Judy Geisler Completes Hike/Bike of NCT

Judy Geisler on the trail

Judy Geisler completed her 7-year quest to hike and bike the North Country Trail on May 24 in New York. She began on April 25, 2005 at Lake Sakakawea, North Dakota.

Judy's plan has been to hike the sections of trail which were completed off road, and bicycle the road pieces. Her husband, Bob, has been support, driving their motor home, and being there to shuttle her and her bike as needed. It also meant that they did not have to hunt for motels or campsites on the sections where backpacking is difficult. Along the way they also visited many cultural and historic sites. This is a wonderful option for those who have a way to travel in addition to simply on foot.

Judy began the hike with her good friend Adele. In 2005 they completed North Dakota and most of Minnesota for a total of about 900 miles.

In 2006, they returned, and Judy biked a route roughly parallel to the Border Route section, after hearing that it was in bad shape. Wisconsin was next, followed by about half of Michigan's Upper Peninsula

For 2007 the Upper Peninsula was completed

The following year was filled with Michigan's Lower Peninsula which she hiked/ biked from south to north. A beginning on Pennsylvania's western portion was made as well.

2009 saw Judy finishing Pennsylvania and then hiking and riding through the eastern miles in New York. It's not clear exactly what her route was from Rome to Crown Point, but apparently this section was biked, on roads. She was hopeful of completing her quest in 2010.

She spent 2010 wending her way through Ohio. They visited lots of historic sites along the way.

Judy Geisler and Adele at Lake Sakakawea

And with only a relatively few miles left to do in New York's Finger Lakes, Judy finished in June 2011 just south of Cayuga Lake. Sadly, her friend Adele was not able to finish the quest with her. She did not track how many miles were hiked, and how many were biked.

To learn lots more about Judy's adventure, see Judy and Bob's Traveling Pages


See North Country Trail Association

Judy Geisler Finishes Ohio on NCT Hike/Bike

Judy Geisler biking on the Wabash Cannonbal segment (photo from her web site)

by JHY

Judy Geisler is closing in on being the 2nd person to bike and hike her way the length of the North Country Trail. She began in April 2005 at Lake Sakakawea, North Dakota.

It's impossible to tell from her web site how many miles were hiked, and how many were biked, but perhaps she can eventually fill in that data for the curious.

Although her original hope was to finish this year (and she may yet), Judy reached the OH/PA border on July 4, and had only 257 miles yet to complete in New York. She and husband, Bob, who is her support in their RV, headed for that state. But the heat has been so intense this month that they decided to leave the NCT entirely for a while, and are now off to Colorado where it is cooler.

Judy likes to keep a low profile, but her accomplishment will not go completely unnoticed if some of us have our way.

Judy states that she is not sure why the NCT takes the southern route through Ohio. She found many parts of Ohio trail in poor repair and unappealing. Hopefully, the NCT can turn this situation around, especially if more people hike it from year to year. She did enjoy all the canal history and Serpent Mound.

There are many photos of her adventure at her web site.

See The Adventures of Platy and the Gang
See Judy Geisler Following Carolyn Hoffman's Game Plan

Judy Geisler - Following Carolyn's Hoffman's Gameplan - Will Finish NCT in 2010

Judy Geisler (photo from her web site)

from communication with Bob Geisler and web site

For the past five years, Judy Geisler has been quietly hiking and biking the North Country Trail, and maintaining a web site about her adventures. But who knew? Not many North Country Trail folks! Judy's plan is the same as that of Carolyn Hoffman who was the first person to follow the route of the NCT in 1978. Carolyn hiked portions that were actual trail, and connected the segments by bicycle on roads.

Judy has hiked many of the sections with a friend, Adele. I actually heard of these two women a couple of years ago, but wasn't able to track down any information about them. When Judy's husband, Bob, contacted me today to join the NCT email group, it all came together. He simply said, "She likes to keep low key." Now that is an understatement!

Judy began in 2005 at Lake Sakakawea, North Dakota. By the end of the summer she had completed North Dakota and Minnesota, except for connecting Grand Marais to Ely. The following year she biked that connection, after hearing all the horror stories about the Border Route and the Kek.

In 2006-7 she also did Wisconsin, and Michigan's Upper Peninsula. The Lower Peninsula was completed in 2008, and Pennsylvania begun. This summer she has finished Pennsylvania, and is working on New York. The plan is to finish in Ohio next summer!

She and husband, Bob, camp in their RV when she is not backpacking. He serves as support vehicle, meeting her sometimes at cross roads, and delivering her bike when there are road segments to ride.

Bob writes, "People always ask 'What do you do while she's hiking?' Well, I have to find the next days end point to make sure I can get to it. I spend a lot of time on one lane sand roads. This is one spot where I had a place just big enough off the road to park and either stay with the car (if the bugs are bad) or hike in to meet her.

This story has to be one of the best kept secrets on a trail that is also one of the best kept secrets in the country! They don't have New York pictures loaded on their web site yet, but you can check out the whole rest of their adventures from the link below. I'll try to find out more details and get Judy and Adele into the "Clubs."

See Judy & Bob's Traveling Pages

NPCA Statement on NPS Proposed Rule for Mountain Bikes

a news release of National Parks and Conservation Association

The current National Park Service mountain biking rules, which have been in effect since 1987, have been working well in offering all visitors to our majestic national parks a safe and enjoyable experience, and should not be changed by the Bush Administration.

The National Parks Conservation Association supports the use of mountain bikes in national parks under appropriate circumstances. However, the proposed new rule would, in certain cases, circumvent the normal public process and limit the opportunity for full public discussion of the use of mountain bikes on existing trails now used by hikers and equestrians. NPCA strongly believes national parks should offer full transparency on important park management decisions, including this one.

NPCA also feels that the proposed rules should explicitly state that Park Service-recommended Wilderness areas or areas that are now under study for potential designation as Wilderness, are off-limits to mountain bike use.

Of the approximately 25 national parks where mountain biking is currently taking place on dirt trails, only Golden Gate National Recreation Area in California and Saguaro National Park in Arizona have completed the necessary public process and designated specific trails for mountain bikes. NPCA believes that all parks should come into compliance.

NPCA will be analyzing the proposal and will be providing comments to the Park Service. We encourage our members and other national park advocates to do the same.

See Executive Order Could Open National Parks to Mountain Bikes