CENTERBURG — Pittsburgh to Columbus is a long way to pedal, but Centerburg offered a welcome pit stop for a group of journalists and trail advocates.
Around a dozen travelers stopped Thursday morning at the midpoint of the Heart of Ohio Trail. Local residents welcomed them outside of Pizzaburg with history, food and a selfie opportunity.
The stop was part of the Rails to Trails Conservancy’s annual press tour. It brings journalists and elected officials on to trails to experience them in person.
“This is our fifth year doing a press tour with journalists and elected officials … We take them out on the trail for about three days,” said Kevin Belle, project director for the Great American Rail-Trail with the Rails to Trails Conservancy.
The group averages between 20 to 40 miles of biking each day as it travels through communities along the route.
“People can really tell stories about the trails and make really good decisions about them when they feel and experience them,” Belle said.
Making trail connections
The Great American Rail-Trail is a 3,700-mile planned route connecting more than 150 existing rail-trails between Washington, D.C. and Washington state. About 55 percent of the route is complete, with many sections in progress or already planned.
A section of the trail is planned to run between Pittsburgh and Columbus. However, Belle said there are at least seven trail gaps between the two metropolitans.
This year’s tour intends to tell the story about what it will take to fill those gaps, he noted.
“We wanted to tell the story of connecting two cities together, Columbus being the highest population city along the entire Great American Rail-Trail,” Belle said.
A Centerburg welcome
Robert Lord, owner of Kolacheez Coffee Bar on Main Street, kept the travelers fueled with fresh pastries and coffee until their next stop.
Local historian and library board member Gloria Parsisson also joined the group of Centerburg greeters. Her table featured maps, historical photographs and magnets to introduce the riders to Centerburg.
She also prepared 20th anniversary Heart of Ohio posters for each of the travelers to commemorate their journey.
“Welcome to Centerburg,” Parsisson said. “We’re happy you’re in our little part of Ohio.”
Brandon Withrow, a freelance journalist, was one of the riders to stop at the village of 1,700.
“When you’re on a trail, you meet people, and you don’t know anything about them other than the fact that you share this love of bikes and trips,” Withrow said. “That is a great place to start for any conversation.”
Withrow said when gaps exist on a trail, opportunities to meet others are cut off. Sharing the experience of biking is a way to connect with others.
“It’s hard to be angry and upset when you’re on a bike,” Withrow said.
Other influencers on the tour included photographer Mark Downey, freelance writer Jim Farber, freelance journalist Sonia Narang, freelance journalist Chuck Quirmbach and travel journalist Karen Rubin.
(Here are Alexandra Hopkins’ photos of the event).
