Pedaling pays off
Indiana tours feature round barns, covered bridge
BETSA MARSH | ENQUIRER CONTRIBUTOR
There's a striking, circular symmetry to Jackson County's signature bicycle
rides: Round wheels, round routes, round barns.
The central Indiana county, often eclipsed by flashier Brown County next door,
will show off its white-washed treasures during the ninth Volksride Ride to
Recycle on June 17, and the 15th Round Barn Bike Ride July 8.
Though the tours are a ways off and not steep, novice cyclists might want to
take advantage of spring weather and begin training this weekend.
Jackson County is lucky to have three round barns, remnants of a phenomenon that
started in Northern Indiana, then drifted south about a century ago. All are on
private farms, where the owners take good care of the curiosities.
The Volksride Ride starts in Seymour - the "small town" that native rocker John
Mellencamp sings about - and runs past the county's oldest barns. The Burcham
Round Barn near Vallonia, built in 1909-10 for the Hess family, is 68 feet
across, with hand-fit wooden roof shingles and a cupola that's famous for its
Christmas tree each year.
The Stuckwish Round Barn outside Medora cost a whopping $1,500 in 1910-11. Its
beech lumber was supplied by the nearby Schneider sawmill. Both barns brim with
old machinery.
The Volksride - cyclists can take 20-, 43-, 62- or 100-mile paths - winds past
the 1875 Medora Covered Bridge. At 434 feet, it's the longest three-span covered
bridge in the country.
The five-mile Slow Ride for families is new this year. Sag stops for weary
cyclists are scheduled at family farms and historic churches, such as the 1862
St. John's Lutheran Church-Sauers and the 1898 St. Paul Lutheran Church -Wegan.
Volksride benefits the Greater Seymour Chamber of Commerce's Recycling
Committee, specifically its education program. Past year's proceeds have been
used to buy a baler, glass crusher and recycling vehicle.
The July 8 Round Barn Ride, taking off from the county seat of Brownstown, will
glide past all three barns at 20, 32 or 62 miles. There's even a sag stop at the
1920 Hall Round Barn, which spans 72 feet. The lumber was cut green and used
immediately, allowing the builders to create the curves.
The Round Barn has an optional leg through Skyline Drive, a panoramic trace
through Jackson-Washington State Forest. This is serious pedaling, cresting
these hills, but the vistas over the fields and hamlets make it worth the churn.
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