Kids gaining confidence on training wheels. Parents pushing strollers. Pedestrians enjoying the clean Maine air. Kristine Keeney, SIS-SPA/BA ’10, is blazing a trail for all of them as northern New England manager for the East Coast Greenway Alliance. 

“When you see the diversity and the volume of people that use this infrastructure once it’s on the ground—that’s why I do it,” says Keeney (pictured along the Eastern Trail, which runs from South Portland to Kittery).

Founded in 1991, the nonprofit has an ambitious aim: to connect the entire East Coast with 3,000 miles of trails protected from vehicular traffic. The greenway now hosts 50 million visitors each year, and $1.5 billion in investments have helped complete 1,000 miles of the route across 15 states and the District of Columbia, with on-road sections connecting finished paths.

Securing grant money and coordinating each new trail section requires close collaboration with a complicated network of state and local government officials and advocacy groups. It’s Keeney’s job as a bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure planner to keep the spokes in motion on more than 60 active projects across Maine, New Hampshire, and eastern Massachusetts, from the initial feasibility study to the final screw in trail wayfinding signage.

With so many stakeholders, roadblocks are common, and progress can be slow. “I’m a pretty impatient person. I can get frustrated dealing with the politics or legislation,” says Keeney, who joined the alliance in 2018.

But the $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure law signed by President Biden in November 2021 will help kick things into high gear. New discretionary funding designed to boost economic opportunity, build safer roadways, and reduce carbon emissions presents a “once in a lifetime opportunity”—and perhaps a more complete greenway—over the next five years.

“There’s definitely a renewed and more widespread understanding of the need for outdoor spaces for people to be able to get around and interact with others,” Keeney says.

From Maine to Miami, in areas urban and rural, the greenway is making safe places to bike and walk more universal.

The East Coast Greenway has welcomed an estimated 75 through travelers since 1991. Lace up your sneakers and slather on some sunscreen, you’re going to be number 76.

New Adventure in New England

Your journey begins with high hopes and fresh calves, atop crushed gravel. The Down East Sunrise Trail—the greenway’s longest continuous stretch—begins in Calais, Maine, just across the border from New Brunswick and spans 87 unpaved, crunchy miles to Ellsworth. Like much of the greenway, it enjoyed past life as a railroad. The Calais branch of the Maine Central Railroad closed in the 1980s and was subsequently sold to the Maine Department of Transportation, which opened the first stretch of the Sunrise Trail in 2009.

This trail was made for walking (or biking)—with a few exceptions. In Boston, you can continue west to Worcester, or take the 90-minute Boston–Provincetown Fast Ferry. (Steamship service between the two cities has existed in some capacity since 1842.) The two paths reconnect at India Point Park in Providence, Rhode Island. 

Only a few days into your journey, you reach its peak: an elevation of 210 meters on Main Street in West Boylston, Massachusetts. (But you’re lying to yourself if you think it’s all downhill from here.)

Extending 19 miles through an abandoned rail corridor from Cranston to Coventry, Rhode Island, the Washington Secondary Bike Path covers about half the width of the Ocean State.

Ride along Connecticut’s Air Line State Park Trail—named for the imaginary straight line between New York and Boston—all the way to Riverside Drive in Willimantic, known as Thread City. Just a block away is the Windham Textile and History Museum. It’s the former headquarters of the American Thread Company, once the state’s largest employer.

Mid-Atlantic, Nearly Midway Done

Located on the west side of Manhattan, spanning 12.4 miles from Dyckman Street to Battery Park, the Hudson River Greenway is the country’s most heavily used bikeway.

You’ll have it easier than General Washington with two opportunities to cross the Delaware (neither by boat): the 1,022-foot Lower Trenton Bridge connecting Trenton, New Jersey, and Morrisville Pennsylvania, or a walkway along the 7,456-foot Ben Franklin Bridge between Camden and Philadelphia.

Your sneakers or wheels will keep you grounded on its trails, but at the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum, there’s plenty of flight all around. The marshes are home to 300 species of birds, including more than 80 that nest there.

