode about a mile of this 5 mile trail and connected to the MCT Goshen Trail.
  9. MCT Goshen Trail - Day 11:  Edwardsville, IL. Hardly worth a mention, because we only rode about 1/4 mile of this trail before our route took us back to a road. (We were on it for such a short distance we didn't realize we had left the Watershed Trail)
  10. MCT Confluence Trail - Day 11: ALton, IL.  This trail is mainly on top of a levy along the Mississippi River.  The trail was in good shape, but we soon tired of dropping off the levy and going through twisty gates at road crossings so we left the trail and got back on a parallel road.   This turned out to be a good move, because soon after we left the trail we saw that it was closed for construction.
  11. KATY Trail State Park - Days 12-16: Manchens, MO to Windsor, MO.  This was our first destination trail of the trip.  We started at the very beginning in Manchen, and had planned to ride the entire trail to Clinton.  Unfortunately, we had heavy rains overnight while staying in Windsor, so we opted to forego the final 18 miles of what would have surely been a very muddy ride.  In our opinion, the section of trail from St. Charles to Boonville was the most interesting and enjoyable.  This section was flat and in very good shape, following the Missouri River the entire way.  We had very scenic views of the river on on side and bluffs on  the other.  West of Boonville,  the trail leaves the river and goes thru woods and farmlands and begins the long (but gentle) climb to Clinton.  While not in poor shape, there was a noticeable difference in the trail condition and it could certainly benefit from a new layer of limestone. It was the condition of the trail that, in part, played in our decision not to ride the last 18 miles from Windsor to Clinton.
  12. Lamoni Rail Trail - Day 21: Only half of our team rode this trail.  Team A  rode about a mile of this trail and said that is was a very nice flat, shaded trail. The captain of Team S was later berated for bypassing the trail and taking a very busy unshaded highway. 
  13. Great Western Trail - Day23:  We rode this trail in its entirety, from Martensdale to Waterworks Park in Des Moines.  This southern half from Martensdale to Cumming was in fairly poor shape with never ending large cracks that had been filled with tar.  The cracks that were perpendicular to the trail were just annoying and resulted in a large "thump" every time you crossed one.  The cracks that ran parallel to the trail were a completely different story.  Some were wide enough that you tires would sink into them and "grab" the bike.  This was very disconcerting and we had to pay very close attention to avoid them.  North of Cumming, the trail surface improved and it was much more pleasant to ride on.
  14. Bill Riley Trail - Day 23: This was the first of 3 inter-connected trails we rode in the Des Moines area.  It starts in Water Works Park (near the end of the Great Western Trail) and ends at the beginning of the Walnut Creek Trail.  The trail was in good shape and very scenic, following the Raccoon River and Walnut Creek.
  15. Walnut Creek Trail - Day 23:  This was the second of our 3 urban trails for the day.  As the name implies, it follows Walnut Creek. Being an urban trail it was somewhat busy, but the trail was in great shape, with lots of welcome shade and good views of Walnut Creek.
  16. Clive Greenbelt Trail - Day 23: The third and last urban trail of the day.  Like the other two, it was in good shape, moderately busy and had similar scenery. We enjoyed all three trails, but did miss a couple of turns, because not all of the spurs and connectors are marked.  I'm sure the locals know their way, but at times it was confusing for us to try and navigate Des Moines large network of trails.  However, we do give Des Moines kudos for having such a great trail system which enabled us to get to our destination while avoiding city streets. 
  17. Neal Smith Trail - Day 25:  The 1st of another series of interconnected urban trails.  We rode less than a mile on this trail to connect with the Oralabor Gateway trail.  Trail was shaded and in good condition.
  18. Oralabor Gateway Trail - Day 25:  We rode about 4 miles of this trial. The first half was rural, going through woodlands and farm land.  The remainder was urban, running beside busy commercial streets. 
  19. Gay Lea Wilson Trail - Day 25:  We saw the trail signs for this trail, but damn if I can remember if it was before the Neal smith or after the Oralabor Gateway!
  20. High Trestle Trail - Day 25:  This was one of our "destination trails" for this trip.  It is a beautiful, well maintained trail that starts in Ankeny and ends in Woodward.  Leaving Ankeny, you  ride between several new housing developements, but are soon back in Iowa's natural habitat - corn and beans!  Riding on the trestle over the Des Moines River should be on everyone's bucket list.
  21. Raccoon River Valley Trail - Days 26 & 27:  Another "destination trail" for us.  The 1st day we rode from Perry to Panora.  The trail segment from Perry to Waukee was in excellent shape - some of the best trail surface we've ever been on - wide, flat, smooth concrete that appeared to be new.  The  remainder of the trail to Panora was also in very good shape and most of it was wooded and shady.  The second day we rode from Panora to Jefferson.  This segment was not in as good as shape.  It was asphalt and had large cracks filled with tar at regular intervals.  The last few miles of the trail also happened to be closed for repair.  Overall though, it is a very nice trail with many interesting towns to ride through.
