Last week I wrote about one side of the e-bike discussion: behavior.

Most of the concerns people shared in my survey had less to do with the e-bike and more to do with how it was being ridden. Excessive speed, poor trail etiquette, inexperience, and a lack of courtesy came up again and again.

This week, I’d like to look at the other side of the issue: rules, regulations, education, and enforcement. How do we keep trails safe? Who should make the rules? Who enforces them? And how do we encourage people to ride responsibly while still welcoming e-bikes to our trails?

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A Snapshot of the Survey

The survey has now received more than 250 responses, providing a good cross-section of trail users.

Nearly half of respondents ride traditional bicycles, about 30% primarily ride e-bikes, and roughly 20% ride both. That mix has produced a wide range of perspectives rather than one dominant viewpoint.

Most respondents ride for recreation and exercise (about 70%). More than half also identified assistance with aging or physical limitations as an important reason, reinforcing the value e-bikes provide to many people.

Not surprisingly, e-bikes are a common sight on trails. Nearly three-quarters of respondents frequently encounter them, while another quarter sees them occasionally.

When asked about their overall opinion of e-bikes on trails, the responses were more positive than negative. About 40% viewed them positively, another 20% somewhat positively, about 20% somewhat negatively, and roughly 15% remained neutral.

That tells me something important. This is not a debate about whether e-bikes belong on trails. It’s a conversation about how they are used.

Who Should Make the Rules?

One question asked who should be responsible for regulating e-bikes. Nearly half of the respondents believe the state government should establish the rules. Only a small percentage felt local governments alone should do so, while about a quarter favored a shared state-local approach.

That result mirrors what we’re seeing today. Because Ohio’s current laws don’t address many of the concerns riders identified, particularly unsafe behavior and excessive speed, many cities and communities have begun adopting their own regulations.

This creates confusing and, at times, inconsistent laws that are difficult to follow. Our growing connected network of trails allows cyclists to pass through numerous communities. An e-bike legal in one town may be prohibited in the next. For out-of-state visitors, it’s difficult to know which rules apply where.

Statewide standards create clarity. Local governments should still have flexibility to address unique situations, but the basic rules in a state should be consistent wherever someone rides.

Education Is the Missing Piece

One theme stood out prominently. People believe we need far more education.

Today, someone can walk into a bike shop, purchase an e-bike, and ride away with little or no instructions. The same is true for many bike-share systems, where you check out an e-bike and ride. No one explains cycling etiquette, e-bike basics, safe speeds, passing safely, or the different bike classes.

That gap creates predictable problems. Several ideas surfaced repeatedly throughout the survey:

• Bike shops should provide basic education with every e-bike sale.

• Trail organizations and local governments should regularly share safety tips and trail etiquette.

• Community organizations, advocacy groups, and cycling clubs should offer introductory e-bike classes and clinics.

• Short videos and social media campaigns could reinforce safe riding habits for both new and experienced riders.

Education is relatively inexpensive, easy to implement, and likely to have a much greater impact than simply adding more rules.

Enforcement Is Essential but Not Simple

Enforcement is an important part of the solution, but it’s also one of the most difficult pieces to get right.

Ohio already has laws governing e-bikes. The larger question is whether those laws address the issues trail users are actually experiencing. Survey respondents consistently identified unsafe speeds, poor trail etiquette, and irresponsible rider behavior, not the class of e-bike itself, as their primary concerns.

Even the best laws are only effective if they can be enforced. Most trails don’t have enough rangers or law enforcement officers to patrol the trail. With limited budgets and competing public safety priorities, trail enforcement falls low on the list. As a result, enforcement typically occurs after a crash or serious incident.

Laws that focus only on the punishment after an incident miss the opportunity to prevent the problem in the first place.

Improving enforcement requires more than passing new laws. It begins with educating legislators about the issues trail users are experiencing so they can craft laws that are practical, enforceable, and focused on prevention rather than reaction.

Enforcement requires resources. Enforcement needs funding to recruit, train, and deploy rangers or officers who can do more than issue citations. Their presence encourages safer riding and serves an equally important role by educating trail users, answering questions, and promoting responsible trail etiquette.

In the end, enforcement should be viewed as one part of a larger strategy, working alongside education, awareness, and shared responsibility to keep our trails safe and welcoming for everyone.

It’s a Community Responsibility

The survey’s clearest message about laws and rules is that trail safety is not solely the government’s responsibility. It is a shared responsibility that begins before anyone reaches the trail.

It starts with the person considering an e-bike. Buyers should research and understand the different e-bike classes, know where each is allowed, and choose a bike that fits how and where they plan to ride.

Bike shops play a critical role, too. They can help customers choose the right e-bike, explain its capabilities, review trail etiquette, and provide a basic overview of state laws, local regulations, and trail rules before the rider leaves the store.

Trail organizations, communities, advocacy groups, and the state can reinforce safe riding through social media, videos, signage, and public awareness campaigns. The Ohio Department of Transportation has already created useful e-bike resources that can be expanded to support this shared responsibility.

Ultimately, each cyclist is responsible for how they ride.

Knowing the rules is only the first step. Following them is what keeps trails safe and welcoming. Irresponsible riding has consequences that extend far beyond a possible citation. It influences whether families feel comfortable bringing their children to the trail and whether walkers, runners, birdwatchers, and cyclists alike continue to see our trails as places where everyone belongs.

The Biggest Takeaway

After reviewing hundreds of survey responses, one point is clear: most people believe e-bikes belong on our trails.

They value the independence e-bikes provide, for commuting, errands, recreation, exercise, and helping people ride who might otherwise be unable to. They also recognize that e-bikes make cycling more accessible and help more people stay active.

At the same time, respondents consistently noted that irresponsible riding can quickly change the feel of a trail. Excessive speed, poor etiquette, and unsafe behavior can make welcoming places feel less comfortable for everyone.

Put simply, the issue is not just about laws or enforcement. When education, enforcement, and personal responsibility work together, trails remain safe, welcoming places for all.

Next week, I’ll close the survey, publish the final results, and share the responses for anyone interested in exploring the data. I’ll also offer recommendations for a practical, balanced approach to managing e-bikes on our trails.

I hope you’ll join me for the final installment.

Happy trails,
Tom on the Trails

When I published my recent article, And What About E-Bikes?, I hoped to start a conversation, not settle an argument. So far, that’s exactly what’s happening.

More than two hundred have taken the time to complete my e-bike survey. While there are certainly differences of opinion, one thing is remarkably clear. The biggest concern people have about our trails today isn’t only about e-bikes. It’s about people.

As I’ve read through the responses, four themes are surfacing: excessive speed, poor trail etiquette, inexperienced riders, and a need for better education. This suggests that trails change as both trail use grows and e-bikes become more common on them.

The challenge isn’t simply adapting to e-bike technology and capabilities, but more about learning how to share trails safely and considerately.

What’s encouraging is that most respondents aren’t calling for bans or sweeping restrictions. Instead, they’re asking for better ways to address these challenges.

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Excessive Speed

Speed dominates the concerns.

Whether respondents ride traditional bicycles, e-bikes, or walk the trails, they see riders traveling too fast for conditions. Interestingly, most don’t believe speed is exclusively an e-bike problem. Strong riders on traditional bikes can travel just as fast or faster than e-bike riders.

Multi-use trails aren’t racecourses. They’re shared public spaces where riders, walkers, runners, families with children, people walking dogs, and those on mobility devices have an equal right to feel safe.

One of the biggest challenges trail managers face is encouraging safe speeds. Speed-limit signs are the most common way they respond. Too often unseen or ignored. Social media campaigns promoting trail courtesy help. Ultimately, speed is a choice each rider makes.

The goal isn’t only to slow people down. It’s to help riders understand that excessive speed endangers both themselves and others. Excessive speed makes trails unsafe and unwelcoming.

The real issue isn’t what the bike can do. It’s whether the rider uses good judgment in deciding what they should do.

Poor Trail Etiquette

Speed is closely connected to basic trail etiquette.

Passing without warning, riding side by side, blocking the trail, wearing headphones that make it difficult to hear others, and speeding past slower visitors is frustrating, no matter what type of bike someone rides.

Good etiquette is what makes shared trails work well. Announcing passes, slowing when necessary, yielding appropriately, and exercising patience aren’t new. These basic courtesies are becoming less common as trail use increases.

The lesson is simple and familiar: mind your manners. That life advice applies on the trail. Be courteous. Follow basic etiquette. Respect others. Education and awareness may do more to improve safety than e-bike rules alone.

Inexperienced Riders

Another recurring theme is that e-bikes are introducing a growing number of new riders to our trails.

Cycling, once viewed as recreation, is serving more purposes and more people. Respondents see this as one of e-bikes’ greatest strengths. Older adults are riding again. People with physical limitations are enjoying trails they believed were inaccessible to them.

People are using e-bikes instead of cars to save money, as battery assistance, lower transportation and maintenance costs, and rising car ownership expenses make them an appealing option.

Those are changes worth celebrating.

Survey responses suggest that many new e-bike riders have limited cycling experience. They may never have learned fundamental riding skills or trail etiquette because they never needed them. At the same time, experienced cyclists who transition to e-bikes can underestimate the added power, acceleration, and speed that electric assist provides.

The solution isn’t to discourage new riders. It’s to welcome them while giving them the knowledge and confidence to ride safely and responsibly.

Need for Better Education

Another solution that’s surfacing in the responses is education.

Many believe the public still doesn’t understand the classes of e-bikes. Some assume every e-bike is essentially an electric motorcycle. Others don’t realize that class 1 e-bikes assist only while pedaling and stop assisting at 20 mph.

Education must go beyond understanding how an e-bike works. It’s learning proper trail etiquette, whether riding a bike, walking, running, or pushing a stroller.

It’s seeing that every trail visitor experiences the trail from a different perspective. It’s understanding rules, respecting one another, and accepting the shared responsibility that comes with public spaces.

Who is responsible for that education?

It begins when the bike is sold. Bike shops have an opportunity to introduce new e-bike riders, beyond features, to the responsibilities of riding on shared-use trails, with more power at their fingertips.

Trail organizations reinforce those expectations through signs, social media, and educational campaigns.

Trail and outdoor advocacy must shape public policy and understanding as e-bike laws evolve and trail use changes.

Communities must ensure that residents and visitors alike, regardless of experience or skill level, understand what it means to bike safely, behave courteously, and share the trail responsibly.

Education alone won’t solve every conflict. Without it, even the best laws and trail rules can only go so far.

What I’m Hearing

What impresses me is how balanced the comments are.

Most see the tremendous opportunities e-bikes provide, allowing more people to discover cycling and others to keep cycling later in life and enjoy the outdoors.

At the same time, you want our trails to be safe, welcoming, and enjoyable for everyone. Those aren’t competing goals. They can and should exist together.

As I read the responses, I’m becoming more convinced that this isn't just about e-bikes. It's about how our trail community adapts to welcome them while preserving the culture of courtesy, patience, and respect that makes trails special.

Written responses don't tell the whole story. When viewed alongside the survey's other questions, they point to a broader conversation about how e-bike regulations should evolve and how those changes should be made.

I’ll be taking a closer look at that side of the survey in a future article. It’s a complex issue with no simple answers, requiring a balance between safety, practical use, and regulations that make sense for trails and people who use them.

Stay tuned.

Thank You. There’s Still Time

I want to sincerely thank everyone who read my initial article and completed the survey. Your thoughtful comments are moving this conversation beyond assumptions and toward practical solutions.

If you haven’t yet shared your thoughts, I’d still love to hear from you.

I’ll keep the survey open until the middle of July. After that, I’ll summarize the results and share what we can learn from this community conversation.

The more voices we hear, the better we’ll understand not only where we disagree, but where we find common ground. Judging from the responses so far, there’s more common ground than many of us expected.

Chime in on the conversation here.

In many European countries, bicycles are part of everyday life for commuting, shopping, and running errands. E-bikes are widely accepted because they make those trips easier and more enjoyable. The conversation around their use and adoption is different because the cycling culture is different.

E-bikes have become common on American streets and trails. Much of the regulatory debate has focused on the bikes themselves. Concern about their power and speed is understandable. But it overlooks the larger issue of how America’s car-centered culture shapes attitudes and behaviors toward e-bikes and bicycles of all kinds.

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Different Cultures, Different Results

Having explored Europe by bike, I’ve seen firsthand how bicycles are integral to everyday life, from small villages to large cities. Cycling is seen as a legitimate mode of transportation.

European communities invest in bicycle infrastructure and amenities that encourage and support regular riding. Europeans recognize cyclists as normal users of the transportation network.

Infrastructure investments and community acceptance didn’t create the European bike culture. They grew out of it.

How America Became Car-Centered

The United States followed a very different path. In the early twentieth century, government policy, automaker influence, and advertising portrayed automobiles as symbols of freedom and prosperity. It worked, and the country moved away from walking and cycling.

That movement grew stronger after World War II. Wider highways and the interstate system reshaped American cities, fueled suburban growth, and made traveling longer distances more appealing. Urban design and transportation networks prioritized cars over bikes.

Bicycles were no longer viewed as everyday transportation. They became tools for recreation, fitness, and sport. That history influences how many Americans think about cycling today. A person on a bike is often assumed to be out for exercise rather than simply trying to get somewhere.

E-Bikes Are Changing the Story

Today’s e-bikes are reshaping that twentieth-century transportation story. They help older adults keep riding, make short car trips easier to replace, and open cycling to people who otherwise wouldn’t get on a bike.

E-bike adoption is moving quickly, but American culture is changing more slowly. Cars still dominate everyday transportation. E-bikes offer a lower-cost, lower-maintenance option that is earning a place alongside the car in the garage.

Trails are becoming connected transportation networks. Cities are adding bike lanes and amenities to reduce pressure on crowded streets and highways. Commuters on e-bikes, along with recreational cyclists, are becoming more visible on streets and trails.

Slowly, American culture is evolving toward a bike-friendly, car-centered model in which bicycles are increasingly seen as another expression of freedom and prosperity.

Culture Comes First

For cycling to become a valued part of everyday American life, the culture around it has to change. Rules matter. Education matters. Enforcement matters. But culture comes first.

Culture shapes behavior. Behavior shapes expectations. Expectations shape policy.

When people expect to share trails with others, they tend to be more courteous. Cyclists pay closer attention to their speed. Pedestrians feel safer sharing the trail. Communities invest in better infrastructure because they see bicycles as transportation, not just recreation.

Culture does not change overnight. It changes one cyclist, one conversation, one community, and one trail at a time.

The future isn’t only about building more trails or writing more rules. It’s helping people see how cycling, whether on a traditional bicycle or an e-bike, improves health, reduces dependence on cars, connects communities, and gives more people the freedom to travel under their own power.

When people understand that value, behavior changes. When behavior changes, everything else begins to change with it.