Travel the 7.9-mile, $26 million Jack A. Markell Trail—named for the First State’s former governor—from Wilmington to New Castle, Delaware, and coast within feet of additional infrastructure honoring another famous Delawarean: Wilmington’s Joseph R. Biden Jr. Railroad Station.

Part of the Baltimore and Annapolis Trail connecting Glen Burnie and Severna Park, Maryland, is out of this world. Beyond a 25-foot sun sculpture are stainless steel markers arranged by each planet’s proportional distance from the sun. Launched in 2000, the Planet Walk represents 3,670,000,000 miles. Thankfully, you will traverse the galaxy in 4.7.

Thanks to the Metropolitan Branch Trail, the National Mall, and the Mount Vernon Trail, the DC portion of the greenway is nearly 80 percent hard-surface trails protected from motorized vehicles—more than any other state along your trek. New Hampshire’s 17-mile coastal route, by comparison, is only about 1 percent protected greenway.

The East Coast Greenway offers mostly asphalt, concrete, dirt, and crushed stone and gravel, but you will briefly follow the red brick road at the end of the 18-mile Mount Vernon Trail in Virginia. Loop around the traffic circle in front of the 264-year-old estate and continue west.

Feel the earth move under your feet. Suspended by steel cables underneath the Robert E. Lee Bridge in Richmond is a 1,040-foot pedestrian bridge, built in 1991 for $2.3 million. The bridge, which is known to sway, sits over the James River and connects to the 54-acre Belle Isle. During the Civil War, it served as an overpopulated Confederate military prison holding as many as 10,000 Union soldiers. Today, it’s a city park.

Carolina on Your Mind

A nearly uninterrupted 75 miles of trails from Durham to Cary to Raleigh—which became part of the North Carolina state parks system in 2021—comprise the largest and most complete stretch of the greenway in a metropolitan area.

The trail even benefits its creators. The headquarters of the East Coast Greenway Alliance sits just off the 22.6-mile American Tobacco Trail—yet another former rail line, built in the early 1900s for the American Tobacco Company—in Durham.

Feel like you’ve reached the end of the road in Kure Beach, North Carolina? Fear not! The Fort Fisher–Southport Ferry, which serviced 600,000 passengers in 2017, will help you cross the Cape Fear River. But before fording one body of water, you can feast your eyes on another: the 235,000-gallon main tank at the nearby Fort Fisher branch of the North Carolina Aquarium.

The Waccamaw Neck Bikeway in Murrells Inlet, South Carolina, offers stunning views of Huntington Beach State Park to your left, and just a half mile off the bikeway to your right, Brookgreen Gardens. Founded in 1931, the sculpture garden and wildlife preserve features more than 2,000 works from 430 artists. A National Historic Landmark since 1984, it won the American Public Gardens Association’s prestigious Award for Garden Excellence in 2019.

At 10 years old, the 10-mile Spanish Moss Trail is much younger than its predecessor—the Magnolia Line railroad, which ran from 1870 to 2003—but already more famous. This Lowcountry infrastructure, which connects Beaufort and Port Royal, South Carolina, has earned high praise, with Outside magazine naming it one of the nation’s 10 best urban walking trails in 2020.

Sunset in the Sunshine State

With 262 miles of protected greenway, many of them on a side path alongside the Sunshine State’s Highway A1A, Florida’s section of the greenway has more protected miles than any other participating state.

Stretching 106 miles—more than half of which is completed trail—the Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail hops from Key Largo to Key West and includes 23 historic Flagler Railroad bridges, all of which are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

In Key West, turn left onto South Street and stop at the concrete buoy monument just before Whitehead Street. Established in 1983, it marks the southernmost point in the continental US. Take a salty breather; after 2,891 miles and nearly 8,000 feet of elevation gain, you’ve earned it.

Trail Guide

Making your way to a greenway this summer? Eagles weigh in with prudent advice for the pathways.

HYDRATION

What should your water consumption schedule look like during a day of exertion?

I recommend drinking more water than you think you need the day before your hike or bike ride, then abide by that same rule on the day of the event. Most people are not as hydrated as they think. 

What tend to be the most common signs of dehydration? And what should you do if you notice them?

If you are dizzy, lightheaded, or not feeling like you can keep going, you are dehydrated and need to sit in the shade and drink two bottles of water immediately. You will be surprised at how, within just a few minutes, you can start feeling better. It is that fast. 

