April 23, 2025
Wander Far, Explore Local: A New Kind of Adventure
I'm redefining what adventure means after discovering the joy of exploring greenways and rail trails. From Colorado's Aspen-lined paths to Kentucky's riverside greenways, these accessible trails have transformed my understanding of meaningful outdoor experiences.
• Experiencing the beauty of Breckenridge to Frisco on e-bikes amid golden Aspens
• Discovering the Big Four Bridge and Ohio River Greenway during a Kentucky business trip
• Seeing people of all ages and abilities enjoying the outdoors together on accessible trails
• Exploring the Brevard Greenway and Thermal Belt Trail in North Carolina with my wife
• Finding that adventure isn't always about conquering mountains—sometimes it's about connection
• Looking forward to upcoming trails like the Ecusta Trail and sections of the East Coast Greenway
Send me a voice memo, message me on Instagram or Facebook, or email mike@explorationlocal.com to share your favorite trail experiences. Your story might inspire others to redefine what adventure means to them.
Mike Andress
Host, Exploration Local
828-551-9065
mike@explorationlocal.com
Podcast Website
Facebook
Instagram: explorationlocal
00:00 - Storytelling in Appalachia
01:52 - Colorado Adventure with My Daughter
06:00 - Kentucky Business Trip Exploration
12:35 - Rethinking What Adventure Means
16:44 - Recent Local Trail Experiences
21:33 - Future Trails and Final Thoughts
WEBVTT
00:00:00.260 --> 00:00:06.264
Storytelling is at the heart of Appalachia, woven into its winding trails, mountain towns and front porch conversations.
00:00:06.264 --> 00:00:13.672
For generations, people here have shared their sense of place through stories that honor both grit and grace and tradition and transformation.
00:00:13.672 --> 00:00:22.707
These stories echo across ridgelines and roll through the valleys, reminding us that connection to land and people has always been part of the adventure.
00:00:22.707 --> 00:00:28.934
In today's solo episode, I want to share a different kind of journey, one that's personal and still unfolding.
00:00:28.934 --> 00:00:33.692
It's a story about how my definition of adventure has changed over the years.
00:00:33.692 --> 00:00:51.810
From pushing strollers on the Virginia Capitol Trail in Williamsburg, where my family first discovered the joy of greenway riding, to coasting along the greenway in the Colorado Rockies, to unfolding a compact e-bike and rolling out from a hotel parking lot in Kentucky, every experience is reshaping how I engage with the outdoors.
00:00:51.810 --> 00:01:11.171
Greenways and trailways might not make the cover of an adventure magazine you won't find many summit selfies or adrenaline-fueled reels out there but they offer something even more enduring Accessibility, connection and the quiet kind of wonder you find when you slow down just enough to really see what's around you.
00:01:11.171 --> 00:01:20.103
In this episode, I'll explain how these paths are shaping my story and why I believe they're one of the most inviting, inclusive ways to explore.
00:01:20.103 --> 00:01:27.108
This is a story for anyone who's ever thought I'm not adventurous enough or that trail's not meant for me.
00:01:27.108 --> 00:01:28.373
Let's ride.
00:01:28.373 --> 00:01:44.396
You're listening to Exploration Local, a podcast designed to explore and celebrate the people and places that make the Blue Ridge and Southern Appalachian Mountains special and unique.
00:01:44.396 --> 00:01:48.111
My name is Mike Andrus, the host of Exploration Local.
00:01:48.111 --> 00:01:53.893
Join us on our journey to explore these mountains and discover how they fuel the spirit of adventure.
00:01:53.893 --> 00:01:57.649
We encourage you to wander far, but explore local.
00:01:57.649 --> 00:01:58.572
Let's go.
00:02:00.040 --> 00:02:10.772
So last fall, last September 2024, right before Helene, I had the chance to take a trip to Colorado with my daughter, my third child, my second daughter.
00:02:10.772 --> 00:02:20.675
We started the week with some incredible hikes, exploring all the rugged landscapes of Boulder and Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park that we could.
00:02:20.675 --> 00:02:28.185
I mean truly breathing in the crisp mountain air and enjoying just the vastness of all that Colorado is.
00:02:28.185 --> 00:02:33.074
And then we capped it off with an unforgettable night at Red Rocks.
00:02:33.074 --> 00:02:39.442
We watched Amos Lee perform under the stars, and if you have ever been to Red Rocks, you know it's a special place.
00:02:39.442 --> 00:02:47.008
If you haven't, I highly would suggest that at some point of your bucket list and some point of your life, you would put that on there.
00:02:47.008 --> 00:02:48.747
It is an amazing, amazing place.
00:02:48.747 --> 00:02:52.028
It's been said that it doesn't matter what you watch there.
00:02:52.028 --> 00:02:59.207
It will be an amazing experience and I can tell you we love Amos Lee, so we enjoy that show and we also enjoy pretty much the experience.
00:02:59.300 --> 00:03:04.932
But at the end of that trip we were going to spend two sort of wind down days in Breckenridge.
00:03:04.932 --> 00:03:14.466
I had never been before and we were also at least I was ready for a little bit slower pace, a wind down after that week of adventure that we had.
