This week’s fitness thread is about rail trails and comes from commenter jl.
Rail Trails are old railroad grades converted to hiking and biking trails.
I got familiar with them when looking for places to hike in the auto centric wastelands of California’s Central Valley while visiting the relatives.
On many, you can skate, or ride a horse. In areas with snow in the winter, you can snowshoe or cross country ski. Some have separate paths surfaced for long distance running. From what I have seen, and from trustworthy (?) Cole narratives I have read, many of them allow pets (though I haven’t found much info on pet policies for most rail trails).
Rail trails are relatively flat and suitable for people at all levels of physical condition, though some go off the old railroad grade part of the way, and can be steep in those places. They come in all lengths, from a mile or two for a brief stroll, to over 20. Some are from 30 to over 100 miles (for maniacs like me). Some go through undeveloped countryside, others through suburbs, and others wind through agricultural areas and countryside linking small communities and ‘burbs. Many popular ones, at least in California, have become attractions, so stores in towns along the way stock handy stuff for trail users.
The best source for rail trail information that I have found is the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy.
The Conservancy has links to a search engine for rail trails, general information about getting a local rail to trail project going, information and volunteer opportunities on specific projects, and a blog.
Of particular interest to the political rabble rousers at Balloon Juice are the sections on public policy and political action, from the local to national level. Did you know that the Senate version of the next multi-year surface transportation bill cuts out funding for multi-use trail building and maintenance, breaking a 20-year precedent of support? Did you know that you can pressure your Congresscritter to support a bi-partisan amendment to fix it? The Conservancy tells you all about it.
The Conservancy links to an associated site, TrailLink.com for individual trail descriptions. Basic info on access, trail descriptions, etc. is unrestricted, but a free registration is required for more detail, such as trail maps and guides to the local area. The tail routes are superimposed on Google maps; you can choose the view you like. Icons show amenities along the trail route and comments. IMHO, these maps are OK for general planning but not good enough for long trips, so you should get a recent street map or topo map for those.
If you want more detail or to plan your own custom trip, you can use the Livestrong site, which also requires a free registration. There are other sites for trip planning, and readers are welcome to suggest their favorites. If someone knows of a better one, I would love to know, since I need to make custom routes often.
Out west of the Mississippi, check for local flume trails, which are the same as rail trails, except they follow old flume routes. I cannot find a central location for information, but do a web search and you will find plenty of those in certain areas of the West.
Tips for Long Day Hikes
As this is a BJ Fitness Club post, a few comments on hiking long distance on a rail trail near you, from my personal experience.
First comment is not to rely on my comments alone, but read a hiking book or reliable internet site, or take a class. Most of the rail trails I use for long hikes or rides in CA and NV spend a lot of time in undeveloped country, and I tend to take side trips and walk my custom route off into oblivion. I also hike on trails with bad patches which require detours, which influences my habits. I’ll let someone else handle biking, since I only rent and ride and don’t know much about it beyond that.
Be conservative when you set your goal, especially when you start getting in shape. If you wreck yourself on the hike, the full damage will not appear until next day or two. I figure the time needed, for a final estimate and then add 10 to 15 percent, and up to 30 percent if I am going to go off trail or parts of the route are uncertain, or totally new to me, depending on how much of a confused mess is likely.
Leave an itinerary with someone who will notice and take constructive action if you don’t come back, even if it is a group trip.
Always take a day pack, which contains the following: poncho, lightweight ‘space blanket’ emergency tent/bag, flashlight (which you always check before you leave), whistle, compass, multipurpose jackknife, simple first aid kit with various size bandages and moleskin, sunglasses, sunscreen lotion and lip balm, mosquito repellent, extra socks, broad brim hat with chinstrap. If you are walking a long way by snow or water, or on the beach, through light fog or above clouds, use strong sun screen, at least SPF 50. A hat will do no good since the reflected sunlight hits you from all angles. Take a few minutes to read instructions and get a feel for how the stuff works before you leave.