Is there any natural water source that can be trusted in a pinch?

I would only drink out of a faucet or spigot. If that is not available, you should have a water purifying pump and water purifying tablets. These are small and easy to use, but practice first, and never drink out of a stream.  

Matthew Cooke, Kogod/BA ’03, is mortgage loan officer for Matthew Cooke Mortgage and a former professional cyclist.

NUTRITION

Which snacks are best for sustaining your energy supply, and why?

Endurance activities are best supported by foods that contain a nice mix of complex carbohydrates and protein. Some great options include trail mix, energy bars with limited added sugar, or dried fruit paired with nuts or cheese. A peanut butter and jelly sandwich on whole grain bread can be a great option!

What should your food consumption timeline look like during on a long, exertion-heavy day to maximize energy?

It’s important to fuel up first thing in the morning—and even the night before—to sustain exertion. A meal rich in carbohydrates with some protein and fat is best to support activity. Examples include peanut butter toast with fruit, eggs and toast, yogurt with granola, or some oatmeal with milk and dried fruit. Continue to fuel up throughout the day at regular intervals, keeping in mind that carbohydrates are the preferred fuel source for a body in motion. 

Dara Ford is a professorial lecturer in the Department of Health Studies.

Shoes

How long does it take to break in a pair of shoes? How do you know they’re broken in?

You should test your shoes with a few shorter hikes, runs, or walks as you work up to a long trek or run to make sure you are not experiencing any discomfort. But if a shoe is going to work well for you, it will feel good at the store when you try it on and you should not have to worry about breaking it in. 

How do you know when it’s time to replace a pair of shoes?

Midsole compression and outsole rubber wear are obvious signs that a shoe has lost cushion or grip and it is time for a fresh pair. If you are finding your joints suddenly sore after hikes, runs, or walks, it might indicate the cushioning in your shoes is compromised. 

Approximately how long, in terms of miles, does it take to wear out a pair of shoes?

Try your best to track mileage and aim for replacing lighter cushioned footwear by 300 miles, moderately cushioned footwear by 400 miles, and maximum cushioned footwear by 500 miles. Your form, footstrike, and size are just some of the variables that can alter the lifespan of your shoes, but these mile markers are a good guide. 

What’s the risk in trying to extend the life of a pair of worn-out shoes?

As the outsole wears down, your shoes begin losing their ability to grip the ground as designed and you can risk slipping or falling. As the midsole breaks down and compresses, your shoes are absorbing less shock. As a result, your body will receive that shock, potentially leading to stress related injuries. 

Michael Prather, SPA/BA ’07, is a technology rep for On.

Bike Repair

On a long bike trip with some rough terrain, what are some lightweight bike repair essentials?

On extended bike tours, it is wise to pack a thorough repair kit, with tools and spare parts to fix any common hiccup that could come your way: punctured tires, bolts rattling loose, a broken chain, or damaged spokes. You will want to bring an air pump or CO2 inflator, a patch kit, one to two spare innertubes, a set of tire levers, and a comprehensive multi-tool, with wrenches capable of adjusting any fastener on your bike. I will typically also bring a few extra odds and ends, including a spare nuts and bolts, a quick link and chain breaker tool for chain repairs, a spoke wrench and spare spoke, several zip ties, a small roll of Gorilla tape for emergency fixes, and a mini bottle of chain lubricant. Keep in mind that just as important as the tools is the knowledge of how to use them! Many local bike shops will offer basic maintenance workshops, or you can find invaluable how-to videos on YouTube.

After a punctured tire is repaired, to what extent is it still compromised and how soon does it need to be replaced by a professional?

A flat tire is never a fun way to pause a trip. Most punctures are small and simple to repair durably on the roadside with a small air pump and either a patch kit or a replacement innertube. You will want to thoroughly inspect your tires to find the cause of the flat, though; re-punctures can occur if a piece of glass or another sharp object is left unremoved. If a tire puncture is larger than 3 millimeters in length, the tire itself has been compromised and will need to be replaced. 

Leah Fantle, SIS alumna, is an owner, mechanic, and educator at Upshift Workshop.