Ride Director Comments

Ride Description

OVERVIEW:  Can you imagine biking over 300 miles on bike trails? The Ohio to Erie Trail is a 326 mile network of trails from Cincinnati (Ohio River) to Cleveland (Lake Erie). These trails consist of land previously occupied by railroads and canals. The network passes through the 4 cities of Cincinnati, Columbus, Akron and Cleveland as well as rural Amish areas, farmlands, nature preserves, Cuyahoga Valley National Park and local parks. Most of the network is on trails, however there are approximately 40 miles on separate streets and roads. Except for 30 miles of crushed limestone the trails are paved. At the start we will dip our back wheels in the Ohio River in Cincinnati and in Cleveland, where we finish, we will dip our front wheels in Lake Erie.   

 On Monday, June 17, 2024 we arrive at the Holiday Inn Express, in Bellevue, Ky just across the Ohio River from Cincinnati. We will have our first social hour around 4pm followed by a group dinner. You may want to consider arriving a day early to explore the city of Cincinnati, take in a Cincinatti Reds baseball game or explore the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center.

June 18 - Xenia (68 miles) - We will begin our tour by biking across the Ohio River on the Purple People Bridge.  Take time to see the 2 sports parks, city scape and nature parks from the bridge. We will then connect to the Ohio River Trail and begin our adventure north. One can see the old railroad tracks along the way. The trail will follow the Ohio River and up to the Miami River trail. One will bike past the abandoned Munitions Factory and north to Xenia.

June 19 - Columbus (60 miles) - Today, we bike through farmlands on our way to Columbus, Ohio’s state capital.

June 20 - Mt Vernon (49 miles) - Leaving Columbus we bike a mixture of urban, suburban and small town multi regional trails. Make sure you stop at Ariel Foundation Park, an old glass factory which has been repurposed into an outdoor green space. Climbing the observation tower is a “high”light! (I have climbed it for the great view!)

June  21- Millersburg (42 miles) - Todays destination takes us through Amish country . . We will cross the Mohican River on the Bridge of Dreams, a 370 foot long covered bridge,. it is the third longest covered bridge in the US. You may even pass a horse and buggy along the way. We will stay in Millersburg, a town known for its Victorian architecture. If you have a chance check out the Victorian Museum. 

June 22 - Massillon (37 miles) - We  go back in time and bike onto country roads through Amish farmland. We will pass pristine farms worked only by horse-drawn plows. We may even pass a buggy as it is the Amish mode of transportation.

June 23 - Akron (31 miles) - We will bike to the Ohio and Erie Canalway National Heritage Area. Take time to explore the Akron Art Museum.  There are lots of other things to do in Akron and the nearby Cuyahoga Valley National Park.

June 24 - Cleveland (44 miles) - We will bike on the Ohio River towpath trail through Cuyahoga Valley National Park passing locks along the way.   Our final stretch will end at Edgewater Park on the shores of Lake Erie with the famous “Cleveland” sign.   We will then head to our final hotel and have our celebratory dinner that night.

June 25 - Cleveland (non-riding day) - Take advantage of this last day of the tour to visit the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, tour the city on a walk, bike with Bob's Bike Tours, or take in a ball game if the Indians are in town. 

June 26 - Tour ends after breakfast 

HEALTH & SAFETY: • Vaccinations for Covid are recommended, but not required.  Participants are expected to come to the tour in good health and ready to ride. Should someone's health become compromised and the group’s health and safety placed in jeopardy, a plan will be developed by the ride leader(s) and communicated to all individuals. The expectation is for the group to work together to mitigate any spread of infection or illness as a means to ensure the tour can continue as planned.

RIDE RATING: There are 7 days of required point-to-point riding. The route is rated as 1B!, with some gravel and 2 days that exceed the B distance rating.  It is  essentially flat with 40-50 miles per day of leisurely riding. The trails are a combination of paved rail trails and some finely crushed limestone. Because the trails were once RR tracks the ascent is minimal. There are 2 days where we will ride more than 60 miles. The first day is our longest day of 69 miles and the second day is approximatley 60 miles. We will be biking some road sections that are gently rolling, but there are a few challenging hills from Millersburg to Massiloon, but it is a short day of 38 miles. 

BIKES: Tandems and e-bikes are welcome on this tour. If you do have an E-bike make sure you have enough power for the 2 longer days. Road bikes can easily do this ride, with a recommended tire width of 28mm. For bicycle rentals we suggest Bishop’s Bicycles. They have a fleet of hybrid bikes for rent. They will also accept your bike shipment and assemble it for you. They are located in Milford, OH, about a 30 minute drive from our start hotel but they can arrange delivery. Contact them at 513-831-2521. We suggest reserving the bike well in advance. All arrangements for bike rental are between the participant and the bike shop. The tour leaders cannot guarantee bike rental availability or quality. Bikes can be shipped to start hotel and bike boxes can be stored there.

LUGGAGE: We request that each rider please limit their luggage to one medium suitcase/duffel (25 - 35lb. max) and a small backpack. We may be renting a cargo trailer to transport luggage which has limited storage.There will not be S.A.G. service except for emergencies.

RWGPS FILES: The ride leader will provide Ride with GPS files approximately one month before the ride start. Participants will receive an email containing a link to the EVENT file and will need to have downloaded at least the free version of the “RWGPS” app to receive the turn by turn directions. RWGPS can be run on a smartphone. Participants wanting cue sheets will need to print them out from the file provided.

