Bike ride marks Silver Comet and Chief Ladiga trails as longest in US

Bicyclists from Georgia and Alabama will ride to a shrimp boil get-together in a farmer's field at the state line in a couple of weeks to celebrate the completion of the longest paved bike path in the US.

With the paving of the last gap of Georgia's Silver Comet bike path last month, the 61.5-mile rail-to-trail combines with the Chief Ladiga bike path to become the longest paved bicycle path in the US at a distance of 95 miles.

Bicycle enthusiasts will leave from trailheads in Georgia and Alabama that morning and arrive at the state line for festivities, food and entertainment at 2 p.m. Sept. 27.

The PATH Foundation flyer (.pdf) explains all the details of the Silver Comet celebration.

The Silver Comet trail's history goes back more than 100 years.

Built in the late 1800s, the railroad carried the Silver Comet passenger service from 1947 to 1969. The CSX discontinued service in 1989 and right-of-way was acquired by Georgia's Department of Transportation in 1992. Construction of a trail started in the Atlanta suburb of Smyrna in 1998.

Construction continued over the years in fits and starts until only a 2.5-mile gap was left between Rockport and Cedartown. Recent paving completed the route so now there's a continuous paved path from Smyrna, Georgia, to Anniston, Alabama.

The PATH Foundation helped raise private funds to match public money to help pay for the trail through northwestern Georgia.

Source: Biking Bis