BTW, I hate mosquito repellent. I bought a cheap cap with a little mosquito net that rolls down to fit snuggly inside your shirt collar. I prefer that to bug spray out in the true boondocks when hiking through severe bug areas.
If you have allergies or any history of anaphylactic shock, learn up on how to manage allergic attacks, how to use Benadryl to stave off an attack and extend the usefulness of an EpiPen, and how many EpiPens you should take.
Take a hand sanitizer and some toilet paper, if you will deal with pit toilets on the way. Read up on how to take a shit in the woods if you will be spending a lot of time in the boondocks.
Take extra clothing, as weather indicates. If you feel like starting out in just a speedo, that is fine, but it is nice to have alternatives later on. Don’t count on your cell phone working out in the boondocks, even if by some measures, like driving time, you are only minutes from civilization.
Always take some good maps: recent street map for developed areas, and detailed topo map for undeveloped countryside. You can download topos for free at the USGS Store.
If you go off the trail, make notes on your route and mark it on the map. Google maps are OK, but I only trust the satellite views, which tend to me more accurate than the maps from my experience.
For an all day hike, I take between 3 and 4 quarts of water, unless I am sure I can get some along the way. More if it’s going to be very hot or strenuous. I don’t mind the extra weight, and figure carrying more makes a better workout. Sip a little water whenever the thought occurs to you. If you wait until you are thirsty and guzzle, it is too late and you will suffer the effects of dehydration (which causes problems regardless of temperature; people often forget about dehydration in the snow). Pee should be no darker than light straw color.
Take plenty of snacks in addition to meals. I strongly recommend dairy snacks: cheese, yogurt, or bottles of milk or yogurt drink. Take a half cup of milk, or equivalent, every 2 to 3 hours, to keep your legs fresh, in addition to meals.
If anyone would like to send me some information about their favorite exercise, hints, tips or, indeed, questions or issues for the Juicetariat to discuss, please feel free. You can find my email address here.
Also a reminder that there is a Balloon Juice group set up on Fitocracy. A number of Juicers are already in there, and if you ask nicely in this thread someone should be able to send you an invite.
What have you been up to this week?
Amanda in the South Bay
Blah, this country would be better off building more railroads and not turning them into trails (peak oil, etc).
Raven
Pretty please markann at hotmail dot com
Raven
For some reason the pool at the Y has been jammed for the past 2 weeks. Normally there are big crowds when all the “tourists” make their NY resolutions and then they peter out by February. The problem with lap swimming on limited time is that you have no idea when people started and whether they will adhere to the one hour limit. It sucks.
jl
@Amanda in the South Bay:
Rail trails are built on right of ways of abandoned lines, or along side operating lines where the right of way is wide enough.
No one is going to come with the money to rip out a profitable line and put in a rail trail, unless Warren Buffet or Bill Gates become rail trail fanatics, which is doubtful.
PeakVT
Went out to take some photos, but the auto-focus on the camera I brought seems to be dying. Argh. Anyway, here’s the Hump.
Spiffy McBang
Never mind!
Spiffy McBang
Ok, asking nicely for invite code please and thank you. Do you need my e-mail for that?
Waldo
I’ve been using rail trails for 20 years. They are a great way to get exercise — running, skating, biking etc. — without the dangers of public roads. They are also very popular. But maybe the best reason to support them is that spending federal money on something the public loves and no one makes a buck off of — well, that’s got to tick off the wingnuts.
Origuy
One of the reasons for my pseudonym is my involvement in orienteering. (The other is origami, but that only exercises your fingers.) I’ve mentioned it in passing, but I thought I’d explain more about it. It’s a sport which involves navigating a course made up of a set of mapped points. At each point is a marker and some way of indicating your successful location of the point.
Only compass and map are used in competitive orienteering. The maps are usually specially made, with more detail than hiking maps. You don’t have to be super-fit, as there are normally courses of various lengths and difficulties at each event. At the advanced level, though, you can be off trail crashing through brush on a steep slope looking for a small boulder in dense forest. Urban orienteering has been growing in popularity as well, and can be quite challenging. All you need is an inexpensive compass and appropriate footwear (and long pants if you are in poison oak or ivy country.)
