While returning from church a few Sundays ago, I noticed an older gentleman walking his e-bike along the shared-use path on San Marco Road, just past Marco Island Academy. He appeared to be laboring.

I pulled over and asked if he needed help. After thinking about it for just a second or two, he accepted my offer. We loaded his e-bike – all 60 pounds of it – onto my bike rack.

The older gentleman was a retired obstetrician who was just over halfway through a 30-some mile bike ride from Manatee Road, north on S.R. 951, east on U.S. 41, to C.R. 92, through Marco Island and back down S.R. 951 and back to Manatee Road. In other words, he was completing the route of the future Marco Loop Trail, the bike path that the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is planning to build within the next five years.

He had not heard of the Marco Loop Trail, nor did he know about last week’s open house in Naples that FDOT sponsored. He was certainly enthused to find out that such a path is likely on its way. The Marco Loop will connect to the Collier to Polk Regional Trail.

The gentleman couldn’t have been more effusive in his praise of Marco Island’s network of shared-use paths and in-road lanes. On a standard bicycle, he probably would have changed his own flat tire. But on an e-bike, rear tire flats are much more of a challenge.

So, I took him to the Island Bike Shop, who conveniently has Sunday hours, and they were able to get him back up and running.

It just made me think of how nice it will be for cyclists of all ages when the Marco Loop Trail becomes a reality, as FDOT representatives feel it will. C.R. 92 was once a popular way for Marco cyclists to put in some miles. But with the advent of cell phones, it seems foolhardy to risk bicycling on the busy road that has absolutely no shoulders. For many cyclists, riding on the in-road lanes on S.R. 951 is equally foolhardy.

But with the proliferation of e-bikes and shared-use paths, all of a sudden, the Marco Loop becomes not only safe but very inviting.

Just think of the adventures that await you along the proposed trail. On the six-plus mile stretch of S.R. 951, you have the Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, Walmart, and a number of restaurants. You could also make a side trip to Isles of Capri for lunch at one of their fine restaurants. On U.S. 41, you can enjoy pedaling by a number of new developments before reaching Collier-Seminole State Park just past C.R. 92. And of course, C.R. 92 is a beautiful six-plus mile ride when you don’t have to worry about vehicular traffic.

Who knows, the Marco Loop Trail may eventually become part of Tour de Marco, opening the door to at least a metric century ride (62 miles). Currently, the Tour de Marco offers 15 and 30-mile routes.

If you would like to stay connected to the Marco Loop Trail as it evolves, visit the website https://colliertopolk.com/collier-county/.

Scott H. Shook is a graduate of the University of Florida who retired after a long career in resort management on Marco Beach. An avid cyclist, Scott founded the Tour de Marco and has served as a member of the city’s Bike Paths Volunteer Committee since its inception. His writing and photography appear weekly in the Coastal Breeze News.