Photo contest winner, April: Ana Markasyan, Blackstone River Bike Path, RI

Ana Markasyan moved from New York to Rhode Island a year ago. A cyclist and inline skater, she started exploring her new home and discovered the East Coast Greenway. The Blackstone River Bike Path, where she shot this photo of the happy face sewer cover, is her favorite.

“Seeing the happy face makes me smile every time I pass by,” she says. “I took the photo about 4.5-5 miles south of the Woonsocket start of the trail, shortly after a railroad crossing. It’s my favorite path because it’s very scenic but mostly because it crosses the street only about three times, so not having to stop often makes the experience so great. It is also the safest way for me to skate long distances without worrying about cars. “I love the feel of nature on these trails. I think it's good to slow down our pace of life sometimes and notice the little things around us, like a beautiful sunset — or a cute yellow painted pothole.”

Markasyan is proud that her skate wheels are manufactured a few miles away in Cranston, RI, by MPC Wheels, a global brand based in the U.S. By day she works in human resources at Alex and Ani, the wildly successful jewelry company begun in Rhode Island and also based in Cranston.

She is “thrilled” to learn about the East Coast Greenway’s planned expansions. “Perhaps one day a skate from Maine to Florida will be possible — that would be epic!”  

Have a favorite photo(s) of the East Coast Greenway? Enter it in our photo contest. We’re selecting monthly winners throughout 2017, matching images to the seasons when possible.