Miami Valley RailTrails Newsletter August 2006

Miami Valley RailTrails Newsletter
August 2006

It’s Saturday 19 August 2006. I just got back from the Fairborn Corn Festival where I stuffed my face! Here is the news about trails in the Miami Valley. Please read on.

Trail Construction and Improvements.

Website Changes and Improvements

Photos Wanted Section

Did You Know Department

Announcements of Upcoming Cycling Events

Trail Construction and Improvements

Ellis Park Spur Dedication- The Ellis Park Spur was dedicated at 2 PM on Thursday 10 August 2006 at Ellis Park on Polecat Rod. I took new pictures recently have updated the webpage with all new photos. Ellis Park has new paved parking, a restroom, water, a pond and several picnic shelters. If you’d like a new place to park and use the trail; this is it!
Little Miami Scenic Trail from Milford to Little Miami Golf Center Open Only Weekends – Yes. It’s true! I was led to believe, and I wrote it on my webpage for that section that the trail was open seven days a week. Then one or two of my correspondents informed me that it wasn’t true. But I didn’t revise the website. Recently an irate reader told me that “the official website – the “Miami Valley RailTrails” said that it was open – and it just wasn’t so. He provided me a link that took me to a blog where some very unkind things were being said about the trail developers and Yes; even the wonderful folks of Terrace Park who so graciously allowed the trail to be built through their fair city. I bit the bullet and confirmed with ODNR that Yes – the trail was not finished even though there had been a dedication in June with the Governor of Ohio in attendance. I am informed that the contractor has until September to finish the last tasks but that the trail should be “fully open” (seven days a week) by the end of August 2006. I will send out a “Mission Accomplished” email to all when I am informed of that.
North County Trail & Buckeye Trail To Share Route with Miami Valley Trails – The North Country Trail (NCT) is a seven state footpath that uses non-paved routes where possible to enable their cross-country hikers to travel the route. The Buckeye Trail Association is a similar footpath that exists for hikers in Ohio. The Buckeye Trail Association is an associate of the North County Trail. Because of the urbanization of America it is becoming harder to find non-paved routes for hikers. The North Country Trail and Buckeye Trail organizations have come to agreements with some of the multi-use trails in the Miami Valley to use their trails for a part of their route. The NCT will run South from Toledo and will travel through Miami County via the new trail system being developed there. From there it will continue to downtown Dayton via the new trail being built to Triangle Park from Taylorsville MetroPark in 2007. Then the NCT will travel the Mad River Recreation Trail to Eastwood MetroPark where it will continue on a towpath towards Springfield. Eventually it and the Buckeye Trail may use the planned Three Counties Trail (nominal name) that will run from Eastwood MetroPark to Huffman MetroPark, continue along the Wright Brothers Bikeway to Fairborn and then travel Northeast to Enon.

What does all of this mean to you, a current user of Miami Valley Trail System? Basically, nothing. In the next few years you may see NCT and Buckeye Trail signage along these trails and you may see, once in a while, a hiker with heavy shoes and a pack walking along the edge of a trail. This would be a long distance hiker who is carrying his (or her) camping equipment and is hiking the North County Trail. As polite and considerate users of our trails, give the hiker a bit of space and say “Hello” as you go by.
Greene County Parks Seal Coating Trails – I have been informed by Greene County Parks that the Little Miami Scenic Trail from Hedges Road (South of Xenia Station) North to Jackson Road (North of Yellow Springs will be closed for approximately two weeks starting 15 August 2006, for seal coating. I have been told the following: "The trail will be closed while the seal coating is applied and until it dries, visitors will be able to bypass these areas along the trail using the berm or shoulder - Jim Schneider Assistant Director and Trail Manager". Trail users should be aware that the product can stain clothing and that trucks and equipment will be on the trail. I was also told; “If the trail is brown; it’s still wet – If the trail is black it’s dry.”

OK. You've been warned. You "Can" use the trail "But" you may have to detour around trucks and wet seal coating. You might want to avoid that 15 miles of trail from South of Xenia Station at Hedges Road to North of Yellow Springs at Jackson Road of the Little Miami Scenic Trail until 8/29/06. As of Friday 18 August 18, 2006, about 7 miles of trail had been treated.
Five Rivers Outdoors Plans Mountain Bicycle Trail – Five Rivers MetroParks (Montgomery County) is planning to build a mountain bicycle trail in Huffman MetroPark. Plans are to start work on the trail this Fall and have the 4 -6 mile trail open in 2007. The new trail will be in the Western side of Huffman MetroPark (West of SR-4). This is the first Mountain Bicycling Trail in Montgomery County. The next closest trail is in John Bryan State Park in Greene County. See also Mountain Biking in Ohio State Parks
Purple People Bridge Climb - For those of you who get to Cincinnati on occasion, you know that the old Louisville & Nashville (L&N) railroad bridge across the Ohio River from Sawyer’s Point in Cincinnati to Newport of the Levee has been open as the pedestrian and cycle bridge for some time. Eventually it will be the gateway from the as yet un-built Ohio River Trail to Kentucky. For those interested in something a “bit more exciting” you can climb over the bridge. This is the only bridge climb in the Northern Hemisphere.

