Robert Annis
Robert Annis is an Indianapolis-based freelance writer specializing in cycling and outdoor travel. When he’s not hunched over a keyboard, you are likely to find him pedaling the back roads and trails of the Midwest or traveling around the globe. Find examples of his work on robertannis.contently.com.
Related Posts
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Indiana’s Monon Trail
December 05, 2024
Trail of the Month: December 2024 Passing through the heart of Indianapolis, Carmel, Westfield and Sheridan, Indiana’s Monon Trail is more than a greenway; it’s a commuter super-highway, a linear park for families, an inexpensive way for folks to get exercise. In many ways, it’s the asphalt lifeblood of those Hoosier communities. “It has reshaped […]
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Washington’s Apple Capital Loop Trail
August 01, 2024
Trail of the Month: August 2024 Few things are as fun as riding a trail for the first time. And few things taste as good as a fresh, crisp apple. The Apple Capital Loop Trail combines the best of both. Folks often think of Washington state as a lush oasis of greenery, and that’s true […]
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Alabama’s Hugh S. Branyon Backcountry Trail
December 01, 2023
Trail of the Month: December 2023 “We tried to come up with activities that fit in with the nature theme of the park.” Phillip West, director of Orange Beach’s Coastal Resources Department The smell of saltwater wafted through the air on a temperate September afternoon. The few clouds in the perfectly blue sky diffused the […]
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Big Bike Country: Experiencing Montana’s Bitterroot and Milwaukee Trails
March 14, 2023
If you’re screaming down US 93 in a climate-controlled SUV, you might not notice the strip of blacktop paralleling the busy highway from Missoula to Hamilton in western Montana. Likewise, users of the 51-mile Bitterroot Trail can sometimes forget to look past the road traffic and noise to fully appreciate the surrounding area bursting with history and […]
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Colorado: Exploring the Colorado Riverfront Trail
March 29, 2022
Grand Junction, Fruita and Palisade may be the Holy Trinity for outdoor lovers everywhere. More than a million acres of public land surround the three communities. Folks visit from around the world to bike, hike, swim and otherwise revel in its wealth of activities every year. Seemingly every fifth vehicle is a sprinter van with […]
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Top 10 Trails in Oklahoma
September 28, 2021
If you’re thinking to yourself, “Oh, what a beautiful morning … for a bike ride or a pleasant hike,” then maybe you should head to Oklahoma. Both Tulsa and Oklahoma City have terrific trail networks, where you can delve into history, enjoy some lovely scenery and get in a nice workout, all at the same time. […]
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Top 10 Trails in Arkansas
September 10, 2021
Arkansas may seem to have gone all-in on singletrack—Bentonville bills itself as the “mountain bike capital of the world”—but there’s a growing number of rail-trails! It makes sense, as Arkansas is a former railroad hotbed, with multiple lines crisscrossing the state. In the coming years, communities in northern Arkansas will spend up to $55 million […]
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Top 10 Trails in Kansas
September 02, 2021
The geographic center of the contiguous United States, Kansas has, geographically, played a role in many of the major human migratory events that have shaped the country. Today, the state hosts five National Historic Trails: the Oregon, California, Santa Fe, Pony Express and Lewis & Clark trails. In the latter half of the 19th century, the railroads came through. Years after many of […]
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South Carolina’s Three Rivers Greenway
July 08, 2021
Trail of the Month: July 2021 “When these connections are finally made, this will be one of the best trails in the country.” —David King, co-founder of the Cola Town Bike Collective While pedaling the completed 19.4 miles of South Carolina’s Three Rivers Greenway, the word “potential” keeps popping up in my mind. The greenway follows […]
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Top 10 Trails in Delaware
June 21, 2021
Dubbed “the Small Wonder” by the state’s inhabitants, trails in Delaware certainly reflect that moniker; the longest one is only 10 miles long! But given that the entire state is roughly the same size as the city of Anchorage, Alaska, it’s also completely understandable. Luckily, what the trails in Delaware lack in length, they make […]
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Top 10 Trails in South Carolina
