Nathan Caldwell and his homebrewing companions enjoy the Pine Creek Rail Trail  in north-central Pennsylvania. Virginia homebrewers toast the Pine Creek Rail Trail. The Butler-Freeport Community Trail in Pennsylvania.
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	Tell us about your favorite holiday rail-trail traditions. Do you have a special trail walk to burn off those Thanksgiving calories? Maybe you meet family or friends for a particular ride every year? If you celebrate the holiday season on a rail-trail, share your stories Karl at karl@railstotrails.org. With all e-mails and photos, please include where you currently live as well as any caption info. All photos submitted to Rails-to-Trails Conservancy may be used in any and all organizational materials.

An Autumn of Rail-Trails

In October, we asked you to tell us about your favorite rail-trails for enjoying fall foliage:

 
Nathan Caldwell— Oakton, Va.
A group of 16 homebrewing bicyclists from the metro Washington, D.C., area really enjoyed three days of biking and leaf peeping along the Pine Creek Rail Trail, which runs from Wellsboro to Jersey Shore in Pennsylvania. The fall colors on the sides of Pine Creek Gorge were great. The state of Pennsylvania does a great job maintaining the trail and its first-class campgrounds, restrooms and  trailheads. The trail is also very popular with a wide range of users.
 
The Burning Barrel Tavern in Ansonia, near a major trail access point, has 18 beers on tap. We checked—they were good!

Most of the folks on the trip are members of Brewers United for Real Potables (BURP), the largest homebrew club in the Mid-Atlantic region. Besides brewing, judging and tasting lots of great brews, many members also have biked all over the United States and world.

David Sims — Albuquerque, N.M. 
I've ridden many places, but as far as rail-trails, my favorite would be hard to choose between the Kettle Valley Railway Trail in British Columbia or the Virginia Creeper Trail and/or New River Trail in Virginia. So many trestle crossings with the trees changing color so beautifully, and all that reflected in the streams, creeks and rivers on the Virginia trails. But I found British Columbia to be one of the best-kept, cleanest areas I've ever visited.
 
Yet as far as beautiful autumn rides, the Carriage Trails in Acadia National Park are phenomenal in the fall. Luckily my wedding anniversary is in mid-October, so every year we take at least a short trip and see the colors. This year we will be in Santa Fe, N.M.

Gayle and Ken Gallier — Pittsburgh, Pa.
My husband and I have ridden most all the trails in western Pennsylvania, and we are slowly making our way to Washington, D.C. However, our local Butler-Freeport Community Trail is one of the most scenic of all because it follows the Little Buffalo Creek and the Buffalo Creek. We ride this trail repeatedly simply because of its diverse beauty. It's a must-see trail in all seasons!
 
Many thanks to you and the entire staff for providing and promoting these awesome community parks. Biking is our favorite leisure-time activity. We seek out trails wherever we go with our bikes and camera. After our rides, we look for local shops and restaurants, and we've found many hidden gems in the way of orchards, wineries, lakes, etc. We even have a large group of bikers that enjoy overnight rides with stays at bed-and-breakfasts. Pennsylvania is certainly rich with beauty and variety!