community connections
Testerman are starting a new
life in retirement together
by biking the United States,
one rail-trail at a time.
The Testerman’s adven-
tures began when Bill retired
10 years ago. Their first
foray led them on a hike of
the Appalachian Trail, which
they did in two trips over
two years. Ann said this trip
was key to helping them
learn how to pack light for their bike
trips.
The Testerman’s first overnight
bicycle trip took them south along the
Pacific Coast on a series of multi-use
trails from near their home in north-
west Washington (Anacortes) to the
California–Mexico border. The following
year, they took a series of trails through
the southern tier of the United States
from San Diego, California, through
Texas, finally ending in St. Augustine,
Florida.
Ann said that although she enjoyed
the trip, it required too much road rid-
ing and not enough on trails, which she
prefers!
Locally, in addition to day trips to
nearby San Juan Island, which is known
for both its beauty and robust bicycling
culture, the Testermans can often be
found on the Tommy Thomson Trail.
Ann said this trail is a particular favorite
of theirs because of its half-mile long
railway trestle, which provides a
beautiful view of Mount Baker as
they cross Fidalgo Bay. The couple
also takes frequent day trips on the
nearby Olympic Discovery Trail,
which crosses trestles over creeks and
rivers, and passes through forests and
prairie.
Most recently, however, Ann
and Bill could be found on the East
Coast, biking from Washington,
D.C., to Pittsburgh via the 185-mile-
long Chesapeake & Ohio Canal
National Historical Park (C&O
Canal) and Great Allegheny Passage,
and then along the Erie Canalway
Trail though upstate New York.
According to Ann, because the trails
do not all connect, their trip required
careful planning. Regardless of the logis-
tics involved, however, the couple thor-
oughly enjoyed the trip. “We absolutely
loved it,” said Ann. “We stopped at
every lock on the C&O and Allegheny
canals and read all about the history at
each stop.”
In particular, she said they were sur-
prised by how quickly they felt that they
were far away from civilization, riding
under the dense canopies of East Coast
forests. She also notes how impressed
they were with the work that had been
done to preserve those trails. “It’s very
impressive that somebody has managed
such a large effort, the local communi-
ties and the states and federal govern-
ment, to preserve these trails,” said Ann.
Bill and Ann said that these trips help
to keep them active and healthy while
allowing them time to enjoy the beauty
of nature. They are also happy to spend
this time together and have an opportu-
nity to explore a hobby they both enjoy.
They both agreed, however, that one of
the best parts of their trips is the people
they meet along the way.
“A friend of mine said that bicycling
is like a magic carpet that takes you
places to meet wonderful people and
see beautiful things,” said Bill. “These
experiences with the people we meet and
with nature are what keep us going.”
Ann and Bill Testerman
(pictured here on the Great
Allegheny Passage) are
meeting their retirement—
one rail-trail at a time.
Marcia and Rick Laus
have reclaimed their
health and their
happiness on local
rail-trails.
kara laus
2 miles out and 2 miles back at that
point; we were so proud of ourselves! We
started to increase that distance gradu-
ally, and in April, we made a deal that
we would ride the whole 28 miles by
Labor Day.
And we did even better than that.
It’s not often that you get a 90-degree
Memorial Day near Pittsburgh, but
that year we did, and we spent it on the
trail. It took us 3.5 hours with several
breaks—but we did it! Oh—and we
walked the whole trail that year, as well.
Rick has lost 50 pounds, and I’ve
lost 20. Besides our almost daily rides
on the local trails now, we plan vaca-
tions around where we can find new
ones. Our rides have taken us to so
many unique and historical places in
Pennsylvania and Maryland (one of
our all-time favorites is the Ohio and
Erie Canal Towpath). In 2015, we rode
the entire length (round trip) of the
Greenbrier River Trail, one of West
Virginia’s premiere (and very pictur-
esque) corridors.
Our physical hearts and our emo-
tional hearts are repairing with the time
we spend together on the trails. I think
you’ll find us on a rail-trail every sum-
mer for many years to come.
washington
Retirement and
Adventure by Rail-Trail
After years of running a household
and raising their children, and a long
career as a veterinarian, Ann and Bill
courtesy bill and ann testerman
