This Trailblazer Rides More Than 20 Miles a Day

Sitting at the counter at the coffee shop on Monday was 76-year-old Tom Caraker, warming up with a hot cup of coffee while taking a break from his ride along the Baltimore Annapolis Trail in Severna Park.

His bright yellow vest worn over a heavy sweatshirt says "Trailblazer" on the upper right and attracts attention to his welcoming smile and friendly manner. He's a regular at the coffee shop that sits along the trail, where he stops almost daily for a taste of warmth in the winter.

When the winter chill eases, he sits outside in the back of the shop facing the trail at one of the shop's picnic tables.

Caraker is one of 25 volunteer Trailblazers working out of the with the guidance of Sue Payne, park ranger. Retired in 1997, with time in the Army, he's been a Trailblazer for eight years, considering himself and his counterparts "goodwill ambassadors" who are trained in CPR and first-aid, always stopping if someone using the trail needs a helping hand.

"I love it. I meet a lot of good people that come to visit from out of state. I can't believe how nice it is," Caraker said.

Handing out maps, greeting people, giving directions and sharing information on the area while working the trail as a volunteer sets Caraker apart.

"Tom is really the perfect Trailblazer. He's so dedicated to it- I wish I had 100 of him," said Payne. "His dedication goes above and beyond, he's a model Trailblazer."

A Trailblazer all four seasons, Caraker rides 20 to 25 miles a day, starting in Severna Park and trailing down to Boulter's Way at Route 45o in Annapolis, near the intersect to Ritchie Highway. "I don't like to miss, I get mad at myself - I like to ride,' he said. "It's never less than 14 [miles] a day."

A little precipitation doesn't bother him as nature's elements add a new dimension to the journey. "I love to ride when is a little snow—it crunches under the tires," he smiled, adding, "but ice is another thing—that I don't like to deal with."

The Trailblazers don't handle crime along the trail but do carry phones for communication with the ranger station. On this chilly early spring day, Caraker heads out of the shop to hop on his bike, putting on his warm cap and sunglasses before heading back up north on the trail until his next ride - and cup of coffee.

*Editor's Note: This article has been updated to include the quotes from Earleigh Heights Park Ranger Sue Payne.