Karen’s Trail

Karen McKeachie’s death is speeding work on the B2B Trail

Lew Kidder found his memorial for his wife in plans to expand the county’s Border-to-Border Trail
Photo © Mark Bialek – Used with permission

Karen’s Trail, a recent Ann Arbor Observer article by Brynn Raupagh, delves into Lew Kidder’s efforts to honor and preserve his wife Karen’s legacy. Lew’s efforts have now meshed with the Huron Waterloo Pathways Initiative (HWPI), whose goal is to support the Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation Commission in completing an expanded Border-to-Border Trail in the next five years.

Karen McKeachie, a world-class triathlete, was killed during a training ride on Dexter-Chelsea Road in August of 2016, when the driver of a pickup truck pulled into the oncoming lane to pass another vehicle and hit her head-on. Karen’s legacy of athletic accomplishments and her role in the advancement of women’s athletics in Michigan will be honored at the upcoming Governor’s Fitness Awards on April 20th in Detroit.

Non-motorized trails, safely enjoyed by people of all ages, appear to be simple strips of pavement laid on the ground. But building these trails for current and future generations is far from simple, and building them is expensive. The Karen’s Trail article goes on to lay out the history of the Washtenaw County Border-to-Border Trail to date, and enumerates many of the financial, political, and physical hurdles that are currently being tackled by a partnership of private organizations and government agencies.