00:03:14.466 --> 00:03:25.250
So we decided to rent bikes, we decided to rent e-bikes and we found that there was a trail that went from Breckenridge to Frisco, which is about 10 miles away, frisco, right on.
00:03:25.250 --> 00:03:25.950
I think.
00:03:25.950 --> 00:03:28.435
It's like right south of Copper Mountain.
00:03:28.435 --> 00:03:37.109
But my son and his fiancee now wife and their family they were on e-bikes in Colorado and I think we got a little bit of that bug that we wanted to try it too.
00:03:37.109 --> 00:03:46.633
So anyway, we're in the same place, same area, and I will tell you that it was one of the most refreshing experiences and meaningful experiences that we had on that trip together.
00:03:46.633 --> 00:03:54.830
And it was cool because we rode from Breck into Frisco, we had lunch in Frisco and then we were going to try to spend most of the day there, but we had to get back.
00:03:54.830 --> 00:04:02.230
We were racing against an enormous storm that was coming in, so it pretty much rained the whole last 10 miles, but it didn't bother us.
00:04:02.230 --> 00:04:04.169
We had a fantastic time.
00:04:04.169 --> 00:04:07.524
But the amazing part about that trip, too, was that we had the Aspens.
00:04:07.524 --> 00:04:17.101
It's one of my bucket lists, my life bucket list that I want to see the Aspens bloom or, excuse me, the Aspens change in Colorado in the fall, and we got a chance to do that.
00:04:17.442 --> 00:04:29.894
But the really, besides all the beauty and being with my daughter, one of the things I remember is that there was this group of older senior citizens and we were moving, coming back, because the storm was rolling in.
00:04:29.894 --> 00:04:33.769
You could see it, it's getting heavier and heavier, and so we wanted to.
00:04:33.769 --> 00:04:35.252
I mean, we're just moving fast.
00:04:35.252 --> 00:04:47.728
But all of a sudden these seniors were like flying by us on their e-bikes and we saw people out on these e-bikes of all ages, or, excuse me, out on these trail people of all ages, during this little 20 mile bike trip that we did.
00:04:47.728 --> 00:04:52.043
But I'll never forget the looks on the this, this older woman's face.
00:04:52.043 --> 00:04:53.367
She's just smiling.
00:04:53.367 --> 00:05:03.264
You know, she went by, she's having fun, she's getting out, and I kept telling my daughter that these things allow you to go farther and kind of see more and stay out a little bit longer.
00:05:03.264 --> 00:05:07.192
And that was really kind of made true watching these people come back.
00:05:07.192 --> 00:05:14.800
But that ride in Brecker Ridge, amidst the mountains, it was one of the absolute best experiences that we shared out there in Colorado.
00:05:14.800 --> 00:05:25.110
It wasn't about the speed, it was just about being present and enjoying the journey, really just one pedal at a time, and that really is what started this whole passion, I think, for me.
00:05:32.940 --> 00:05:47.762
So, fast forward to March of 2025 this year, I was on a business trip to Kentucky and it's the kind where your days are full of meetings, your nights are usually spent in meetings or in dinners or out with people kind of exploring the area.
00:05:47.762 --> 00:05:57.709
But I decided that this was going to be a great opportunity to bring my new foldable e-bike and I have a little Volkswagen Alltrack.
00:05:57.709 --> 00:06:00.560
It's not huge but it's not small at the same time.
00:06:00.560 --> 00:06:04.165
But it was enough to put my luggage a cooler and my e-bike in the back of that the same time.
00:06:04.165 --> 00:06:10.235
But it was enough to put my luggage a cooler, and my e-bike in the back of that and it was my first time traveling with it and, honestly, I wasn't sure how it was going to go.
00:06:10.235 --> 00:06:16.281
Would I even have time for it?
00:06:16.281 --> 00:06:17.562
Would it be a hassle, would it be worth the effort, you know?
00:06:17.562 --> 00:06:20.365
So on and so forth all the seeds of doubt and it absolutely was worth the effort.
00:06:20.425 --> 00:06:27.415
So after the first night of meetings I went to, I found this trail on the rails to trail.
00:06:27.415 --> 00:06:28.541
I looked it up before I left.
00:06:28.541 --> 00:06:30.607
It was the uh, the big four bridge.
00:06:30.607 --> 00:06:53.115
The amazing thing is that it was located just near the hotel and so I was able to go across this bridge, this big four bridge, and y'all it was packed with people that were, you know, e-biking, that were strollers that were skating, that were walking, that were pushing strollers, that were running, jogging you know, entire families.
00:06:53.115 --> 00:06:55.848
I mean, it was just an incredible experience.
00:06:55.848 --> 00:07:05.894
So it was once a railroad crossing, but now it's a pedestrian bike bridge, or pedestrian and bike bridge, that spans the entire Ohio River.
00:07:06.721 --> 00:07:11.204
It connects Louisville, kentucky, to Jeffersonville, indiana, really, really cool place.
00:07:11.204 --> 00:07:13.225
The structure itself is impressive.
00:07:13.225 --> 00:07:14.689
It's wide, it's elevated.
00:07:14.689 --> 00:07:16.668
I mean steel trusses that frame the sky.
00:07:16.668 --> 00:07:24.463
As I rode across, the view just opened up to the river and it also opened up into Indiana, the river below.
