Numerous Amish buggies are a visual treat along the Holmes County Bike trail. The tunnel in the small picture below right is where the trail passes under SR 83 south of Holmesville. I did the shadowed silhouette of Lynn pedaling while I chased her on my bike and manipulated the camera with a free hand. Our colleagues wisely gave us ample room for this creative silliness.

BICYCLES AND BUGGIES--

Numerous Amish horses and buggies clippity clopped their way past our bicycles as our different cultures ricocheted along the combined-use bicycle trail that spans the old railroad line between Fredericksburg and Killbuck in Holmes County.

Without fail a wise and white-whiskered face would smile a gentle morning’s greeting, or a young family with giggling children would wave with friendly shyness from their horse propelled vehicles.

Somehow both cultures—theirs and ours--seemed to know, while there was vast difference between us, on this day and using our own versions of animal powered locomotion, differences were not so great after all.

This marvelous bike trail was so pleasurable it felt like it was downhill in both directions.

The buggy and bicycle halves of the trail were separate, sometimes with a pesky elevation change between them and reversing sides here and there as if by some very curious design.

My riding companions were locals Lynn Rush and Gary Courtright and ex-local Ted Kmet of Gainesville, FL who is visiting family here for the summer. We awarded Ted an A+ for suggesting this marvelous venue for our day’s ride.

The trail covers 15 miles from top to bottom passing through Holmesville and Millersburg along its mostly shady way. The segment from Killbuck through Glenmont and on to Brinkhaven will be another 16 miles when completed.

We logged just under 30 miles by riding both segments out and back from our launch at the delightful Rails to Trails Hipp Station in Millersburg.

The abandoned rail line on which the trail resides traces its history to 1854 when it was a branch of the Cleveland to Pittsburg line. At one point in its history the line became known as the Hook and Eye Division because of its large employment of local Mennonites.

It wound up owned by CONRAIL until the lines were abandoned in the early 1980s.

The Federal Rails to Trails legislation which supports the construction of many of these bike trails throughout the US seeks to preserve the old railroad corridors should they ever be needed for the nation’s transportation use once again.

Meanwhile, the rhythmic beat of horse’s hoofs and the swishing hiss of bike tires join the songbirds and burbling streams to caress the souls of those lucky enough to enjoy this trail’s bountiful gifts.

The refreshing temptation of a rippling Salt Creek gave us a relaxing pause as we briefly left the bike trail and rode a very picturesque Fredericksburg Rd., that paralleled the creek south of that quaint, valley town.