I SUPPORT RAILS-TO-TRAILS CONSERVANCY
Thresa Giles and Albert Grant Jacksonville, Florida
FROM #TEAMRTC My Favorite Rail-Trail Noor Hanosh
Each issue we highlight a member or special partner in our national trail community. Special thanks to Thresa Giles and Albert Grant for supporting America’s rail-trails!
Digital Campaigns Associate As a long-time runner, a hiker
and—more recently—a cyclist living in Wash - ington, D.C., I’m always looking for ways to be in nature without being too far from the city. This spring, I took my first run on the Rock Creek Park trails in Northwest D.C. and was enthralled by how vast it was, and how se - cluded—despite being well populated—it felt. It was like I discovered an oasis, and as crazy as it may sound, I smiled my way through the entire experience. I love that you can use the trails to get around different neighborhoods, access other trails or just enjoy some time outside among the trees. My favorite part of Rock Creek Park is Beach Drive, a 4-mile stretch that has been closed to vehicle traffic since the start of the pandemic but will soon revert to only weekend and summer closures. It always fills me with joy to head out on a Saturday morning and see all the other people walking, running, cycling, skating or just being outside. It makes me feel connected to the community in the way that we’re all finding our little slice of peace in this park. It just demonstrates the importance of creating spaces for all types of outdoor recreation and connecting different communities and neighborhoods by trail. • FEATURED LETTER TO THE EDITOR Greatest New Bike Trail I love your magazine, but how could you have left out one of the greatest new bike trails in the world? They took a car lane away and built a wide bike trail on the Brooklyn Bridge. It is arguably the most famous bridge in the world, and the new path is very busy. Yours, respectfully. Alvin Golub , New York, New York Thanks so much, Alvin, for drawing attention to this incredible bike-ped infrastructure! To read about more iconic and impactful bridges and trestles, be sure to catch our TrailBlog: rtc.li/iconic-bridges-trestles . • Correction: In the Trailside story on p. 32 of the Spring 2022 issue, we described the Spring to Spring Trail as continuing around “Lake Bedford Park,” but this is incorrect. The correct name is “Lake Beresford Park.” Our apologies for the error!
What we do: Thresa is the chief financial officer for Pace Center for Girls and loves the joy she gets from serving future women leaders. Albert is a retired banker who now spends his time consulting for national and international companies that wish to expand their footprint in the United States. We both love riding our bikes and are avid football fans. Person we admire: Thresa: Harriet Tubman for her courage, leadership, self - lessness and strength. Albert: My mom, who passed away during the COVID pandemic. She was the epitome of strength, and to her, she never had a bad day. Why we started using trails: Prior to the pandemic, we traveled extensively. In March 2020, COVID hit, and the world came to a screeching halt. For the next several months, we only left the house to obtain essen - tial items. As a result of our self-imposed hibernation, we started to pack on pounds and experience mental stress and COVID fatigue. Thresa: I decided to purchase a bike. Albert vehemently proclaimed that he would never ride a bike and that I had lost my mind,
as he had a misconcep - tion about biking causing prostate cancer. After four weeks, Albert noticed the change in my mood and overall happiness. He relented and purchased his first bike for $100. Although our first ride together was only 5 miles, the after-effects were excruciating: muscle pain, fatigue and a few choice words. But we were not deterred. We became a daily riding fixture in our neighborhood and racked up more than 1,100 miles that summer. Shortly thereafter, we were introduced to the trail life. A meaningful life story: Our first trail was the Palatka- to-St. Augustine State Trail, an 18-mile route in northeast - ern Florida. We unloaded our bikes in St. Augustine and pedaled toward Palatka. Thresa: On our return with about 10 miles left, the Florida heat had taken its toll on me, and I simply could not go any farther. But I was not going to give up. The following week, we rode the Jacksonville-Baldwin Rail Trail, a 14.5-mile route in our hometown. We aced it. Yes, it was still 95 degrees, but I was totally prepared and sufficiently hydrated. That
ride was the beginning of our weekend trail adventures.
How trails have impacted us in the past few years: Riding the trails has not only made us healthier and happier but has also allowed us to become a part of the rails-to-trails family. Albert and I both lost our moms to COVID, and trails became an important coping mechanism. Riding continues to give both of us enjoyment, fulfillment and—most importantly—the belief that we are not defined by our age. Why we support RTC: RTC works assiduously to create safe pathways for everyone to walk, bike or just decompress. We do not ride on roads, and rail-trails are a blessing to us. Learn more about Thresa and Albert’s story at rtc.li/thresa- albert-trail-moments . Read about their experiences on trails around the country at Rails to Trails Reviews on Facebook. •
Add your unique voice to the rail-trail movement by becoming a member of Rails-to-Trails Conservancy. Learn more about us at railstotrails.org, or call 202.331.9696 for info.
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker