Originally Posted By: BranShea
I've read about those Southern Traces or trails, the famous and infamous ones. I always prefer the naturally grown trails to the straight ones concieved on designers' tables and bulldozer made.
I've found it more difficult to find walking roads in North America than in Europe, but then I've never been beneath the Chicago- Monterey line.


Well, then, you have a very large portion of the USA left to explore. Illinois alone extends over 500 miles south of Chicago. There are two trails in Illinois that I've long intended to hike. The Lincoln Trail goes from New Salem to Springfield. The Boy Scouts award a ribbon to those who complete the hike. I was scheduled to go with my scout troop but missed the trip due to illness. There is also a hiking/riding trail that extends east-west across southern Illinois from the Ohio to the Mississippi south of Carbondale. It is maintained by the Alpha Phi Omega chapter at Southern Illinois University. The service fraternity hikes and cleans-up half the trail every summer.

IMO, trails are on the increase in part because of the decline of the American railroad industry. Rights of way are being converted into trails. I recently read of one such that follows the New River Valley in Virginia. BTW, the New River Bridge on Interstate 77 is a sight to see. It was until recently the tallest single arch highway bridge in the world. Those guys who parachute off building, cliffs and bridges have an annual competition there.