Fayette County, Pennsylvania, and Fayette County, West Virginia…both are experiencing growth spurred by the outdoor economy. I participated in two unrelated tours last month, but quickly realized there were overlapping themes.
Trail Towns and Communities
Cycle Forward’s Curiosity Series: Wednesdays in October
We have to disrupt our thoughts, assumptions, and practices to move forward. That’s why I’m offering the Cycle Forward Curiosity Series…so that we can get curious and envision a better future for trail communities. We’ll consider one curious question per week in October.
Great Allegheny Passage Economic Impact Report: A Gift to the Trails World
There’s been a buzz about the trails community since the Great Allegheny Passage Conservancy released its latest economic impact report. It’s the first economic impact study on the GAP since the trail was completed in 2013. The economic growth is impressive: the GAP Conservancy attributes $74 million in direct spending (2019) to GAP trail use, […]
Shoulder Season Bike Touring Calls for Preparation, Trail Angels, and Grace
Thoughts on fall bike overnights I’m part of a Facebook group that’s dedicated to the Great Allegheny Passage and C&O Canal Towpath. The group has more than 14,000 members, many of whom are planning and celebrating their trail trips and offering each other support along the way. It’s fun to see how many people are […]
Fancy Like a Hometown Diner?
The importance of supporting local businesses I’m not one to keep up on modern country music or TikTok dance sensations. If not for my cousin’s recent wedding I would be totally out of the loop on Walker Hayes’s song, “Fancy Like” and the dance it inspired. But seeing a bunch of people line up and […]
Connellsville Nature-Based Placemaking Project: Cultivating an Outdoor Culture in a Longtime Trail Town
A community can check all the right boxes as a trail town and still need help in connecting to its trails and outdoor assets. Cycle Forward worked in Connellsville, Pennsylvania to help improve its connection to the Great Allegheny Passage, foster an outdoor culture, and lead hands-on placemaking projects. Dates: January – October 2021 Client: […]
“Taking Heart” in Responses to Deciding on Trails
The final section of Deciding on Trails is titled, “Taking Heart in Trails.” A little over a month since publishing, I can say that I have taken heart in the positive response to the book.
Community Pain Points in the time of COVID
I have a lot of thoughts (and questions) around how trail communities – how any community – will recover from the pandemic. But in this moment, I simply want to acknowledge what a difficult time this has been for people.
Are we Hungry for Thriving Communities?
In her memoir, Hunger, Roxane Gay writes of romantic relationships, “…it’s a shame that the measure is what is not so bad instead of what is thriving and good.” That insight caught my attention because it’s true for so many people. No doubt, we all have friends or family members who stay in relationships that […]
Indiana Trail Town Workshops: Introducing Trail Towns to Hoosier State Communities
The Greenways Foundation advocates for trails and greenways in Indiana. In 2019, the Foundation determined it was time to advocate for better trail-to-town connections as well. They hired Cycle Forward to host six interactive trail town workshops throughout the state. Many of the participants were learning about trail towns for the very first time.
