The nine-mile connector trail linking the High Trestle and Raccoon River Valley trails officially opened Saturday with an inaugural bike ride from Perry to Woodward and a ribbon-cutting ceremony in Bouton planned for the afternoon.
The 11 a.m. ride, led by Iowa Bicycle Coalition Executive Director Luke Hoffman, started at the Big Bike in downtown Perry at the Raccoon River Valley Trailhead. The continuous 120-mile paved loop is already the most popular in the state, and the connector trail promises to be an economic engine for Perry.
“This trail is more than just a trail,” Hoffman said before the ride, “it’s also a legacy for future generations because it’s a community asset that has economic, tourism and health and wellness benefits. Trails are one of those tools in the toolbox that we can’t ignore.”
The Raccoon River Valley Trail Association, Iowa Bicycle Coalition, Rails to Trails Conservancy, a national organization spearheading the Great American Rail Trail, and other groups and many individuals were on hand for brief remarks from Big Bike designer Cheri Scheib and retired Dallas County Conservation Director Mike Wallace.
“Tell all your friends to come back and spend money in Perry. Look around. Buy a house in Perry,” Schieb said to applause and laughter. Wallace also amused the crowd.
“So this five-year project 10 years later is finally done,” he said. “And it was a $5 million project that ended up being more like $9 million.”
The ribbon-cutting ceremony in Bouton is set for 1 p.m. at the trailhead near the community center.
