| The Joplin Trails Coalition, established to promote a safe bicycling and pedestrian environment in southwest Missouri, invites you to join in making the Ruby Jack Trail a great facility for the region. The Ruby Jack Trail is a 16-mile long trail, developed along an abandoned rail corridor. It runs west from Carthage, Missouri to the Missouri-Kansas state line. The trail will be open to pedestrians, cyclists, and equestrians. It will be closed to motorized use.
Development of the trail will proceed in phases. The first phase consists of two sections of the trail: the portion of the trail from the Carthage trailhead to County Road 180, and a section approximately one mile long near the City of Oronogo. A major portion of the funding for this phase will come from 2006 Federal Enhancement funds. This federal funding requires a local match. Our goal for this current fundraising campaign represents that local match. Each year, we hold the Carthage Maple Leaf Bike Ride the second Saturday of October. Consisting of five lengths of rides from 15 to 100 miles, an eat-out, and a kid’s bike safety rodeo, it is a fun event and a chance to raise funds for the Ruby Jack Trail through rider fees and donations. Whether you donate in conjunction with the Maple Leaf Ride or separately, you are aiding in the development of a significant local and regional resource.
More information about the Joplin Trails Coalition, the Maple Leaf Ride, and the Ruby Jack Trail are available on our website, www.joplintrailscoalition.org. |
