In early August, a young male was observed riding back and forth on the Pumpkinvine Nature Trail between the State Road 13 and County Road 43 on a moped. Besides the illegality of riding a motorized vehicle on the trail, the person was also harassing other trail users. Those trail users called the police, and they arrested the person for riding a motorized vehicle on the trail.

Around the same time, two men set up a table at the County Road 37 parking lot to distribute religious materials to trail users, not understanding that it is illegal to sell or distribute literature in a public park. And I recently heard about a cyclist who was traveling at a high speed and ran into the side of a car crossing the trail at Sunrise Lane (where cars have the right of way) damaging the door of the car, and then somehow managed to speed away without taking responsibility for the damage he caused to the car–a thoughtless case of hitting and running.

These types of incidents are, fortunately, rare on the Pumpkinvine Nature Trail. In the 18 years since the first 1.75 miles of the Pumpkinvine Nature Trail opened in 2000, there have been very few illegal or anti-social activities reported. Indeed, the trail is one of the safest parks in the area. Most cyclists, walkers and runners are considerate of others and anti-social behavior is rare.

Yet, as these three incidents illustrate, there are a few people in our society who are inconsiderate of others (e.g., the speeding cyclist), unaware of trail rules (e.g., no solicitation or sales on trail property) or are acting illegally (e.g., riding a motorized vehicle on the trail). And even though park staff patrol the Pumpkinvine on a regular basis, it is important for all trail users to be alert to illegal or anti-social behavior.

What should you do if you see such activities on the Pumpkinvine?
1. First, do not attempt to be the police. It is not your job to enforce trail rules. If you observe illegal activity on the trail, you should call 911, report what you saw, and give them the time and location of the incident.
2. If you see someone breaking the posted park rules (like putting up a sign advertising a house for sale, handing out literature or riding over 15 mph or recklessly), report the incident to the appropriate managing agency with as much detail as possible. A list of agencies and their contact information is found on page 5 of this newsletter. It would help to take a photo of the incident as well.

Finally, the best way for us to keep the Pumpkinvine safe is to use it often and demonstrate good walking and cycling behavior. Cyclists should alert walkers to their presence with a bell (a legal requirement for cyclists in Indiana) and announcing that they are “passing on the left.” Walkers can be considerate by not walking three abreast, blocking the trail and turning down their music so they can hear a cyclist’s bell and their words, “passing on the left.” Together we can keep the Pumpkinvine Nature Trail a safe place to exercise and enjoy nature.

Last summer the Eppley Institute for Parks and Public Lands at Indiana University’s School of Public Health conducted a survey on the Pumpkinvine Nature Trail to collect data on trail usage, health factors relating to trail usage and the economic impact the trail has on surrounding communities. The Pumpkinvine was one of eight trail systems in Indiana that participated in this study.

Across all eight trails, there were some key findings.

•  52% of trail users were cyclists. In a similar 2001 study, the most popular activity was walking, so this is quite a shift.
• 67% of trail users report an improvement in their exercise level because of trail usage.
• Those who use the trail report spending more than $3500 annually on trailrelated expenses, such as bicycles, clothing, shoes, food, transportation, etc.
• Trail users say they enjoy better overall health, fewer sleep problems, less pain and less stress than non-users.
  • 66% of trail “neighbors” believe the trail has increased their property value.
• How did the Pumpkinvine Nature Trail compare to the seven other participating trail systems? In a lot of cases, the findings were very much in-line with the others, however there were some key differences.

Trail Activity:

• 72% of surveyed trail users are cyclists. This is a significantly higher number than the 52% that was reported statewide.
• The Pumpkinvine Nature Trail has fewer walkers. Only 16% of those surveyed are walkers, compared to 29% statewide.
• There are also fewer runners and joggers on the Pumpkinvine. 11.5% report that they run or jog, versus 19% statewide.
• There are slightly more birdwatchers on the Pumpkinvine, compared to the other trails.

It’s interesting to note that Pumpkinvine cyclists were far ahead of the statewide average in the distance they cover when cycling. Pumpkinvine cyclists average 12.5 miles per ride, compared to 9.5 miles per ride statewide. They are also above average in the minutes per session, riding on average 84 minutes, compared to 72 minutes statewide. The only instance where Pumpkinvine cyclists were slightly below average was in how many days they ride, which is 3 days per week, compared to 3.5 days per week statewide.

