Girl in wheelchair inspires Terre Haute bike park to add adaptive use trail

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) – Last summer during a YMCA field trip, Griffin Bike Park manager Rich Moore noticed a student who couldn’t participate in activities like her classmates.

“They brought a little girl named Kaylinn and she was in a wheelchair and they just kind of set her off to the side because we didn’t know what to do with her at the bike park,” Moore said.

Moore said he decided to push Kaylinn around the park so she could enjoy the field trip, but he found out that just wasn’t enough. Moore, with the help of trail builder Blake Griffin, decided they would help those with similar circumstances.

“I got the brainchild to go research this and build a trail that she can ride on in her wheelchair or with adaptive equipment,” Moore said.

This new trail, known as the Warrior Trail, is wider than others at the bike park. Griffin said inclines are no larger than 4 degrees and there are no huge jumps.

In addition to the trail, a $3,800 bike was donated to the park, so riders in wheelchairs can experience the park without being pushed.

Kaylinn’s mother said seeing this trail come to life brought her to tears.

“She does get kind of upset seeing all the other kids playing soccer or dance classes and everything like that. So when I heard from Rich that they had made this trail, it made me cry. I just thought it was amazing that he had took the time after meeting her to make something like this,” said Ashley Morley, Kaylinn’s mother.

The inspiration behind this trail said she is surprised that this is happening and she’s looking forward to seeing it finally open.

“I’m just really excited. I’ve never heard that somebody could do that because somebody’s legs or anything like that,” Kaylinn Crouch said.

A ribbon-cutting was scheduled for Thursday, and Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch will visit and demonstrations of how to ride the trail will be shown.

Moore said the trail is available to all riders with disabilities. The adaptive bike will stay at the park for those who need it.