I'm a trail junkie. There's something about the sound of limestone under my tires and the sight of a bike path as it meanders off in the distance under a thick canopy of trees. It ignites my imagination and lifts my mood. The curve way up there, in the distance along the trail - that's my Achilles heel. I HAVE to know what's beyond. As the trail veers and curves out of sight I am lured and driven further and further. Invisibly, over time, those curves have increased my endurance and stamina.

I've found the perfect workout! Since taking up biking I have explored trails in states around the U.S. and I'm happy to report that some of the most impressive are nearby to where I live. Within a three-hour drive from Baltimore it is possible to feel the solitude and mystery that I once thought only existed in the rugged landscape of the American West.

One of my all-time favorites is the 76-mile Greenbrier River Trail in southern West Virginia. Along the clear, unspoiled waters of the Greenbrier River the trail travels through such a sparsely populated region of the state that re-enactors can occasionally be seen in 200 year-old attire floating downstream in period canoes. In one remote half-mile section of the trail a shallow gully had formed from recent rains. Inside the gully, along its entire length, were literally millions of frogs in every state of development; from egg larvae to small, almost salamander-like creatures to nearly adult frogs still with tails. The gully undulated and pulsated with life, a biological marvel virtually underfoot. There will be much more to say about this trail later.

Another outstanding bike path is a relative newcomer to the region: the magnificent Allegheny Highlands Trail that runs from Cumberland, Maryland to Pittsburgh, PA. Not just an adjunct to the C & O Canal Trail but a massive, big brother that rises out of the Potomac River Valley to the ancient hillsides of Western Maryland and Pennsylvania. Before entering Pennsylvania the trail creeps upward as you slowly ascend Savage Mountain to the Big Savage Tunnel. The views atop Savage Mountain are spectacular, making the five to six percent uphill grade well worth conquering. At the top you will ride through the impressive 3294 ft. Big Savage Tunnel. The old train tunnel has recently been waterproofed and illuminated and it is here, in the very middle of the tunnel, that there is relief as the grade suddenly changes downward. Exiting the other side you are propelled toward a pastoral section of secluded farms and homes whose silence is only broken by the sound of the occasional train whistle from the nearby still-working railway. Onward your journey goes, past huge wind turbines and more farms and friendly hamlets until you reach the class 4 whitewater of the Monongahela River and the dense Ohiopyle State Park.

Journeys like these can make anyone a trail junkie.