We Don’t Need to Become Europe

I’m not suggesting the United States should become Europe. Our geography, communities, transportation systems, history, culture, and challenges are different. For generations, we’ve designed our cities and suburbs around the automobile.

But we don’t have to become Europe to learn from it.

We can build an American cycling culture that reflects who we are while recognizing a lesson many European countries have already demonstrated: bicycles, including e-bikes, aren’t just recreational equipment. They’re practical, everyday transportation alongside walking, driving, and public transit.

The goal isn’t to copy another country. It’s creating a culture that works for American communities: urban, suburban, and rural, where people feel comfortable choosing a bicycle for practical trips and where everyone understands that cyclists belong on our roads and trails.

What Readers Are Telling Me

More than 200 readers have already shared their perspectives on e-bikes. Every response paints a clearer picture of what’s working and what still needs attention. Your voice helps shape future articles in this series exploring how to make our trails safer, more welcoming, and more enjoyable for everyone.

The responses reinforce what this article argues: the debate over e-bikes isn’t really about the battery. The biggest concerns aren’t only about e-bikes. They’re about behavior: unsafe speeds, poor trail etiquette, lack of awareness and education, and e-motos that belong on roads, not on trails.

If you haven’t yet participated in my e-bike survey, I hope you’ll take a few minutes to do so. If you haven’t already read my previous Tom on the Trails article, “And What About E-Bikes on Trails?”, I encourage you to start there. It explains the purpose of the survey, why I’m conducting it, and how your experiences can help shape the conversation.

Take Tom on the Trails E-bike Survey here.

Lately, e-bikes have been making headlines. Across Ohio and other states, a growing number of accidents involving e-bikes, pedestrians, and motor vehicles have prompted concern, particularly when youths are involved.

In response, communities are passing ordinances restricting e-bike use. While those efforts are well-intentioned, they risk creating regulations that address symptoms rather than the underlying problems.

Without a doubt, something must be done. However, it should be done thoughtfully and in a way that protects public safety without penalizing responsible e-bike cyclists.

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My Concerns

This issue is important to me as president of the Ohio to Erie Trail. Every year, thousands of people travel across Ohio on the trail by bicycle, with an increasing number on e-bikes.

It would be unfortunate if an e-bike that is legal and welcome in one community suddenly becomes restricted in the next. Consistent rules matter, especially on a statewide trail that connects so many different counties, cities, and villages.

Bicycle tourism is growing on the trail. The growth in recreational tourism supports local economies, promotes healthy lifestyles, and helps more people experience the outdoors. Clear e-bike rules should guide governments, allowing responsible e-bike tourists to enjoy trails.

As a cyclist and e-bike owner, I am concerned that some proposed or adopted laws and trail rules are confusing, inconsistent, or poorly communicated.

These regulations create unnecessary barriers for responsible cyclists. E-bikes make cycling accessible and enjoyable for many people. Policies should be clear, fair, and grounded in fact while supporting safety and access.

What Should We Do About E-Bikes?

There are many ideas for regulating e-bikes on trails, including age restrictions, licensing, registration, speed limits, and stricter enforcement of existing e-bike classifications. This list is just a sampling.

Before adding new laws and rules, we should ask: What problem are we trying to solve?

Too often, the conversation begins with proposed solutions before the actual problem is clearly defined. If we’re not careful, we risk creating regulations that address the wrong issue or solve a problem that doesn’t really exist.

Is the Problem Speed?

When people complain about e-bikes, it’s often about cyclists moving too fast on the trail. That’s a legitimate concern, often true. Is the problem really e-bikes, or is it speed?

Cyclists on both traditional bikes and e-bikes traveling 12 miles per hour seldom create conflict. Cyclists on both types of bikes traveling over 20 miles per hour on the trail can create plenty of conflict.

The trail user, on foot or wheels, who feels unsafe rarely cares whether the speed comes from legs or battery. They notice speed. If speed is the issue, perhaps that’s where speed limit awareness and enforcement should begin.

Is the Problem Behavior?

Trail conflicts have little to do with the type of bicycle. They involve poor behavior. Passing without warning. Cycling too fast for the conditions. unawareness of pedestrians. Riding two abreast and failing to yield.

An inconsiderate cyclist on any bike makes the trail unpleasant for everyone. Likewise, a courteous e-bike cyclist can be one of the safest trail users. I wonder if trail safety and etiquette education might accomplish more than regulation.

Is the Problem a Lack of Understanding E-bikes?

Views of battery-assisted bikes vary widely, making the discussion challenging. Some people see e-bikes as akin to motorcycles. Others question whether cyclists using motor assistance are really cycling at all. Both views blur important distinctions.

An e-bike, a throttle-assisted e-bike, and an e-moto are distinct types of bikes operating differently. The path forward might be helping people understand the distinctions so that safety, access, and regulation conversations are free of confusion.

Is the Problem Licensing E-Bike Cyclists?

Supporters of cyclist licensing argue that cyclists should pass a motor vehicle-type rules-of-the-road test to safely operate a battery-powered bike capable of 20 to 28 miles per hour. That’s a reasonable argument.

Knowledge improves safety. There are practical questions as well. If we don’t require a license to ride a traditional bicycle capable of 20 to 28 miles per hour, why should we require one for an e-bike?

Would licensing discourage cycling as an alternative to driving? Could it create barriers for older adults who depend on cycling to remain active? Would the benefits outweigh the costs and challenges of enforcement?

Is the Problem Age?

Many states already impose age restrictions for youth on e-bikes. The reasoning is understandable. Higher speeds require greater judgment, life experience, and understanding of the consequences of actions.

Age can be an imperfect measure of responsibility. A knowledgeable teen may be safer than an impulsive adult. The better question is whether all cyclists should demonstrate a basic understanding of safety before operating e-bikes.

Youth under 12 are still learning to judge risk, make responsible decisions, and cycle safely. Risky behavior should be discouraged on any bike. At this age, developing basic cycling skills, judgment, and responsibility should come before introducing the speed and power of an e-bike.

Is the Problem a Lack of Education?

If there is one area where most people find common ground, it is education. Imagine buying a new e-bike and receiving orientation on its operation, applicable laws, and safe cycling practices before leaving the store. That step could go a long way toward creating safer and more informed cyclists.

How should I use the different assist levels? How do my abilities, age, and cycling experience guide those choices? How quickly can the bike accelerate or stop? What laws and trail rules apply? What’s my responsibility in sharing the trail?

This solution focuses on safety, responsibility, and respect for others. While many bike shops already offer basic guidance to new cyclists, there may be value in making education a standard practice, or even incorporating it into regulatory requirements.

Is the Problem a Lack of Shared Responsibility?

The conversation often focuses on e-bikes and the people who ride them. They are only part of the equation. Manufacturers have a responsibility to design and produce safe products.

Bike shops play an important role in helping customers choose the right bike and understand how to operate it safely and responsibly.

Legislators, public agencies, and trail managers also have responsibilities. They must create clear, consistent laws and trail rules and communicate them effectively.

Ultimately, this is a matter of shared responsibility. Any regulations should be developed with input from all stakeholders, clearly define the responsibilities of each group, and balance legitimate concerns with the benefits of e-bikes to individuals, communities, and trail systems.

Is the Problem Consistency of Laws?

As e-bike tourism continues to grow, another challenge is becoming apparent: inconsistent regulations. A cyclist may begin a ride in one state, cross into another, and suddenly encounter a different set of rules. The same can happen when crossing county lines or entering a new city.

E-bike classifications, trail access rules, and age requirements can vary from one jurisdiction to the next. For long-distance trail systems such as the Ohio to Erie Trail, which connects communities across multiple counties, this patchwork of regulations can be confusing and difficult to navigate.

These inconsistencies make a strong case for greater uniformity. Not necessarily more regulation, but clearer, more consistent standards that are easier to understand and follow.

Are We Asking the Wrong Question

The debate over e-bikes is often framed as a choice between regulation and freedom. I think that’s the wrong conversation. The better question is this:

How do we make trails safer and more enjoyable for everyone?

The answer may involve regulations. It may involve education. It may involve better trail signage and stronger expectations for courtesy. Most likely, it will involve all of those things.

E-bikes are not going away. They open the door to cycling for people who might otherwise never ride a bike. They help older adults remain active, enable longer adventures, and allow more people to experience the freedom of exploration.

The Challenge Ahead

The challenge isn’t deciding whether e-bikes belong on our trails. It’s figuring out how walkers, runners, traditional cyclists, and e-bike cyclists can share trails safely and respectfully.

That conversation starts by identifying the problem before we rush to prescribe the solution. If we can agree on the problems, we have a better chance of finding solutions that make trails safer and more enjoyable for everyone.

Join in the Conversation

I encourage everyone, whether you ride an e-bike, a traditional bicycle, or no bicycle at all, to familiarize yourself with e-bike classifications, your state’s revised code, and the traffic laws that govern roads and trails. An informed discussion is always better than one built on assumptions.

Participate in community conversations, whether online, at public meetings, or during discussions about proposed regulations. The best solutions are often found when people listen as much as they speak.

For traditional cyclists, it helps to understand the many reasons people choose e-bikes. For some, an e-bike provides the assistance needed to continue cycling as they age or recover from injury or illness. For others, it makes longer rides possible, encourages more frequent cycling, or allows them to replace car trips with a bicycle.

E-bike cyclists should take the time to understand the concerns expressed by traditional cyclists. Not all of those concerns are unfounded, and meaningful dialogue begins when we understand others’ experiences and perspectives.

We should remember that every person on a bicycle is a fellow cyclist. Whether powered by legs alone or assisted by a motor, we share the same trails. We all benefit when cyclists treat one another with courtesy, patience, and respect.

Tom on the Trails

I’m gathering reader perspectives on e-bikes and trail safety.
It’s a short survey, and your voice really helps shape future posts.

Take Tom on the Trails E-bike Survey here.

When communities debate budgets, trails and parks are often treated as “nice-to-have” amenities. They’re competing with other priorities and sometimes seen as recreational extras rather than essential public infrastructure.

Data from a national survey tells a very different story.

A survey commissioned by the Trust for Public Land and conducted by YouGov found that Americans overwhelmingly view parks, trails, and other outdoor public spaces as fundamental parts of healthy communities. Americans agreed by an 8-to-1 margin that local parks are part of their community’s essential infrastructure.

As someone who advocates for trails, I wasn’t surprised by these findings. What struck me was how overwhelmingly the numbers confirm what many of us have known for years. The impact of trails and parks extends well beyond recreation, contributing to healthier people, stronger economies, and more vibrant communities.

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Healthy Communities

One of the strongest findings from the survey was the connection between outdoor spaces and personal well-being.

92% of Americans reported that improving their health motivated them to spend time outdoors in the past year. The most common reason people visited parks and trails was to be active. Walking, exercising, cycling, and participating in sports crossed all demographic groups and ages.

The benefits don’t stop with physical activity.

61% of respondents said they spend time outdoors to reduce stress and improve their mood. As anxiety, burnout, and social isolation become more common, parks and trails offer something screens cannot: places to get outside, stay active, and reconnect.

The survey also found that people who live within walking distance of a park are 35% more likely to meet recommended physical activity guidelines. That’s a remarkable return from a relatively simple community investment.

Building Community

The survey revealed another important role of parks and trails: they are desirable community gathering places.

More than half of Americans reported having a “third place” — a place other than home and work where people connect, build relationships, and enjoy community life. Parks and outdoor spaces ranked as the most popular of these gathering places.

Think about the life you see on a trail. Neighbors chat on morning walks, families ride bikes together, and others get lost in the outdoors. Trails create unexpected and new connections while strengthening existing ones.

At a time when many Americans of all ages are concerned about loneliness and social division, trails and parks create opportunities for casual human interaction that build stronger connected communities.

Green Time

One finding that stood out involved younger adults.

Many reported that putting down mobile phones, tablets, and video games was a major motivation for spending time outdoors. The desire for “green time, not screen time” was particularly strong among younger generations.

Anyone who has walked a shaded trail, listened to nature, or experienced sunrise or sunset on a trail understands why. Trails offer something rare in modern life: a chance to unplug from constant digital demands and reconnect with nature.

Strong Case

The health and quality-of-life benefits alone justify investment in trails and parks. But the economic case is even more compelling.

Analysis highlighted by Grist found that local parks generate roughly $3 in value for every $1 invested. That’s a return most communities would be thrilled to see from any public investment.

Returns show up in many ways. Property values tend to rise near trails. Outdoor tourism brings visitor spending to the town. Convenient access to places for exercise and mental renewal can lower health care costs.

Trails improve the quality of life, attract businesses, and help retain employees. Study after study shows that people want to live near a trail.

When communities invest in trails, they are not only building recreational amenities. They are creating infrastructure that supports public health, economic development, tourism, active transportation, and community vitality.

Americans Agree

Perhaps the most encouraging finding from the survey is that Americans understand this value.

Nearly nine out of ten adults agreed that communities should continue investing in affordable outdoor recreation so that everyone, regardless of income, can enjoy the benefits of parks, trails, and outdoor spaces.

That broad support crosses geographic, economic, and political boundaries because the benefits are widely shared. Trails don’t ask who you voted for. Parks don’t care about your income. Outdoor spaces belong to everyone.

Trails Matter

As a trail advocate, I often find myself explaining why a trail matters. The Trust for Public Land survey provides powerful evidence that the public already understands much of the answer.

Trails improve physical health. They support mental well-being. They strengthen social connections. They provide accessible recreation. They encourage active transportation. They boost local economies. They create places where communities come together.

Few public investments can claim such a wide range of benefits.

When communities invest in trails and parks, they aren’t spending money on amenities. They’re investing in healthier people, stronger neighborhoods, and vibrant local economies.

That’s not just good recreation policy. It’s good community building.

Beyond Pavement

If there is one lesson I hope elected officials, community leaders, and taxpayers take from this study, it is that public investments should be measured not only by what they cost, but by what they return.

In Ohio and across the nation, there’s a strong desire to reduce taxes and spend every public dollar wisely. That’s reasonable. When budgets are tight and competing priorities abound, decision-makers should ask this question: What investments deliver the greatest return for the people they serve?

Too often, that conversation focuses only on roads and highways. There is no question that cars are the primary means Americans travel and will always play a critical role in our transportation network.

As highways become more congested and harder to expand, communities should invest in transportation that improves the quality of life, supports local economies, and creates healthier places to live.

Trails Answer

The value of trails extends far beyond the pavement beneath our bike tires. Trails connect neighborhoods, support local businesses, improve public health, increase property values, attract visitors, and provide opportunities for recreation and transportation.

Trails are places where people exercise, gather with friends, experience nature, and reconnect with their communities. In many ways, they serve as the “third places” that strengthen the social fabric of our towns and cities.

Most people would choose an afternoon on a trail over sitting in traffic on a crowded highway. Trails offer something difficult to quantify but impossible to ignore: the opportunity to slow down, connect with the outdoors, and experience a higher quality of life.

Numbers Speak

According to the study, every public dollar invested in parks and outdoor recreation generates approximately three dollars in economic value, a 300% return. Few public investments can make a similar claim.

If you’re reading Tom on the Trails, chances are you already understand the value of trails. You’ve experienced firsthand how they improve communities, support local businesses, and enrich daily life.

I hope that these findings reach far beyond the outdoor recreation community and into the conversations taking place in city halls, county commissions, statehouses, and boardrooms across the country.

This study confirms something trail users have known for years.

Trails aren’t simply amenities. They’re infrastructure. They’re public health investments. They’re economic development tools. They’re community gathering places. And they make our towns and cities better places to live.

That’s a return worth investing in.

The Research

Trust for Public Land National Survey on Outdoor Public Spaces
https://www.tpl.org/parks-undeniable-roi-report

Grist article, “Your Local Park Is Bringing in the Green—and by That We Mean Money”
https://grist.org/cities/your-local-park-is-bringing-in-the-green-and-by-that-we-mean-money/

I’m 72 now, but I didn’t get back into cycling until about 20 years ago, after being away from it since I was a kid. A few years later, I found bicycle touring and fell in love. I tour today for what put me back on a bike twenty years ago: the adventure, the challenge, and the joy of getting out and seeing where the road ahead leads me.

One thing I hear all the time from people in their 50s, 60s, and 70s is, “I’m too old for that.” It usually comes up when someone asks where I’m headed or how far I’m going. They’re impressed and immediately count themselves out of the very thing they admire about me.

That doesn’t match what I see as a trail advocate, leader, and cyclist. I spend a lot of time on trails, especially my local Knox County Trails, which are part of the Ohio to Erie Trail network. The majority of people out there doing multi-day tours aren’t young. They’re older, with the time and freedom to experience life, and they’re clearly enjoying it.

I don’t buy the idea that age is the main thing holding people back. More often, it’s just a habit of thinking that way. With that in mind, here are some of the most common reasons people give for not trying a weeklong bike tour, and why they don’t hold up as well as they think.

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“I’m too old for that.”

This is, without a doubt, the most common thing I hear. People say this about a lot of things: starting over, traveling solo, learning new skills, and yes, riding a bicycle across a state.

But age is not really what they mean. Maybe it’s: “I’m nervous.” “I’m out of shape.” “I don’t know where to begin.” “I can’t do what I used to.” “I’ll look out of place.” Or even: “There are easier things I could do.”

What I’m hearing is internalized ageism, deciding ahead of time that you’re not capable at your age. Bicycle touring gets framed as something for the young, ultra-fit, endlessly energetic crowd climbing hills with ease, with gear strapped to high-end bikes.

Spend enough time on trails like the Ohio to Erie Trail, and you’ll see something different. People in their 60s and beyond are on their first multi-day tour. Retirees collecting memories instead of mileage stats. Cyclists stop for pie or ice cream because that’s part of life, too.

Bicycle touring isn’t about proving youth. It’s about curiosity and living an adventurous life. That’s open to anyone.

“I don’t know what I’m supposed to do.”

Let’s start with the truth: there is no one way or standard for what you’re supposed to do on a weeklong bicycle tour.

We’re used to attaching numbers to what we “should” be doing, especially age. But there’s no universal version of what 55, 65, or 75 is supposed to feel like.

You’re not “young for your age” because you go on a bike tour at 70. You’re 70, and you’re riding your bike. That’s all.

Saying “I feel 50” still suggests that younger is better. A better way to put it is, I feel alive. You feel interested. You feel open to something exciting and new. Those aren’t youthful traits; they’re human ones.

“I could never do a bike tour.”

Bicycle touring isn’t an extreme endurance event for most people. For some, yes, but not for most of us, including me.

You don’t need to ride 100 miles a day. You don’t need expensive gear. You don’t need to camp. And you don’t need to be fast. You just need to keep moving forward at your own pace, in your own way.

Maybe that means 35 miles a day and an afternoon exploring a small town or museum. Maybe it’s nights in hotels or Airbnb’s instead of camping. Maybe it’s an e-bike to make the miles more enjoyable. Maybe it’s sharing the experience with friends.

Your tour does not need to look like someone else’s social media version. That’s where a lot of people get stuck, trying to be a person they aren’t and never should be.

“I’m too old to change myself.”

One of the things long-distance cycling does is change you without you recognizing it. The person who starts a tour isn’t the same person who finishes it.

Your body adapts. What feels hard at first becomes routine. Confidence builds day by day. You accept help from strangers and fellow tourists. You notice more about yourself. You settle into a comfortable relationship with your bike and the outdoors.

You also rediscover something that gets buried over our adult lives: a sense of play. The freedom to explore just for fun, with no specific outcome other than having fun.

Somewhere along the way, we start believing we’re where we are meant to be and no longer need to change. We’ve reached the final version of ourselves. A bicycle tour pushes back on that idea. There’s no expiration date on growth and change.

“I don’t need more challenges in my life.”

It’s easy to think that later years should be about avoiding difficult things in life. To some extent, that’s fair, but we often confuse challenge with discomfort. That leads us to avoid both. Life needs both to feed on each other to live fully.

This isn’t new. It just sounds different now: “Maybe after I lose weight…” “Maybe after I get in better shape…” “Maybe after I get a better bike…”

At some point, those become habits instead of plans. You don’t need to be the perfect version of yourself. You don’t need to prove anything. You’re not chasing youth or outrunning age.

You tour because you’re still curious. That alone is reason enough.

“I don’t have the time.”

Time is another limit we tend to place on ourselves. It’s often said that retirement can be busier than our working years. That’s true, but it also comes down to understanding our priorities. A weeklong tour might not fit. But that doesn’t mean touring isn’t possible.

Start smaller. An overnight trip. An overnight to a nearby town. A couple of days on a trail, maybe a stretch of the Ohio to Erie Trail, a few hours away, you haven’t explored yet.

Touring grows from there. You figure out what works for you, how far you like to ride, how you like to travel, and what makes the days enjoyable.

Confidence doesn’t come from age. It comes from doing. Every experienced bicycle tourist was once someone wondering if they could.

Touring by Bike Does Not Care How Old You Are

Bicycle touring doesn’t care how old you are, how much experience you have, or how long it’s been since you last tried something new. It isn’t measured by speed, miles, gear, or your past.

The doubts people carry about age, ability, or whether they “fit” tend to matter a lot less once you’re out there. What matters is showing up and moving at a pace of life that is you.

What you gain is hard to find elsewhere. Traveling by bike slows life down just enough to help you notice what’s around you: the towns, the unexpected encounters, the changing landscape, and even the mistakes that teach and become the most memorable parts of the tour. Above all, a tour interrupts your routine in a refreshing way.

Rather than deciding you’re too old or unprepared, it may be more accurate to say you simply haven’t tried it yet.

The trail is out there, enticing you to start. Pick a section of the Ohio to Erie Trail, or another long-distance trail you’ve always been curious about. Load up your bike and head out for a couple of days.

You’ll catch the touring fever. You’ll be surprised by what’s waiting for you a few miles down the trail.

Happy Trails!
Tom on the Trails

In the summer of 2011, I stepped out of my comfort zone and into something I never imagined I could do. My friend Chuck and I headed out on our first bicycle tour, a week on the Great Allegheny Passage and the C&O Canal Towpath Trail. We cycled self-supported through western Pennsylvania and Maryland, carrying everything we needed on our bikes.

Up to that point, my cycling experience was weekly trail rides with friends, usually 20 to 30 miles at a time, no overnight stays, and no gear beyond a water bottle and snacks. Now, I was going to ride farther than I ever had before, hauling clothes, tools, and camping equipment. Intimidating!

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First Tour Fears

I’ve been thinking back to that first tour and the fears I had before setting out. Looking back, I realize most of the fears were perfectly normal. They are probably the same worries many people have when they think about touring for the first time.

There’s something vulnerable about heading into the unknown on two wheels. Social media and travel brochures show enticing nature and smiling faces. They don’t show the questions before the ride. What if I’m not strong enough? What if something breaks? What if I get lost? What if I don’t enjoy it?

Touring by bike is real life. The weather is unpredictable. The bad weather comes along with the ride. Mistakes are bound to happen. Those moments are also what make the touring experience memorable and meaningful. If you’ve been thinking about your first tour but fear is holding you back, here are 10 familiar worries and how to move past them.

1. I’m not in good enough shape.

This is likely the loudest fear for first-time bike tourists. Maybe you ride 10, 20, or 30 miles on the weekend and cannot imagine doing 50 miles day after day with gear on your bike. I understand that feeling. I had it too.

I learned from both cycling and running that if you are comfortable riding about 60 percent of the target daily distance, you can go farther than you think. If your goal is a 50-mile touring day and you regularly ride 30 miles comfortably, you likely can do just that.

Touring is not a race. You stop more often, for snacks and lunch, and to capture memories on your phone. As the days pass, your body adapts surprisingly quickly. Confidence builds one day at a time, and what once seemed impossible is possible.

2. I’m afraid it will be too hard.

This fear is easily solved with planning. First-time tourers tend to build ambitious itineraries, thinking they need to prove something. You don’t.

The smartest thing you can do is choose terrain that matches your comfort level. If you are not confident climbing steep hills, don’t pick a rolling route. That’s why rail trails and canal towpaths are good places for newbie bike tourists. Most have gentle grades, allowing you to focus on learning rather than surviving.

The first bike tour is where you learn whether you are a cyclist who tours or a tourist who cycles. Cyclists who tour enjoy long mileage days and the challenge. Tourists who cycle prefer shorter riding days, prioritizing the experience. I definitely fall into that second category these days.

Neither approach is wrong. You may favor a variation that’s some of both. That’s fine. You must plan a tour that fits the version that speaks to you.

3. I’m afraid I’ll get lost.

This was my biggest fear on my first solo European tour, being unfamiliar with foreign bicycle routes, languages, and customs. Touring alone, nobody else makes the navigation decisions or checks the map for you.

Technology makes touring much easier today. GPS devices and phone apps allow you to download and navigate routes. Many trail systems and cycling destinations offer excellent maps and guidebooks. Carry a printed guide or map as a backup in unfamiliar wilderness areas with spotty cell service.

Getting lost is part of the adventure. Some favorite touring memories came from accidental detours that led me to a photo-worthy scene and a chat with a local. Friendly faces more often pointed me in the right direction. Wrong turns become stories that live on for years after the tour.

4. I’m afraid I’ll have bike problems.

The most common problem with your bike is a flat tire. It’s bound to happen. I can pretty much guarantee it. Being prepared is the best way to reduce this fear.

Before your trip, practice changing the inner tube at home several times until you are comfortable. Pay special attention to removing and reinstalling the rear wheel, which can be intimidating. Carry a spare tube, tire levers, and a patch kit. They are lightweight, inexpensive, and worth every ounce.

Cyclists are incredibly generous and helpful. If you are trailside struggling with a flat, there is a good chance someone will stop and lend a helping hand. If you can’t fix a flat, it is wise to carry a patch kit and an extra inner tube for this reason.

Most other mechanical issues are rare. For major issues and unusual bike malfunctions, know where bike shops are located along your route.

5. I’m afraid I’ll pack wrong.

Every first-time bike tourist overpacks. Every single one. You will do it on every tour you take. Fifteen years in, I am guilty of this touring sin.

Start with the basics: clothing, tools, chargers, toiletries, and camping gear if you plan to camp. You need to tame “what if” thinking. Overplanning for every what-if scenario adds weight to an overloaded, harder-to-pedal bike.

The best approach is to make a packing list and refine it, over and over. Ask yourself honestly whether you really need each item. You likely don’t need four cycling jerseys or multiple pairs of shoes. It’s unusual not to have places to wash clothes and buy snacks, drinks, or forgotten items.

How will your days play out? Do you want to cook and set up camp each night and break it down in the morning? Would you rather travel light and stay in Airbnb’s or hotels? There is no correct answer. If camping overwhelms you, it’s wise to start with an inn-to-inn route that builds confidence.

6. I’m worried about the weather.

Rain is part of bicycle touring. If you tour long enough, you are going to get wet.

The key is realizing a little rain doesn’t ruin the experience; sometimes becoming part of the adventure. Days of cold, nonstop rain are another story. Pay attention to seasonal weather and the 10-day forecast. Bring the right layers, pack a rain jacket, and prepare for changing conditions.

Headwinds are a challenge every touring cyclist faces. Riding into a strong one makes a climb seem like an all-day uphill battle with wind. With experience, you develop the steady pace that moves you forward and upward.

7. I’m worried about my safety.

Safety concerns are valid and real. Trails are a great way to start bicycle touring because they minimize traffic interactions and challenges. Back road cycling routes avoid cities, tend to be safe, but require an understanding of traffic laws and defensive cycling.

Safety starts with preparation. Wear a helmet. After a few spills over the years, I’m convinced mine prevented serious injury. Use bright lights, lock your bike when you stop, and stay alert to your surroundings. Keep your loaded bike in sight whenever possible and limit the time away from it.

Most importantly, trust your instincts. If a place or situation does not feel right, listen to that feeling. Don’t let fear convince you that the world is entirely dangerous. Most people you encounter while touring are kind, curious, and helpful.

8. I’m afraid something bad will happen.

This fear pops up when you are looking at remote stretches of trail or rural roads. What happens if I crash? What if my bike becomes unrideable? What if I am exhausted and simply cannot continue?

Self-reliance, realizing you’re more capable than you think, is part of bicycle touring. Carry a fully charged phone with a navigation app, a GPS device with your route, and battery packs. Make a habit of recharging at lunch.

Route planning eases anxiety. Know the towns, campgrounds, restaurants, grocery stores, and bike shops along your route. Breaking the day mentally into smaller sections makes life on the bike more manageable. Ten miles to the next town is far less intimidating than 10 more miles in the middle of nowhere.

9. I’m afraid I’ll be lonely.

A lot of first-time tourists worry about loneliness and safety.

What surprised me about solo touring was how rarely I felt alone. Locals and fellow cyclists offer a wave or a friendly hello as they pass by. Conversations are common in diners and coffee shops. Some of the best memories come from those unexpected connections with people met on the tour.

If you camp, choose popular campgrounds with good reviews. Avoid isolated primitive camping until you gain more experience and comfort. Warmshowers and Hipcamp offer camping in homes or yards.

Touring and cycling communities, both online and in person, offer valuable advice, encouragement, and sometimes even riding partners. A local bike club is often a great place to begin. Bike tourists love to help newbies.

10. I’m afraid I won’t enjoy it.

That uncertainty is completely normal. Setting out on a first tour, there’s a mix of both excitement and doubt. You are stepping into something unfamiliar while hoping it is everything you dreamed of.