00:07:24.463 --> 00:07:25.608
I mean it was beautiful.
00:07:25.608 --> 00:07:33.788
It shimmered in the afternoon light and you could feel the pulse of the city even from being that far above the river and beyond the city.
00:07:33.788 --> 00:07:38.021
But on the Indiana side it connected to the Ohio River Greenway.
00:07:38.021 --> 00:07:42.473
I had no idea and I didn't look that closely into it, so it was a bit of a surprise.
00:07:42.473 --> 00:07:47.511
But as you go over the bridge you're into this little, beautiful little community of Jeffersonville, indiana.
00:07:47.932 --> 00:07:48.473
I took a left.
00:07:48.473 --> 00:07:51.209
I went southbound on the Ohio River Greenway.
00:07:51.209 --> 00:07:54.048
It's a paved trail that hugs the shoreline.
00:07:54.048 --> 00:07:59.533
It weaves past parks, old brick buildings, trestle bridges, quiet neighborhoods.
00:07:59.533 --> 00:08:02.189
I mean it was absolutely an amazing ride.
00:08:02.189 --> 00:08:03.021
It was such a gem.
00:08:03.021 --> 00:08:10.487
Theze off the water was steady and the whole ride it just had this balance of urban energy and natural calm.
00:08:10.487 --> 00:08:12.427
It was truly, truly amazing.
00:08:12.427 --> 00:08:14.732
I did about 17 miles altogether on that.
00:08:14.732 --> 00:08:16.079
There were people everywhere.
00:08:16.079 --> 00:08:19.870
I mean again, joggers, kids on bikes, couples walking holding hand.
00:08:19.870 --> 00:08:23.966
Some folks were just out for exercise, others were just soaking up the scenery.
00:08:23.966 --> 00:08:30.846
I mean it wasn't rugged, it wasn't remote, but I mean it felt rich, it felt real, it felt grounded.
00:08:30.959 --> 00:08:35.412
That day reframed, I think, what I thought an adventure needed to look like.
00:08:35.412 --> 00:08:38.308
It didn't seem like I was settling for something easier.
00:08:38.308 --> 00:08:45.666
It felt expansive, like I had unlocked a whole new layer of exploration that truly had been hiding in plain sight.
00:08:45.666 --> 00:08:49.951
Sometimes all it takes is a simple trail and a willingness to look at it differently.
00:08:49.951 --> 00:08:53.331
And for me, I had a few hours and I went out and explored.
00:08:53.331 --> 00:08:59.919
I saw the reservoir, I saw parks, I saw people coming in from communities, I went through communities.
00:08:59.919 --> 00:09:02.529
It was absolutely amazing.
00:09:02.529 --> 00:09:04.225
So love that experience.
00:09:04.225 --> 00:09:05.368
It definitely was absolutely amazing.
00:09:05.368 --> 00:09:05.854
So love that experience.
00:09:05.854 --> 00:09:06.399
It definitely was worth it.
00:09:06.480 --> 00:09:10.230
I also got a chance to go out on another trip a little bit farther out.
00:09:10.230 --> 00:09:12.609
It's called the, I think, the Louisville Loop Trail.
00:09:12.609 --> 00:09:15.265
I think when it's all said and done, it's going to be about 100 miles.
00:09:15.265 --> 00:09:19.807
That fully circumnavigates Louisville and the outskirts of Louisville.
00:09:19.807 --> 00:09:29.467
But I found this beautiful, beautiful park and it was Greenway in and of itself, and I did another 10 miles or so just that afternoon, but it was incredible.
00:09:29.467 --> 00:09:31.312
It went through the river.
00:09:31.312 --> 00:09:37.306
You may have seen if you follow me on Instagram, then you've seen the story of this but it followed the river um sort of at sunset.
00:09:37.306 --> 00:09:51.871
So it's really really pretty winter sunset in Louisville, kentucky, and there's, I mean, soccer fields and playgrounds and, again, people of all shapes and sizes and you know just backgrounds and interest and the things that they were enjoying the outdoors with.
00:09:51.871 --> 00:09:53.379
But we were all there together.
00:09:53.379 --> 00:09:56.910
It was really kind of this, this communal thing, if you will.
00:10:05.274 --> 00:10:11.388
Before these trips Breckenridge, kentucky I honestly didn't think greenways were for me.
00:10:11.388 --> 00:10:30.422
I mean, I grew up associating adventure with elevation, gain and you know, technical terrain and dirt under your boots, navigating whitewater rivers and maybe a little bit of suffering along the way, you know, backpacking in the back country, long hikes that leave your legs burning, the kind of stuff that you know makes you feel like you earned the view.
00:10:30.422 --> 00:10:33.928
You know you earned a climb or, excuse me, you climb to earn the view.
00:10:33.928 --> 00:10:40.712
But greenways, I mean I thought they were, you know, easy, lame, not for me.
00:10:40.712 --> 00:10:43.984
It just wasn't something that I it wasn't a pathway that I was, I was looking out for.
00:10:43.984 --> 00:10:48.923
But I mean something shifted as I started to actually ride these things.
