Discover a challenging 16-mile, mountain bike course in the heart of Rutland, Vermont forged entirely by volunteers whose painstaking efforts to carve out an exciting recreational park are also helping to revitalize this former industrial town.

Mountain biking can be a terrific way to get off the beaten path and enjoy Vermont's beautiful scenery. But there's a little more to mountain biking than just peddling. Trails can be an obstacle course of ruts, rocks, roots and steep downhill grades. It's to the rider's advantage to learn the correct way to mountain bike. Host Marianne Eaton spends a day at the Catamount Family Center in Williston for a little mountain biking primer to learn a few things about how to negotiate the trails. Then these skills are put to the test on the Contest Trail in Pittsfield for some serious single track riding in the mountains.

Exploring Vermont's back roads on a bike trip is a terrific way to discover places you didn't know existed. A bike trip slows the pace of travel down. You see things that most people don't see. You get a feel for the terrain you're traveling on. You get a lot of exercise during the day, and you sleep really well at night. A bike tour also offers you the opportunity to meet new people who share your interest in cycling. Friendships can take hold as you peddle through the countryside. You find yourself sharing moments together that people in cars never have. Taking a bike tour with an established tour company can not only take a lot of the guess work out of planning your route, it can offer invaluable things such as roadside repairs, or even a ride if you get little tired. Host Marianne Eaton joins Vermont Bicycle Tours on their Champlain Valley Tour for a little inn-to-inn biking through the Champlain Valley.