Fifteen states, 3,000 miles, one bike path from Florida to Maine. 30% complete, and slowly growing. Might be done in 15 more years. The biking equivalent of the hiker's Appalachian Trail

the Greenway Bike Trail, is being built by the non-profit organization East Coast Greenway Alliance (ECGA) is already 850 miles long, or about 30 percent complete, with another 200 miles expected to be completed in the next four years.

The project has been underway for 25 years so far, and that equals only 34 miles per year.
They are building different segments of a trail that relies almost entirely on local volunteers to ensure the path is up to code, and linking together sections of other trails.

The trail is intended to be completely off-road once it is finished, though currently it uses interim on-road sections.

The trail connects several existing bike paths such as the trail following the length of the Hudson River in New York, and a 25-mile-long path along the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia.

As it winds down the coast, the East Coast Greenway passes through 450 communities in 15 states,  mostly following the rivers and old train tracks connecting the cities and towns along the coast.

Each of the Greenway-designated sections conforms to standard trail requirements: The material of the path must be strong enough to support a touring bike, and the lanes have to be wide enough so people can safely pass, about 10 feet wide.


http://www.simplemost.com/new-3000-mile-bike-trail-will-let-bike-maine-florida/
http://www.citylab.com/navigator/2016/06/a-bike-path-for-the-entire-east-coast/489155/

Vermont is the latest state to say that folks who rescue an animal — or a child — from a dangerously hot vehicle will be freed of civil liability.

Vermont is the latest state to say that folks who rescue an animal — or a child — from a dangerously hot vehicle will be freed of civil liability. That means that you can smash a car window under these specific circumstances without having to pay for the damage.

As with the other states, you can’t just go swing a hammer whenever you please. To comply with the law, you must make sure the car is actually locked before breaking any windows. You’ve also got to have the reasonable, good faith belief that the pet (or kid) is in imminent harm, and use no more force than is really required.

Call 911 or otherwise alert law enforcement before effecting your rescue, then stay with the rescued pet or child until the cops arrive.

And leave a note on the car letting the owner know what you’ve done and why. The law provides no guidance as to how colorful your language may be in such notes; we expect you can come up with something powerfully vivid, should the need arise.

Tennessee, Florida, and Wisconsin are the other states to have hot car laws in effect now; all got these laws within the last year. Ohio’s law kicks in in August.



http://barkpost.com/vermont-dogs-hot-cars/

Flop Gear is rid of Chris Evans... shouty man got the message, he quit last night as ratings continue to slide down the drain

He tweeted: "Stepping down from Top Gear. Gave it my best shot but sometimes that's not enough. "I feel like my standing aside is the single best thing I can now do to help the cause." His resignation comes after falling ratings for the show - which hit a series low on Sunday night, with an average of 1.9 million viewers.

http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-36707266

The city of Warren Ohio is now making purple parking spots, reserved for wounded veterans only. That is damn cool

Although this is the first purple parking spot designated for combat wounded veterans in the city of Warren, officials say there is more to come. In fact, they will be putting one at every city building.

http://wkbn.com/2015/11/02/purple-parking-spots-in-warren-honor-wounded-veterans/

Sam Schmidt wanted to drive a car again, Arrow Electronics wanted to get the word out about their Value Added to Life department, and Pikes Peak just sat there as a challenge to them both (thanks Steve!)

Sam Schmidt once raced in the Indianapolis 500. He raced in the big one three times before a testing accident at Walt Disney World, of all places, rendered him a quadriplegic.

Schmidt is paralyzed from the chest down. He’s been in the chair for 17 years.

He will steer his car, the specially equipped No. 5 Arrow Electronics Corvette, by turning his head to and fro, activating sensors in his hat. He will speed up and slow down by blowing and sucking through a tube.

“Fifteen years ago, doctors told Sam Schmidt he’d never move his arms or legs again. They didn’t say anything about driving.”

That was the inspiration behind the SAM Project, and the SAM car.

SAM is an acronym for Semi-Autonomous Motorcar. It’s also short for Samuel. That its driver has the same first name was not a coincidence.

Arrow Electronics is a Fortune 500 company with headquarters in Centennial, Colorado. It has around 17,000 employees and annual revenue of $23 billion. It specializes in distribution and value added services relating to electronic components and products such as computers. It has an aerospace and defense division, and other divisions.

But it was the value-added services that brought Sam Schmidt and Arrow together. Schmidt has a foundation that supports a brain and spinal injury facility at Craig Hospital in Englewood, Colorado, of which the Arrow company also is a benefactor.

The Arrow company provides value-added services for these Las Vegans, and for other injury victims who are sent to Colorado for treatment, rehabilitation and therapy.

http://www.reviewjournal.com/sports/motor-sports/paralyzed-henderson-resident-sam-schmidt-reaches-pikes-peak-summit

http://community.arrow.com/sam/

https://www.facebook.com/SchmidtPetersonMotorsports/?fref=nf

let's hear it for the UPS man!