00:10:49.604 --> 00:11:07.527
What I saw along these routes and who I saw, I mean it told it truly told a different story of the type of recreation that is out there and folks, there's recreation out there for anybody and everybody, and if you're looking for a portal and an easy way in, I mean these greenways are it.
00:11:07.527 --> 00:11:10.163
I mean I see seniors on trikes.
00:11:10.163 --> 00:11:16.714
I mean they're confidently riding, you know, with groups of friends and clearly clearly having the time of their lives.
00:11:16.714 --> 00:11:22.620
I see kids wobbling on training wheels, getting cheered on by parents who are just as thrilled as they were.
00:11:22.620 --> 00:11:30.001
I mean you see couples, solo riders, commuters, tourists, people on road bikes, mountain bikes, cruiser bikes, e-bike scooters.
00:11:30.001 --> 00:11:31.899
I mean, honestly, you name it.
00:11:31.899 --> 00:11:34.304
There's people that are out on these greenways.
00:11:34.304 --> 00:11:36.657
It's just amazing and you know what.
00:11:36.657 --> 00:11:38.302
These people aren't just killing time.
00:11:38.302 --> 00:11:45.356
I mean, they're connecting with each other, with their surroundings and, you know, with themselves and you know just the outdoors for sure.
00:11:46.018 --> 00:11:50.948
Greenways, I think, remove a lot of the barriers that can come with traditional outdoor spaces.
00:11:50.948 --> 00:11:56.440
You don't need technical gear, you don't need to be in peak shape, you don't need to even have a plan.
00:11:56.440 --> 00:12:04.708
I mean, honestly, you don't, you just need a bike or your own two feet, a little curiosity and the willingness to say I'm just going to take that first step.
00:12:04.708 --> 00:12:09.705
I mean these spaces, these greenways, these trails, these rails to trails.
00:12:09.705 --> 00:12:23.788
They make space for everyone and I believe that they truly do redefine what it means to belong outside, or at least I would say it's expanding my view of what it means to be outside and to belong outside.
00:12:38.394 --> 00:12:40.844
So just last weekend I rode the estetot trail and the brevard greenway into downtown brevard, north carolina.
00:12:40.844 --> 00:12:45.118
It truly is a place that feels like it was designed for both adventure and ease.
00:12:45.118 --> 00:12:50.375
It's one of these thought-out communities and it kind of reminded me of going back into.
00:12:50.375 --> 00:12:59.863
You know, my frame of of reference being Breckenridge and Frisco and being able to ride in and through towns and towns that connect you know geographical areas together.
00:12:59.863 --> 00:13:28.673
And it extends into the Greenway which again just carries you through so many cool places along breweries Sylvan Sport, acousta Brewing, oscar Blues is along that route, brevard Parks and Recreation is along that route, getting behind the community, going into the lumberyard, seeing a residential area and then kind of dumping right out into downtown.
00:13:28.673 --> 00:13:29.335
It was amazing.
00:13:29.335 --> 00:13:36.068
It was the first time that I'd ever taken that route and I saw places in North Carolina that I didn't even know existed.
00:13:36.068 --> 00:13:44.662
But the greenways just take you into places that you're not going to see on your normal day-to-day, just kind of coming in and popping out of town.
00:13:45.182 --> 00:13:51.465
And then our most recent trip, my wife and I last Friday we were on the Thermal Belt Trail.
00:13:51.465 --> 00:13:57.027
It's a stretch that links Forest City and Rutherfordton, spindale, ruth and Gilkey.
00:13:57.027 --> 00:14:01.380
There might be a couple of other towns in there that I'm forgetting, but we did the full out and back.
00:14:01.380 --> 00:14:03.844
It was a full 26 miles that we did in total.
00:14:03.844 --> 00:14:07.384
But it's a beautiful trail, it's wide, it's smooth.
00:14:07.384 --> 00:14:09.182
There's long stretches of shaded trees.
00:14:09.182 --> 00:14:15.291
A beautiful trail, it's wide, it's smooth, there's long stretches of shaded trees and then there's other sections that really kind of open up to reveal the rolling hills as you get north.
00:14:15.291 --> 00:14:19.445
We started south and we were riding north and as you're south it's more urban.
00:14:19.445 --> 00:14:24.556
That's where your cities, your larger cities, are sort of linked together and it's amazing because you can take a little.
00:14:24.556 --> 00:14:30.916
You know you can take a trip into each one of those communities, check out the downtown, have lunch dinner.
00:14:30.916 --> 00:14:37.129
That wasn't our purpose, but you know it is a way that you can break some of these rail trail or trail town experiences up.
00:14:37.129 --> 00:14:38.421
But it's really beautiful.
00:14:38.421 --> 00:14:52.985
You go from the southern end, which is more urban, to the northern end, as I'm saying that you get into some of the rolling hills you get into, where the rail and the trails you know the rail cars would go sort of, and carved out not really mountains but carved out hillsides.
00:14:52.985 --> 00:14:58.610
That's pretty amazing, and then you see the soft outlines of the Blue Ridge Mountains in the distance.
00:14:58.610 --> 00:15:00.731
So it was absolutely, you know, remarkable.
00:15:01.432 --> 00:15:11.403
One of the reasons we decided to pull the trigger and get these bikes is that I was really looking for something that Teresa and I that Teresa is my wife that she and I could do together out on the trail, and it has.
