Picking it up right off Rt 2 near where you (ej599) live is easy for most CT folks. Short drive from Hartford, short drive from the shore.
For folks that haven't been on it, it's a really great "linear park" maintained by the State of CT.
There's about 20 miles of it in either direction from that point. CT-RT-2 exit 16 has a Park & Ride lot to meet and start the ride in either direction.
In some places the old rail bed rises high above the forest and swamps...
I can organize riders through Bike New London as well. We are already doing a ride in New London on Memorial Day (Monday) but either Saturday or Sunday (May 28th or 29th) would be a nice time to ride the Air Line Trail.
Anyone interested in riding the trail Saturday May 28th, I will be at the Old Hartford Road, Colchester CT parking area at 1:00 pm. Gonna' head North to Rt. 85 in Hebron. Minimum 8 mile ride is what I'm thinking but I'm flexible! The trail is hard packed crushed stone, almost like pavement and real purty in the spring. And the bugs are delicious! Hope to see some you then!
Can't make it this weekend...But any other weekend would be good. Heck, looks so nice that even if you can't organize a ride, we'll still go sometime real soon anyway.
Great day for a ride today and the Air Line Trail had got to be one of the best places to ride in the state.
Comfortable, level, smooth but far away from civilization. We had a great time today with Doug as our guide. Saw a lot of unusual places that we would not have known about if he hadn't pointed them out.
We also saw amazing critters in the swamps, including red-wing blackbirds and a huge heron standing on a post. Trees recently chopped down by beavers along the trail. Great afternoon, thanks Doug!
Lady Slippers, an endangered plant, just growing along the trail and in the woods: