Rail trails offer a gift beyond price, almost free
- John Lorson: The Rail Trail Naturalist
- April 9, 2021
- 887
A perennial favorite of the Ohio springtime, Dutchman’s breeches can be found growing along the Holmes County Trail even within a short distance of downtown Millersburg. If you stop to look, be mindful of other travelers and park your bike off the trail, and look but don’t touch so everyone gets a chance at spying this delicate beauty.
Warm and sunny with a gentle breeze from the southwest and the trail is once again abuzz with life. Two-wheeled, four-wheeled, three-wheeled or no-wheeled, the path hosts an endless parade of conveyances and characters.
Stand in one spot for a bit, near a bench or a bridge abutment, and the passing show is like flipping the pages of a Dr. Seuss book. It’s a joy to see so many people of all ages, shapes and sizes enjoying the outdoors in so many different ways. If you need to sell your community leaders on the value of a trail, coax them out for a walk on the first nice Saturday of spring.
In terms of open access and joy per mile, the system of trails created in America over the past five decades — over 21,000 miles — is truly a value beyond measure. To swipe and repurpose a line from my favorite rock band, Rush, the trails offer “a gift beyond price, almost free.”
While countless hours of volunteer time, millions of dollars in private donations and public monies, and the tireless advocacy of folks with a “long and narrow” vision for public recreation are all part of the up-front investment, a key to the ongoing success of the trail system is the contribution each one of us makes each time we head out on a trail. All this wonderful opportunity comes to you at the simple “almost free” cost of personal responsibility.
First, don’t even think of littering. I know this should go without saying, but take it from a person who travels the same trail corridor nearly every day. Fighting litter seems like a never-ending battle. I realize I am largely “preaching to the choir” here as folks reading this column tend to be a caring and conscientious lot, but beyond simply taking home what you bring, I challenge you to join me in carrying along a bag to fill with even one or two items on each trip.
Make an “Easter egg hunt” out of it and see if you can top my personal record of 12 Bud Lite cans and seven Mountain Dew bottles in a single spin. (I hate to name names, but it is abundantly clear these are the hands-down beverages of choice among trail litter bugs in our area.)
The second area of responsibility each of us must accept is that of courtesy. As travelers approach from ahead, give them plenty of room to pass safely by. A smile and a wave are standard operating procedure in Wayne and Holmes counties, and I recommend both be offered generously and often.
Approaching fellow travelers from behind requires even greater attention to the rules of common courtesy. Make walkers, slower riders and buggy drivers aware of your approach as far in advance as possible. I run a little “ding” bell on my bike, and I use it religiously to alert traffic ahead that I’m on my way through. And while I take pains to stop short of being obnoxious, I’ll ding that bell until I know you’ve heard me and are not planning on changing course directly into my path as I pass. I’ve seen that sort of thing happen, and it’s never pretty.
One group to which you’ll want to pay especially close attention is small children on the trail with their parents. Oftentimes, folks allow their children a fairly “long leash” on the trail, and kids on bikes, trikes, scooters and even hover boards drift as far beyond their folks attention will allow.
Parents figure they can easily keep an eye on them and there’s really no place the kid is going to get him or herself into trouble. A shout to little “Evan” or “Sadie” brings and instant reaction — the problem is that reaction is almost guaranteed to come in the form of a quick turn toward the center of the trail. It’s natural and reflexive for the kid, and if you haven’t alerted the parent, slowed your speed and waited for the kid to react, you could be in for a heck of a mess.
I’ll hope to see you out on the trail soon. If I’m approaching from behind, you’ll hear me coming, and if I’m coming toward you, expect a smile and wave.
Remember, if you have comments on this column or questions about the natural world, write The Rail Trail Naturalist, P.O. Box 170, Fredericksburg, OH 44627, or email jlorson@alonovus.com. Follow on Instagram @RailTrailNaturalist.