The villages and cities along the route enjoy 
     
    
   
   
    
     a thriving new industry — they seem to have turned 
     
    

    
     around the decline and you see community swimming vwsccmfinqs 
     
     pools and campgrounds, new restaurants, and busi- ° 
     
     nesses set up mainly for trail users (like the  
     
     bike shop just off the track). In 1972, 35,000 ' ' 
     
     cyclists and hikers were registered on the trail Blke Trad 
     
    
   
   
    
     and now the count is over 50,000 per year. Some 
     
     come for a day ride, some travel slowly and stay 
     
     in each town, but they all come for the trail, and 
     
     from great distances. 
     
    

    
     The trail has become a haven for cyclists for 
     
     a number of reasons. No traffic to worry about is a 
     
     big plus, as are the low grade of the line (3% or 
     
     less) and the scenery. Farmlands, wooded areas, 
     
     streams, and everything from ducks to deer make it 
     
     ideal for gawkers. 
     
    

    
     There is a charge for using the trail (75¢/day 
     
     and $2.50/season for residents of the state and 
     
     $1.00/day and $3.50/season for non-residents), and 
     
     they make quite a profit selling T—shirts and 
     
     souvenirs at the trail headquarters, naturally an 
     
     old train station. 
     
    

    
     The trail is also heavily used in the winter 
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
     by both skiers and snowmobilers (I assume they de— State 
     
     signate parts of the trail for each activity, to o - 
     
     avoid flat skiers). This would help ease some of Blke Trad 
     
     the conflicts that often occur between snowmobilers 
     
    

    
     and other groups by designating certain areas for i 
     
     motorized use (much as they do at Brookvale). iBMEmun, 
     
    
   
   
    
     Although the scenery was beautiful, it was 
     
     no more beautiful than many areas on P.E.I. And while we couldn't offer 
     
     tunnels, the nearness of the ocean probably makes P.E.I. a more interest- 
     
     ing area to visit. The multi—use concept attracts support in Wisconsin 
     
     from many different groups, and the proven draw of tourism dollars makes 
     
     the trail a big favourite with tourist operators. With that kind of support 
     
     for those who want to enjoy outdoor activities without being too far from 
     
     tourist facilities, and yet like to be away from traffic. It might be worth 
     
     a try. 
     
    
   
   
    
     R’sl'cards prohsi' Le Preau 
     
    
   
   
    
     The People Against Lepreau 2 Campaign is encouraging people to send 
     
     postcards to Prime Minister Mulroney, Finance Minister Michael Wilson and 
     
     your Member of Parliament in an effort to stop the federal and provincial 
     
     funding of the $2.5 billion nuclear reactor. The three postcards are printed 
     
     on one sheet of paper and just need your name and address. You can mail 
     
     them at no charge, and can get them through the newsletter or by calling me 
     
     at 838-2678. 
     
    

    
     The campaign feels that since New Brunswick does not need the elect- 
     
     ricity (it would be exported to the U.S., where due to public opposition 
     
     over safety and cost, no new nuclear plants have been ordered in the last 
     
     10 years) it is an unnecessary risk. New Brunswick has the potential to 
     
     meet its own future electrical energy needs through safe, low-cost renew- 
     
     able energy sources.