Thanks to Kiril Kundurazieff, the Cycling Dude, I was invited by Terry Eastin, the Executive Director of the 2000 mile Mississippi River Trail (MRT), to attend the annual meeting of the MRT's board of directors & to participate in their round table discussions concerning the MRT's future, a future that is bright indeed.

Not only is the MRT creating a new and exciting website, the MRT is also (among other things) spearheading the String of Pearls project to promote growth and awareness of trail projects up and down the course of the Mississippi River. For example, one portion of the project known as a Pearl In The Rough concentrates on redeveloping the MRT in the New Orleans area. Given New Orleans' flat and compact layout and that the city is still reeling from the effects of Hurricane Katrina, this project could make a major impact on improving the local quality of life.

The MRT has asked me to come up with 3 ways that I can help promote and develop the trail both for today and for future generations. As step one, I've created a Yahoo Group to serve as a discussion forum and information archive that further leverages the power of the Internet for trail advocates and users. The group is open to everyone; users can opt to be notified whenever new topics or posts are added or can opt out at any time.

To join the MRT's Yahoo Group, visit...
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mississippirivertrail/

The MRT's website address is http://mississippirivertrail.org

Best wishes,
Larry Lagarde
RideTHISbike.com