Jackie Codie on bike trails in Oneida County

She is exactly right about bike trails and tourism for Oneida County. Looks like a promising blog!

There are bike trail plans in Oneida county:

http://www.bikeoneida.com/projects.html

Like the 3 eagle trail. http://www.3eagletrail.com/background.html

You would think Woodruff-Arbor Vitae would want to connect up to the Heart of Vilas County Bike trail-only 6 miles or so along highway 70. Just think, for the price of those 6 miles, Woodruff-Arbor Vitae gets to piggyback on the much larger system that towns to the north have already made, and are continuing to make.

Over a year ago, In one of my more grandiose posts, I wrote that Woodruff-Arbor Vitae area would be in a position to market itself as "the bicycle gateway to the North!". Just think-

1. Continue the trail to Lac du Flambeau to the West.
2. Finish the connection to the Rhinelander trail from the Southeast. (The corridor is already in place)
3. Improve an urban bikeway through Woodruff and Minocqua. This would connect people to the Bearskin-Hiawatha bike trail.
4. Connect to St. Germain and the "Heart of Vilas County" trail on 70.

And finally, the crown jewel. Take a bike ride north along Old 51, then along Buckthorn. Notice the beautiful wooded parcels for sale. Notice the mobile home parks with vacancies. Now, imagine that route widened for bicycles. Better yet, a bike path from Highway 41 in Woodruff to the Big Arbor Vitae boat landing. Wouldn't the value of that real estate skyrocket? The idea that you could live on that corridor and easily bike into town, wouldn't that be great for draw for the mobile home parks? And great for businesses in Woodruff? And wouldn't it be great for Woodruff to say it had a bike trail that ran all the way out to a beach on Big Arbor Vitae?

But then, one more piece:

A one mile paved bike trail along the Plum-Vitae road, connecting Witches lake road with Old N and-ta da! You've hit the Sayner-Crystal lake portion of the Heart of the North Bike Trail!

I would call it Big Arbor Vitae trail.

it would require the coordination of the DNR, two counties, three town goverments, and all of the landowners along the way. But even more than that, the Big Arbor Vitae trail wouldn't happen without a strong push from developers who see potential investment along the corridor. People want to live and vacation near bike trails.

I hope I don't sound like a traitor to Boulder Junction by offering this idea. Boulder got things started, has the most scenic trail locations, and isn't standing still. But I think everyone gains when all towns can connect to each other. (and when more and more silent sports tourists make Vilas and Oneida county their destination!)