Rail Trails

A few days ago, business took Marilyn and me to a crowded, noisy place. On the way home, we got in a stress-reducing, sanity-saving hour or two of pedaling on the Air Line Rail Trail  in East Hampton, Connecticut. Just a few minutes southeast of the junction of Interstates 84 and 91 in Hartford , this trail will eventually stretch more than 50 miles to the Massachusetts border. For now, only the southern section, 22.7 miles long, from East Hampton to Windham, offers an unbroken ride.

It was a cool and breezy afternoon, perfect for leisurely riding. Unfortunately, we'd gotten a late start and could comfortably explore only the first few miles of the trail. That's okay. What we saw was beautiful, and left us eager to go back and see more.

Even a crowded state like Connecticut has its quiet, unspoiled corners. This is one of them. The few miles of trail we rode had a whole day's worth of scenery. In places the trail gave expansive views of woodlands and wetlands. In other places, it cut deep into hillsides where flowing springs tumbled in miniature waterfalls. We rode through quiet woodlands, along streams and by ponds where people were fishing and photographing the birds.

Rail beds make perfect recreation trails. They are usually high and well-drained, so they rarely get muddy in the spring. They also tend to climb hills in long, slow gradients rather than steep pitches, making walking and biking easier.

In the winter, these rail trails, are enjoyed by snowmobilers, cross-country skiers and dog sledders. In the spring, summer and fall, walkers, joggers, and bicyclists take over. Paved trails can also be used by skaters and skateboarders.

There are quite a number of rail trails scattered throughout the northeast, and even more in the planning stages. Some are only a short section, usually in or near a city. But quite a few offer a longer trail.

Rails to Trails Conservancy is the driving force behind much of this trail development. Rail Links, maintained by the conservancy, lists trails in every northeastern state.  Here are a few trails we can recommend.

On this day, the railroad that once stitched together our region stitched together our sanity.

Trail etiquette

People move at different speeds as they walk, skate or bike. So on the more popular rail trails, people are always passing each other.

When people get careless, accidents happen.

Here are some thoughts for safety.

1) Be aware of your surroundings and alert for anyone moving faster than you are.

2) Pedestrians and cyclists alike should follow the rules of the road. Cyclists should ride on the right and pedestrians should walk facing on-coming traffic. The center of the trail should be treated as a passing lane, not a travel lane.

3) Cyclists passing pedestrians should communicate their intentions well ahead of time. This is especially true if the pedestrians are walking with their backs to the cyclist. Cyclists should slow down until they are sure the walkers are aware of them.  

4) Don't wear headphones, especially when walking or running. Not only are you missing bird calls and the natural sounds of wind and water, you are also putting yourself and the people around you at greater risk.