Honestly, not every moment is magical. There are difficult miles, uncomfortable weather, sore legs, and more than a few frustrations. Remember that your first tour is not about being the perfect bike tourist. You don’t need state-of-the-art gear, perfect planning, or unwavering confidence.

The real goal is to learn. You learn what kind of rider you are, what speaks to you on the road or trail, and how capable you actually are. That translates to developing your unique touring style.

If the touring experience speaks to you, everything changes afterward. You look at maps differently. Trails and roads become invitations to explore instead of being distant, unknown places.

This starts with your first tour.

If you are a reader of Tom on the Trails, there’s a good chance you already love cycling, trails, exploration, and the outdoors. Bicycle touring brings all of those things together.

Your first tour doesn’t need to be a week. It can be three days or even a simple overnight close to home. What matters is that it is the beginning.

After the first tour, you come home more confident, less afraid, and more curious about where the next tour leads you. On the next tour, you pack lighter, ride farther, stay longer, and worry less. It only gets better every time.

All this because you decided to take that first tour.

Happy Trails!
Tom on the Trails

Every May, National Bike Month rolls around with community events like Bike to Work Week and Bike to School Day. These rides and all their local variations trace back to 1956, when the League of American Wheelmen (now the League of American Bicyclists) encouraged more people to get on a bike.

Today, it’s become much more. Beyond the reminder of riding, it reminds us of what cycling once meant to us. For most of us, the bicycle didn’t begin as exercise or transportation. It was pure freedom.

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Finding Adventure on my Bike

In the 1960s, my sister and I were just kids on our Huffys. I grew up outside Alliance, Ohio, along a rural, two-lane stretch of US Route 62. The call of the nearby city was hard to resist. Before long, we found ourselves pedaling into city neighborhoods, widening our world with every adventure.

My mother wouldn’t have approved of how far we went if only she knew. Those were the days when being outside was what kids did. We cycled stealthily in the time before video games and mobile phones. The thrill of the ride was pushing beyond the edge of our everyday lives.

Today, that same stretch of US Route 62 is five busy lanes, farms replaced by shops and restaurants. As the city grew, so did I. I traded two wheels for four with a motor and left the bike behind. That first taste of pre-teen independence and discovery never left; it went quiet for a while.

The Bike in the Garage

Like a lot of people, cycling didn’t stay with me through every chapter of life. There were long stretches when my bike hung from the garage ceiling, coming down only for the occasional ride on a beach vacation. That childhood sense of discovery on the bike was yet to be rediscovered.

In 2009, after surviving a heart attack and struggling with obesity, I realized I needed to improve my health. The joy and sense of freedom of those bike rides from my youth spoke to me and urged me to start cycling again. Memories led to a new life direction.

I vividly remember that first time I returned to the saddle. Eight miles on the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail in Akron was more than a vacation beach ride. This time, it was everything about the outdoors and the people. People pedaling, walking, running, cycling, and enjoying the freedom of discovery!

It was challenging, rewarding, and relaxing. Something stirred me that I hadn’t felt since the 1960s. A sense of discovery. A sense of possibility. I was hooked.

The Bike Found Its Way Back

That first ride didn’t end when I stepped off the bike. It led to another, and then another, as cycling found its way back into my life.

What started as a step toward better health became rides with friends, followed by a meetup group of casual trail cyclists. Before I knew it, cycling opened a door I never expected: bicycle touring.

My first weeklong tour on the Great Allegheny Passage and the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal Towpath was exhilarating and a life-changer. By the end of that week, I understood what had changed inside. Discovering the world by bike was where I belonged. That belonging continues and grows to this day.

Retired, that door opened even wider. I explored more of the United States and Europe by bike, guided by that same curiosity that started decades earlier in Alliance. Cycling wasn’t new; it was simply waiting for my return.

Expanding the Cycling Circle

One of the most meaningful shifts I’ve seen over the years is in who is invited to ride. E-bikes opened the door of discovery wider. The assistance of the e-bike welcomed people who thought their riding days were behind them or who never imagined themselves on a bike at all.

I’ve seen that change personally, and I’ve come to embrace it. E-bikes aren’t diminishing cycling. They’re expanding it by extending the invitation to more people to experience freedom, improved health, and mental well-being through connections to the outdoors.

A child’s first pedal-powered ride is unforgettable; balancing, pushing ahead, and mastering movement become lasting memories. Before using an e-bike, children should experience the benefits of pedaling for themselves. My younger days taught me that.

The Power of Inclusion

These days, what I see is different in the best way. The cycling community has opened its arms wider. More people are showing up with different backgrounds, abilities, and kinds of bikes, reflecting who they are.

Cycling looks a little different for every person who swings a leg over a bike. If you ride a bike, you are a cyclist. Some riders move fast, chasing miles. Others take their time, soaking it all in. Young riders, older riders. People riding solo, and people just enjoying life. What matters is that they’re sharing the same path.

I’ve seen that same spirit across the world, too. In Europe, kids ride to school together, bikes lined up outside the schoolyard like it’s the most natural thing in the world. Because there, it is. Cycling isn’t separate from daily life but is woven into it.

And here at home, I see hope in us moving in that direction. Not fast, but steadily. That is why we must celebrate National Bike Month.

Connecting Across Generations

The most meaningful moments on my bike weren’t about distance or destination. They’ve been about connections. I see connections across ages growing wider, visible, and welcoming in my county.

Through Knox County’s Happy Spokes, part of the Cycling Without Age movement, I’ve seen people who thought cycling days were behind them feel the wind on their faces. You can see the memories return, the spark reignited. Past good times come back on the trishaw, even if it’s just for a ride.

There are moments like the newly launched Bike Bus in Mount Vernon. Kids ride to school with their parents. Neighbors wave and cheer from the sidewalks. It’s nostalgic and joyful, and it bridges generations; that’s new and familiar at the same time.

What the Bike Gave Me

At 72, I can see more clearly what the bike has given me over the years. It’s been one of the most constant threads in my life, even during the years when I wasn’t cycling.

It gave me independence before I understood the word. It gave me direction when I needed it most. It gave me a community when I didn’t know I was looking for one. Maybe most importantly, it gave me a way to keep rediscovering the world and myself, again and again.

The Invitation That Never Expires

This National Bike Month, I’m not just encouraging you to ride. I’m inviting you to remember.

Remember where your first bike took you. Remember how it felt to go just a little farther than you planned. Remember the version of yourself who believed the road ahead was always worth exploring.

That version of you is still there. And the bike? It’s still waiting. Not to take you somewhere entirely new, but to help you rediscover everything that’s been there all along.

Happy National Bike Month.
Tom on the Trails

There’s a revolution outside, beyond your front door, on trails, waiting to be discovered. Some find it on bikes, others on foot, and some push strollers or walk dogs.

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We celebrate trails because they heal.

For many, trails are where life begins again. It might be after a health diagnosis, work burnout, or realizing that it’s time to take better care of yourself. Trails offer a place to breathe and clear the mind. Trails offer a reset to the body and mind, easing the weight of everyday life.

We celebrate trails because they move us.

Trails aren’t just for play; they’re practical. Trails are an alternative way to commute to work, pick up groceries, and travel to appointments. When we invest in trails, they give us a healthier and more enjoyable way to reduce congestion and lower stress. Travel becomes an experience.

We celebrate trails because they connect us.

On a trail, a nod, a wave, or a brief chat reminds us that we’re part of something bigger. Trails erase boundaries that divide. They are spaces where people of different backgrounds and perspectives coexist. Trails build connection and understanding, and that unites a community.

We celebrate trails because they expand our world.

Trails carry us beyond our neighborhoods to places we’ve passed a hundred times, just waiting to be discovered. They widen our view, helping us see beyond where we live and into a broader world of people, places, and perspectives.

We celebrate trails because they spark vitality.

Trails guide us to coffee, lunch, and the Main Street of unique shops. They spark renewed energy and business there. What was a brief stop becomes a reason to linger, discovering communities as they grow, prosper, and rediscover themselves.

We celebrate trails because they motivate us.

A walk or bike ride becomes a habit, builds confidence, or uncovers a new passion. The trail has a way of helping us discover who we are. Spending time on the trail reshapes how we see ourselves and expands what we see as possible. It happens with that first footstep or pedal stroke.

We celebrate trails because they reflect us.

Trails improve our health, connect us, and invite us to explore something new. They reflect our routines, stories, and shared experiences. They weave identities of places and people, helping us see ourselves in others. Trails are reflections of who we are, and who we’re becoming together.

We celebrate trails because they need us.

Trails can’t speak for themselves. When decisions are made about budgets, funding, and priorities, trails can be overlooked as only places to walk the dog, ride a bike, or go for a run. But their value runs much deeper.

Every time we step onto a trail, we write a chapter of a story that deserves to be shared. By telling that story, we make trails more visible, valued, and essential.

Elected officials, community leaders, and the people around us need to hear and see those stories, especially in today’s political and economic climate. That’s why we must celebrate them visibly, and why they matter.

It All Comes Together on Celebrate Trails Day

Across the country, people gather each spring for Celebrate Trails Day. It’s a glimpse of how these eight reasons, and many not named, are possible for all of us and those who are yet to discover the magic and transformative power of trails.

This coming Saturday, April 25, you can experience it for yourself. Communities nationwide will host events as part of Celebrate Trails Day. You can find one near you through the Rails to Trails Conservancy website.

Show up if you are a frequent trail visitor, curious to explore the outdoors, seeking new friends or a change in life, or looking to be more involved in your community. You are not alone, and you belong on the trail.

Celebrate with me in Mount Vernon.

I’ll be at the Knox County Celebrate Trails Day at the Mount Vernon CA&C Depot Visitor Center. The day offers a chance to explore the trails, parks, and downtown, and learn about the depot’s railroad history and how the railroad and trail shaped Mount Vernon today.

I would love to meet you there. Join me at 1:00 pm for a trail talk: Explore Ohio by Trail: Day Trips to Week-Long Adventures on Ohio trails to inspire you to plan your next trip.

Knox County is launching Happy Spokes, a Cycling Without Age chapter that uses trishaws to share the joy of cycling and the outdoors with people who might not otherwise have access to it. These trishaws bring belonging and happiness to people through the memories they make on the trails.

Step outside. Try the trail. See what it gives you. You’ll find something that stays with you long after you leave.

One of the things I love most about bicycle touring is that every ride tells its own story. The Ohio to Erie Trail is one of the best storytellers, 326 miles of chapters through river valleys, canal towns, Midwest farms, and city skylines. Each mile invites photographers to pause, look through their camera's lens, and capture the moment in a frame.

A bike trip becomes an easy photo journal with today’s mobile phones. Each snapshot reminds you where you’ve been and how it felt to be there. Taking photos does more than preserve the journey. It makes time on the bike more memorable when you notice the uniqueness of Ohio. These are some of my favorite photo stops that make me pull over and snap a picture.

Important Note: Distances are measured from Mile Marker 0 (MM-0) at the Roebling Suspension Bridge in Cincinnati as of April 2026. Mileage is shown in the 2026 Trail Guide, available through the Ohio to Erie Trail store and select bike shops along the trail. Most photos are on or near the trail. For off-trail locations, the listed mile marker shows where you leave the official route. Mile markers are approximate and reflect the nearest mile.

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Southern Ohio

1. Cincinnati from Newport on the Levee (MM-1) - The Queen City glows from across the river. Take the Purple People Bridge to the Kentucky side for a classic sunrise skyline view.

2. Lucius (Lucky) Quinctus Pigasus at Smale Riverfront Park (MM-1) - A flying pig in a Roman toga honors Cincinnati’s “Porkopolis” past, a whimsical sendoff for riders headed north.

3. Milford Trailhead on the Little Miami Scenic Trail (MM-18) - The pale-yellow depot, marked with a bold “Milford Trailhead, signals that you are in the Little Miami River valley.

4. Trailside Loveland (MM-27) - Catch a photo sitting on the bench with Mr. Redlegs in this cyclist-friendly trail town full of amenities and historic buildings.

5. Xenia Station (MM-69) - This reconstructed trail depot, once a former rail hub and now the intersection of five trails, is an icon of Ohio’s rail-to-trail legacy.

6. South Charleston Trailhead (MM-88) - A bright red caboose welcomes visitors to small-town rural Ohio, making a perfect historic railway backdrop.

7. London’s Madison County murals (MM-99) - You will brake for the collection of murals on a historic building that sits behind a perennial garden of Ohio native plants.

Columbus

8. Columbus skyline at the confluence (MM-124) - From the bridge where the Scioto and Olentangy Rivers meet, you are treated to a dramatic view of downtown Columbus along the riverbanks.

9. Deer statues on the Scioto Mile (MM-125) - Three sculptures look toward downtown Columbus, with the most notable one on the Town Street Bridge, worth the short jaunt off the route.

10. Ohio Statehouse and Capitol Square (MM-125) - A short detour leads to the Ohio Statehouse and landscaped grounds surrounded by skyscrapers.

11. Topiary Park and Franklin Park (MM-126) - Two of the city’s unique green spaces, a living replica of a painting and a botanical garden, are on an alternate route through the city.

12. Alum Creek Trail boardwalk (MM-135) - A long wooden boardwalk crosses wetlands, surrounded by a lush forest, which is beautiful in every season.

13. Uptown Westerville (MM-142) - Historic storefronts and bike-friendly businesses make a good place to capture small-town charm and street scenes.

Central Ohio

14. Sunbury Town Square (MM-152) - A picture-book Ohio town centered around a large square with a historic town hall and statues that feel quintessentially Ohio.

15. Ohio to Erie Trail midpoint in Centerburg (MM-162) - The official halfway marker and an irresistible selfie frame to celebrate your ride across the state.

16. Ariel-Foundation Park and Rastin Observation Tower (MM-175) - Reclaimed industrial grounds transformed into a unique green space. Climb the tower for sweeping Knox County views.

17. Dog Fountain at South Main Plaza (MM-175) - Joyful water-splashing dog statues that make everyone smile. Look for the pony, bluebirds, apple, and cats that are often overlooked.

18. 0-6-0 Locomotive, Gambier (MM-181) - Historic train engine, flatcar, and caboose make a great photo, along with the iron bridges you cross on this trail.

19. Bridge of Dreams, Brinkhaven (MM-194) - One of Ohio’s longest covered bridges offers a perfect shot as you pass through. Take the trailhead driveway to the banks below for another view.

20. Baddow Pass on the Holmes County Trail (MM-199) - This stretch gives you a heavily wooded climb and descent of unspoiled nature that speaks to every nature photographer.

21. Millersburg Courthouse Square (MM-216) - Hipp Station is the gateway to a photogenic rural Ohio county courthouse square surrounded by century-old buildings.

Northeast Ohio

22. Wayne County Amish Country (MM-226-242) - You will see buggies, wagons, and scenes of everyday Amish life. If you photograph here, do so with care and respect.

