LOCALadk Magazine

24 Spring 2016 LOCALadk Magazine LOCALadk Passengers aboard curious-pedal-powered vehicles, never be- fore seen in the Adirondacks, roll-up to the Saranac Lake Train Depot. Echoes of laughter and pure joy can be heard from the riders who just experienced a journey aboard custom built "Railbikes" reaching speeds of up to 20 mph. The one hour trip, which spans six miles of rail between Sa- ranac Lake and Lake Clear, takes visitors past streams, pris- tine mountain lakes, and through dense forests that few have accessed before. Passengers sit side by side in a slightly re- clined position, with pedals far enough in front of them to be reached by extending their legs. Rail Explorers, which operates this eco-friendly "soft adven- ture" attraction, describes the Railbikes as easy to pedal, the terrain as mostly flat and the ride relaxing and enjoyable. "Everyone can enjoy this activity; families with young children, couples, the disabled, groups of friends and the elderly. The pedal powered Railbikes provide a smooth and comfortable adventure suitable for everyone. The tracks are mostly level, but there are some uphill and downhill sections in both direc- tions. The journey from Lake Clear to Saranac Lake is slight- ly easier than the ride in the opposite direction, and this is the recommended route for the elderly and less physically fit riders," said Mary-Joy Lu, who, along with her husband, Alex Catchpoole, own Rail Explorers. This immersive experience along the railroad gives people of all ages and abilities the opportunity to enjoy spectacular wil- derness areas previously reserved for dedicated hikers. John Lincoln, a Vietnam War veteran who lost his legs in a log- ging accident, was among the thousands of people to ride the rails last summer. He said he was happy just to be a passenger. " I didn't have to pedal," Mr. Lincoln said with a smile. "Plus, you see a lot of wildlife, birds and hawks." One-way tours depart from the Saranac Lake Train Depot and Lake Clear Lodge four times a day. Bookings are made per rail- bike. The two-passenger rental and shuttle is $75, the 4 pas- senger bike is $125. The Quad Railbike accommodates 5, and has a jump seat for the fifth rider seated next to the guide. In 2016 Rail Explorers plans to expand their tour offerings with additional railbike journeys from Lake Clear to Tupper Lake, a distance of 18 miles. "The ride between Lake Clear and Tupper is beautiful – with lake after lake after lake. The tour will take about 3 to 4 hours, including a lunch stop," explained Alex. "We have had a lot of interest in longer tours from those who rode with us last year between Saranac Lake and Lake Clear." Rail Explorers is the first and only large scale commercial rail- bike operation in the USA. Mary-Joy and Alex first saw the railbikes in South Korea and were inspired to radically change their lives to bring this unique and fun activity to the rest of the world. At the time they were running a film and video pro- duction company in Manhattan NY. "The railbikes offered us an opportunity to switch careers, to do something new, with more focus on our family and to get out of the city," said Alex. "We initially planned to set up Rail Explorers back in Australia, but after lots of research we found the perfect location here in Saranac Lake." Mary-Joy sent a proposal to Adirondack Sce- nic Railroad's executive director Bethan Maher, and she loved the idea. "We had a meeting with Bethan and ASR Board back in April 2015, and at the end of the meeting asked, 'How soon can you start?!" laughs Mary-Joy. "We were so excited and ner- vous – could we get the railbikes made and delivered in time? Would we find the staff that we needed? Would anyone want to ride this crazy dream? When we finally opened with our first railbikers on July 3rd, it was incredible. Three years of hard work led up to that moment and seeing the joy and excite- ment on the customers' faces made it all worthwhile. Seeing families coming together to create lasting memories, seeing elderly and disabled visitors and locals exploring this area for the first time – making people happy – it is all very rewarding. We were also overwhelmed by the community's response. The support from the local people and businesses was fantastic. After 30 years of inactivity this stretch of rails is finally being used, and is actively attracting people from all over the coun- A Rail Bike Adventure By Angela Smith Anne Brewer

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