Originally published to the Chillicothe Gazette on June 29, 2025

Growing up in Kingston, I rode my bike everywhere. Warm weather meant trekking through every alley and side street on my ten-speed. One time, thanks to a small patch of unseen gravel, I went down hard in the literal center of town. In the center of the actual road. In addition to an extreme case of embarrassment, I also had a nasty sprain and a doctor’s directive to stay off my bicycle for what felt like an eternity. I survived, but just barely. My bicycle was freedom to me then; it was everything.

As popular as biking was with the middle school crowd of my youth, it’s even more popular now. There are so many benefits, inside and out. Fifty West Brewing Company in Chillicothe teams up with River’s Bend to host a Community Ride every Monday evening at 5:30 p.m. You can meet up and cruise downtown with other riders. In addition to all the physical and social benefits, it’s a great way to disconnect and get outside. Our easy access to The Paint Creek Recreational Trail, which stretches from here to Washington Courthouse, offers plenty of opportunities for a scenic ride through the stunning beauty of Ross County.

Our community has been working together to encourage more biking and make it safer. The Ross County Park District is in the process of installing bike service stations along the paved path. We have repair stations at the Main and Northside Libraries, as well. The City of Chillicothe, Ross County YMCA, and the Chillicothe Transit System are a few of the organizations collaborating to get our community pedaling. The development of a Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee is a collection of these organizations and other like-minded individuals interested in biking, walking, and the best way to keep people safe while doing it. The committee will meet at 2 p.m. July 17 in the Main Library Annex, for those interested in joining.

If you don’t have a bike of your own, get a library card and take advantage of the Book-a-Bike program, brought to you by a “Creating Heathy Communities” grant from the Ross County Health District. With a full access card, you can check out a bike for up to two hours from our Main, Northside, or Paxton libraries and get moving. You can even access and return bikes to the Ross County YMCA, The Chillicothe Transit System, or the Ross County Health District.

Bike kiosks make borrowing a bike is easier than ever. Read the instructions on the bike mounts located outside our Main, Northside, and Paxton locations, as well as on Riverside Drive near the bike trail. You’ll be prompted to download the free On Bike Share app, set up an account, and can check out a bike right from your phone!

If two-wheeling isn’t your thing, the library is also offering a series of walking programs throughout the summer to get you out and about. Every Wednesday morning at 9 a.m. you can meet up at the Main Library Community Garden for a social stroll through downtown. Please dress for the weather and wear comfortable shoes.

So, whether you feel the pull of a self-propelled cruise or you’d rather gather for a stroll, look no further than your local library. Just watch out for loose gravel.

Sheena Brown is an out-of-practice bicycle enthusiast and an Enrichment, Communications, and Marketing Clerk at the Chillicothe and Ross County Public Library.