23. Nostalgic Dalton Dari-ette (MM-242) - Sometimes memories are made with a soft-serve cone or coney at a nostalgic roadside dairy stand. This is one of those places.

24. Ohio and Erie Canal at Canal Fulton (MM-262) - Canal Fulton is a charming canal town with a watered canal, towpath, and reconstructed canal boat that make it a perfect photo op.

25. The Portage Indians (MM276 & 287) - These bronze statues at the Manchester Road trailhead and in the Merriman Valley mark the Indians’ portage between the Ohio River and Lake Erie.

26. Summit Lake floating towpath (MM-279) - Riding over Summit Lake on the floating boardwalk with many views is a unique gateway to downtown, complete with a nature center.

27. Lock 3 Park in downtown Akron (MM-281) - Akron has reimagined this park with a mix of public art, downtown buildings, and canal exhibits with easy trail access.

28. Mustill Store on the Towpath (MM-282) - Historic remnants like the Mustill Store and house sit beside a canal lock as a reminder of the canal era that shaped this 19th-century passage.

Cuyahoga Valley National Park (CVNP)

29. CVNP Beaver Marsh (MM-292) - The boardwalk over wetlands and wildlife is a photogenic place on the trail. You might be lucky enough to capture the CVSR train across the marsh.

30. Szalay’s Farm Market (MM-293) - Just off the towpath sits a large farm market famous for its corn, along with views of Ohio’s harvest, people, and the unique store.

31. Lock 29 and Peninsula (MM-296) - You pass over and can also walk into this deep lock at Peninsula. It offers a view of the village with plenty to love.

32. Boston Mill (MM-298) - The Boston Mill store, with its iconic rockers on the porch, is a must-capture scene. The nearby Cuyahoga Valley National Park visitor center is worth a shot or two.

33. Brecksville Station (MM-302) - The CVSR depot, Cuyahoga River, and Route 82 bridge make for a great photo. When the CVSR train approaches, the scene is timeless.

34. Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad (CVSR) (MM-282 308) - Catch the train at any of the eight stops for another perspective on the valley, on a ride that allows bikes onboard.

35. Cleveland Metroparks winding trail (MM-313) - Two suspension bridges and a curvy, shaded path along the river pass through Standard Oil’s original refinery lands, linking nature with industry.

Cleveland

36. Cleveland Flats and Steelyard Commons (MM-315-318) - Steel still lives in the land lining the Cuyahoga River, offering a view of industry with Cleveland’s skyline in the background.

37. Tremont’s Lincoln Park (MM-318) - Churches, coffee shops and cafés, and shady streets surround the park, inviting you to discover one of Cleveland’s rediscovered neighborhoods.

38. A Christmas Story House (MM-317) - A small detour for pop culture fans, where you can snap a selfie with the famous leg lamp in the living room window.

39. Cleveland Script sign at Abbey Avenue (MM-319) – A block ride on Abbey Avenue is a postcard shot, framed against the downtown skyline, just a block off the official route in Tremont.

40. West Side Market, Ohio City (MM-319) – Follow Abbey Avenue to the historic ethnic market hall from the upstairs gallery, along with the unique market stalls and the life in motion below.

41. Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (MM-321) – Follow Detroit Avenue to downtown and streets to the Rock Hall in a beautiful lakefront park, with a close-up view of downtown.

42. Wendy Park and the Coast Guard Station (MM-321) - Lake and river views meet Art Deco architecture and the downtown skyline from the entrance to the Cuyahoga River.

43. Edgewater Beach (MM-323) - The trail’s epic start or finish, with a tire dip in Lake Erie from the beach.

44. Edgewater Park, Cleveland Script sign (MM-324) - Just up the hill from the beach is another skyline gem and a joyful end-of-journey photo with the city skyline and Lake Erie.

The Shots You Didn’t Plan

As much as I admire a well-composed postcard photo, some of my favorite pictures are spontaneous and not so curated. A flat tire repair, a sudden downpour, fog rising over the river, a place you discovered on a missed turn, and an unexpected view of nature are just some of those moments.

These are the personal scenes that capture your own take on the photo ops I listed above. That’s the beauty of bicycle travel. You find the big moments and the smaller, unexpected images that stay with you.

This list is just a sample of my favorite people, places, and scenes that speak to me. You may choose different subjects or a different angle on these. I urge you to capture your own version of Ohio.

Just remember to take time to look up, pause, and click.

It’s the first warm afternoon after the long season of snow and cold. The sky is blue. The sun finally feels warm again. Cyclists drift back onto the trail as winter’s grip fades.

A parent jogs beside a child wobbling on a new Christmas bike, discovering the joy of exploring the world on two wheels. Then you hear that unmistakable quiet hum of an e-bike.

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The Rise of the E-Bike

E-bikes are now everywhere, ridden by people from every walk of life. A decade ago, many cyclists saw them as novelties, something “not quite a legitimate bike.” That view is fading fast.

Today, e-bikes dominate showroom floors and fill bike racks along the trail. They’ve opened cycling to entirely new groups: commuters riding to work or running errands, people rediscovering the outdoors, and riders who thought their cycling days were behind them.

For many considering buying their first e-bike, the local trail is often the first place they ride. That’s wonderful news for the cycling community. As more e-bikes roll onto our trails, courtesy, awareness, and safety matter more than ever.

New to the e-bike revolution? The following insights explore the power, responsibility, and etiquette of riding with a motor. It’s essential reading for e-bikers and traditional cyclists alike as we learn to share the miles ahead.

Courtesy, Respect, and Safety for All

Becoming an e-bike rider has never been easier. A quick visit to a bike shop or a click online can put a powerful machine in your garage within days. New riders arrive on the trail excited to ride, but often with limited experience sharing the trail with walkers, runners, families, and other cyclists.

As a fellow e-bike rider, I can say most people genuinely want to ride responsibly. Still, the motor can shift how we think about riding. Some riders begin to see the bike less as a bicycle and more as a fast, convenient vehicle.

Before you power up your e-bike and head out, whether for exercise, transportation, or fresh air, it’s worth remembering: the trail is a shared space. E-biking may feel effortless, but every rider shares responsibility for keeping the trail safe and welcoming.

The Shift That Comes With Speed

The motor’s power makes it easy to ride faster and farther than expected. That’s part of the magic of an e-bike. But that magic comes with responsibility.

Higher speeds mean longer stopping distances and less time to react. When a walker, stroller, or curious dog suddenly moves into your path, the difference between safe and scary can be only a few seconds.

Every rider, especially on an e-bike, should regularly check in with themselves. Are you riding at a speed where you can react safely? This isn’t about age or experience. It’s something all of us can forget when the motor urges us to go just a little faster. Time and caution disappear when immersed in the experience.

Stay aware of your surroundings. Know your limits. Most importantly, stay present. When you do, the ride is better for everyone.

When Tension Finds You

Most trail encounters are friendly waves and smiles. Occasionally, you’ll meet someone who has strong opinions about e-bikes. Some see you as “cheating.” Others may be reacting to a bad experience with an e-bike rider who passed too fast or too close.

If that moment comes your way, smile and keep moving. You don’t need to defend your choice or turn the encounter into a debate. People ride bikes for fitness, transportation, health, accessibility, or simply the joy of being outdoors. That’s not cheating.

If you ride a bike, you’re a cyclist. That said, a moment of self-reflection never hurts. Ask yourself: Was I riding a bit too fast? Did I pass too closely? Did I forget to announce my pass? If the answer is yes, an apology goes a long way.

Many people ride e-bikes for reasons that aren’t always visible, such as health challenges, aging joints, longer distances, or simply a different way to stay active. The trail has room for everyone.

The Trail Isn’t a Racetrack

Think of a multi-use trail not as a freeway, but more like a neighborhood street. Families are out for a stroll. Joggers get in their morning miles. Kids zigzag along on bikes or scooters, discovering the carefree joy of youth.

With the extra weight and speed of an e-bike comes extra responsibility to be a good trail neighbor. Keep your speed reasonable and considerate. Announce your presence when passing. Slow down in crowded areas.

Most trails post speed limits from 15 to 20 miles per hour. Think of that number as a ceiling, not a goal. The right speed is the one that matches the pace of the trail around you. Don’t let the power of the motor turn you into the annoying neighbor everyone tries to avoid.

Learning the Trail

One of the gifts of e-bikes is how easily they welcome new people onto the trail. Many e-bike riders arrive eager to explore but unfamiliar with trail etiquette. People learn the rules of the trail over time simply by riding and watching how others navigate the space.

Riding defensively and staying alert to what’s happening around you is one of the best habits a cyclist can develop. Sometimes, a friendly tip about passing or speed can help newbie cyclists. But timing matters; not every situation calls for a lesson.

What always works is leading by example. Ride with courtesy. Announce your passes. Slow down in crowds. Offer a wave. Good trail manners have a way of contagiously spreading.

A Final Thought

As spring returns and the trails come alive, it’s worth remembering what makes them special. They belong to everyone. Sharing is caring.

E-bikes are now part of the trail story, helping more people discover the freedom and joy of cycling. That means sharing the space with walkers, runners, families, other cyclists, and anyone else who finds a little bit of life between the trailheads.

Think back to the first time you climbed onto an e-bike and headed out for a ride. Chances are, it changed how you saw the outdoors. Hold on to that feeling. And remember the small choices that keep the trail welcoming: riding with awareness, respect, and a little patience.

Do that, and the trail remains the kind of place that keeps calling us back.

Winter in Ohio, especially this cold, icy, snowy one, has me doomscrolling more than I’d like to admit. The algorithm believes I need to take masterclasses, where experts share their secrets, and promise a no-fail formula for success. Apparently, you can master anything in less than an hour.

The algorithm also knows my surfing history, riddled with trails, cycling, the outdoors, and trail towns. I don’t consider myself enough of an expert to teach a masterclass. But on a cold, overcaffeinated day, I wondered what a Tom on the Trails version might look like.

A recent doomscroll led me to a video by Road Guy Rob about bike infrastructure on the Swamp Rabbit Trail, a trail I cycled in 2025. His words perfectly aligned with my thoughts. Inspired by his message, I added a dose of my own trail “wisdom” and built a lesson plan.

What does it look like when a city embraces its trails? It looks like better health, thriving small businesses, and a new sense of freedom in the outdoors. This masterclass dives into that transformation. Let’s take a look at the Tom on the Trails lesson plan.

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Lesson 1: Start with transformation

Trails have a way of turning places into something more, destinations. An abandoned rail corridor becomes an evening walk with the dog. A vacant storefront suddenly has café tables overflowing with cyclists. A downtown that has seen better days turns into a trail’s town center where people linger.

This is a transformation, both subtle and dramatic. It’s not about budgets, land deals, and engineering that need to be figured out. Important, but the trail’s seed is planted with possibilities. When people can see what could be, they wake up. Tell that story well, and the rest will follow.

Lesson takeaway: Talk about transformations, the lives and communities changed, rather than the pavement and cost. That will come later.

Lesson 2: Build and share the vision

Every trail begins pretty much the same. Someone looks at an overgrown land ripe for reinvention. Beyond the weeds and rusted rails, they see it as something better, something valuable. It’s rarely only one person. A group grows, ideas bounce around, and a clearer picture emerges.

People don’t support projects. They support possibilities. A shared vision turns a trail project into a morning stroll, a safe commute, or a peaceful respite in nature. When the community imagines the experience, they fight for the result.

Building that vision takes patience, allowing people to look past their vision to make room for something bigger. The “We’ve always done it this way” or “We’ll never find the money” are normal, healthy concerns. Listen while working towards a shared vision to answer and overcome them.

Lesson takeaway: When people see themselves on the trail, it’s less abstract and more personal. And personal spreads.

Lesson 3: Partnerships make it real

A vision gets things started, but partnerships make them real. A trail serves many audiences. It’s an economic engine for the shop owner, a fitness center for the health advocate, and a destination for the tourism director.

To succeed, speak the language of the people drawn to the trail. These connections multiply. One partnership opens doors to a network of partners’ partners, turning an effort into a movement. With strong partnerships, there will be a crowd behind you by the time you reach the ribbon-cutting.

Lesson Takeaway: Every new partner is the key to many others.

Lesson 4: Expect and work through the barriers

Not everyone loves a trail. You’ll hear every objection: unsafe, too expensive, no one will use it, it’ll bring the wrong people. Barriers aren’t signs you’re failing. They’re just part of the conversation. Listen, especially to the loud voices you’d rather ignore.

Share the facts with empathy that invite people to help solve the problem. Sometimes you won’t win everyone over. That’s okay. People mostly want to feel heard. Funny enough, the things folks worry about most, safety, connection, and community pride, are exactly what trails end up improving.

Lesson Takeaway: When people feel valued, barriers are solved and not dead ends.

Lesson 5: Make it for everyone

Is it a bike trail, a shared-use path, or a multi-use trail? Language matters. When signs and publicity focus only on cyclists, the message gets muddled or worse, exclusionary. It suggests that walkers, birders, and neighbors using mobility devices are somehow less welcome than people on two wheels.

To turn the seemingly unmovable skeptic into a trail user by speaking their language. Show trail love by hosting events and highlighting stories that don’t always involve a bicycle. Keep everyone in mind when planning amenities and publicity. Once someone feels valued on the trail, the bike trail label disappears, and they become frequent visitors and supporters.

Lesson Takeaway: Use every means to say “You belong and are welcome here”.

Lesson 6: The Care Team

When you see a line out the door at the bike shop and a full trailhead, you know you’ve succeeded. But success requires maintenance, not just trail maintenance, but experience maintenance.

This is the role of the Care Team. It’s a mix of local business owners, the visitor center, service clubs, a friends-of-the-trail group, and residents who look after the small details. A shady bench, clear safety and wayfinding signs, and simple mileage markers tell travelers they’re welcome and safe. This hospitality transforms a trail into a community treasure.

Lesson Takeaway: Good trails are planned, but great trails care about the visitor.

Lesson 7: Build a network, not a trail

Most trails start small, connecting neighborhoods, towns, or suburbs. As time passes, the demand for connecting more grows. Eventually, a shift happens where the trail stops searching for connections, and the connections start searching for the trail.

Suddenly, developers, conservancies, and neighboring counties all want a seat at the table. Be open to seeing every conversation as an opportunity. Each new mile, trailhead, or gateway multiplies the audience and expands the impact. The doors to economic growth and tourism swing wide open.

Lesson Takeaway: Look beyond the next mile. Build a network.

Lesson 8: Tell the story

This might be the most important lesson of all. Trails don’t sell themselves. Stories do. The story of a small shop that went viral. A downtown featured in a national top-ten list. A cancer survivor’s charity walk was their second chance at life. Those are moments people remember. Those are the moments that make people want to be part of it.

Explain what the trail means to your town and community members. People connect the dots when it’s inviting and memorable. Stories move people in ways beyond a rack card or brochure they pick up. They resonate and invite.

