How E-Bike Tours Are Connecting Vermont’s Trail Towns | Yva and Jim Rose

How can an e-bike tour help more people experience Vermont’s 93-mile Lamoille Valley Rail Trail? Founders Yva and Jim Rose share how they built a bike-tour business around the trail and connected riders with local communities along the way. On Roads Less Travelled, Craig Della Penna, REALTOR®, author, and nationally recognized rail-trail advocate, speaks with Yva and Jim Rose, founders of Lamoille Valley Bike Tours in Johnson, Vermont. They discuss starting with seven e-bikes and a truck and trailer, then growing into a hub for e-bike rentals, guided tours, sales, and trail shuttles. Discover how e-bikes can make trail riding more accessible, why riders should stop to explore the towns along the route, and what local assets and partnerships can mean for a trail-focused small business. 🎙️ Host & Guest **Host: Craig Della Penna** REALTOR®, author, nationally recognized rail-trail advocate, and host of Roads Less Travelled. **Guests: Yva and Jim Rose** Founders of Lamoille Valley Bike Tours in Johnson, Vermont. Founded in 2016, they were the first company in Vermont to offer e-bike rentals and tours. Their business has grown from a mobile truck-and-trailer operation into a hub with 50+ bikes, guided tours, e-bike sales, and trail shuttle service along the completed 93-mile Lamoille Valley Rail Trail. 💡 What You’ll Learn - Why e-bikes can introduce more people to the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail. - The path from a mobile rental setup to a business offering tours, bike sales, and trail shuttles. - Local food, historic stations, and village stops riders can discover along the route. - The role rentals, tours, and shuttle service play in longer rail-trail adventures. - Why local assets, strong partnerships, and patience matter when building a trail-focused business. ❓ Key Questions Answered **Q: How did Yva and Jim Rose start Lamoille Valley Bike Tours?** **A: They began in 2016 with a truck, trailer, and seven e-bikes, offering rentals and tours on the trail’s first 17-mile section.** **Q: How long is the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail?** **A: The completed trail is 93 miles long and connects 18 Vermont towns.** **Q: How can e-bikes make rail-trail riding accessible to more people?** **A: E-bikes can help people who aren’t regular cyclists enjoy a trail ride, including families riding with visitors of different ages and abilities.** **Q: What can riders see and do along the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail?** **A: Riders can explore Vermont villages, local food stops, historic train stations, scenic viewpoints, and other community destinations along the trail.** **Q: What advice do Yva and Jim offer entrepreneurs starting a rail-trail business?** **A: Identify the trail’s local assets, find experiences and partners that can attract visitors, and allow time for the business to grow.** ⏱️ Chapters **(00:00) – Meet Yva and Jim Rose** **(01:17) – Starting an E-Bike Tour Business** **(05:06) – Growing With the Rail Trail** **(08:30) – Connecting Trail Towns** **(10:48) – Trail Partners and Access** **(17:49) – E-Biking for More Riders** **(20:01) – Planning Your Ride** **(21:52) – Lamoille Valley Route Tips** **(23:53) – Scenic Stops and Local Food** **(28:18) – Starting a Trail Business** **(32:17) – Patience and Partnerships**  **💼 Connect with Yva and Jim Rose** **🔗 Website:**https://www.lamoillevalleybiketours.com/ **📸 Instagram:** https://www.instagram.com/bikelamoille/ **📘 Facebook:** https://www.facebook.com/bikelamoille/  **🎧 Follow Craig Della Penna** **🌐 Website:** https://www.northamptonrealtor.com/ **📘 Facebook:** https://www.facebook.com/craig.dellapenna/ **📸 Instagram:** https://www.instagram.com/craigdp413/ **🔗 LinkedIn:** https://www.linkedin.com/in/craigdp/ 📌 Like, follow, and share *Roads Less Travelled* for more conversations about real estate, communities, and the places people call home. #RoadsLessTravelled #CraigDellaPenna #YvaAndJimRose #LamoilleValleyRailTrail #VermontEbikeTours #VermontRailTrails #EbikeRentals #VermontTourism #TrailTowns #RailTrailBusiness #VermontCycling #RealEstatePodcast