John Delach

I already published the first addition to my bucket, a list to visit the birthplace of Chicken Tenders at a restaurant in Manchester, NH called the Puritan. Hopefully, I can accomplish this next summer with our friends, Geoff and Judy Jones.

I discovered a second addition, almost a month later in the October 27^th edition of The New York Times. The headline read, “To Ride These Rails, You Use Your Own Two Feet.” Written by Michael Harmon, he reported on his experience traveling by rail-bike in New York’s Catskills region along an abandoned railroad still in good condition; four mile out and four miles back.

The right-of-way begins and ends at an old station in the Catskill town of Phoenicia, once owned and operated by the Ulster & Delaware Railroad that ceased running passenger trains in 1954 and all other service in 1976.

Phoenicia is located in the southern Catskills nearby to Kingston, NY, Exit 19 on the Governor Thomas Dewey (NY State) Thruway. Phoenicia is located 20 miles northwest from Thruway exit on Route 28 a day trip from Long Island.

Michael Harmon wrote this for the NYT explaining his experience: “It’s always a thrill to pull out of a train station and feel yourself picking up speed, wheels click-clacking over the rails. It’s even more thrilling when your train has no roof or sides, is as low-slung as a Mazda Miata and comes with a warning to watch out for bears crossing your path.

“I was riding a rail bike, a pedal-powered contraption built to cruise along railroad tracks. Rail-biking opens the door to using existing rails recreationally, with no need to tear up the tracks. In 2015, a company called Rail Explorers started the country’s first rail-biking operation. Today, the company has seven locations and there are now more than dozen rail-biking outfitters running excursions in 16 states from Maine to California.

“My trip – an eight-mile round-trip pedal, much of it paralleling the Esopus Creek – departed from Phoenicia, home to Rail Explorer’s Catskills Division.

“The atmosphere (when we met) was surprisingly upbeat for 8 am on a gray, damp morning before, Sam Huang, our tour leader began a high-energy introduction and safety briefing. ‘These are the Rolls-Royces of rail bikes.’

“Our rides did look pretty slick with painted metal frames, adjustable seats with handles on either side  and even some very Rolls-Royce-built in umbrellas. After demonstrating the raised-fist ‘brake signal’ to alert riders behind you that you are stopping – and reminding us to watch out for wildlife, Mr. Huang let out with a spirited ‘All abord’ and we were dispatched to our assigned rail-bikes. I had booked a tandem rail-bike ($102) suitable for one or two people: Rail Explorers also offer quads ($178) for groups of two to four (the prices are per bike, regardless of the number of riders.”

“One by one, our convoy set off down the line boosted by an electric pedal-assist system that helps make the rail-bikes suitable for all ages and abilities. As I pedaled along, I took in the scenery, glad the crew had generously spaced out our departures from the station giving me the opportunity to have a few times when I felt I had the tracks and the scenery all to myself. Four miles in, we reached the halfway point, stepping off to stretch our legs while the crew turned our bikes around using a turntable.

“After I climbed back on for the return trip, I settled into a rhythm, marveling at the effort it must have taken in the 1860s to lay these tracks flanked by the river on one side and a rocky cliff on the other.”

By the time I read Mr. Harmon’s piece and called the operator, it became clear that Rail Explorers’ 2024 season was coming to an end. I had to wait for the 2025 season that would begin in April so long as winter and the early spring run-off did not compromise the right-pf-way. I hope not and if, all goes well, I’ll share my experience next spring in this blog.