bikethebridges.org
Hike the Bridges
Bike the Bridges
Covered Bridge Gateway Trails Association, Inc.
Parke County Indiana
October 6, 2012
BIKE THE BRIDGES
Bicycle Tour
P A R K E C O U N T Y I N D I A N A
Proceeds benefit the Covered Bridge Gateway Trail connecting the B&OTrail to the NRHTrail forming a 150 mile bicycle/pedestrian loop from Indianapolis to Turkey Run and Terre Haute.
Photos from the 2nd Annual 2011 BTBTour. Click to enlarge.
CBGTA hosts cleanup effort along Catlin Road north of Rosedale, IN
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Pictured are some of the CBGTA members who gathered trash along Catlin Road north of Rosedale.
nder cloudy skies and the threat of rain, members of the Covered Bridge Gateway Trails Association contended with ticks, gnats, mosquitoes and snakes to help beautify Parke County. On Saturday, May 21, 2011, in their bright lime green t-shirts, the group picked up roadside trash on Catlin Road. Some members headed south from the Thorpe Ford Covered Bridge to the city limits of Rosedale, others headed north from the Bridge towards Jessup. Recent flooding of Big Raccoon Creek had carried plastic bottles and other trash into the fields adjacent to Big Raccoon and that litter was also picked up. Many people passing by in cars gave friendly “thank you” waves or a “thumbs up” that encouraged the group. Some people even stopped to find out the name of the group and to give them a verbal thank you for their efforts. Three miles and 35 trash bags later, the group rewarded themselves with lunch at The Old Jail Coffee House.
Sugar Creek Trail
Covered Bridge Gateway Trails Association members and friends traveled from Parke County to Crawfordsville on Sunday, Aug. 7, 2011, to cycle and hike the scenic Sugar Creek Trail on the southwest side of the city. After braving near 90 degree heat and humidity, they treated themselves to dinner at Creekside Lodge along scenic Sugar Creek. The group visits numerous bicycle/pedestrian trail and greenway destinations in Indiana throughout the year and are instrumental in helping bring the Covered Bridge Gateway Trail to Parke and Vigo counties.
Turkey Run State Park
Turkey Run State Park was the hiking destination of choice for members of Covered Bridge Gateway Trails Association on Sunday, Aug. 28. Several of these folks are also members of Friends of Turkey Run and Shades State Parks so they took advantage of the hike to also collect and dispose of bits of litter they found along the trail. After the hike, they visited Up the Creek restaurant near the park for a refreshing post hike meal. The group travels to numerous recreational destinations throughout the year and their excursions are open to the public.
National Road Heritage Trail
The National Road Heritage Trail is a popular destination in central Indiana and Covered Bridge Gateway Trails Association members and friends took advantage of great weather to visit the trail system in Terre Haute on Saturday, Sept. 10. The ride began and ended at the Twigg Rest Stop Trailhead along US40 near Seelyville. The trail passes several points of interest including Hawthorne Park, Rose-Hulman Stadium, ISU Stadium, and numerous eateries and stores near the Indiana State campus. The 16 mile round trip to Grand Traverse Pie Company was well worth the effort. The trail travels through several miles of forested area on the eastern end that abounds with wildlife before entering the city of Terre Haute. Most notable were the cleanliness of the entire trail corridor and the number of families with small children out for a weekend adventure. To hike or bike with the group or to learn more about them, visit www.bikethebridges.org.
Trail Group visits three popular West Central Indiana destinations
JOIN US !
Sunny, warm weather and the changing autumn leaves were the
perfect setting for a bicycle ride in Parke County. Covered Bridge
Gateway Trails Association (CBGTA) sponsored its second annual
“Bike the Bridges Tour” on Saturday, October 8. One hundred sixty-one cyclists
from Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio and North Dakota started at
Rockville Lake Park to begin one of four scenic routes.
“Stop and Go” (SAG) sites were spaced along the routes and provided water, bananas, apples, granola bars, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, cookies and restrooms for the riders. The Wabash Valley Amateur Radio Association (WVARA) furnished constant communication for the Ride. The ham radio members were stationed at most of the SAG’s with headquarters at Rockville Lake Park. “Support Vehicles” were assigned to cruise the routes to assist any riders with flat tires or other unexpected needs that arose during the ride.
The 11-mile “Family Ride” was to Marshall and back. In Marshall, the SAG was located at “Bobcat Park” where the children could play on the playground equipment while their parents rested at the picnic tables under the shelter house. The 33-mile ride headed towards Bridgeton, with the first SAG located at Bridgeton Mill and bridge. After the SAG in Bridgeton, the route continued to Rosedale where there was another SAG at Rosedale Civic Center and then it looped back to Rockville on Catlin Road. The 66-mile “Metric Ride” took in a large part of southern Parke County, passing through Ferndale, Mansfield, Bridgeton, Rosedale, Mecca, Montezuma, Coloma, and Rockville. This route passed by or through eight of Parke County’s covered bridges. In addition to the previously mentioned SAG’s on the 33-mile route, two SAGs were available at Raccoon Lake spillway area and in Montezuma at the ball park. About 20 riders chose the 100- mile ride. The “Century Ride” duplicated most of the metric ride. However, when the riders were almost to Rockville, the route turned north on B’dale Road. After going through Bloomingdale, with a SAG near the Jackson Covered Bridge, the route continued to Sylvania, then to Marshall and back to Rockville Lake Park. Upon return to Rockville Lake, shredded pork sandwiches, slaw, baked beans, and cookies were awaiting the riders.
Some riders camped at Rockville Lake Park or stayed in Parke County the night before in order to get an early start the morning of the ride. Some planned to spend Saturday night and explore Parke County on Sunday. Parke County residents also participated in the ride.
In addition to CBGTA, local sponsors provided assistance, food, materials, and SAG locations. Those sponsors included Rockville Lake Park, Wabash Valley Amateur Radio Assoc., Superior Lithoplate Inc., Parke County Community Foundation, Parke County Inc., Rockville IGA, Kingman Red and White, Ditzler’s Orchard, Montezuma Tasty Freeze, US Army Corps of Engineers, Bridgeton Mill, Rosedale Civic Center, Montezuma Ball Park, and Marshall Bobcat Park.
CBGTA sponsors “Bike the Bridges Tour” to encourage bicyclists to explore beautiful Parke County and to support economic development. In addition, the ride is the primary fundraiser for the Covered Bridge Gateway Trail Association. Proceeds go towards building the Covered Bridge Gateway Trail in Parke County. Please visit the Contact link to learn more about membership and sponsorship in CBGTA. We look forward to seeing you at the 2012 Bike the Bridges Tour on October 6.
