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After a very long period of inactivity on this site, how do I possibly begin to get caught up. So many epic tours have been ridden, so many unforgettable experiences and great comradery and friendships. There is just not enough time and space to adequately portray our railbiking adventures. So with a minimum of editorial, here is a brief look at the past four years of railbiking.

Eight of us enjoyed a railbike tour of Sweden and Norway in August and September which included a spectacular mountain train ride and a boat cruise on a fiord in Norway, a tour of the World Heritage Site Copper Mine at Falun, Sweden, and visits to historic World War II sites in both countries. We railbiked many different railroads while staying in hostels at night. Photos and video are still being assembled from the participants and a story will appear in the Spring of 2012.

We had a successful tour of the northwest in 2010, which included four sections of the Coos Bay Line (now back in service), both sides of Siskiyou Pass on the old Southern Pacific, two sections of the Tillamook Line, a complete tour of the Pend Oriel RR in Washington, two sections of the St Maries River RR in Idaho, and of course, Lapwai Canyon and the upper prairie on the Second Subdivision of the Camas Prairie RR. A video DVD is available on request.

In 2008 a work party spent two days with a chain saw and loppers clearing the line over Homestake Pass in Montana. To my knowledge no one has railbiked it since, and it may again be heavy with young trees between the rails. Another huge boulder had fallen on the tracks on the western slope and the shoring at one tunnel entrance looked in danger of imminent collapse.

Many rides have been made on the Tillamook line in Oregon which was irreparably damaged after the storm of 2006. Several times parties were successful in riding east from Salmonberry to Enright but the brush is now virtually impassable. Multiple attempts were made to ride west down into the Salmonberry Canyon from Cochran, using a large chain saw on one occasion to clear downed trees. We could only get about 1/2 mile west of the trestle over Wolf Creek before the line became impassable. The climate in the Coast Range promotes rapid thick growth and riding in either direction has become next to impossible.

Four Years in a Nutshell

Perhaps the adventure of a lifetime for four of us was our 2009 expedition to Patagonia to ride the entire 250 mile route of La Trochita, the Old Patagonia Express. Fortunately, this story was published on my personal blog, now accessible here. I also made a video DVD of the expedition, and if you want a copy please contact me.

September 2011

Many of you have had personal railbiking experiences which I encourage you to share. Although much of the above is familiar to many of you, I will continue to post as a means to archive our history for future generations - - - should there be any. Perhaps, in the coming years as we get too old to ride, we can look back and relive our heyday of railbiking.

Homestake Pass Work Party, 2008

Tillamook Line Final Days

La Trochita Expedition, Patagonia

Northwest Tour 2010

Sweden and Norway 2011

2008 Raffle Tour of the Northwest

Michael Conley promotes railbiking with a raffle, and the winners added some spice to the tour,

which included a Bed and Breakfast to boot.