The D&L Blog

Trails Offer Experience and Connection!

Written by: Scott Slingerland, Executive Director of CAT Lehigh Valley

Bicycling means different things to different people—exercise, sport, fun, freedom, recreation, and transportation are just a few of the common associations people have with pedaling on two wheels.

Beyond the basics, bicycling conjures varying visions of scenery: woodsy cruising along the river on multi-use trails like the D&L Trail, full-speed descents down ski slopes, urban lane surfing, and neighborhood cruising to a friend’s house. At different moments, bicycling offers serenity, adventure, social connection, challenge, and achievement.

In the U.S. May is Bike Month, and locally we celebrate Lehigh Valley Bike to Work Week. May is an ideal month for biking in Pennsylvania, since the freeze has passed and the blazing heat of summer is yet ahead. Beyond these discrete bicycle “holidays”, many who are passionate about pedaling would suggest that every day can be “bike day” and that the more one rides, the more one can embrace the adventure of weather changes, hills, discovering tiny trails that connect to the grocery store, and a way to incorporate more healthy movement into our day – an alternative to sitting at home, sitting in the car, and sitting at work.

Biking lets the rider feel alive and connected with people, history, and nature in a direct, sensory way with sights, smells, sounds, and endorphins!

The D&L Trail and all of the trails in THE LINK Trails Network offer their own flavor of a varied experience. For individuals or families to wake up on their day off, what an adventure to pack a lunch, some water, and ride a new section or a new trail. For some people, pedaling the 5 mile loop on the Ironton Rail Trail is cause for celebration – for others, pedaling the peaceful 12 miles from downtown Bethlehem to downtown Easton is a journey (with or without the optional LANTA bus ride back to the starting point) – and for others yet, pedaling the 22 miles from Northampton Borough to Jim Thorpe puts them in another world.

Personally, I love all of these rides, but I’m especially stoked on local adventures—riding right from my front door: to the Wind Gap Bluegrass Festival, to the Emmaus Farmers’ Market, or just across Bethlehem to a performance at Touchstone Theatre (though maybe not all in the same day). I love how a simple ride invites social interactions with neighbors, impromptu visits to old friends, or discovering new local businesses. I love how taking a new route can reveal new streets, or the chance to populate a mental map of fruit trees – and a reminder to return when they’re in season. I love how biking with friends can change my whole day, offering support or levity as needed.

Yes, we have work to do as a society to improve driving culture—slowing down traffic to enhance safety and the overall experience for everyone, especially those not in cars: pedestrians, seniors, children, wheelchair users, dog walkers, and, of course, bicyclists! Motorists can do better, but there is so much that bicyclists can do for their own safety. Until drivers slow down voluntarily, or cars are automatically speed controlled by artificial intelligence, car-free trails remain a shared, safe space for all cyclists.

I hope that this article has proven my excitement for biking to be contagious. Nothing would make me happier than to know more people are getting out there and discovering local trails by bike, foot, or wheelchair. Enjoy the trails and take care of each other out there!

About the author: Scott Slingerland is Executive Director for CAT-Coalition for Appropriate Transportation. CAT is a Lehigh Valley non-profit supporting bicycling, walking, public transit, and local trails. CAT offers bicycle mechanics classes and bike traffic skills classes for all ages. CAT offers bike safety education to youth, as well as bikes for essential transportation to adults. The CAT Bicycle Cooperative is open four days a week for anyone to learn how to repair their own bicycle, how to set up their bike for commuting, or to volunteer and help others, even if they come in with no mechanical experience. CAT offers group bike rides (listed on Meetup.com under “CAT Bike Rides in the Lehigh Valley”). CAT advocates for pedestrian safety and public transit (LANTA Bus).

Want to learn more about CAT Bike Rides in the Lehigh Valley? Click Here.