Peter’s Soapbox

Bethel Needs Bike Trails

Now that Bethel (finally) has two good places to eat (namely the Second Cup Cafe for breakfast and lunch, and the Cockadoodle Pizza Cafe for lunch and dinner), we have the dining infrastructure needed to support tourists who come in from out of town.

Now, we need a reason to bring them in from out of town, and I say that mountain biking in the heart of Vermont is as good a reason as any! We already have a network of trails maintained by VAST (Vermont Association of Snow Travellers) and VASA (Vermont ATV Sportsman’s Association). What would it take to establish, say, the Central Vermont Mountain Biker’s Assocation? The Kingdom Trails Association has done a remarkable job maintaining many miles of prime bike trails in East Burke. They have something for everyone there, from beginner to double-diamond-wear-full-body-armor-totally-at-your-own-risk-you-nut-job-downhilling trails. Downtown East Burke hosts a small gas station/convenience store (whose gas prices are cheaper than here in Bethel), a small restaurant/pizza cafe (sound familiar?) and a bike shop.

Would the local VAST and VASA members appreciate some more help maintaining the trails in this area if it meant more use by mountain bikers? Is something that would attract a clean, non-polluting, environmentally friendly activity to the area, which would lead to more income for the local economy, worth exploring? Please leave a comment here with your thoughts!