00:15:11.403 --> 00:15:22.277
I'm a hundred miles in and some of those miles I rode by myself, but most of those miles I have ridden with her and the beautiful thing about this is that it's allowed us to have an opportunity to get out.
00:15:22.277 --> 00:15:30.187
She may not want to do all the hair raising things that I would do or she would shuttle me to, but you know, back in the day, but she's, you know we're doing it together.
00:15:30.187 --> 00:15:31.808
And again, it's still, it's a.
00:15:31.808 --> 00:15:33.610
It's just a different way to adventure.
00:15:33.610 --> 00:15:36.302
It's, it's no less adventurous, it's just.
00:15:36.302 --> 00:15:46.818
You know, my adrenaline may not get going as strongly as it does if I'm out on the river or, you know, barreling down some single track, but anyway, it's really proving true.
00:15:46.818 --> 00:15:59.885
And so we just, you know, we rode together, we laughed, we had lunch, you know, we just had a wonderful time just being together, and we saw that through and through with other people out there on the trail.
00:16:00.505 --> 00:16:02.307
Those are the moments that are just going to stick with me.
00:16:02.307 --> 00:16:10.610
They're the moments that are sort of making my experiences these days, and that's what these trails offer not just access, but I mean truly just kind of invitation.
00:16:10.610 --> 00:16:22.556
Right, it's an invitation to be present, to reconnect and to explore truly, truly at your own pace.
00:16:22.556 --> 00:16:24.581
It reminded me that some of the best rides, they aren't about conquering anything.
00:16:24.581 --> 00:16:29.596
They're about sharing something, a moment, a path or perspective, or even just time with the people that you love.
00:16:44.355 --> 00:16:46.177
So, as I mentioned before, to me adventure used to mean effort and sweat and pushing limits.
00:16:46.177 --> 00:16:53.441
It meant hauling a pack up a steep ridge, waking up cold in a tent or navigating a trail that wasn't always marked on the map.
00:16:53.441 --> 00:16:55.360
And there's a place for all of that.
00:16:55.360 --> 00:17:09.364
I still love it, but lately I've found myself drawn to a different kind of adventure, and one that's, honestly, that's just as fulfilling, but a little bit less about exertion and more about intention and the experience and the people that I'm with.
00:17:09.364 --> 00:17:14.724
So my foldable e-bike has been a huge part of that shift.
00:17:14.724 --> 00:17:19.862
It fits in the trunk of my car, no special rack or complicated setup is required.
00:17:19.862 --> 00:17:24.921
Honestly, you take it out, you put a couple of links together and your bike is ready to roll.
00:17:24.921 --> 00:17:30.723
I can travel for work, I can find a trail nearby, unfold the bike and within minutes I'm riding.
00:17:31.276 --> 00:17:51.955
It's become a way to explore not just new places but familiar ones too, honestly, with fresh eyes and an entirely different mindset, as I explained in my experience in Brevard, a place that I've been to many, many times, that ride in Breckenridge with my daughter unforgettable, not because it was intense but because it was ours.
00:17:51.955 --> 00:17:56.777
It was the laughter, the slowness, the shared trail that was, I mean, that was the adventure.
00:17:56.777 --> 00:18:00.838
The ride across the Big Four Bridge into Indiana it was eye-opening.
00:18:00.838 --> 00:18:05.901
I didn't expect a trail that cuts through urban life to feel so connected to nature, but it did.
00:18:05.901 --> 00:18:16.683
But it did and it gave me the freedom to explore between meetings, to move my body, to see something beautiful that I otherwise would have missed, if I'm being honest.
00:18:16.683 --> 00:18:21.286
And then, most recently, in Brevard and on the Thermal Belt those rides.
00:18:21.286 --> 00:18:27.968
They're grounding, local reminders that you don't have to travel far or go hard to find a sense of awe.
00:18:27.968 --> 00:18:31.088
And for us, we were just minutes down the road.
00:18:31.088 --> 00:18:36.810
We were able to do all of this experience the trails, be home in time for a family dinner.
00:18:36.810 --> 00:18:44.473
So, anyway, I'm redefining adventure, not because I've outgrown the old version of it I have not but because I've expanded it.
00:18:44.473 --> 00:18:58.538
To be honest with you, it now includes some quieter moments, some unexpected connections and the kind of movement that's as much about joy as it is about miles and connection with my family, especially with my wife and my friends.
00:18:58.538 --> 00:19:01.287
And the best part, it feels like a journey.
00:19:01.366 --> 00:19:20.605
I've only just begun, all right, looking ahead, my list of trails is growing, not in a competitive bucket list kind of way, but more like a collection of possibilities.
00:19:20.605 --> 00:19:27.246
Each one that I want to choose it's a doorway, I think, into a different place and a different pace.
00:19:27.246 --> 00:19:32.223
This summer I'm especially excited about the completion of the Acousta Trail.
00:19:32.223 --> 00:19:33.788
It's right here in my backyard.
00:19:33.788 --> 00:19:42.423
It's a big one for this area a former rail line that's being transformed into a multi-use trail that's connecting Hendersonville and Brevard.
00:19:42.423 --> 00:19:45.189
It's local, it's historic and folks.
