The American Discovery 250 Relay will travel 6,800 miles across the country this summer and fall. Some of those miles will run right through the Mid-Ohio Valley, including the North Bend Rail Trail and crossing the river into Belpre.

What a wonderful way to be part of the celebration of this milestone for our country, and there is plenty of time for local groups to figure out how they want to be involved.

“We’re pushing out that local engagement right now,” said Dave Whitson, relay director for the event. “In West Virginia, the North Bend Rail Trail is a natural fit, and we’ll be connecting with biking groups and other partners as plans take shape.”

Whitson also talked about the line of the race being “rich in places that matter — historically, culturally and geographically.”

It’s hard to beat our region for hitting those marks, though of course there are incredible routes across the country.

Organizers say the relay will start with the western states in early summer and will reach the eastern states in the fall — culminating with a Thanksgiving Day plunge into the Atlantic Ocean. Certainly no one here needs an excuse to get out on the trails in all kinds of weather. But as details are finalized, local groups could certainly do worse than being part of this truly landmark event.