There are clubs and other organizations in many US states, Canadian provinces, and probably all of the countries Balloon-Juicers live in. The US organization is OrienteeringUSA; the international organization is the International Orienteering Federation.
sfinny
One of my neighbors is involved in developing and marking a new trail. Haven’t been out yet this year but it runs about 375 miles from the Croton reservoir to Mount Mercy in upstate NY. Website is hudsontrail.wordpress.com.
peggy
@Amanda in the South Bay:
In Boston, a rail to trail is a major bike commuter route from the western suburbs that a friend of mine (60) uses. Also, a subway line was built in an old railroad cut and enhanced with a linear park/bike path which is used very heavily by children in playgrounds, community gardeners, teenagers playing basketball and quite a few others. The commuter rail runs alongside the subway.
Imaginative use of old railroad beds can be very worthwhile.
jl
@Origuy: Thanks for the info. I have been interested in orienteering, but haven’t found much info about local groups in SF Bay, but there must be some.
Edit: I’d read a Fitness Club post on orienteering if you have the time to write one up and send it in to Sarah.
jl
@peggy:
Massachusetts sure has a lot of rail trails, or at least is better than most states in publicizing them. Here are two pics I sent in to Sarah, but because I procrastinate, too late to get into post.
Beautiful sunny Day on Marblehead Bike Trail, MA
Beautiful winter day on Ashuwillticook Rail Trail, MA
Matthew Reid Krell
Well, I am two weeks on my diet/exercise. There’s been a few days where I screw up, but I’ve been pretty disciplined. It helps that I’m proving to someone very important that I can be disciplined.
So far, I have gotten to the point where I can run about 1K – could maybe get up to a mile run at a stretch if I was willing to JUST run the mile. I feel like I’m making progress. But now the shin splints have started, and so I have to back down again. Any thoughts on how to keep working out while healing?
peggy
For the couch potato fitness buff, right now get up, put on a coat and go outside. Look to the west, and marvel at enormous twin beauty of Venus and Jupiter.
Venus&Jupiter sky photo
Origuy
@jl: I live in San Jose. The Bay Area Orienteering Club is one of the most active in the US. There are also two companies, called terraloco and GetLost!!, founded by two of our members, that put on events. Their schedule is on our website, too.
MikeJake
Last fall I took a hike on a gorgeous day in Cuyahoga Valley National Park. I idly strolled along the bridle trails and checked out a nearby cave. Then at around 4:30 I made the nearly disastrous decision to double-time it through a trail that went deep into the valley. It was forested, with blue paint marks periodically marking the trail.
At 6:30 it was getting dark, to where I started having trouble seeing the paint marks, I had dropped and lost my water bottle (just AFTER refilling it) after stumbling in a mud puddle, and my knees were killing me. Luckily some nutty kid was out jogging (!) the rough, muddy trail with a flashlight, and he was able to direct me towards the nearest road, an additional 3 mile hike. Turns out I had missed a crossroads in the trail and taken the scenic route. I made it to the road at dark, in total darkness save the occasional street light, and had to hoof it mostly uphill another couple of miles. I actually walked half of it backwards because my knees were hurting so bad. And you don’t realize how many critters that are out there, and how pathetically weak and human you are, until you’ve walked through the woods in pitch blackness and heard them scurrying around all around you.
I did get some nice pictures out of it though.
peggy
@peggy: These planets will be visible in the middle of a city, except perhaps Times Square. They are big and bright in Boston.
Mr.Peggy’s Spring Planet Report:
Sandra
Here in NC, we have the AMERICAN TOBACCO TRAIL. I love that I can hike in the city of Durham while my son and husband ride their bikes. Because the trail is relatively flat, you can walk long distances. One Saturday while walking, we could here the sound of call to prayer for a local Mosque. Very beautiful.
jl
@Matthew Reid Krell:
When I started getting in shape two years ago, I could not even walk a brisk two miles without getting shin splints. My solution was to alternate exercises so I could give shins a a couple of days rest. So after a day of walking or running with shins feeling bad, then I would swim, or do upper body exercise. At the gym I go to, there is a rope pulling thing you can adjust to be resistance or aerobic exercise. So I would go rope pull and play Popeye the sailor for a day. Maybe a doc, who knows more about it will answer. My only other advice, from my experience, is to not push it when they hurt bad, since that only makes things worse.