00:19:45.189 --> 00:19:59.848
When it opens it is going to create an unbroken ribbon of opportunity, not just for people who like to bike, but for families and walkers and runners and, honestly, anyone who wants to move through the landscape without a car.
00:20:00.570 --> 00:20:03.426
Another place I've got my eye on riding is the East Coast Greenway.
00:20:03.426 --> 00:20:10.232
It's a huge, inspiring trail system that spans from Maine to Florida, so that's quite large, they say.
00:20:10.232 --> 00:20:18.026
It's one of those projects that feels both massive and personal at the same time as they kind of connect different communities across time and space.
00:20:18.026 --> 00:20:22.365
I think that I don't know what section I would ride, but I definitely want to do that.
00:20:22.365 --> 00:20:23.989
The other one is the Swamp Rabbit Trail.
00:20:23.989 --> 00:20:25.512
That's right here for you local people.
00:20:25.512 --> 00:20:26.925
That's right here in our backyard as well.
00:20:26.925 --> 00:20:29.788
It's in South Carolina and it's high on my list.
00:20:29.788 --> 00:20:34.366
I've been on it, but I'd really kind of like to go early in the morning or when there's not a lot of traffic out there.
00:20:34.640 --> 00:20:39.369
I've heard stories about just the energy there, about how it winds from Greenville to Traveler's Rest, rest.
00:20:39.369 --> 00:20:46.565
I mean it's full of charm, there's local flavor and that sense of being really immersed in a place, even while you're in motion.
00:20:46.565 --> 00:20:50.804
I want to ride it tip to tip, not for speed but for the story.
00:20:50.804 --> 00:20:57.083
I think that it tells along the way and then closer to home, what I'm really excited.
00:20:57.083 --> 00:21:08.048
Well, I'm really excited about all of this, but the Saluda Gray Trail I don't know if that's the official name, but that is in thoughts and planning and I think it has some legs underneath it.
00:21:08.048 --> 00:21:16.763
I am going to have a guest on the show soon that knows all about these projects the Saluda Gray Trail and the Acosta Trail as well so maybe we'll find out more then.
00:21:16.763 --> 00:21:21.042
And then, honestly, some of what I'm looking forward to is just riding some urban trails around Asheville.
00:21:21.042 --> 00:21:29.138
I've done that before and it's really sweet as more and more areas come back online, as the parks get linked up and opened up.
00:21:29.138 --> 00:21:41.446
Hopefully there'll be a little bit more time to ride down there, but I love going through those green spaces down near the River Arts District, back up to New Belgium and then maybe even throughout the city as well.
00:21:53.820 --> 00:22:02.031
Thanks for riding along with me today, for giving space to this reflection and for letting me share a different kind of adventure story From the quiet mornings on the Virginia Creeper Trail to the laughter and crisp air of Breckenridge with my daughter, to crossing a river on a rail.
00:22:02.031 --> 00:22:04.119
Creeper Trail to the laughter and crisp air of Breckenridge with my daughter.
00:22:04.119 --> 00:22:10.432
To crossing a river on a rail trail bridge in Kentucky, to that perfect afternoon with my wife on the Thermobelt Trail.
00:22:10.432 --> 00:22:15.731
I've enjoyed every moment and experience on these trails that I'm traveling these days.
00:22:15.731 --> 00:22:21.452
Each moment, each mile reminded me that adventure doesn't have to be loud or extreme to be meaningful.
00:22:21.452 --> 00:22:24.788
It can be smooth pavement instead of rocky switchbacks.
00:22:24.788 --> 00:22:27.930
It can be found in your hometown, not just in a national park.
00:22:27.930 --> 00:22:33.132
It can be shared in silence or filled with conversation, whatever the trail brings that day.
00:22:34.480 --> 00:22:40.786
If you've got a favorite trail, whether it's one you ride weekly or one you stumbled onto while traveling, I'd truly love to hear about it.
00:22:40.786 --> 00:22:46.789
Your story might inspire someone else to give these trails a try, or even redefine what adventure means to them.
00:22:46.789 --> 00:22:57.130
Send me a voice memo, drop a message on Instagram or Facebook or shoot me an email at mike at explorationlocalcom, and, who knows, your story might just make it into a future episode.
00:22:57.130 --> 00:23:04.853
If you enjoyed today's show, it would mean a lot if you left a review and hit that subscribe button so you don't miss out on what's coming next.
00:23:04.853 --> 00:23:11.029
So, wherever you are, whether you're on a forest path, a rail trail or sitting on a porch with a view.
00:23:11.029 --> 00:23:17.170
I hope that you will keep exploring Because, at the end of the day, adventure isn't always out there.
00:23:17.170 --> 00:23:19.486
Sometimes it's just around the next bend.
00:23:19.486 --> 00:23:21.030
Thanks again for listening.
00:23:21.030 --> 00:23:22.222
Until next time.
00:23:22.222 --> 00:23:24.730
Wander far, but explore local.
