One of the many things I love about my job is the opportunity to work with visitors bureaus to plan my trip itineraries because sometimes they come up with ideas that I wouldn’t have thought of myself. Going for a bike ride through Amish Country is a perfect example. AmishCountry.org made all the arrangements for my kids and me to enjoy a bike ride on the tranquil Pumpkinvine Nature Trail. This trail is a 16.5-mile route that connects the communities of Goshen, Middlebury, and Shipshewana in Northern Indiana. They arranged for bicycle rentals from Pumpkinvine Cyclery in Middlebury.
The men who worked at Pumpkinvine Cyclery were very helpful and got all of us set up with bikes and helmets, and then made sure we knew where we were going before we set out.
We had a good experience at Pumpkinvine Cyclery, but there are other shops that rent bikes also. Trail maps are available online or you may be able to pick up one at the rental place or a visitors center. It’s also a good idea to review the trail rules before you head out.
Because of some construction, we had to take a slight detour to get to the trail and had to travel along a road for a short while.
The scenery was typical countryside–houses, farms, and gardens.
Before long we made it to the official trail.
It was a peaceful ride on the trail. We saw farms, horses, flowers, and trees.
We even found an Amish Country store along the way and bought some homemade egg noodles. I’m glad one of us had a backpack in order to carry our purchase.
Not all of the homes are owned by the Amish. The lack of wires going to the house is one giveaway. Another clue is the clotheslines with the laundry hanging to dry.
My kids’ only complaint about our Amish Country bike ride was that it wasn’t long enough! We had other plans for the afternoon and had to head back. They would have happily kept going all the way to Shipshewana if we’d had enough time.
Ready to visit?
Pumpkinvine Cyclery
420 N Main St.
Middlebury, IN 46540
(574) 825-2252
Disclosure: We received complimentary bike rentals so that I could research and write this article. Many thanks to the Amish Country/Elkhart County Convention & Visitors Bureau for coordinating our trip.
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