@Origuy: Thanks. Don’t know why I could not find that when I looked awhile back. I will check it out.
Mnemosyne
Still debating between two bikes. Ruckus had some good advice yesterday (basically, you get what you pay for, and there’s a reason the Trek is almost $200 more) but after a couple more test rides, I’m now leaning towards the Schwinn despite my quality concerns. It’s physically lighter (probably by about 10 pounds) which would make it easier for me to cart around, bring on the bus, etc., and it does have 7 speeds, which is probably more suitable for my semi-hilly neighborhood.
But the Trek has a smoother ride, and the terrain near that bike shop is very similar to what I’d be riding on every day, and having only 3 speeds wasn’t that bad. I was pretty out of breath when I got back from my ride, but (a) I’m very out of shape and (b) it turns out I rode about 4 miles (possibly closer to 5).
I can’t decide on bike shop quality, because they’re both top-rated and are both on Bicycling’s Top 100 list. Argh!
Mnemosyne
@Matthew Reid Krell:
If you haven’t gone to a really good running store to get fitted for shoes, go immediately. I get shin splints very easily and having good shoes makes all the difference in the world. They will set you back $100 or $150, but it will be worth it to avoid the pain. Even if you’re walking more than running (or only walking), good shoes will really help.
Also, make sure you’re stretching sufficiently — you need to stretch both the calf and the shin, and you need to do it after the muscles are warmed up.
caring and sensitive
@Matthew Reid Krell: I’m 65, in passable shape but at a point in my life where I’m not terribly motivated to exercize. Our neighbourhood is quite hilly, so a couple of years ago I bought a powered hub for my bike. (From Clean Republic). This way I can go out for a bike ride and know that no matter where I go, I’ll be able to ride rather than having to get off and walk. Early in the season I use the assist a lot; by early summer just about never. This way I get the workout and avoid shin splints
Comrade Mary
And now, your moment of FUCK!
There is absolutely gorgeous weather starting up in Toronto this week (peaked at 15 today, going up to 20 Thursday — that’s in the sixties American, y’all).
But a stupid, low speed fall last night means that I have at least a sprained foot. Hopefully it’s mild and RICE will take care of it over the next few days and I won’t need crutches to heal.
Fuck.
WaterGirl
@Mnemosyne: which trek? cocoa?
WaterGirl
@Comrade Mary: sorry to hear that! i don’t understand your reference to RICE.
jenn
@Matthew Reid Krell: Congrats! Re. your shin splints, I’d suggest 2 things: (1) go to the runners world forums, I believe its the beginners forum, and search for shin splints. There’s a thread by MothAudio (?) with stretches and strengthening exercises that is fantastic. (2) Analyze your running form. If in doubt, take shorter steps. There’s actually some good form advice in the Barefoot forum, even if you have zero desire to run barefoot (though running barefoot can both help strengthen your feet and help improve your running form), but basically, when your foot hits the ground, it should be beneath you, rather than in front of you. Good luck!
Comrade Mary
@WaterGirl: Thanks!
RICE = rest, ice, compression, elevation, as described here.
debit
This week is supposed to be in the mid 60s so I’m riding to work starting tomorrow. I have been waiting all winter for this, so I’m pretty excited.
The Cedar Lake Trail is part of my daily commute, and yes, it was a rails to trail project.
debit
@Mnemosyne: Re: speeds. Honestly? I find that I only use a couple of of them, and would probably do fine on a single speed for my commute and general pleasure biking.