00:00:00.260 --> 00:00:06.264
00:00:06.264 --> 00:00:13.672
00:00:13.672 --> 00:00:22.707
00:00:22.707 --> 00:00:28.934
00:00:28.934 --> 00:00:33.692
00:00:33.692 --> 00:00:51.810
00:00:51.810 --> 00:01:11.171
00:01:11.171 --> 00:01:20.103
00:01:20.103 --> 00:01:27.108
00:01:27.108 --> 00:01:28.373
00:01:28.373 --> 00:01:44.396
00:01:44.396 --> 00:01:48.111
00:01:48.111 --> 00:01:53.893
00:01:53.893 --> 00:01:57.649
00:01:57.649 --> 00:01:58.572
00:02:00.040 --> 00:02:10.772
00:02:10.772 --> 00:02:20.675
00:02:20.675 --> 00:02:28.185
00:02:28.185 --> 00:02:33.074
00:02:33.074 --> 00:02:39.442
00:02:39.442 --> 00:02:47.008
00:02:47.008 --> 00:02:48.747
00:02:48.747 --> 00:02:52.028
00:02:52.028 --> 00:02:59.207
00:02:59.300 --> 00:03:04.932
00:03:04.932 --> 00:03:14.466
00:03:14.466 --> 00:03:25.250
00:03:25.250 --> 00:03:25.950
00:03:25.950 --> 00:03:28.435
00:03:28.435 --> 00:03:37.109
00:03:37.109 --> 00:03:46.633
00:03:46.633 --> 00:03:54.830
00:03:54.830 --> 00:04:02.230
00:04:02.230 --> 00:04:04.169
00:04:04.169 --> 00:04:07.524
00:04:07.524 --> 00:04:17.101
00:04:17.442 --> 00:04:29.894
00:04:29.894 --> 00:04:33.769
00:04:33.769 --> 00:04:35.252
00:04:35.252 --> 00:04:47.728
00:04:47.728 --> 00:04:52.043
00:04:52.043 --> 00:04:53.367
00:04:53.367 --> 00:05:03.264
00:05:03.264 --> 00:05:07.192
00:05:07.192 --> 00:05:14.800
00:05:14.800 --> 00:05:25.110
00:05:32.940 --> 00:05:47.762
00:05:47.762 --> 00:05:57.709
00:05:57.709 --> 00:06:00.560
00:06:00.560 --> 00:06:04.165
00:06:04.165 --> 00:06:10.235
00:06:10.235 --> 00:06:16.281
00:06:16.281 --> 00:06:17.562
00:06:17.562 --> 00:06:20.365
00:06:20.425 --> 00:06:27.415
00:06:27.415 --> 00:06:28.541
00:06:28.541 --> 00:06:30.607
00:06:30.607 --> 00:06:53.115
00:06:53.115 --> 00:06:55.848
00:06:55.848 --> 00:07:05.894
00:07:06.721 --> 00:07:11.204
00:07:11.204 --> 00:07:13.225
00:07:13.225 --> 00:07:14.689
00:07:14.689 --> 00:07:16.668
00:07:16.668 --> 00:07:24.463
00:07:24.463 --> 00:07:25.608
00:07:25.608 --> 00:07:33.788
00:07:33.788 --> 00:07:38.021
00:07:38.021 --> 00:07:42.473
00:07:42.473 --> 00:07:47.511
00:07:47.932 --> 00:07:48.473
00:07:48.473 --> 00:07:51.209
00:07:51.209 --> 00:07:54.048
00:07:54.048 --> 00:07:59.533
00:07:59.533 --> 00:08:02.189
00:08:02.189 --> 00:08:03.021
00:08:03.021 --> 00:08:10.487
00:08:10.487 --> 00:08:12.427
00:08:12.427 --> 00:08:14.732
00:08:14.732 --> 00:08:16.079
00:08:16.079 --> 00:08:19.870
00:08:19.870 --> 00:08:23.966
00:08:23.966 --> 00:08:30.846
00:08:30.959 --> 00:08:35.412
00:08:35.412 --> 00:08:38.308
00:08:38.308 --> 00:08:45.666
00:08:45.666 --> 00:08:49.951
00:08:49.951 --> 00:08:53.331
00:08:53.331 --> 00:08:59.919
00:08:59.919 --> 00:09:02.529
00:09:02.529 --> 00:09:04.225
00:09:04.225 --> 00:09:05.368
00:09:05.368 --> 00:09:05.854
00:09:05.854 --> 00:09:06.399
00:09:06.480 --> 00:09:10.230
00:09:10.230 --> 00:09:12.609
00:09:12.609 --> 00:09:15.265
00:09:15.265 --> 00:09:19.807
00:09:19.807 --> 00:09:29.467
00:09:29.467 --> 00:09:31.312
00:09:31.312 --> 00:09:37.306
00:09:37.306 --> 00:09:51.871
00:09:51.871 --> 00:09:53.379
00:09:53.379 --> 00:09:56.910
00:10:05.274 --> 00:10:11.388
00:10:11.388 --> 00:10:30.422
00:10:30.422 --> 00:10:33.928
00:10:33.928 --> 00:10:40.712
00:10:40.712 --> 00:10:43.984
00:10:43.984 --> 00:10:48.923
00:10:49.604 --> 00:11:07.527
00:11:07.527 --> 00:11:10.163
