The Shipshewana Trailhead

 June and I went to Shipshewana today to ride the Middlebury-to-Shipshewana section of the Pumpkinvine. Although I've been to the Shipshewana trailhead numerous times (I'm thinking mostly about the easter parking area), today I was struck more than in the past by what an excellent trailhead it is. (I kept comparing it to Abshire Park staging area.) Here are a few observations.

• The parking area is paved. I know the Abshire gravel works, but the difference with asphalt is that for anyone who puts their bikes in a car or van as we do, the asphalt means I don't have gravel dust on my tires when I put it into the van.
• The asphalt has parking lines so you know where to park -- another advantage over gravel.
• It has a large restroom, though it is some distance from the east parking area.
• It has multiple bike racks.
• There is a children's playground nearby.
• It has a drinking fountain.
• There is a large sign announcing the Pumpkinvine Nature Trail. Abshire also has one, but it is less visible than this one.
• It is downtown just blocks from several places to eat. (I'd love to see an ice cream place near Abshire Park.)

This trailhead is by far the most attractive one on the Pumpkinvine. Middlebury has no staging area unless you count Krider Garden or the new parking lot off Spring Street that is hard to find. If I were coming from Michigan to ride the Pumpkinvine, this Shipshewana trailhead is where I would go. Today we met a couple from Fort Wayne who said they come to ride the trail once a week. They also have a cabin in Michigan that brings them here. 

One other observation of the day was that one advantage of the trail being built in stages is that it can be repaired in stages, i.e., it won't all need repair at the same time. The Middlebury-to-Shipshewana section was built in 2009, so it is 15 years old. From what I've read, a trail needs resurfacing every 17 years, and this section is beginning to show its age.