WEATHER: The weather in Ohio is usually comfortably warm and dry with average of ~75 and lows of ~60 degrees. That said, the weather is famously variable and temperatures can run +/- 10 degrees from these averages. Rain is always a possibility, so one must be prepared by bringing warm under layers and rain gear.

LODGING & MEALS: A list of hotels will be provided in the itinerary found under the Ride Leader Document tab. Lodging will feature a combination of modern chain hotels (Holiday Inn, Hampton Inn, Comfort Inn), and local classic inns and hotels. Meals to be provided include 2 group dinners, breakfasts most mornings, and social hours each evening. Our first group dinner is June 17 in Cincinnati, OH where we will carpool to the restaurant and the last dinner is June 24 in Cleveland.

LOGISTICS: Arrive on Monday, June 17. We will be staying at the Holiday Inn Express, Bellevue, KY.   Fly into Cincinnati, Ohio. One can take a taxi or Uber to hotel. If you fly into Cincinnati we suggest you depart from Cleveland, Ohio, and your bike box will have to be shipped at your expense to Cleveland as we don’t have room in our van, but we will help you make arrangements to send the empty box to our final hotel. If you are driving to Cincinnati you can leave your car at the hotel for the duration of the tour

June 25 -Cleveland to Cincinnati - When you sign up for the ride we will discuss your plans for your return from Cleveland to Cincinnati. For those needing a ride back, arrangements will be made with the cost shared only by those using it.  We expect it should be somewhere around $100 per person.  As soon as our trip is full we will determine what this extra cost per person should be, we will notify those involved and we will make the necessary arrangments.

We will have a ZOOM meeting planned for first part of May to go over details of the ride.

COST & ADMINISTRATION: Estimated tour cost is $1650 per person which includes: 9 nights lodging, 9 breakfasts, 2 group dinners, evening social hours, and luggage transportation. The cost does not include additional lodging before or after the tour, bike rental, or the cost of transport back to Cincinnati.

A deposit of $850 is required within 2 weeks of ride acceptance. A second and final payment of $800 is due by April 1, 2024. The solo rider supplement is an additional $903.00. Single riders who are willing to share a room are encouraged and we will assist with finding a roommate.

SINGLES & SOLOS POLICY: A “single” is a member who signs up by himself or herself and wishes to share a room with another participant. A “solo” is a member who signs up by himself or herself and does not wish to share a room. It is recommended that singles who want a roommate try to find their own. After receipt of the initial deposit, a single without a roommate will be placed on the ride and given until     February 1, 2024 to find a roommate. If they are unable to find a roommate, they will have the option to receive a full refund (minus the BAC Ride Registration Fee and Payment Processing Fee) or pay the $903 solo supplement and stay on the ride. If a single pays the supplement, they may continue to seek a roommate, but must plan to participate without a roommate if necessary. If the single finds a roommate, the solo supplement will be returned. The Ride Leader will assist by attempting to match singles who apply for the ride. Solo supplement payments need to be sent to the BAC office by February 1, 2024. Checks should be made out to “BAC” with a notation of the tour name included on the check. They should be mailed to: Bicycle Adventure Club, PO Box 23998, San Diego, CA 92193.

CANCELLATION POLICY: The BAC Ride Registration Fee and Payment Processing Fees are not refundable unless the entire tour is canceled because the number of participants registered  is less than the minimum established for the tour. Refunds of tour payments will depend upon whether a replacement rider signs up, and on costs that can be recouped. The amount refunded will be based on the principle that the tour’s remaining participants will not incur any additional cost as a result of cancellations. If the canceling participant is replaced, a refund will be made at that time. If the canceling participant can't be replaced, any refund will be determined after the ride and final expense report are completed. If a single participant cancels and another roommate cannot be found, in addition to other costs that cannot be recouped, the canceling roommate may also be liable for the solo supplement fee of the roommate remaining on the tour. BAC encourages members to purchase trip cancellation insurance.

RIDE PARTICIPANT RESPONSIBILITY: Please remember that BAC Ride Leaders are volunteers, and that successful tours depend on participants providing much of their own support. Participants are expected to come to the ride well trained, in good health and ready to accomplish the required daily riding using well-maintained bicycles. All participants should accept responsibility for a safe and enjoyable tour. We encourage you to read the ride description carefully and respond to requests from the Ride Leader. While on the ride, support your Ride Leader with offers to help with various tasks such as happy hour preparation and cleanup. Please do not interfere with the ride by inviting non-participants onto any portion of the ride or tour. Please keep the Ride Leader informed of any special request you might have and respect the Ride Leader’s decisions.

INSURANCE: Before participating in any BAC tour, you should assess whether your medical and travel insurance coverage is sufficient. BAC maintains insurance that covers expenses related to accidents. This coverage applies when touring inside the US, regardless of your nationality. It’s assumed that members’ personal insurance will cover medical emergencies such as sudden and unexpected sickness, so these have not been included in the BAC policy. Coverage is subject to a $1000 deductible. You may want to consider personal coverage for emergency evacuation, as this is not included. The costs of treatment or quarantine for Covid and other unexpected illnesses are not covered. You should ensure that your vaccinations are up to date.

SIGN-UP: To register for this ride, use the sign-up links just above the Ride Description. After preliminary acceptance, you will be moved to the pending list and receive an email requesting you to go back to the BAC site to digitally accept the terms of the Release of Liability (ROL), and pay the Tour Deposit and the non-refundable BAC Ride Registration Fee by credit card. As soon as your deposit has been processed, your name(s) will be added to the Participant List. BAC members with questions may contact the Ride Director by "clicking" the name at the top of this Ride Description.