00:11:10.163 --> 00:11:16.714
00:11:16.714 --> 00:11:22.620
00:11:22.620 --> 00:11:30.001
00:11:30.001 --> 00:11:31.899
00:11:31.899 --> 00:11:34.304
00:11:34.304 --> 00:11:36.657
00:11:36.657 --> 00:11:38.302
00:11:38.302 --> 00:11:45.356
00:11:46.018 --> 00:11:50.948
00:11:50.948 --> 00:11:56.440
00:11:56.440 --> 00:12:04.708
00:12:04.708 --> 00:12:09.705
00:12:09.705 --> 00:12:23.788
00:12:38.394 --> 00:12:40.844
00:12:40.844 --> 00:12:45.118
00:12:45.118 --> 00:12:50.375
00:12:50.375 --> 00:12:59.863
00:12:59.863 --> 00:13:28.673
00:13:28.673 --> 00:13:29.335
00:13:29.335 --> 00:13:36.068
00:13:36.068 --> 00:13:44.662
00:13:45.182 --> 00:13:51.465
00:13:51.465 --> 00:13:57.027
00:13:57.027 --> 00:14:01.380
00:14:01.380 --> 00:14:03.844
00:14:03.844 --> 00:14:07.384
00:14:07.384 --> 00:14:09.182
00:14:09.182 --> 00:14:15.291
00:14:15.291 --> 00:14:19.445
00:14:19.445 --> 00:14:24.556
00:14:24.556 --> 00:14:30.916
00:14:30.916 --> 00:14:37.129
00:14:37.129 --> 00:14:38.421
00:14:38.421 --> 00:14:52.985
00:14:52.985 --> 00:14:58.610
00:14:58.610 --> 00:15:00.731
00:15:01.432 --> 00:15:11.403
00:15:11.403 --> 00:15:22.277
00:15:22.277 --> 00:15:30.187
00:15:30.187 --> 00:15:31.808
00:15:31.808 --> 00:15:33.610
00:15:33.610 --> 00:15:36.302
00:15:36.302 --> 00:15:46.818
00:15:46.818 --> 00:15:59.885
00:16:00.505 --> 00:16:02.307
00:16:02.307 --> 00:16:10.610
00:16:10.610 --> 00:16:22.556
00:16:22.556 --> 00:16:24.581
00:16:24.581 --> 00:16:29.596
00:16:44.355 --> 00:16:46.177
00:16:46.177 --> 00:16:53.441
00:16:53.441 --> 00:16:55.360
00:16:55.360 --> 00:17:09.364
00:17:09.364 --> 00:17:14.724
00:17:14.724 --> 00:17:19.862
00:17:19.862 --> 00:17:24.921
00:17:24.921 --> 00:17:30.723
00:17:31.276 --> 00:17:51.955
00:17:51.955 --> 00:17:56.777
00:17:56.777 --> 00:18:00.838
00:18:00.838 --> 00:18:05.901
00:18:05.901 --> 00:18:16.683
00:18:16.683 --> 00:18:21.286
00:18:21.286 --> 00:18:27.968
00:18:27.968 --> 00:18:31.088
00:18:31.088 --> 00:18:36.810
00:18:36.810 --> 00:18:44.473
00:18:44.473 --> 00:18:58.538
00:18:58.538 --> 00:19:01.287
00:19:01.366 --> 00:19:20.605
00:19:20.605 --> 00:19:27.246
00:19:27.246 --> 00:19:32.223
00:19:32.223 --> 00:19:33.788
00:19:33.788 --> 00:19:42.423
00:19:42.423 --> 00:19:45.189
00:19:45.189 --> 00:19:59.848
00:20:00.570 --> 00:20:03.426
00:20:03.426 --> 00:20:10.232
00:20:10.232 --> 00:20:18.026
00:20:18.026 --> 00:20:22.365
00:20:22.365 --> 00:20:23.989
00:20:23.989 --> 00:20:25.512
00:20:25.512 --> 00:20:26.925
00:20:26.925 --> 00:20:29.788
00:20:29.788 --> 00:20:34.366
00:20:34.640 --> 00:20:39.369
00:20:39.369 --> 00:20:46.565
00:20:46.565 --> 00:20:50.804
00:20:50.804 --> 00:20:57.083
00:20:57.083 --> 00:21:08.048
00:21:08.048 --> 00:21:16.763
00:21:16.763 --> 00:21:21.042
00:21:21.042 --> 00:21:29.138
00:21:29.138 --> 00:21:41.446
00:21:53.820 --> 00:22:02.031
00:22:02.031 --> 00:22:04.119
00:22:04.119 --> 00:22:10.432
00:22:10.432 --> 00:22:15.731
00:22:15.731 --> 00:22:21.452
00:22:21.452 --> 00:22:24.788
00:22:24.788 --> 00:22:27.930
00:22:27.930 --> 00:22:33.132
00:22:34.480 --> 00:22:40.786
00:22:40.786 --> 00:22:46.789
00:22:46.789 --> 00:22:57.130
00:22:57.130 --> 00:23:04.853
00:23:04.853 --> 00:23:11.029
00:23:11.029 --> 00:23:17.170
00:23:17.170 --> 00:23:19.486
00:23:19.486 --> 00:23:21.030
00:23:21.030 --> 00:23:22.222
00:23:22.222 --> 00:23:24.730