Driver Sheldon Bonnell was making his daily trip between Idaho Falls and Jackson Hole, Wyoming on May 20 around 2 a.m. when he noticed what he thought was a brush fire about two and a half miles away. When he got closer, Bonnell realized that it was a structure fire.

Bonnell pulled over, then ran to the fence, yelling to try to wake the homeowners. The woman inside the home, Michelle Evans, was awakened by her dogs barking at Bonnell. She looked out the window and saw Bonnell trying to push her gate open. When she opened the window to ask what he was doing, he yelled back that her garage was on fire and she had to get out of her home.

http://www.eastidahonews.com/2016/06/ups-driver-saves-ririe-idaho-family-from-fire/
http://cdllife.com/2016/top-trucking-news/ups-semi-truck-driver-saves-family-from-fire/

'Leave It to Beaver' actor who played Wally was just reunited with his 1st car, a '62 Corvair he bought when 16. The man he sold it to 50 years ago died and left instructions to return the car to the former actor.

The Corvair in question was Dow’s first car, purchased during the show’s original run. He drove the car for four years, until soon after the show ended. At that point, he sold the car to Alan Dadisman, who built props for Universal.

More than 50 years passed without a word about the car’s whereabouts, until the phone rang recently. “[H]e and his wife, Lauren, received a call recently from a stranger who identified himself as Marty Tryon,” reads a piece in the San Diego Union-Tribune. “The caller…explained that a dear friend had recently passed away and had asked Marty to track down Dow, the Spyder’s former owner, and give him the Corvair. Dadisman thought the actor might like to have his first car back.”

Dow remembered that it was Alan Dadisman’s first car, too. “Who keeps a car for 51 years, then goes to the effort to try to find its former owner to give it back,” Dow asked.

“At first I thought this guy was kidding,” said Dow, who lives near Malibu. “Who keeps a car for 51 years, then goes to the effort to try to find its former owner to give it back? It was Al’s first car, too,” he added.

Not knowing in what kind of shape the Corvair would be, it hadn’t been moved for seven years , but had been restified in 1987 with blue lacquer paint, new wheels, an updated dash and and a beefed-up engine. “It was gorgeous,” said Dow.“I still can’t believe it.”

The Dows hired a tow truck driver to transport it to their home on a flatbed where Tony plans to be behind the wheel once again.

http://bestride.com/news/entertainment/beaver-tony-dow-corvair
http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/2016/jun/17/wally-cleaver-corvair-maintenance-mania-bike-ride/

CBS News 8 - San Diego, CA News Station - KFMB Channel 8

For the first time in over a decade, a steam-powered passenger excursion will depart downtown Chicago Union Station on June 25th and 26th.

Nickel Plate Road steam locomotive no. 765 will operate The Galesburg Zephyr between Union Station and Galesburg, Illinois for the Galesburg Railroad Days. These all-day, round-trip excursions will feature vintage passenger cars from the 1940s and 50s and include accommodations in standard coach, deluxe coach, and first class and dome car.

No. 765 was originally built in 1944, restored in 1979 and completely rebuilt in 2005 and is maintained by an all-volunteer crew.

The Galesburg Zephyr, a 16 car excursion train, is a nod to the fleets of passenger trains that the Burlington Route operated “EVERYWHERE WEST” starting in the 1930’s. The Burlington Route was an early innovator in diesel locomotives, stainless steel passenger cars and the development of the dome car with superior visibility. This train will carry two vintage dome cars from the 1950’s.

“These trips represent our first partnership with Amtrak and BNSF to bring the magic of the 765 to thousands of people,” said Bill Otter, president of the Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society (FWRHS). “Passengers aboard this trip will be the first to experience the 765 at high-speed in many years.”

Throughout its history, Galesburg has been heavily linked to the railroad industry. The state's first railroads to connect Quincy and Chicago (the two largest cities at the time) went straight through Galesburg, as did the late 19th century Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway.

Though the old stations have been closed down, citizens of Galesburg remain very knowledgeable and proud of their history. The Galesburg Railroad Days is not only our grandest celebration, it's a way to keep alive the stories of our ancestors and those who have laid the tracks for us today. This is our way of continuing to pass down our heritage to our children.

http://www.galesburgrailroaddays.org/
http://fortwaynerailroad.org/

A little girl who was allegedly being bullied at school got some help from her local biker club.

The first-grader at Marshall Elementary in Toledo loves to ride her dirt bike, and she proudly rides up and down her block.

So, Reynolds decided to enlist the help of The Punishers -- a motorcycle club comprised of law enforcement, EMS and military personnel, and firefighters. The club surprised little Audrianna with a ride to school -- on a real motorcycle.

"We got her a vest and told her to think of us like her uncles, and she is part of our family now, and if she needs anything let us know," the group's president, Daniel Bushey, told WTVG. "Any chance we get, we help kids out, we do in a heartbeat."

http://abcnews.go.com/US/local-motorcycle-club-allegedly-bullied-girl-ride-school/story?id=39395162