MOUNT VERNON — Celebrate Trails Day offers a chance for avid trail users and novices to appreciate the trails that weave Knox County communities together.
Celebrate Trails Day is observed on the fourth Saturday of April.
And what better day is there to officially debut Happy Spokes, a program that enables folks with limited mobility to once again enjoy the 35 miles of trail in Knox County.
Established in 2025, Happy Spokes is affiliated with the international Cycling Without Age and supported locally by the United Way of Knox County.
The volunteer program offers free trishaw rides to individuals who have mobility difficulties.
“This program is being kicked off today, and I will tell you it has been an awesome day because people have come up and they want to know about the trishaws,” Joe Porter, mobility manager, said.
“They’re offering ideas for programs that we can do with them.”
Jack Bargahiser, who lives close to Richland County’s bike trail, attended Saturday’s ribbon-cutting ceremony for Happy Spokes.
After reading about the program, he agreed to invest in the program with the proviso that it come to Richland County once a month.
“Jack worked with us from the beginning on this, and he has definitely helped us a lot to get the ball rolling,” Porter said.
“On top of that, he is working on his own program up in Richland County. He has a trishaw and he’s using that up there.”
‘A lot to be proud of’
Olivia Toth, executive director of the Knox County Convention & Visitors Bureau, said the CVB is excited to have the Happy Spokes program.
She thanked Knox Mobility Management, Knox Public Health, United Way of Knox County, Bargaheiser, and everyone else who made it possible.
Noting that not every community has 35 miles of paved trail across their county, she said Knox County has “a lot to be proud of when it comes to the trails.”
“This is just another feather in our cap and just speaks to the community we are, and the assets and amenities we want to have along the trail,” she said.
“So all the support for this kind of initiative is so important.”
The program is open to anyone, whether they are going through rehabilitation or merely want to ride.
“We want to work with the veterans; we want to work with the younger kids. This is for all folks. That’s why we call it Happy Spokes,” she said.
She encouraged residents to tell others about the trails and the organizations that participated in the Celebrate Trails event.
“We really are a trail town, and so to bring this kind of thing to our trails is really important. So any ideas, impact, giving, or volunteerism is very, very important,” she said.
Two food trucks participated in the activities, and Round Hill Dairy provided free ice cream. Groups included:
•Knox County Park District
•Knox County Recycling & Litter Prevention
•Ariel-Foundation Park
•Brown Family Environmental Center
•Outdoor Pursuits
Local historian Gloria Parsisson and Tom Bilcze rounded out the activities with presentations.
Parsisson spoke about railroad history in the county. Bilcze, president of the Ohio to Erie Trail, discussed his adventures on the trails in Ohio.
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