  22. Sauk Rail Trail - Day 28:  We rode this trail from Carroll to its end in Lake View.  It is in excellent shape and has a variety of scenery - farmland, prairie, woods and marshes.  Team A said it is their favorite trail of the trip so far.  Be sure to stop at Breda and visit Kay's Flowers and Crafts and enjoy the homemade pie!
  23. Great Lakes Spine Trail - Day 29:  We rode about 10 miles of this 14 mile trail.  It is an eclectic mix of old rail corridors, city streets, sidewalks and twisty, hilly trail.  The scenery is just as varied.  Not all of the turns are well marked, and some of the curves and hills are not very friendly for a long and heavy recumbent tandem. 
  24. Glacial Lakes State Trail - Day 35: We rode this trail in its entirety from just outside Willmar to Richmond (there is a break in the trail between Paynesville & Roscoe).  The trail was in excellent shape and had a variety of scenery. 
  25. Rocori Trail - Day 35: This trail connects so seamlessly to the Glacial Lakes State Trail in Richmond that we didn't realize we were on it as there were no signs marking the end of the GLST and the beginning of the Rocori.  It is only a couple of miles long but there are plans to extend it.  
  26. Lake Wobegon Trail - Day 36: Another "destination" trail that we rode in its entirety. It is a very enjoyable and scenic trail, with many interesting small towns along its way.  Be sure to visit the Panther Distillery in Osakis.
  27. Central Lakes State Trail  - Days 36 & 37:  This trail goes through the heart of the MN lakes region. It starts at the end of the Lake Wobegon Trail in Osakis and goes to Fergus Falls. You are never out of sight of a lake for very long on this trail.  We saw a large variety of waterfowl including trumpeter swans. 
  28. Paul Bunyan State Trail - Day 41 and Day 44:  This is a great trail and was another "destination" for this trip.  On Day 41 we started in Baxter, which is just a couple of miles from Brainerd, and rode north to Walker, which is near the middle of the trail.  The scenery is excellent, but this section of the trail is beginning to show its age. There are expansion cracks at regular intervals with many of them being big enough to give you a good "thump" as you ride over them.  That being said, it is one of our favorite trails in MN.  On Day 44 we started at the northern end of the trail in Bemidji and rode back to Walker.  For the most part, this section of the trail is in better condition than the southern half.  Most of the pavement was nice and smooth and did not have the annoying expansion cracks.
  29. Heartland State Trail - Day 42:  We rode the southern half or this trail from Walker to Park Rapids.  If you ride this trail, be sure to stop in Akeley (to sit in Paul Bunyan's hand) and Nevis (to see the giant Tiger Muskie statue).   Park Rapids is also a very nice small town to visit.
  30.  North Western State Trail - Day 58:  Also known as the Petoskey to Mackinaw Trail.  We started out on this trail in Mackinaw City but after about a mile the pavement ended and became hardpack.  Because of recent rains we decided to leave the trail and get on the roads.
  31.   Little Traverse Trailway - Day 59:  We rode the southern portion of this trail from Petoskey, MI to Charlevoix.  It had nice views of Lake Michigan and one of the longest boardwalks that we have ridden.
  32. Traverse Area Recreation Trail (TART) - Day 60:  We were glad to have Geoff & Marty guide us on this trail.  It is a nice urban trail with great views of Grand Traverse Bay  but has many twists, turns and crossings. 
  33. Leelanua Trail - Day 60:  A  16 mile trial that goes from Traverse City to Suttons Bay.  Great views of orchards and farmland.  Although both ends of the trail are at lake level, there is a long climb leaving Suttons  Bay.
  34. White Pine Trail - Day 63:  We rode 29 miles, from Cadillac to Reed City, of this 92 mile trail.  There was a variety of scenery from forests to farmland to open fields, and the trail condition varied from brand new (less than a week old) pavement to just average. At Reed City, the trail intersects with the Pere Marquette State Trail. 
  35. Pere Marquette State Trail - Day 63 & Day 64: The  13 mile long section from Reed City to Evart is very rural and has many unpaved road crossings. Just outside of Evart there is a very nice overlook of the Muskegon River.  From Evart to Clare the trail seemed to us to be nicer.  The trail was very clean and all the road crossings were paved. 
  36. Pere Marquette Rail Trail - Day 64: We rode the entire trail from Clare to Midland.  It is a very nice, well maintained trail. There is a variety of scenery - woodlands, farmlands and marshlands to keep the ride interesting as well as wildflowers along the entire length of the trail.   By riding west to east we enjoyed a continuous but gentle downward slope which made pedaling very easy.
  37. Harger Line Rail Trail - Day 65:  We rode about 3.5 miles of this 10 mile trail.  The trail is straight and flat and lined with wildflowers.  Beyond the wildflowers, the scenery is mainly farmland with a few wooded areas near the creek crossings.  