Website Changes and Improvements

Trail Usage Statistics Page Unveiled - I have made available my Trail Usage Statistics Page that I have been working on for some time. I have been gathering data from Five Rivers MetroParks (Montgomery County), Greene County Parks and Recreation and National Trail Parks & Recreation (Clark County). I wish to make this data available to interested parties who can use it to convince elected officials that our trails are not costly burdens but are instead financial assets for the municipality that decides to build one. Based on OKI data the Little Miami Scenic Trail generated over 150,000 users in 1997 which generated $2 Million in revenues for the businesses along the trail. Current estimates are over 500,000 users in a Summer who spend more than $3 Million a year.
Updated Navigation Aid At Bottom of Every Webpage – I have had what is known as a “Footer Page” added to the bottom of every page on this website since almost the beginning. I have recently added a lot of new links to it so that you can select basically all of the choices that are available on the Home Page’s drop down menus. I added all of the choices on the “Resources” drop down menu. I hope that this addition to your navigation choices helps you find what you want.
Table Of Contents Page Updated – This page also known as the “Site Map” on many websites is a good place to start looking for what you are trying to find. Recently I updated it, with more links to various master pages on the website. As many of you know, I keep my various webpages relatively short so that they will load in a reasonable time even for those with only dial up access. For example the Little Miami Scenic Trail webpages consist of a “Home Page” and 10 other webpages that describe sections of the trail. The “Home Page” and all of its components is shown on the Table of Contents Page.

Also. If you don’t know which trail connects to what other trail, look there and you’ll see the connectivity and a link to the connecting trail.
Xenia Station Page Updated – I recently took new photos of the Xenia Station and updated the webpage. This old freight yard contains a replica station, inside restrooms, water and plenty of parking. It is the hub for trails going in five directions. There is information about all the trails that connect from it on the page. Trails are as follows:
- Little Miami Scenic Trail North to Yellow Springs (and Springfield) [16.7 miles]
- Little Miami Scenic Trail South to Spring Valley, Corwin, Morrow, Loveland, Milford and South of Milford [51.5 miles]
- Creekside Trail and Creekside Recreation Trail West to Eastwood MetroPark [17.8 miles]
  - At Eastwood MetroPark connects to Mad River Recreation Trail to downtown Dayton
- Xenia-Jamestown Connector Southeast to Jamestown (and eventually Washington Courthouse) [6.5 miles]

Photos Wanted Section

City of Hamilton Trail - (Part of the Great Miami River Recreation Trail) – I do not have a webpage for the five miles of trail that runs through the City of Hamilton and Fairfield, Ohio. Since I have not been able to get to Hamilton this Summer (2006) I should like some public spirited readers to provide photos (not more that 1 Mb each please) and accompanying text to illustrate a webpage for the trail in that area. Your photos should tell from what direction they took and how far down (or up) the trail the photo was taken. I will give photo credit and a “Thank You!” to anyone male or female who wishes to accomplish this task.

As most of you know the Great Miami River Recreation Trail (GMRRT) is being extended North through all of Miami County and South from Montgomery County to Butler and Hamilton Counties.

Did You Know Department

In order to help navigation on this website I have update the following pages:
- Table of Contents Page Updated – I have found in my web research that sometimes the “Site Map” or “Table of Contents” of a website may be the best thing to look at first. It makes finding out what you want so much easier. So I have been revising and updating my Site Map for your use. Click on “Trails By County” and then on “Site Map (Table of Contents”.
- How To Navigate This Website (Website Tour). In the same way, I added to the left top of the Home Page a link to my How To Navigate This Website; or How To Get Around. This page shows you how the drop-down menus work and what is on them. This page tries to make your navigation of the website, fast and relatively easy so that you can find what you want in the minimum amount of time.
- Southwest Ohio 266 Miles of Paved Trails - Just below the “How To Navigate this Website” is a link a page that will show you every trail in every county and the mileage on each. I use this page to keep track of the growing number of trails in Southwest Ohio and the mileage of each. Check it Out!
  
  All three pages mentioned above (Contents, Navigate and Trail’s List page) are there to help you navigate this website.

Announcements of Upcoming Cycling Events
(Also See Events Page )

Nothing new this month

Regards to all,

Thomas J. Recktenwalt
Webmaster
Miami Valley RailTrails
http://www.miamivalleytrails.org

If you find these newsletters and my Miami Valley RailTrails website of use to you, please pass the information on to your friends and neighbors who might enjoy our wonderful system of multi-use trails in Southwest Ohio. Then they can write me and get on the mailing list to get their own copy of this newsletter. Our trail system is wonderful for walking, running, in-line skating, birding, fishing and cycling and on some trails horseback riding. You see more wildlife from one of our trails than most anyplace else. All of my newsletters are posted to my website at the same time I send you this text version. The URL for your use is: http://www.miamivalleytrails.org/join_our_mailing_list.htm

Return to Join Our Mailing List

For more information on each Web Page or Trail click on its name.

HOME PAGE