Newton Trails

Sunday morning, I drove to Hiram, Georgia to ride with some friends from Nashville, in town for the weekend to bike the Silver Comet Trail.  They needed to be on the road to home by 1 pm, so we rode 18 miles out to Coots Lake (almost to Rockmart) and then back.  It was an overcast morning, and we were starting our ride east of where the most populous sections of the Comet run through west Cobb County.  But, we still had plenty of company on the trail.

It had been over a year since I'd made it out to ride the SCT, so I enjoyed being back on everyone's favorite rail-trail in these parts.  Just like all of my other visits, I was struck by the diversity of people who use the trail.  We saw triathletes out for morning training rides mixing in with elderly couples out for a stroll.  We witnessed families biking together in no particular hurry mingling with joggers out for a morning run.  We met people walking dogs and friends just sitting and chatting on the many benches along the trail.  It was a "slice of life" journey that never grows old each time I pass that way.

My friends talked about their 100-mile ride on Saturday, which took them across the Alabama state line, onto the Chief Ladiga Trail, and back.  As I have seen on past journeys, they too met up with several Boy Scout troops on excursions to earn their 50-Miler Merit Badge.

Back home that evening, I tried to recall the surroundings of the trail and what kind of areas we passed through.  What I realized, was my only real recollection was of the trail itself.  Except, perhaps, the unforgettable smell of the water treatment plant we passed! :-)  Curious, I checked the satellite views on Google Maps to see just what had been near that section of trail.  I was surprised to see residential neighborhoods, industrial plants, schools, forests, and farms.  Surprised, because you rarely notice these things from the trail itself.   Partly, I guess, because the treeline buffers so well, and partly because you're so caught up in your own ride, that only the beautiful vistas from the bridges and overpasses are enough to jar you from your immediate focus.  I bring this up, because I know some folks worry about privacy living near such a trail.  I think if they would visit the Silver Comet, and see it from a trail users perspective, they might see that issue differently.

I also share this story to highlight another benefit we tout so often about trails...  the economic impact.  My friends were part of a group of 15 riders from Nashville's Harpeth Bike Club.  They drove down from Tennessee for the weekend.  Four stayed Friday night and the other 11 stayed both Friday and Saturday night.  Between hotel stays, meals, snacks, entertainment, gasoline, and supplies, they easily spent over $3,500 as a group for the weekend.  And, I couldn't help but notice the cars in the hotel parking lot with bike racks and license plates from other states.  The Silver Comet is an economic engine for Cobb, Paulding, and Polk Counties.  You can see that everytime you visit.

My only lament from the weekend was that I had to drive 125 miles and nearly three hours round trip to enjoy the rail-trail experience.  If only there were someplace closer to Newton County with a railroad waiting to be turned into trail...  Hmmm...