News you can use from the world of bicycle travel by Michael McCoy A RAIL-TRAIL FOR ADVENTURE DOWN UNDER EACH YEAR Crossing the outback by bike with heat, wind, and flies Adventure Cycling member Robert Youker, a 75-year- old World Bank retiree from Edward Re from Australia Bethesda, Maryland, has rid- contacted Waypoints recently den “… a bit more than 75 to tell us about the cycling rail-trails,” he says. Because adventure some friends of his, Robert is such a rail-trail devo- Dave and Tim, were undertak- tee, we asked him to tell us ing. The “Gulf 2 Gulf 0309” about four of his favorites. He ride crossed the arid Australian agreed, prefacing it with this: WayPoints outback from Port Augusta, “My prime criteria are attrac- South Australia, to Karumba, tive surroundings and things Queensland. to see, and I wanted to pick OSS The pair set out on Sunday, MAYORS R a geographically dispersed March 22, and finished up group.” Here goes: ACROSS about a month later. A big Le P’tit Train du Nord Linear AMERICA piece of their route involved Park, Quebec (www.lauren Mayors Across America is a the challenging Birdsville tides.com). 200 kilometers, new book out from Ed Morris, COURTESY OF BRUCE Track, which began life in the paved. Old Canadian Pacific a California-based commercial 1880s as a stock route linking route north of Montreal runs photographer who has ridden the outposts of Birdsville and up 30 litres of water to get us them. They offered to fill a tank past Mont Tremblant and along the Northern Tier Route not Marree. On his blog for April from Marree to Mungerannie, for us and made us an offer River du Nord. Great booklet once, but twice. (The second 6, Dave writes: “How do you some 200 kilometers away … we couldn’t refuse: Jump in! available from Laurentians tour- time, he diverged a bit in prepare to take two push bikes We passed remote artesian It was awesome, sitting in the ist office includes maps and order to finish in Washington, on the Birdsville Track, a 517- water bores and, as luck would cool water in the middle of a places to stay and eat. DC.) On his second go, kilometer stretch of remote have it, Shane and Debbie at desert!” You can view a map Augusta Canal Trail, which was in 2000, Ed pho- outback Australia spanning Clayton Creek were servicing of the adventurers’ route at Georgia (www.augustacanal. tographed the mayors of 87 three deserts? We loaded their bore when we passed www.mushypea.net. com). 7.5 miles, packed dirt cities across the country, from and hard surface. The trail Mayor Paul Schell of Seattle begins at the large dam on to Mayor Anthony Williams of the Savannah River and ends Washington, DC, and the top WARM SHOWERS at the Augusta Canal National . BICYCLIING HALL OF FAME S . dogs of a slew of smaller com- U Hospitality list for traveling cyclists continues to grow Heritage Area Interpretive munities in between. Center in the renovated textile According to his website, mill near downtown Augusta. “Riding 65 miles a day for 59 Waypoints heard recently we didn’t get a French version Very scenic along the rapids of COURTESY OF from Randy Fay, webmaster of of the site up. But in his honor, days, Morris passed through A portion of the Hall of Fame display in the old Somerville, New Jersey, location. the Savannah River. 13 states at a remarkably brisk Warmshowers.org, the online we’re in the process of doing Gainesville–Hawthorne pace. But he still managed to source for finding places to so.” State Trail, Florida (www. photograph these men and HALL OF FAME ON THE MOVE stay for those traveling by The site is being translated floridastateparks.org). 16.5 women as though he knew Crossing the country from New Jersey to California bicycle. People who are willing into other languages. Spanish miles, paved. The western end them intimately. And, if indeed to host cyclists sign up, pro- is up already, and Randy says of the trail starts in historic the images create a collec- vide their contact information, French will be next. “We’re Boulware Springs Park, which Davis, California, has been ing Dayton, Ohio; Morristown, bike lanes. and occasionally have riders looking for a very few people tive portrait of the country, chosen as the new home New Jersey; and Lehigh County, “The distinguishing differ- was the original water system then said portrait reveals an stay with them. The courtesy who are native French speak- of Gainesville. It has some of the U.S. Bicycling Hall of Pennsylvania. When the deci- ence between Greensboro extended might be as simple ers, understand English, and America that is hopeful, good- Fame. For the past 20 years, sion was finally narrowed down and Davis was that Davis was small hills and interesting scen- humored, and diverse.” as a spot to pitch a tent, or would be willing to take on this ery as it passes the Paynes the Hall’s collection, which to two finalists, only Davis and so bicycling friendly, with all it may include a shower, a project,” he wrote. According to Ed, the includes artifacts like trophies, Greensboro, North Carolina, those bike lanes and the sheer Prairie Preserve. project was inspired by a tip hot meal, and a soft bed. The Randy added that the Delaware and Hudson Rail and bicycles owned by legend- remained in the running. number of people who use site even has the capacity site now has almost 8,000 he had seen on one of our ary racers, has been housed in Bill Brunner, who chaired the bicycle as a method of Trail, Vermont (www.traillink. Northern Tier maps, advising to load Adventure Cycling members, up from only a little com). There are two segments various places in and around the search committee, told transportation or recreation or GREG SIPLE routes and show the locations more than 1,000 in 2005. He riders to check with the mayor Somerville, New Jersey, includ- Sacramento Bee reporter sport,” Brunner said. of this trail in Vermont, sepa- of Warmshowers members ed off the baton, Randy wrote. encourages you to have a look of a particular town regarding ing a bank building, a rent-free Bill Lindel that Davis was Each year new inductees rated by an undeveloped sec- nearby. “I think Roger’s contribution at the Warmshowers faq to a lodging option — “a ‘knock storefront in a shopping cen- chosen because of its rich are added to the Hall of Fame. tion in New York. The southern Randy wanted to fill us in to touring cyclists deserves a learn more and then to create on the mayor’s door and get ter, an old home, and, most bicycle culture. The community, Since 1987, more than 100 10 miles starts in West Pawlet on a couple of new items so worldwide celebration of all an account and get involved if a key to the town hall’ kind of recently, an old shed on a farm which received the League of individuals, including rac- and goes past West Rupert. that we could pass the infor- that he did for us by establish- you’re so inclined. thing.” To preview some of west of town. American Bicyclists’ first-ever ers, organizers, key industry The trail runs gently uphill mation along to our members: ing and maintaining the list all For more information, visit the book’s outstanding black A total of 11 communities designation as a “platinum people, and others, have been through woods alongside a and white portraits, visit www. “After founding the list and those years. Probably the big- www.warmshowers.org. lovely stream; then the coun- were originally under consider- level” bicycle-friendly city, has inducted. maintaining it for more than 12 gest disappointment for Roger, MayorsAcrossAmerica.com. ation for the Hall of Fame, includ- many miles of bike paths and For more: www.usbhof.com. tryside opens up more around years, Roger Gravel has hand- being from Québec, was that West Rupert. 8 adventure cyclist july/august 2009 adventurecycling.org adventure cyclist july/august 2009 adventurecycling.org 9.