John Delach

“Oh shit!” I exclaimed into my otherwise empty kitchen. It was 6:05 AM on Saturday, June 7^th and I had just watched the weather report on WNBC’s local morning news.  The weatherman had gone a bit far afield and reported on a heavy rain storm in the Scranton, PA area.

“It is heading east in the direction of Sullivan County (NY) and should reach the Catskills at about eleven.”

Eleven AM, what a lousy coincidence. Beth, my daughter, her husband, Tom, their Eighteen- year-old son, Cace, and I had booked a rail-bike tour on Rail Explorers at 11 AM that would take about two and a half hours. For the record, Rail Explorers operates on abandoned track out of Phoenicia in the Catskills about twenty miles west of Kingston.

 Michael Harmon introduced me to Rail Explorers in his October 27, 2024 edition of The New York Times. Harmon’s experience reflected ours except that he only experienced light rain on his trip. Here is what he wrote: “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, 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.

“(Mr. Huang broke this spell as he) gathered his flock and linked our vehicles together for a dramatic transverse of State Road 28, which runs along the tracks for the beginning part of the ride. I challenge you not to smile as you bike between the lowered gates of a railroad crossing in full bells and honking cars glory.

“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.”

Returning to our adventure, the four of us left Roger Drive in Port Washington at 7:30. Tom drove us in his new Hyundai Santa Fe.  Traffic was with us and we arrived at 10:15.  

Curiously, the same Mr. Huang led our convoy. Since we were in a four-seater we learned that a single passenger, the one occupying the rear right seat actually controlled the electric motor and the brake. A good thing too as I couldn’t lift my legs up to reach the recumbent peddles. Cace did the honors  as our operator on the outbound leg, Tom on the return trip.

Shortly after we got underway, the ski let loose with rain. Beth remarked, “Wow, right on time.”

It rained and it rained and it rained. It overwhelmed the umbrellas and the ponchos that Rail Express provided. Our personal rain gear also failed. Early on, the four of us decided to ignore our suffering and concentrate on this unique experience. 

The two road-crossings were a hoot and Huang was a combination drill sergeant and cheer leader having us wave our arms and shout for joy as we sped across Route 28. Waiting motorists responded with a cacophony of honking horns. 

Our stop at the turn-around was okay. The rain lessened so we could enjoy the bagels Mary Ann had packed for us. “Bagels in the rain, what a wonderful moment, I’m happy again…”

I’ll admit the ride back to base was less than ideal as we hit another squall. We didn’t waste any time dismounting, using the rest rooms and returning to the Santa Fe.

Our soaked clothes made for an uncomfortable ride home, but we were not discouraged. Tom stopped to pick up a burger for Cace at Five Guys and we all shared a generous bag of their fries.

A unique experience, indeed. I’d do it again. Hopefully, without rain. If not, so what.