• Since our last newsletter you may notice that the background of the whole site has changed. I've taken this step because a few of my readers are getting a condition where when they view the website they don't see the old background. When that happens they get a page full of [can't display image]. It looks like an entire page of little boxes with a square inside with a pencil pointing to the non-displayed image. It makes seeing the website all but impossible. So I've changed the background from an image to just a color. If any of you are having problems seeing the website please let me know ASAP. Thanks!
  
  

• Change to What's New Page   I've decided to cut the What's New page into two segments. The page has detailed the progress of the trails in the Miami Valley since March 1998. That's only a short time since this website started in Fall 1997. I decided not to destroy the older material since its a great historical resource for anyone (including me) who wants to see the month-by-month, year-by-year progress we have made in developing and improving trails in the Miami Valley. So I moved the information starting in Sept 2001 and going back to the beginning to Older What's New . 

New Trail Construction -Here I get to tell you about what trails are being built for your cycling (walking, running and rollerblading pleasure)

• Changes on Creekside Trail in Greene County/Montgomery County.  Recently the Greene County Parks & Recreation folks resurfaced their trails. By now it should be accomplished.  Since I use the trail routinely, I noticed that after resurfacing the mile and 1/2 mile markers were moved East of where they had been. For example the 9.5 mile marker used to be just West of where the trail crosses Grange Hall Road. Now it's East of the road. The 10 mile marker used to be in the middle of the bridge over I-675  and now it's about .2 mile East of the 5th/3rd. Bank Park and Ride. The new 10.5 mile marker is about 100 yards from the end of the Greene County portion of the trail. There is a new sign at the county line. If you're traveling West towards Dayton it says "Five Rivers MetroParks Mad River Recreation Trail 4.5 miles". I would assume that Five Rivers MetroParks has changed the name of the trail again. It started as "The H-Connector" then several years ago it was changed to "Creekside Trail", Now it looks like Five Rivers MetroParks has decided to name all the trail that starts at the County line and runs 4.5 miles to Eastwood MetroPark and then to downtown Dayton the Mad River Recreation Trail. When I find out I'll tell you and make "Again" more name changes to the trails.   
  

• Piqua Linear Park new Construction. That's right! The very pretty Piqua Linear Park  is being expanded. (Yes. They don't call it a trail. It's a "Linear Park." (What's in a name?)  I'm told that a 2.2 mile  trail extension North from French Park past Frantz Pond, Fountain Park, Echo Lake and ending at Swift Run Lake off State Route 66 will be completed this year; 2002. In the Fountain Park area the new trail will follow the old Hydraulic Canal that runs along the park. I think that this new extension will be well worth riding for its scenic beauty. 
  

• Wright Brothers Flying Field to Open to the Public  Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and the National Parks Service have agreed on opening the Wright Brothers Flying Field on the base to the public. This has been in the works for several years. They are planning to have the flying field open to the public by 17 December 2002. What this plan does is fence in the flying field, the Twin Lakes Golf Course and the old base Family Camp area to make it public property. The base gate (normally closed) on State Route 444 just in front of the Twin Lakes Gold Course will become the public access to that part of the base.
  

•  What is more interesting to you cyclists out there is that near the old Family Camp on Hebble Creek Road on the base is a small gate that will also be open to cyclists. If you leave the base from there you ride up a hill East of the Mad River and in about 400 yards you are on top of Huffman Dam. Currently this doesn't get you anywhere. However Five Rivers Metroparks has funding and is working to connect the existing trail; the Mad River Recreation Trail, in Eastwood MetroPark to Huffman MetroPark via the Mad River. At the same time Greene Count Parks and Recreation is going to connect Huffman Dam to the Wright Brothers Memorial across State Route 444 via a tunnel. It's been called the "T- Connector" for years and when completed, will connect the Kauffman Avenue Bikeway which runs into Fairborn along Kauffman Avenue. This will connect the base, the Wright Brothers Memorial and Fairborn to the Miam Valley Trails System. 
  

• Wright Brother Interpretive Center to open  As a part of making the Wright Brothers Flying Field a part of the National Parks Service a new center is opening in the Wright Brothers Memorial area. When completed it will provide historical information about the Flying Field which is visible from the Memorial below on the base. The Memorial is well worth seeing and with a interpretive center available as well as connectivity to the trails system I predict it will see many more visitors. 

Other News  This is other news in the area that affects trail use. 

• New Little Miami Scenic Trail Brochure (more)  - Last month I told you about the new brochure sponsored by Clermont, Warren, Greene and Clark county Convention and Visitors Bureaus. I called the number provided an was mailed several copies recently. I was disappointed that the new brochure looks like an advertisement for the Convention Bureaus and the only useful (to cyclists) information was a map that had no new information on it. To their credit they provide a small amount of information about the attractions near the Little Miami Scenic Trail, which is what they are advertising. 

Well. That's about all for August 2002. 

If this bicycle trail newsletter provides you with information you can use pass it on to a friend. Anyone can become a  member of my mailing list by going to my website at Join Our Mailing List and following the instructions you'll find there. You'll also see my recent articles in case you missed one. All of my articles are available on the Join Our Mailing List page on the website. 


Tom Recktenwalt
Miami Valley Rail Trails
http://www.miamivalleytrails.org