There’s a special kind of magic in the woods. Maybe it’s the way the sunlight filters through the leaves. Maybe it’s the way the wind whispers between the trees, promising adventure. Or maybe it's the thrill of navigating twisty trails while dodging squirrels and contemplating which gear will get you up the hill.

We met up with the Waterman family and their daughter Hannah in Vermont because we heard how wonderful Vermont Adaptive Ski & Sports was. When we were looking at places to go, we were amazed with all the adaptive bicycles available at Vermont Adaptive.

Traditional bikes are great and all, but adapted trail bikes? They’re like the Swiss Army knives of outdoor adventure. Need something that handles like a tank but feels like a dream? There’s a rig for that. Want electric assist to help with the climbs? No problem. Fancy a full-suspension setup that turns exposed tree roots into a smooth cruise? You’re covered.

Each bike is tailored to its rider, meaning no 2 rigs are quite the same. Some have hand cranks instead of pedals, others have levers for steering, and some even feature caterpillar tracks (yes, tracks—because why not?). The team at Vermont Adaptive really helped us feel comfortable with the reclining bikes. Since they are used to adapting each bike to different riders, they were ready for us. Instead of having Magnolia and Hannah pedal, they created footrest boards so both of them could enjoy the ride.

If you think adapted bikes limit where you can ride, think again. Many trails, from gentle forest paths to full-on mountain descents, are opening up thanks to better accessibility and some good old-fashioned determination.

Picture this: You roll up to the trailhead with your bike—maybe it’s a low-slung, 3-wheeled beast built for speed, or a beefy handcycle ready to eat rocks for breakfast. You strap in, take a deep breath, and push off. The first few feet are smooth. Then the fun begins.

As we quickly learned, though, no matter the bicycle, the person pushing the pedals is doing the extra work while our individuals with Rett enjoy the fun ride. The reclining bikes were made for flat trails, but we wanted to do some harder terrain, so on our ride, AJ had to pedal extra hard to get Magnolia up the hills. I didn’t mention it to him then, but the Vermont Adaptive staff member was pedaling Hannah up the same hill with ease.