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I was able to speak to Jim, he has arrived safely in Millersburg and sounds great. Mostly we talked about his route for tomorrow so we will have to wait for his report on the adventures of the first two days on his bicycle tour from Cleveland to Cincinnati on the Ohio to Erie Trail. He has an interesting day ahead after a wake-up cruise down the fabulous Holmes County Trail he will be making the climb up Route 6 from Route 520 out of Killbuck. He will navigate the ridge top along Route 6 and need to find the connection with Route 25 and stay on it. Then he will power down hill on Route 62. Will he take the Mohican Valley Trail or choose to stay on Route 62 to get from Brinkhaven to Danville? Its a tough choice—uphill, twice, on the “big” road with the big trucks on Route 62, or the wildly rural, bumpy, dusty or muddy and swirly old Amish trail crossing the Bridge of Dreams? Will he follow the conventional on-road route from Mt Vernon to Sunbury or will he break-out and follow the newly paved sections of the Heart of Ohio Trail that picks up west of Mt Vernon and gets you into Centerburg? Go Jim go!

Jim sent us an e-mail to let us know he made it from Cleveland to Massillon on his first day riding the Ohio to Erie Trail. It was an extremely hot and humid day with on and off drizzle and mist. It turned to rain for his last 30 miles and it really slowed him down. The rain turned the Ohio and Erie Canal Towpath into a “muddy, soft, slippery, rough” route. And that turned Jim and his bike (Trek 520) and shoes and panniers and trunk into a giant muddy mess. Luckily the folks at the Hampton Inn in Massillon are great and they helped him out with a bucket and some rags. The tough day was rewarded with a fabulous supper at Kozmo’s! Its great that Jim was able to support some of our www.igotabike.com advertisers.
The weather is nice and sunny today and we hope to hear from Jim soon to tell us that day 2 was super. Today he was riding the Sippo Valley Trail, and the on-road route between Dalton and Fredericksburg and then south on the Holmes County Trail.

A couple of weeks ago Guy and I got an e-mail from Jim. He is riding the Ohio to Erie Trail on a vintage Trek 520 to scout the route for a group of a dozen or so cyclists who are planning a ride next summer. We have been tutoring Jim on how to find the way and hustling to finish more maps and trail guides of the Ohio to Erie Trail.
This morning, Tuesday, we escorted Jim through Cleveland on day 1 of his ride. His plan is to arrive in Cincinnati on Saturday. He is riding solo (no sag) and is staying with friends along the way. We met Jim at Edgewater Park and rode with him to the Rockside Road Trail head at the entrance to the Cuyahoga Valley National Park on the Ohio and Erie Canal Towpath Trail. It was hard to turn back! Good luck Jim, may the wind be at your back.

A gray hot and humid day on Lake Erie as Jim departs Cleveland on his vintage Trek 520 on Day one of the Ohio to Erie Trail.

Hey look, Jim printed the igotabike.com maps of the Ohio to Erie Trail!

Carol and Jim behind Steelyard Commons in Cleveland on day one of Jim’s ride on the Ohio to Erie Trail.

Jim looks ready to ride on day one heading south on the Ohio to Erie Trail.

Jim looks good at as we turn back home and he continues south, in the rain, to Cincinnati on the Ohio to Erie Trail.

Bob, Randell and Kate left from Cincinnati at the Ohio River on Friday and arrived at Lake Erie in Cleveland on Sunday night. Wow! That’s some impressive peddling! Over 300 miles in 3 days!

Bob said they put their tires in the lake at 950pm after 12 hours on the bikes at 126 miles.

Looking forward to the stories and some pics.

Congrats to all! I wonder if they are still sleeping!

We got and an e-mail from Bob last night and he clued us in on his friends. He says,

“Bob and friends consist of me. My friend Randell and his wife Kate. Kate is hanging tough with the boys.”

So sorry Kate! I don’t know how I missed that and said the 3 friends were 3 men! The three friends ran into some bad weather in Holmes County late yesterday and had to adjust their plan. They promise a good story and some pictures. The original plan was to arrive in Cleveland today, Sunday. They left from Cincinnati on Friday.

The weather is humid but cloudy in Cleveland. It rained overnight so they may find some muddy spots on the Sippo Vally Trail and the Ohio and Erie Canal Towpath Trail. Sometimes the towpath becomes easier to navigate after some rain because it is not so dusty. It all depends on how much rain!

Looking forward to hearing that they did it! Go Bob, Go Randall, Go Kate, Go!

A couple of days ago Guy and I got an e-mail from Bob who was seeking advice on navigating the Ohio to Erie Trail. They were running out of time so it was great giving them the help they needed. They have selected a fast pace and there is no time for getting lost. Bob and his two friends are riding the Ohio to Erie Trail in three days from Cincinnati to Cleveland. That’s more than twice as fast as our pace when we rode the Ohio to Erie Trail in May 2012. They are young men and they are riding fast road bikes with little gear. They are carrying water, some snacks, spare tubes, a few bike tools and cell phones. Bob’s wife is providing SAG. They left Cincinnati yesterday morning and arrived in London last night and stayed at Alexandra’s Bed and Breakfast. I heard from them around 12:30 today and they were already in Westerville, north of Columbus. They are aiming for Millersburg today and plan on being in Cleveland tomorrow. Go Bob Go!

EDIT Bob’s friends are a man and woman! We were so busy discussing the route I didn’t get that detail!  oops! see next post