Lesson Takeaway: Stories open the trail’s door. That’s what invites people in.

Lesson 9: Take the class home

In the end, this class isn’t really about trails. It’s about people. Start with the transformation and paint a vision that others can see themselves in. Build partnerships. Listen through the barriers. Make everyone feel welcome. Care for the small details. Think beyond a trail to build a network. Always, always tell the stories that showcase the heart of the trail.

If you want a great example of all this in action, watch Road Guy Rob’s Greenville’s Swamp Rabbit Trail video, South Carolina’s Freeway for Bikes. You can see the vision, the partnerships, the skepticism, the transformation, all playing out in real time.

About the author

Tom writes Tom on the Trails, a newsletter about bikes, trails, and whatever he notices between one trailhead and the next. He believes trails change places for the better. Mostly, he’s just telling stories from the ride.

As the excitement of New Year’s resolutions fades, I find myself reflecting on how we create changes that actually last. This January, inspired by Mel Robbins and James Clear, I’ve been thinking about identity-based habits.

In Atomic Habits, Clear sees that sustainable progress happens when our daily actions reflect the person we want to be. In a world that often feels socially and politically divided, many of us share a simple goal: to be happier. If we want to be happy people, we have to act in ways that reinforce that identity.

For me, that starts with small escapes from the everyday, whether a bike ride or a walk with my dogs on a trail. They are small habits that build a more contented and connected life.

Learning to let go to be happy.

I’ve noticed that the happiest people on the trail aren’t usually the fastest, strongest, or dressed in the latest gear. They’re not chasing perfection or projecting an image. What sets them apart is what they’ve learned to let go of.

Over time, these trail people found joy by repeatedly showing kindness and grace to themselves and others. Somewhere between their first step from the trailhead and the last mile home, they’ve shed habits and beliefs that no longer serve them. Here are six things people leave behind when they discover true happiness on the trail.

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Six things to leave behind on the trail.

1. The need to rush

Happiness on the trail isn’t about how far or how fast you go. It’s about how much joy you gather along the way, smiles per mile, not miles per smile. Setting out without a quota of miles to prove yourself as a “real” hiker or cyclist gives happiness room to grow.

There’s a time for pushing your limits, building strength, and testing endurance. There’s also a time for slow wonder, letting nature set your pace and the moment determine your ride or hike. When you stop measuring joy by speed or distance, you start noticing the wind, the light filtering through the trees, the birds, and the unexpected encounters with people you meet.

2. Self-judgment

Happier trail-goers let go of comparisons, whether to the speedsters in sleek gear or to past versions of themselves they wish they could be again. Those comparisons drain the joy from a day outdoors and turn what could’ve been simple fun into disappointment.

When you release self-judgment and stop measuring yourself against others, the trail opens up in new ways. It’s no longer about who’s faster, stronger, or better equipped. You see that the trail welcomes everyone: beginners, seasoned cyclists, families, commuters, weekend wanderers, and those simply seeking peace outdoors. That’s where happiness begins to take root.

3. Stress from the day

Happier people learn to leave their worries, inboxes, and deadlines at the trailhead. Each step or pedal stroke lifts a little of life’s weight off their shoulders. Why carry that heaviness into a place meant to set you free? The more you drag your burdens along, the heavier it is to make space for joy.

The trail asks for nothing, no credentials, no performance. It just offers room to think, to breathe, and to let go. You might start your journey tangled in thoughts, but by the time you return, you’re lighter, your worries lifted away, your mind quieter. All of this happens without needing to explain a thing.

4. Us vs. them mindset

Happier people see the trail as a place for everyone, not just a select few. They embrace a spirit of a shared space, trusting that each person is there for their own good reason, in their own season of life.

Trails are at their best when they’re shared with respect and care for others. They become places where friendships deepen, where the less mobile experience freedom, where runners, cyclists, and birdwatchers find community, and where the lonely feel a little less alone. Happy trail users honor and respect different speeds and ways of moving, and understand that everyone belongs.

5. Perfectionism

Happier people make peace with wrong turns, mud, wind, hills, and mechanical quirks. They stop treating these moments as failures and start seeing them as part of the story. They become chapters they’ll retell as times they rose to the challenge and celebrated.

The outdoors is unpredictable, and that’s part of its pull. We step outside because we’re not in full control of what we’ll encounter. Muddy shoes and a slipped bike chain stop being problems to fix and start becoming stories to laugh about later. Your time on the trail doesn’t have to be flawless to experience joy. It becomes happier the moment you let perfectionism go.

6. Letting go of earning your joy.

Happier people understand that joy on the trail doesn’t have a price tag. It doesn’t require suffering, high performance, or proving you’re a “real” cyclist or hiker. The walk or ride itself is the reward.

Letting go of the belief that you earn joy changes everything. You define what happiness looks like for you, and claim that definition proudly. It grows stronger, more generous, and contagious with each visit and encounter. Joy is as simple as showing up, being present, and allowing yourself to feel good without guilt and apology.

People simply want to be happier.

I keep circling back to where this all started: letting go of big New Year’s resolutions and impossible goals, and trading them in for small, doable changes.

The idea, borrowed from Atomic Habits, is that real change comes from tiny steps you repeat, not from huge promises you can’t keep. The above six trail lessons are really six old habits to lose so you can travel lighter and experience joy. This is less about chasing perfection and more about shifting everyday habits.

As a trail leader, I want to see happier people on the trail. There are many ways to get there. Picking just one of these six ideas and trying it in small ways can shift how you feel in the outdoors. Over time, they stack up, sometimes in surprising ways, and start to change your rides or hikes.

While this little PSA is mostly about finding happiness on the trail, you can absolutely carry these habits into the rest of your life, at home, at work, and in your community.

Happy trails from Tom on the Trail!

Happy New Year, and welcome to 2026.

I’m Tom Bilcze, President of the Ohio to Erie Trail. As I walked through Ariel-Foundation Park on the Heart of Ohio Trail, I wanted to share some news, upcoming changes, and opportunities for our trail and community.

As a trail leader, it’s hard not to reflect on how far this trail has come. The Ohio to Erie Trail has grown into something bigger than a diagonal line across the map of the state of Ohio. It’s a place for adventure, health, and well-being. It’s an escape. It’s where people bike, walk, think, reconnect, and sometimes even change life’s direction. It’s become a vital part of the communities it runs through.

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Why Leadership Matters Now

Recently, our Board announced that we’re searching for our next full-time Executive Director, and I want to share a little about what’s behind that decision.

In my years of non-profit leadership, I’ve seen that the strongest organizations share three core pillars.

1. They provide a tangible benefit. In our case, it is a trail experience that creates a direct, meaningful connection between the outdoors and the people who visit us.

2. They are supported by a community that cares. Our trail brings together a diverse range of stakeholders, including visitors, advocates, and local partners who all share a deep investment in our mission.

3. They are led by a passionate board and staff who see the organization’s mission as a vital part of their own lives. Our Board of Directors and Executive Director don’t just lead. They live the mission, working hands-on to ensure the trail remains a premier outdoors destination.

In mid-2025, our executive director decided to take a sabbatical at the end of 2025. That prompted the Board to reevaluate and restructure the role. With 92% of the trail now on trail, increased visits, new businesses, and strong community support, the work has grown beyond a part-time position.

Last year, during the trail’s year-end Board retreat, we took a step back and asked ourselves some honest questions. Where are we now? Where are we headed? And what do we need to get there?

One thing became clear: the trail has grown, and the role supporting it needs to grow too.

The position will become full-time, allowing the Executive Director to work closely with the Board, communities, businesses, and regional trail partners to implement our strategic goals.

Today, we’re at another pivotal moment in the trail’s evolution. While completing miles remains important, the work now extends well beyond the trail itself. This next chapter calls for leadership that understands growth brings new responsibilities and new opportunities for greater impact.

Guiding the Next Chapter

We’re seeking a leader who can turn vision into action. As the Board prioritized goals in our strategic plan, it became clear that the Executive Director plays a central role in moving ideas off the page and into real-world impact, across the trail, businesses, and communities that connect them.

This role requires an understanding that the work goes beyond building miles. After more than three decades of progress, the Ohio to Erie Trail has reached a turning point that calls for guiding partners toward completing the remaining 8% of the trail, strengthening connections, and fully realizing the trail’s potential to unite a broader community.

At the same time, this position must embrace a broad, evolving view of the trail, one that includes outdoor tourism, the outdoor economy, and helping communities fully embrace what it means to be a Trail Town. This person will work alongside local governments and businesses to strengthen amenities, foster a welcoming environment, and cultivate a shared sense of pride.

This leader must recognize the transformative power of trail–community partnerships. In central Ohio, MORPC’s Trail Town pilot along the Ohio to Erie Trail offers a promising model for broader impact. The Executive Director will guide the team in bringing these ideas to life in ways that resonate with communities across the state.

A Renewed View of the Trail

This is a moment of transformation for the Ohio to Erie Trail. It’s no longer about cycling or hiking on the trail from Cincinnati to Cleveland. It’s about everything you experience along the way. The people you meet. The places you stop. The stories that stick with you.

That’s the vision our Board holds, and that’s what we’re asking our next Executive Director to carry forward with passion and purpose.

If this speaks to you or to someone you know, I invite you to check out the job posting on our website and social channels, explore our strategic plan, and consider applying or sharing the opportunity.

Thanks for joining me on this walk today. Here’s to a great year ahead on the trail and beyond. Please take a few minutes to watch the video where I reflect and share the same thoughts.

With Christmas over and the calendar turning, days remain short and dark. For us in northern winters, trail visits are more often memories than actual rides or hikes.

January is a quiet time for biking and exploring trails. With snow and cold, I look forward to warmer days, new gear, and returning to my favorite trails. For cyclists, walkers, runners, and skaters, January is a time for reflection and anticipation. These are memories that matter.

Tom on the Trails just reached 500 subscribers! I appreciate your support as I share my views on trails, cycling, and advocacy for the outdoors. To celebrate, I’m launching a January community challenge, Trail Moments.

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The Winter Story Challenge

This January, I’m inviting you to recall a trail moment that lingers, whether it happened on a bike, on foot, in running shoes, skates, or any way you move outdoors. By sharing, we celebrate the trail together and learn from one another’s journeys.

Each Friday, I’ll post a prompt for the week’s theme. I urge you to respond with a short reflection (under 500 characters) within a few days. I’ll share my thoughts on the prompt and highlight those from the community.

• Week 1: The Unexpected: “Well… I didn’t see that coming” trail moment

• Week 2: Chance Encounters: The stranger you didn’t expect to meet and never forgot

• Week 3: The Spark: The moment you almost turned back and didn’t

• Week 4: A New View: When the trail changed how you saw yourself and others

• Week 5: Something Bigger: That moment you realized the trail was more than just a place.

We All Have Stories

Tom on the Trails often focuses on cycling, but this challenge welcomes any trail experience; whether you’re walking your dog, hiking, running, skating, commuting, or just finding some peace. I want to hear these stories.

When we share these Trail Moments, we’re doing more than swapping stories. We’re helping others picture themselves out there, maybe for the first time, or finding their way back. We’re lifting the places that connect our communities and remind us why the outdoors matters. Each week brings a different kind of memory, building a shared picture of the gifts trails offer.

I hope you’ll take part by writing, reading, reflecting, and encouraging others to do the same. Let’s turn January into something more than waiting for the spring thaw. Let’s use it to remember why we ride, walk, run, and return.

The First Prompt

The Unexpected Turn: That “Well… I didn’t see that coming” moment on the trail.

Submissions for this first prompt are open through Friday, January 2. Over the following weekend, I’ll gather highlights and share what this community has to say.

Thanks for being part of Tom on the Trails. Let’s keep celebrating the stories that carry us forward until the trails thaw, the wheels turn again, and we’re back out there together.

As 2025 comes to a close, I am proud to reflect on the extraordinary momentum of the Ohio to Erie Trail and the people who bring it to life every day.

Our mission is clear: to promote, preserve, and enhance a connected network of regional trails that links communities across Ohio, from the Ohio River to Lake Erie. Our vision is equally bold: a world-class, multi-use trail network that invites everyone to discover the unique places, people, and experiences that define Ohio.

This year, that vision moved closer to reality because of the dedication of our partners, volunteers, local trail organizations, communities, and supporters across the state.

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Strengthening the Trail: Maintenance, Improvements, and Connections

2025 was a busy and productive year on the ground. The Ohio to Erie Trail helped fund and support critical maintenance and improvement projects.

We granted funds to assist the Little Miami Scenic Trail with repairs and the Kokosing Gap Trail to prepare for future paving of the trail. We supported the completion of a vital connection on the Heartland Trail in Wayne County, a future Ohio-to-Erie Trail route that is also part of the Great American Rail-Trail. We also assisted Holmes County in advancing efforts to close the gap between Glenmont and Killbuck.

Each of these projects represents steady progress toward a safer, more continuous trail experience, one mile at a time.

Wayfinding and Navigation: Making the Trail Easier to Explore

Trail users told us they needed better tools to navigate the Ohio to Erie Trail. We listened.

In 2025, we reimagined our trail guide as a set of six detailed maps designed to improve wayfinding and highlight amenities and attractions along the route. The new maps identify trailheads with restrooms, water, and other visitor essentials. For the first time, we have added trail mileage markers on the maps.

Alongside the new guide, Ride with GPS files and interactive maps were updated to help visitors plan and traverse the trail easily on their visits. This significant work on these efforts was led by board member and dedicated volunteer Bob Niedenthal, whose attention to detail and passion for the trail make a lasting impact for visitors. Thank you, Bob, for your passion for this trail.

We also made major strides in trail wayfinding through metropolitan Cleveland. As construction continues on the Irish Town Bend section of the Towpath Trail, navigation through city streets has been a frequent source of frustration for visitors. Working closely with the City of Cleveland, Ohio to Erie Trail board members helped install 35 OH-1 directional signs along the trail and on-road segments to improve clarity and safety until the continuous trail to Lake Erie is completed. Thank you, Northern Ohio board members Mark Brown, Ken Knabe, Tim Furey, and Gary Yelenosky, for your tireless work and commitment to make this happen.

Honoring the People Who Built the Trail

One of the highlights of the year was a new partnership with Columbus Outdoor Pursuits during their Knox County Biketoberfest. The Ohio to Erie Trail partnered in funding the event and designing trail routes that welcomed cyclists of all abilities and backgrounds for a beautiful and well-attended weekend.

The Saturday ride honored Jim Buchwald, a longtime Knox County industrialist, community advocate, trail supporter, and frequent visitor. Sunday’s ride paid tribute to Ed Honton, founder of the Ohio to Erie Trail. These rides celebrated not only the trail itself, but the people whose vision and generosity made it possible. We look forward to this event continuing in the years ahead.