May 24, 2021
If you can’t decide whether to visit a still forest or coastal beach, a bustling city or more rural environments, South Carolina has you covered. Thanks to the trails in South Carolina, you can often experience it all on one greenway. Best of all, exploring by foot or by bike means you’ll have an even […]
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Top 10 Trails in New Jersey
April 16, 2021
Escaping the interstate and exploring the backroads of New Jersey, it’s easy to see why it’s called the Garden State. And that’s just one reason why locals and visitors alike flock to the state’s 54 rail-trails—to get their fill of fresh air and gorgeous nature. Here are some of the best rail-trails in the state. […]
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Top 10 Trails in Maryland
March 08, 2021
If you’ve been on trails in Maryland, then you know there’s much more to the state than just crabs, Old Bay and Baltimore Orioles baseball. The Free State offers a host of trail offerings for nearly every user, and its mild winters allow those riders and hikers to make the most of them year-round. Here […]
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Delaware’s Cape Henlopen State Park Bike Loop
January 13, 2021
Trail of the Month: January 2021 Trail users roll past sand dunes and beaches, the Delaware Bay to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Cooper’s hawks and ospreys are frequently spotted in the sky, while red foxes are known to dart across the trail occasionally. These are but some of the glimpses […]
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Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail: A Pedal Along a Michigan Marvel
August 26, 2020
Trying to escape the pandemic blues and an oppressive Midwest heat wave, I pointed my van north, heading to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in northern Michigan. About 20 minutes south of Traverse City, Sleeping Bear Dunes has all the makings of a nearly perfect outdoor vacation oasis—miles upon miles of trails, beautiful scenery and […]
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Ohio’s Little Beaver Creek Greenway
July 13, 2020
Trail of the Month: July 2020 “It’s beautiful and very well maintained…People around here really love and support the trail.” —Laurie Anderson of nearby Mineral Ridge Tucked away in a quiet corner of eastern Ohio, the Little Beaver Creek Greenway introduces visitors to the beauty and history of the Appalachian foothills. Located in a former railroad depot, […]
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New York’s Warren County Bikeway
April 16, 2019
Trail of the Month: April 2019 “A scenic and safe riding route with endless opportunities to explore nearby communities and local points of interest along the way” —Joanne Conley, tourism director for Warren County More than three million visitors flock to New York’s Lake George every year, searching for fun or diving into history on its […]
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Arkansas’ Southwest Trail
November 29, 2018
Trail of the Month: December 2018 “A 50- or 60-mile trail? That’s a national attraction.” — Buddy Villines, Former Pulaski County Judge Arkansas isn’t known for its rail-trails … yet. But after some recent success with paved corridors and unpaved, single-track paths, the Natural State’s newest rail-trail venture—the Southwest Trail—could bring both national attention and […]
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Indiana’s Cardinal Greenway
September 06, 2018
Trail of the Month: September 2018 Decades ago, a disused railroad line found new life, becoming the Cardinal Greenway, Indiana’s longest rail-trail. But with some ambitious new projects planned, the newest member of the Rail-Trail Hall of Fame—which is also celebrating its 25th anniversary as a trail in 2018—is about to experience yet another rebirth. “The Cardinal […]
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Indiana’s Nickel Plate Trail
March 14, 2017
Trail of the Month: March 2017 “Nickel Plate allows you to detach from everyday life, to really escape from it all on a bicycle.” Pedaling the Nickel Plate Trail on a chilly winter afternoon, riders might be taken aback by the barren landscape. With the crops long since collected, and the beech and walnut trees devoid of […]
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Michigan’s Saginaw County to Bay County Connector
November 11, 2016
Trail of the Month: November 2016 Trail advocates believe a new pathway connecting two Michigan counties will foster a greater sense of community in the region: the Saginaw County to Bay County Connector. More than 200 cyclists and walkers showed up for the grand opening of the Wolverine State’s latest rail-trail last month. About 35 […]
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