Day 209 The Lehigh Rail Trail

My journey this morning was the regular bike route from my home to the Lehigh Rail Trail to Route 1 in Bunnell. Round trip it was 22.5 miles, and I completed it in one hour and fifty-three minutes, an excellent time for me. My companions on this trip were beautiful waterfowl that were all around. In particular, a white heron lifted from a stream in front of me and soared parallel to my ride for a few hundred feet. Its wings were stretched out, and it went from low to high and back to level as if guiding the trip for me. Truly beautiful.

Located in Flagler County, Florida, the Lehigh Trail is a former railroad corridor comprising 195 acres.  It once carried trains of cement and other materials to and from the Lehigh Portland Cement Plant in Flagler Beach to points west. The  bike trail connects US 1 north of Bunnell with Colbert Lane, running through the center of Palm Coast, through Graham Swamp and ending just west of the old Lehigh Portland Cement Company.  In many way, most bike and hike trails are made from the remnants of old train corridors. There are many around Florida and they have been nurtured to protect the environment and promote interaction with the world we live in.

It was a comfortably beautiful ride this morning and I enjoyed riding in high gears. The sun broke through the horizon an hour into my ride enlightening the morning in a wondrous fashion.