Staying Connected: Social Media and Real-Time Information

As cross-state visits by cyclists, runners, and hikers continue to grow, timely communication has become essential. Our social media channels and website now serve as critical tools for sharing detours, closures, and safety updates, the information visitors depend on when planning long-distance trips.

Our Executive Director, Jody Dzuranin, assured this information remained accurate, visible, and up to date throughout the year. I extend my personal thanks to Jody for her dedication and leadership in helping trail visitors. Jody will be leaving the Ohio to Erie Trail at the end of 2025 to pursue new opportunities, and we wish her every success in the future.

Looking Ahead: Priorities for 2026

In November, the Ohio to Erie Trail Board of Directors gathered for a strategic retreat to chart our course for the years ahead. Several priorities emerged for 2026:

Website and Social Media Refresh

With trail use continuing to climb, including increased interest from commercial tour operators and national and international visitors, we will evaluate and refresh our website and social media presence to ensure they are intuitive, welcoming, and reflective of a premier cross-state trail. A dedicated committee is already at work in making this happen.

Enhancing the Visitor Experience

Creating memorable trail experiences remains central to our mission. One of our favorite ways to celebrate the trail has been recognizing the joy and experiences of our visitors through the 326 Club, which honors those who travel the full length of the Ohio to Erie Trail.

This year, we will explore new ways to recognize a wider range of trail journeys, challenges defined by the experiences that matter most to each individual, whether that’s the full 326 miles or meaningful sections along the way. This work will focus on reimagining challenge programs that elevate visitors’ experiences and deepen the memories they create on the trail.

In 2026, we will explore how to better use our Ride with GPS tourism license, which is essential in planning, sharing, and promoting routes and experiences, including services and points of interest along the trail.

Trail Towns: Welcoming Visitors Beyond the Trail

A welcoming experience does not stop at the trailhead. Since 2021, the Ohio to Erie Trail has partnered with the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC) to explore the Trail Town concept in Central Ohio. In 2026, that work becomes visible.

In Central Ohio, a new Trail Town cohort program will launch with London, Westerville, Worthington, Centerburg, and Mount Vernon leading the way. Trail users will start to see and feel how these communities are embracing visitors across their trails, towns, and local businesses. This well-crafted initiative offers a strong blueprint for Trail Towns across Ohio, and we look forward to highlighting each community’s progress and stories along the journey.

Investing in Leadership

One of the most significant changes ahead is the transition from a part-time to a full-time Executive Director. As the trail continues to grow, it’s clear that fulfilling our mission requires dedicated leadership focused on turning strategy into action through close collaboration with communities, businesses, trail organizations, and government partners across the state.

To support this, the board has restructured the Executive Director role accordingly. We look forward to sharing the upcoming job posting and inviting the trail community to help us identify the right leader for this next chapter.

Strengthening relationships and building bridges

The Ohio to Erie Trail is a network of communities and partners working together across the state. This year begins a new chapter, with a full-time Executive Director and an energized board focused on deepening relationships and expanding impact. By partnering with trail leaders, tourism, and natural resource champions, we will unlock the trail’s full potential for outdoor recreation, economic vitality, and community connection and move our shared vision forward.

Closing the Gaps

While the Ohio to Erie Trail is now 91% off-road, the final miles remain some of the most challenging. In 2026, we will work with trail organizations and government partners to identify gaps and barriers, and communicate progress more clearly to the public. These gaps are actively being addressed, and it is important that visitors understand both the challenges and the steady progress being made.

Thank You and See You on the Trail

Thank you for being part of the Ohio to Erie Trail community. Whether you are riding, walking, volunteering, planning, or advocating, your support matters.

Ohio’s cross-state trail runs diagonally across the state, linking four major cities with rural towns and tracing the state’s industrial and agricultural heritage along rivers, canals, and lakes, following historic towpaths and rail corridors. It is a place where locals and visitors alike come together to experience Ohio in all its richness and diversity.

The trail does not close for winter. In fact, some of its most beautiful moments happen in the quieter months. Shake off your cabin fever with a winter hike or bike ride on the trail.

Wishing you a joyful holiday season and a happy New Year. I hope to see you on the trail in 2026.

One of the more unique and engaging sessions at the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy’s TrailNation Summit was the World Café, the first breakout after the opening day’s plenaries.

Earlier that morning, over breakfast, I flipped through my summit workbook, scanning 20 rapid-fire, round-robin small group breakouts. The challenge ahead was choosing six topics that spoke loudest to me and promised the biggest bang for the buck.

Think of this as a kind of speed dating, a rapid-fire matchmaking process where I had a few minutes to choose an expert and gather their trail wisdom. It wasn’t so much about meeting and networking (though that happened ) as it was about connecting with new ideas, fresh perspectives, and practical solutions that fed into concepts quietly simmering in my mind.

It was about taking a fresh look at familiar ideas or discovering something completely unexpected to help blaze a better trail forward.

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A Fast-Paced Exchange of Ideas

Each of the six round robins was fast-paced and energizing. Experts had just a few short minutes to introduce their ideas, spark conversation, and light a fire in minds before the bell sent us on our way to the next table.

This was a refreshing break from the all-too-familiar PowerPoint marathons, where speakers cram a day’s worth of content into 45 minutes of overpacked slides. This format encouraged concise storytelling with real engagement and active thinking.

As an avid note-taker, I found it challenging to keep up. I walked away from each one with highlights and a key takeaway to inspire me to take action and challenge how I think about trails, communities, businesses, and other partners along the trail.

Over the past week, I revisited my workbook notes. The six topics I chose were diverse, yet together they reflected what I value most as a trail leader: connections, inclusion, sustainability, and local pride.

Here’s what stood out.

Outdoor Recreation and Rural Prosperity

My summit cohort, a group of attendees who shared a common thread, focused on rural communities. It was a natural fit from two perspectives: I live in rural Ohio on a family farm, and I lead a trail that runs through numerous rural towns and country crossroads as it diagonally crosses the State of Ohio.

The speaker, from the Kansas Office of Rural Prosperity, shared a simple but powerful message that resonated with me: “The outdoors is everything. Find a place in it. Understand the culture of the community.”

Kansas fosters community champions in small towns to energize the local economies and restore rural community pride. These state-community partnerships fund and make that magic happen. Part of that formula is connecting the town to the outdoors and trails to invigorate the downtown, the heart of rural America.

My key takeaway: Rural small-town Ohio is often overlooked and left behind, but trails can serve as a catalyst for renewal when residents are empowered to take the lead. It’s something worth advocating for as a rural Ohioan.

Signage and Branding to Unite Your Trail System

Few challenges are as universal as signage and identity. When local trails join larger regional or statewide networks, signs become the gateways where consistency matters. Trail visitors want clear, recognizable, consistent signage, yet local communities tend to cherish their unique signage.

The solution isn’t one-size-fits-all. It’s collaboration and compromise. Each trail partner must respect local identity while building awareness of the larger network identity. When balance is found, the trail becomes more than a local asset. It becomes the connection and invitation to visitors crossing the trail network to step inside.

My key takeaway: I’ve watched this dialogue and local–statewide collaboration take shape and gain momentum. Challenges remain, but as more see the return on investment of the outdoor economy and tourism, the importance of a well-signed statewide trail network becomes clearer.

Marketing Strategies to Maximize Trail Networks

Trail leaders have focused on building and maintaining trails for many years. As a trail network becomes interconnected with more miles for relaxation, recreation, exploration, and adventure, marketing cannot be ignored.

Fayetteville, Arkansas, provided a notable example and blueprint to learn from and follow. The success of their marketing came from identifying their target audience, refining their message, and measuring results. They did this by utilizing social media and marketing analytics software and experts.

For smaller trail communities with limited budgets, the lesson is clear: know your audience, speak their languages, and measure what matters. Low-tech approaches such as talking to visitors, conducting surveys, and listening in on social media reveal valuable insights.

My key takeaway: By using targeted marketing and tracking the results, both low and high-tech communities can demonstrate a strong return on investment and build a compelling case for continued trail support.

Engaging Black Women, Girls, and Families in the Outdoors

This session reminded me that inclusion doesn’t just happen but is nurtured. Early on, the presenter said something that stuck with me: “Land is not just a place we visit, but one we nurture.”

That means taking an honest look at where we fall short in creating opportunities for everyone. To make trails truly welcoming, we need to remove barriers, build partnerships, and design programs that reflect diversity in leadership, on the ground, and in the stories we tell about our trails.

It’s about meeting people where they are: hosting inclusive events, partnering with groups that reach broader audiences, and creating trail experiences that foster a genuine sense of belonging. By bringing these conversations into outdoor spaces, we open the door for everyone to feel welcome.

My key takeaway: As a statewide trail leader, this session renewed my commitment to ensuring our trails are places where everyone belongs. The outdoors is free, and there should be no barriers to experiencing the freedom that trails provide.

Engaging Local Foundations for Trail Success

Funding is a challenge familiar to every trail organization and advocate. This session focused on understanding local philanthropy and aligning trail goals with funders’ passions. Funders give when the trail mission speaks to and reflects their mission of giving.

Trail organizations must learn what drives their potential partners and shape proposals that connect emotionally and strategically. Understand where the funder is coming from, what makes them tick, and focus on what they are enthusiastic about.

My key takeaway: This had me thinking about how my statewide trail can help local groups build those grantor-grantee relationships. We need to be a bridge that closes the trail needs and trail funding gap.

Activating and Measuring the Economic Impact of Trails

This session truly resonated with me. I’ve long championed the Trail Town concept —the idea that communities should embrace their trail as a defining part of their identity, using it to strengthen the local economy through tourism and to welcome visitors.

When trails welcome visitors, they bring spending, pride, and a sense of community ownership. For that momentum to last, residents must see and believe in the impact. It starts by examining the local economy as it stands and understanding how it connects to the trail. The mutual benefits and opportunities between the trail and the town become clear through that lens.

Trail advocates, civic leaders, and business owners must work together to demonstrate the shared value that drives greater economic impact. Locals play a crucial role in that story. Their voices and actions give the trail and town credibility and authenticity. When that happens, a true partnership follows.

My key takeaway: The more voices at the table in a trail town, the stronger the shared value proposition, and that collaboration opens doors to funding, visibility, and growth in many ways. That’s a message I need to preach.

Lessons from my Trail Matchmaking Dates

In the end, my speed-dating experiment paid off. Each “date” left me with new insights and renewed enthusiasm for trail advocacy. Some ideas resonated immediately; others challenged me to see things differently. Together, they reminded me that trails are more than just building them. It’s about fostering and growing relationships between people, places, and possibilities.

Just like in real speed dating, not every encounter leads to a lasting match, but the ones that do can change everything.

Happy Trails!

Last week, I was fortunate to attend the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy’s TrailNation Summit in Cleveland, Ohio. 400 passionate trail advocates gathered from across the country, representing trails large and small, cities and small towns, policymakers and planners, advocates, and volunteers. What united us was a shared love of trails and a vision for growing a connected trail network across the United States.

In this post, I’m sharing my reflections from the opening sessions that invigorated, challenged, and deepened my understanding of the value of trails.

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A Different Kind of Summit

The summit’s format was both innovative and refreshingly old-school. Each attendee received a printed workbook with space for notes from every session. In an age of apps and live social media feeds, the simple act of putting thoughts on pen to paper felt grounding.

I fully embraced the workbook. It quickly became my conference bible. It wasn’t just a place to jot down what I heard, but a companion for reflection, capturing ideas that will evolve into future Tom on the Trails posts and my work on trails. Sometimes, handwriting makes ideas stick in ways that notes in the cloud never can.

The Case for Trails

Kicking off with an impactful plenary, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC) leaders’ welcoming remarks were followed by a diverse panel. Elected officials and government employees provided a refreshing, multi-faceted look at advocating for trails, encompassing urban, rural, local, and statewide viewpoints. The discussion underscored something all my readers know: trails transform. It’s those short and two sweet words.

While we may be passionate advocates, we’re still a small slice of the public conversation. A speaker noted that trail advocates make up only about 2% of the collective voice in this country. The challenge is clear: we need to make our voice louder and a bigger part of the collective view of our country and society.

RTC shared data from its national poll showing strong public support for trails. Nearly everyone agrees they matter:

• The vast majority of Americans say they value trails.

• Over 80% support using tax dollars to build, connect, and maintain them.

• A large majority also says they want more places to enjoy the outdoors.

Those numbers are powerful reminders that our message already resonates. It just needs to reach policymakers’ ears.

The Path Forward: Pragmatic Optimism

We’ve lived through a once-in-a-lifetime moment for trail growth. Over the past two decades, we’ve seen an extraordinary expansion of trails and trail networks across the nation. Yet, current political and budget challenges threaten to slow that progress. The speakers offered a mindset for moving forward: pragmatic optimism.

Pragmatic optimism is the mindset of maintaining hope and confidence in the future while making realistic, practical decisions in the present. This approach blends the vision and expectation of a better outcome with a clear-eyed acceptance of challenges, limitations, and the need for implementation—focusing not just on positive thinking, but also on action grounded in reality. – Source: AI Summary of Better Humans Medium Post

It’s about maintaining hope and confidence in the future for trails while making realistic, practical decisions today. Pragmatic optimism balances our vision with on-the-ground action, believes in a better outcome for all, while doing the challenging work, often unseen by others, to make it real. Embrace this mindset during these uncertain times.

Be the pragmatic optimist whose dedication and action will blaze a clear path forward for trails and the work you do to protect and expand them.

Voices from the Opening Panel

It was inspiring to hear panelists from diverse backgrounds, representing both red and blue states, and perspectives from large metropolitan areas to the voices of outlying rural communities. Each person championed trails in a way that resonated deeply with them and their constituents, emphasizing that trails do more than connect places. They build pathways to better lives, enabling opportunities, health, and community growth in countless meaningful ways.

Mayor Justin Bibb, Cleveland, Ohio

Mayor Bibb spoke about how trails are revitalizing Cleveland and its metropolitan region. He emphasized leveraging the past for a brighter future. Once a hub of industrial power, Cleveland’s numerous rail corridors now form the backbone of greenways that reconnect neighborhoods, promote health, and offer safe, traffic-free routes for everyday travel.

“Investing in multimodal corridors and transportation choice is critical to Cleveland’s success on many levels,” said Mayor Bibb. “Putting people over cars allows us to build a city that is safer, healthier, and more accessible for everyone. The time is right to prioritize and leverage equitable investments along our low-carbon transportation network, especially along chronically vacant historic commercial corridors.”
Source: Cleveland takes big steps toward Mayor Bibb’s vision for a 15-minute city

Senator Andrew Jones, Alabama

Senator Jones spoke of Sweet Trails Alabama, a bipartisan state trails plan effort to expand trail access statewide. Alabama faces challenges of poverty and health disparities, and lawmakers realized that outdoor recreation is an effective and affordable way to strengthen communities and retain workforce talent. The trails are helping Alabama chart a healthier, more connected future.