Trail Access:

About half of all Pumpkinvine users drive to access the trail, which is a little higher than the state average. Additionally, Pumpkinvine users travel a greater distance to use the trail, compared to users of the other Indiana trails. 26% of Pumpkinvine users travel more than seven miles to access the trail, compared to 14.5% statewide. When you consider the potential that the trail has to draw tourists, this is very important information to have.

Reasons for Usage:

While the majority of Pumpkinvine users are on the trail for physical activity, 21% of users say they use the trail for recreation. This was the highest average of any trail that was surveyed. Perhaps this is why people travel further to use the trail.

Economic Factors:

You may have seen the recent articles in The Goshen News on how the Pumpkinvine Nature Trail helps boost the local economy. According to this study, it’s true. On average, Pumpkinvine users report spending more than $3000 per year on trail-related expenditures, such as bikes, clothing, food – and transportation to get to the trail (gas, etc). This coincides with the long distances people travel to use the trail.  The information above is a broad summary of the Eppley report. To view the full trail study summary report for the Pumpkinvine Nature Trail, visit https://eppley.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/TrailsStudy_PumpkinvineNTReport.pdf.

We are pleased to announce the three winners of the first annual Pumpkinvine Poetry Contest, which concluded January 31, 2018

First prize: Four tickets for the annual dinner or Pumpkinvine Bike Ride.

Awe
By Matthew Lind

Each day it waits, patiently.
I know it’s there
And even that
Fills me with anticipation.
It is a place where freedom lies
And comfort, perhaps
And awe…
Awe?
Aren’t the Rocky Mountains “awe”?
Maybe Precipice Trail,
Red River Gorge,
Angel’s Landing,
The Highland Trail…
But the Pumpkinvine?
Let me explain.
It is awe,
Brought down to earth;
A miracle that forms
This wondrous NOW.
It does not shout;
It whispers:
“Rider, awake!
Walker, awake!”
There is a place
For majestic mountain peaks,
For the overload of senses
That completely humbles.
Yet here this is:
Of forest and field,
Of understated beauty,
Of awe laid low.
Our back yard
Where we live,
Yet animated by the same
Dizzying atoms
That form Yosemite’s vistas.
It does not shout.
It whispers:
“Come, walk my path.
Awake!”

Second prize: Three tickets for the annual dinner or Pumpkinvine Bike Ride.

The Path
By Elizabeth Linn

I am snowy carpets, bare branches
and peace.
I am green grass, budding leaves and
hope.
I am warm sunshine, wildflowers and
fulfillment.
I am crisp air, vibrant colors and
contentment.
In all seasons, I am exchanged
greetings, shared smiles and
community.

Third prize: 1 ticket for the annual dinner or Pumpkinvine Bike Ride.

Haiku
By Steve Ellis

Silence on the Pumpkinvine.
The bike chain hums
And peace overtakes my soul.

Comment by Ervin Beck, contest judge

All the poems fulfill in a thoughtful, artful way the goal of the contest: to help us see and experience the Pumpkinvine Nature Trail in a new, imaginative way. Matt Lind casts his poem in a free verse form and uses very short lines to create a breathless, passionate argument. He persuades us to “Awake!” to the beauty that lies in the seemingly mundane “atoms” of the nature trail. No matter that his poem has 40 lines instead of the limit of 30 stated by the contest rules. Plenty of the short lines could be combined with others, without loss.

Elizabeth Linn personifies the trail, giving it a speaking voice. Like the Psalms and Walt Whitman, her pleasing poetic form consists of parallel sentence structures, with images blossoming into meaning. Elizabeth knew where to stop. Just one more line would be too much.

Steve Ellis masters the haiku form, the Japanese poetry that consists of 17 syllables divided among three lines. Much in little. His concrete images move us toward deep feeling.

Consider this: Every time we ride the Pumpkinvine we engage a kind of proto-poem. Our trail does not have a boring, literal name, like Monon, 146th Street, Angola, B & O, or Big Four. We could have named our trail similarly, as the Lakeshore and Michigan Southern. Unlike those names, our trail is a “pumpkinvine,” that is, a metaphor, and metaphors are basic ingredients in poems.

The asphalt is really a pumpkin stalk, winding back and forth, up and down, creeping slowly toward Shipshewana or Goshen. A “branch” of the vine heads for the Essenhaus. The streams and rivulets are tendrils on the vine. The wildflowers are pumpkin buds. Where is the pumpkin fruit? Maybe in an Essenhaus pie?

Admiring these poems and riding on the metaphor might inspire you to write a poem for the 2019 contest. “Awake!” Enjoy!