  38. Southern Links Trailway - Day 66:  We rode about half of this 10 mile long trail, from Millington, MI to Otter Lake.  The trail was in good shape and there was an abundance to squirrels and rabbits along the way.
  39. Great Lakes Waterfront Trail - Days 70-72:  While not a bike trail, we followed the Waterfront Trail from Erieau, ON to Port Colborne, ON.  Traffic was light and the roads were in decent shape, but there were a few steep climbs.  We enjoyed the route as well as the scenery.
  40. Friendship Trail - Day 73:  We rode this trail in its entirety, from Port Colborne to Fort Erie, ON.  Mostly rail trail, this trail is well used and in good shape.  However, some of the gates at road crossings are very bike unfriendly, especially for tandems.  
  41. Shoreline Trail - Day 73:  This urban trail goes from Buffalo, NY to Tonawanda.  Nice views of the Niagara River. 
  42. Erie Canalway Trail - Days 74-82:  Our last "Destination" Trail of this trip.  We started in Amherst and rode to the end in Albany.  We feel the state of NY is doing a poor job with this trail for as much as they promote it.  The trail surface consisted of good asphalt, not-good asphalt, good smooth hard-pack, rutted hard-pack, narrow double-track hard-pack and finally muddy single track.  Besides the varied surface, the maintenance along the trail state is very inconsistent. The western portion of the trail is by far the better maintained (and it actually follows along beside the canal) - the grass was mowed, the tree branches trimmed, etc.  There were portions of the eastern section that seemed to have no maintenance being performed at all.  We had to duck under branches and the trail was so narrow that weeds smacked our shoulders on both sides.  Another complaint about the trail is that there are no restroom facilities.  We are used to trails that have trailheads with facilities, but this trail had none - you have to go into a town to find a restroom.  All-in-all, while we do not regret riding this trail, we would not do it again.
  43. Lake Ontario State Parkway Trail (LOSP Trail) - Day 89:  We rode this trail in its entirety (3.3 Miles).  Not much to say about it except  that it was paved. 
  44. Tonawanda Rails to Trails - Day 91:  A nice urban trail in Buffalo that was very straight and level.  The surface was good and the trail is well used by pedestrians and cyclists alike.
  45. Bayfront Connector Trail - Day 94:  We rode a short section of this Greenway on our way out of Erie, PA.  It was a great way to avoid the traffic on Bayfront Parkway.
  46. Western Reserve Greenway - Days 94 & 95:  We picked this trail up near its beginning in Ashtabula and rode most of its 43 mile length.  A very nice rail trail that we would ride again.  It is also part of the Ohio to Erie Greenway
  47. Sippo Valley Trail - Day 97: We rode the paved portion of this trail starting in Massillon.  A nice rural trail with a good surface that is also part of the Ohio to Erie Greenway. 
  48. Holmes County Trail - Days 97 & 98:  A very scenic rural trail that goes thru the heart of Ohio's Amish country and is another portion of the Ohio to Erie Greenway.  The trail is the only one that we know of that was designed for both bicycles and horse and buggies. The older portion of this trail runs from Fredericksburg to Killbuck.  This section is very flat and follows both Salt Creek and Killbuck Creek as well as going thru a large area of marshland.  The newer portion of this trail starts in Glenmont and goes to Gann.  This section is totally different in character as it has a long 3 mile climb upon leaving Glenmont followed by a longer 4 mile descent and joins up with the Mohican Valley Trail.  
  49. Mohican Valley Trail  - Day 98:   This is a 5 mile long trail that starts at the end of the Holmes County Trail and ends in Danville.  This trail is well used by horse & buggies (so much so that I will remember it as the horse-poop trail).  The main feature of this trail is the Bridge of Dreams, a covered bridge that spans the Mohican River.  Also part of the Ohio to Erie Greenway.
  50. Kokosing Gap Trail - Day 98:  Another segment of the Ohio to Erie Greenway. We rode this trail in its entirety, from Danville to Mount Vernon.  A very nice trail with interesting railroad trestles and lots of wildflowers.  There is an excellent trailhead in the  town of Gambier.
  51. Heart of Ohio Trail - Day 99:  This 16 mile trail runs from Mount Vernon to Centerburg.  It was very scenic and had an excellent pavement.  Leaving Mount Vernon there is a long gradual climb.  At the summit there is a marker stating that this is the highest point of the trail.  The great news is that the rest of the trail to Centerburg  is a gentle descent which made for very easy pedaling!
  52. Genoa Trail - Day 99: A short 4 mile trail that runs from Galena to Westerville.
  53. Westerville B&W (Bike & Walk Route) - Day 99: This is a series of interconnected trails that run thru Westerville.  The trail surface was good and there were interesting things to see in this urban setting.
  54. Olentangy Trail - Day 99:  Our final trail of the trip.  We picked this trail up at the north end and left it at the Anheuser-Busch Sport Park.  This is a very busy urban trail that follows the Olentangy River.  Although scenic, it is a very busy trail with many twists and turns and is not particularly suited for a tandem.
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