Give a Bike, Get a Bike and Build a Trail

Bid on and buy bikes Saturday at a used bike sale organized by the Swampscott Rail Trail Committee.

Committee member Marc Barden said sale/auction organizers and Swampscott police had accumulated about 40 bikes — from BMXs to 10-speeds —  as of Thursday.

That number includes 24 donated bikes that will be for sale and about 15 bikes recovered by police that will be auctioned.

The sale/auction will be at Swampscott High School from 12-2.

 Earlier on Saturday,  from 9 a.m. to noon, also at the high school, committee members will accept donated bikes, bike equipment, scooters and rollerblades.

Proceeds from the sale and auction will be donated to the town.

Visitors are invited to learn about the rail trail, proposed to eventually extend from the existing trail in Marblehead to the area of the Swampscott Rail Station.

Barden and Roger Talkov have been working on the trail for more than 10 years.

A month and half ago the committee met with the town's lawyer who is researching the ownership of right-of-way tracts along the proposed trail.

In addition, the town must acquire an easement from utility company National Grid, which owns about half the land outright, Talkov said in

Barden says the trail will connect people in town, providing them a place to talk, walk and bike, and giving them access to the Swampscott train station.

He senses enthusiasm for the trail based on talks with people in town.

He received a telephone call Thursday from a woman who is donating five bikes to the sale. She also encouraged Barden to continue the rail trail effort.

That kind of enthusiasm is also evident in surrounding towns where trails already exist or plans for them are in the works, Barden said.

The Swampscott trail would connect with the existing Marblehead Rail Trail.

Peabody has a trail. Salem is talking about expanding its trail. Nahant is building one and Danvers is putting one together, he said.

Rail trails resonate with people because "towns are strapped for recreation areas," Barden said.

The retired railroad beds offer recreation space at a time when there is very little land left for recreation, he said.