“This Plan largely stemmed from the work of the Hoover Institution in their Innovative Alabama report to the Alabama Innovation Commission, in which one of the main takeaways and recommendations is for the State to expand its outdoor recreation industry, enhancing the state’s attractiveness to high-skilled workers and yielding substantial returns for both rural and urban communities. Trails are a critical, desired, and unmet need in Alabama outdoor recreation that is needed to keep Alabama competitive.”
Source: Sweet Trails Alabama’s Executive Summary

Cassie Mordini, Wisconsin Office of Outdoor Recreation

Cassie represented Wisconsin’s Office of Outdoor Recreation, part of the state’s Department of Tourism. She illustrated how investing in trails is not simply good for public health. It’s an economic strategy. Trails fuel tourism, boost local businesses, and keep dollars circulating in cities and small towns across the state.

“With over 15,000 lakes, 84,000 miles of rivers and streams, and 6 million acres of public land, Wisconsin’s natural assets are remarkable. It’s no wonder outdoor recreation is a top reason people visit Wisconsin, as well as a key factor in relocation, second home purchases, and business attractions. There is a direct connection between these natural resources, how we enjoy them, and the economic health and overall well-being of our state and its residents. The Office of Outdoor Recreation works with partners to support and uplift this essential industry.”
Source: Wisconsin Office of Outdoor Recreation Website

Trisha Purdon, Kansas Department of Commerce

Trisha directs the Office of Rural Prosperity within Kansas’s Department of Commerce. “Downtowns are the heart of rural America.” Trisha’s message resonated deeply with me as a person living in a rural area outside of a small Midwest city, where the downtown is the community hub that brings people together.

She spoke about how trail development and rural revitalization go hand in hand. By investing in trails, rural communities attract visitors, stimulate local economies, and help bridge the urban–rural divide. I’ve seen firsthand how my vibrant downtown embracing trail access can transform a community.

“Since being one of the first key priority departments established by Governor Kelly in 2019, we have worked to ensure rural communities were elevated and programs and services that rural stakeholders outlined as priorities are developed. After two state-wide listening sessions, one thing was clear: rural Kansans consistently felt the State was not listening. They felt as if they did not have a seat at the table. These discussions established the foundation and priorities of ORP.”
Source: Kansas Office of Rural Prosperity website

Key Takeaways

• Rural (and Urban) Champions: Every successful trail project has its champions: local leaders, often everyday people and not elected officials, who believe in the vision and rally others to it. Rural champions, especially, are vital to building prosperity and ensuring their communities are not left behind. They know firsthand the challenges of rural America and can tell their stories with passion and lived experiences.

• Connections and Connecting: The theme of connection echoed through the words of every presenter. Trails connect people to places, communities to each other, and individuals to nature, and even to themselves. They expand our circles of friendship and understanding, transcending politics, backgrounds, and boundaries.

• Trails as Essential Infrastructure: Trails must be reframed as essential infrastructure, not amenities. In an era of tight budgets, decision-makers fund what they view as essential. Trails improve public health, stimulate economies, and preserve history. Rail trails and canal towpaths, especially, connect our industrial past to a sustainable future from this vision rooted in the past. These are some of the reasons that are essential.

• Collaboration, Awareness, and Planning: The panelists emphasized the importance of working as a team. We collaborate because many voices are stronger than one. We raise awareness because not everyone understands the benefits trails bring. We help them see it. We plan collaboratively because grassroots energy builds trails, but a shared long-term vision with others connects them into a wider network that changes regions.

In Closing

The opening sessions of the TrailNation Summit were both motivational, deeply grounded, and provided lessons from many viewpoints. They resonated with my view that trails are not just recreational paths, but pathways toward stronger, healthier, and more united communities and nation.

In the coming weeks, I’ll share more reflections and lessons from the summit. Until then, I encourage you to explore the resources and recordings below to hear directly from these inspiring voices.

Resources:

• TrailNation Welcome Recording

• From Amenities to Essentials: The Case for Trails and Active Transportation

• TrailNation Summit Resources

Happy trails,
Tom

On a crisp October morning in 2018, I boarded the Amtrak Capitol Limited bound for Washington, D.C. The next day, I set out on a bike tour from the nation’s capital to Pittsburgh. I had completed it three times before, always sharing the adventure, joy, sense of discovery, and feeling of accomplishment with friends.

2018 was different from my tours prior to that year. It was my first solo inn-to-inn credit card tour, carrying the essentials and staying in Airbnb’s and hotels along the way.

I first rode the 3-2-1 Ride in Pittsburgh that supports pancreatic cancer research in 2017. That ride was personal, as one of my cycling friends’ wives was diagnosed with the disease. In 2018, her family again formed a team to ride in her honor.

I joined cycling friends for the 2018 edition of the 3-2-1 Ride. The ride’s metric century became the final leg of my journey from Washington, D.C. to Pittsburgh. My first solo tour transformed into something bigger, with an ending with a purpose.

My passion for bike touring took root in 2011, cycling those same trails with a friend on our very first cycling adventure. We camped and stayed in B&Bs while discovering the meaning of life on two wheels. That journey opened my eyes not just to the beauty of the outdoors but to the joy of slow travel and shared experiences.

That 2018 ride from D.C. to Pittsburgh became a turning point. It showed me how much freedom, reflection, and joy can come from exploring the world alone on my bike.

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Answering The Call of Solo Touring

There’s a distinct quiet that emerges on a solo bike tour. The gentle hum of the wheels, the rhythm of your breathing, and the intimate way you experience the weather. Riding alone balances effort and ease, solitude and discovery. It’s in the miles that you come face-to-face with your strength and resilience.

This essay explores the who, what, where, when, and why of solo bike touring. Think of it as a guide and invitation for anyone who’s ever hesitated to take that first step alone. This collection of reflections is for those curious about how time spent on the bike can transform and enrich your life.

Who: Discovering Confidence Within

I never considered myself an adventurer, but I’ve always been eager to expand my view of the world. That solo bike tour in 2018 felt just as challenging as my very first bicycle tour in 2011.

As someone who often worries about safety, especially the possibility of being stranded in the wilderness, setting off alone on desolate trails was daunting. Overcoming that fear was a vital part of the journey.

I learned that touring solo isn’t reserved for the epic around-the-world bike tourists. Solo touring is for anyone searching for space to have honest inner conversations and striving for personal growth.

I wondered whether I could really handle it. That inner question was exactly why I got on the bike in Washington, D.C. and cycled westward. The answer would come over the 334 miles of pedal strokes.

A unique aspect was resetting my mindset to embrace the role of a beginner after seven years of experience touring with friends. I had to become someone willing to rely on myself and trust in my ability to achieve what I felt was out of reach for a cyclist like me.

The answer to “who” is simple: it’s you. Solo touring is about challenging the inner voice that says, “I can’t do this.” It’s a time to uncover courage from within.

Before setting out as a solo tourist, take inventory of the experiences, challenges, and achievements that have shaped your life and cycling. This foundation moves the voice to “I can do this ".

What: The True Meaning of Solo Touring

Finding meaning in solo bike touring is personal. For me, it’s the freedom of carrying only the essentials, making my own choices, and earning the satisfaction that comes from ending a day of touring smiling, tired, but proud.

Independence is a common reason cyclists tour solo, but a deeper reason comes from within. Solo touring quiets the noise of everyday life, allowing true questions about life’s purpose and change to surface. In that silence, clarity and focus emerge.

There’s a confidence that comes from handling whatever the journey brings, from fixing a flat in the rain, climbing a hill you thought was impossible, and discovering strength you never knew you had. These moments are about learning to trust yourself, your instincts, and your abilities.

Riding solo engages you in your life by not letting past limitations or others’ expectations set your boundaries. It’s about being persistent, present, and finding joy in meeting yourself and the world with every mile.

Everyone who rides solo finds their own “what,” their personal motivation. For me, planning and completing my first solo tour opened a new chapter in my life. Whatever reason calls you, hold onto it. That “what” will open a new chapter for you.

Where: Choosing Your Destination

Choosing where to undertake your first solo tour is a decision that begins with clarifying your motivations and goals while reflecting on what draws you to solo cycling and stepping outside of your comfort zone. An adventure doesn’t require travel to far-off places.

Rewarding experiences can be found close to home or on familiar routes. Expand a day ride into a longer tour to assess your self-reliance and cycling skills. Research routes that stretch your abilities just enough but prioritize comfort, safety, and being open to new experiences.

Choose a destination that matches the level of challenge you’re looking for and fits within your available time. Ensure it offers the amenities you’ll need each day and resources for when the unexpected happens. Look for routes, whether trails, roads, or a mix of both, that suit your cycling style while keeping safety your top priority.

Pick a place that excites you as a cyclist. Seek advice and inspiration from fellow cyclists whose experiences resonate with you. Let their stories shape and validate your choice. Once you settle on a destination, you can focus on planning the adventure that awaits.

When: Timing Your Solo Adventure

Deciding when to tour by bike is shaped by where you are in life and your priorities. In the past, work schedules and sharing vacation time with my husband dictated my options. In retirement, I still consult my calendar but focus on current and future goals as a person free from work constraints.

Practical considerations such as weather, season, lodging options, and road or trail traffic play a big role in planning. Except for winter getaways in Florida’s perfect cycling weather, I favor the shoulder seasons of spring and fall. These times have fewer crowds, easier booking, and vibrant colors that feed the senses.

“When” depends on aligning your life circumstances with the optimal season in your destination. By considering both thoughtfully, you can choose a window that lets you fully enjoy and appreciate your solo journey.

Why: The Power of Solitude and Growth

Choosing to embark on a solo bike tour weaves together the motivations and lessons behind all the other questions. The “why” becomes clearer in the days after that first journey. Touring is, at its heart, about discovery. Those discoveries confirm and deepen what you learned from riding solo.

Solo bike touring is a catalyst for personal growth. Pedaling solo gives you space to reflect, challenge old fears, and address the obstacles that hold you back. It forces you to confront discomfort and boredom while uncovering unexpected moments of joy and awe.

Solitude teaches in unexpected ways. It reveals a resilience and resourcefulness you never knew you possessed. It invites empathy and connection with people to engage you in conversation, helping you better understand the places and local flavors you encounter.

Every mile you ride solo tests your endurance and strength, helping you grow on and off the bike. The lessons learned of adaptability, perseverance, and self-reliance stay with you long after the tour ends.

Tom’s Closing Thoughts

If hesitation is holding you back, take some time to answer the five Ws. Start close to home with a one or two-night trip. These short tours help you learn the essentials of planning, packing, and handling the unexpected. Each tour builds your knowledge, confidence, and motivation to take on longer, more adventurous rides.

The journey changes you; it should change you. It leaves marks on your memory, on your consciousness, on your heart, and on your body. — Anthony Bourdain

The Daily Pulse

A cool, foggy, overcast morning passed quickly on the trail as I rode through small riverside towns, places where traces of past glory linger while new stories are being written. Many of these communities are finding renewal through the trail, transforming decline into comeback. Along the way, the skeletal remains of old industries stood beside signs of new growth taking shape.,

With the Pittsburgh skyline coming into view, I turned into the Southside neighborhood to meet my friend and fellow trail advocate, Amy Camp, for lunch. We spent a few enjoyable hours catching up, sharing stories, and talking about our shared passion for trails and how they can help revitalize the towns they touch.

From there, it was a short ride across the Hot Metal Bridge to the final stretch to Point State Park, where the Monongahela and Allegheny Rivers merge to form the Ohio River. I paused for some celebratory photos before heading to the parking garage. As I wheeled my bike in, the parking attendant gave me a high five. No doubt used to seeing tired but smiling riders ending their journeys in the same spot.

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Echoes of the Past

My morning began as most do on my tours with the promise of a good breakfast and friendly conversation. I knew just the spot, Gary’s Chuckwagon, a classic small-town diner that never disappoints. I never pass through West Newton without stopping there.

I arrived five minutes before opening and found an old-timer already waiting by the door. He told me, with a grin, that Gary’s opens at 8:00 a.m. sharp, never a minute early or late. As we waited, he shared stories from his fifty-plus years in town. At exactly 8:00 a.m., the doors opened.

West Newton, he said, once thrived with a munitions plant and a radiator factory, both long gone now. Still, he was optimistic, noting the steady stream of U-Hauls, vans, and cyclists he sees pulling into town and the Bright Morning B&B. He was proud of the new chapter unfolding for West Newton, one shaped by the Great Allegheny Passage and the local businesses welcoming trail visitors.

Further down the trail toward Pittsburgh, I reached Boston, another town embracing its railroad heritage. The trailhead’s visitor center celebrates the history of the Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad (P&LE), whose former tracks now guide cyclists toward the Steel City. A restored P&LE railcar stands as a tribute to that legacy. Once carrying freight, it now symbolizes a new kind of journey on foot and bike, twenty miles from Pittsburgh.

The trail taught me

As I left Pittsburgh behind and drove through the Fort Pitt Tunnel, I found myself reflecting on life at the speed of a bicycle. Over the past seven days, I have traveled more than 350 miles, mostly through nature, along quiet paths that few ever see, and often in peaceful solitude.

Now, in my Subaru, I faced 170 miles of busy interstates, passing a blur of towns with little sense of the people or stories they could tell. The contrast between these two modes of travel and the worlds they reveal couldn’t have been clearer.

Today reminded me of the value of time spent in solitude outdoors. When you’re alone in nature, the constant noise of daily life fades away, replaced by the sounds of the river, trees, and wildlife as the steady rhythm of pedaling moves me forward, more immersed, and aware of place. That rhythm of the tour has a way of quieting the mind, inviting reflection and a sense of presence.

This tour, like those before it, was a gift, a reminder of how much I treasure solitude on the trail and the clarity it brings.

Life Reflection

This tour became one of deep reflections on my past rides, on history, and on a transforming America. It was also a time to reflect on the present. Along the trail, my thoughts often drifted to planning my final board meeting of the year and how to shape the pieces of a one-day retreat into something meaningful.

Lunch with my friend and fellow trail advocate, Amy Camp, added another layer of reflection. She brings a town-centric view of trails, while mine is more trail-centric. That’s one of the reasons I admire her. She understands communities and tourism in ways that broaden my own perspective. Whenever our paths cross, I walk away with new insights and plenty to think about.

And then there was the personal reflection, the kind that always finds me on these tours. If you’ve followed this series, you’ve seen glimpses of that journey. Every bike tour gives me the space and clarity to look at where I am in life and how I want to move forward. Somehow, the trail always teaches me more about life than I expect, even when I think I’m just reflecting on the trail itself.

A heartfelt thank you to all my readers who shared this journey! Your comments, engagement, and virtual presence made this uniquely personal and reflective tour even more special.

Happy Trails!