I wasn’t part of your initial conversation, but will give you my opinion anyway: go with the Trek. You really do get what you pay for. When my son and I first started biking together he settled for a Schwinn and replaced it in less than a year. If you’re unsure about dropping serious dollars when you’re just starting a hobby (which is very wise of you) then think about getting something used.
Cassidy
@Matthew Reid Krell: This is common for new runners. The first issue is your get up and go. Remember that you didn’t get where you are overnight, so running long distance is not gonna come overnight either. Backing off to a good run/walk split might alleviate the issue. Secondly, stretching. Take your toe and point it out/ down, etc., but get a good stretch in those shins. The first stage of shin splints is inflammation. Also, water and an NSAID before and after exercise. Now that you already have shin splints, the aforementioned RICE and low impact cardio until you are’t feeling discomfort anymore.
It’s been mentioned, but I can’t stress enough the importance of shoes. Right now, in the beginning stages, a good cross training shoe should do you some good. The soles are a little firmer than running shoes, but they’ll provide more support. Once you start getting up over two miles you’ll want to switch to a good running shoe. Also mentioned is a running store. Most of the employee’s at the big sports stores know nothing unless you happen to find a hobbyist. A running store will fit you with a good shoes and a good one will present you several options instead of their most expensive brand. Stay away from the minimalist shoes and anything along those lines until you have conditioned your body to run.
And really that sounds like the point where you are: conditioning. Take your time and know when to back off and do low impact. If you can find a soft surface to run on that’ll help you transition faster.
Edit: Did everyone who asked get a Fitocracy invite? I’ll check in the morning and send out to anyone after this comment who wants one.
Mnemosyne
@WaterGirl:
Yes, I’m still hung up on the Cocoa. They had me try a couple of other Trek bikes (like the Allant and one of the beach cruiser types) but I am still in love with Cocoa. She’s just so pretty and fun to ride!
I’m glad I tried the Allant, though, because now I know for sure that the more forward posture makes my back, shoulders and arms hurt (probably due to my carpal tunnel issues). The Schwinn is the Jenny, which is almost identical to the Cocoa, geometry-wise (that is, the various angles and lengths of the parts are almost identical between the Cocoa and the Jenny) which is one of the factors making it so hard to choose — they’re very, very similar bikes.
Lauren
Long hikes in boondocks – don’t wear blue jeans. They are worse than worthless when wet – they take a long time to dry, meanwhile, they weigh you down and chafe you, and you will feel cold. A lightweight, fast drying, tough fabric is best for pants – ripstop nylon is good. And tuck your pantlegs into your socks to keep out bugs and ticks (few people will see what a nerd you look like).
Also, wear a thin liner sock under your hiking sock to reduce friction and minimize blisters.
J R in W Va
There are several rail-to-trail parks in W Va, and a couple of them are really great. The Greenbrier River RTT State Park is pretty long 75-80 miles, generally down hill if you go downstream, and passes by some great State Parks with cabins etc.
Another is the North Bend Rail Trail SP which runs more or less east west from Parkersburg to Clarksburg, and is through a more devveloped countryside than Greenbrier River Trail, which is through mostly regrown forest, now Mon. National Forest and state parks. Both have many nice tunnels and bridges.
Mart
The KATY trail in Missouri generally follows the Missouri River for 237 miles. We love it, especially now that our knees are old and the Ozark hills suck trying to climb (still enjoy going down). Great micro-brewery right off the Augusta trail head near St. Louis. Need to replenish fluids after all.
fitness
Something to add for prevention or helping to alleviate shin splints: condition and strengthen the muscles causing the problem in the first place, the anterior tibialis muscles. These muscles control the downward motion of the foot when going from heel to toe. Condition and strengthen these muscles by leaning your back against a wall, position your feet heels on floor, toes off floor shifting your weight back and forth to unload each foot as you get it in this starting position. Slowly, lower your toes to the floor for the eccentric contraction of the involved muscles. Shift back and forth again to return to the starting position and repeat 10 more times and do 3 sets 2 x’s each day.
Combine this exercise with the stretching as mentioned above. Warm up with this prior to running/walking. Also walk around on heels only as a warm up.