Whatever You Call It, Call It A Nice Ride

Daily Mileage and Stops

We call it the EtOH ride (more on why later), however most cyclists call it the OTET, or the Ohio to Erie Trail.

As is the case with any tour, ya just never know what a week or so of riding will bring you: fickle weather, new friends, new learnings, flat tires and other mechanical issues, etc. We knew one thing. Our good buds Dan and Christie were joining us for their first self supported, multi-day bike tour. What we didn’t know is what a gem the OTET is.

Although we haven’t tackled all of the rail trails the US has to offer, we’ve spent considerable time peddling on the C & O, GAP, Cowboy Trail, Mickelson Trail, Katy Trail, Flint Hills Trail, Prairie Spirit Trail, Tony Knowles Coastal Trail, the Swamp Rabbit Trail and our very own B & O, Cardinal Greenway and Monon Trails. Thinking back, why hadn’t we looked at the OTET?

The 326 mile trail is relatively flat with some easy rollers and knits together some of Ohio’s finest scenery and micro cultures (and microbreweries). Easy to navigate using digital maps, it’s peppered with small towns and includes four major cities. It’s rarely busy and when fellow trail users are encountered, they appear friendly, helpful and curious.

Although we chose inside stays on this tour, there are ample places to camp. The OTET website has just about everything you need to set you up for success including digital maps for north and southbound tours, suggested trip itineraries, updated info on trail detours, places to stay and side trips (and there are many). Just add determination, quads and a bike to make it happen.

‘Nuff said about the OTET. Put it on your bucket bike ride list. :) Now back to Dan and Christie’s first self supported bike tour.

Noobies

I’m not sure when Dan, Christie, Tom and I came up with the idea of riding the OTET but we all agreed we wanted to cycle it together. Having met as volunteers with Back on My Feet years ago, we’ve been “shenanigating” with them ever since.

Regarding the physical fitness preparation for the ride, both regularly exercise so they had a solid foundation. Prior to the ride, they gradually scaled up their long rides with weight in their rear panniers and completed two longish (50+ mile) rides.

Dan and Tom planned the logistics of how to get the bikes up to Cleveland, where to stay, eat and score beer Bingos along the trail using OTET’s interactive trail resources. Christie and I pretty much let them have at it, however we all agree that the amount of planning and preparation for a bike tour, especially when new to a multi-day outing, reduces the possibility for unexpected events.

Dan and Christie used our packing list as a starting point to make their own. When asked what they brought on tour but could have left home, both said one or two t-shirts. Otherwise, they used everything they packed. Christie would have brought a bandana and different socks as the socks she brought didn’t dry quickly enough. Since we only bring two cycling shirts and shorts, laundry is done each night in the sink and hung to dry.

These two were up and at ’em very early everyday, sometimes ready before us and we’re early birds. Their advice to others wanting to try a multi-day, self supported bike tour is to plan, jump in and then be unafraid! Something unexpected will undoubtedly happen (as was the case when the soles of Dan’s cycling shoes fell off and another incident where his pedal cleat malfunctioned) but that’s the part of bike touring.

We become more resilient and even better problem solvers as we extend the boundaries of our comfort zone. Besides… this is America where almost anything is available and not farther than an Uber ride, a walk to a local store or an Amazon Prime order. As Christie says:

“After all, we’re making memories not just miles.”

Tom on the Trails

After checking into Trailside Lodging on the outskirts of Millersburg and feeling thirsty, Tom and I peddled into town and while locking bikes up, a man approached us and asked if we were riding the OTET. After a brief convo he asked if he could join us for bevvies and a chat. Turns out Tom Bilcze is the President of the Ohio to Erie Trail and was currently riding it northbound. #luckyus

Not only did we sense Tom’s love of cycling, he has a remarkable dedication to and understanding of the OTET. The two Tom’s and I agreed that cycling brings people together and provides a way to discover our communities and even our world, one pedal stroke at a time.

Although he’s a people person, he also likes to tour solo as he can meet people along his journey. He provided insights on OTET’s future growth and how the trail evolved. What a fascinating visit with Tom to get the behind-the-scenes workings of what it takes to maintain and expand the OTET. Unbeknownst to us, he also said there are quite a few organized OTET tours offered by Adventure Cycling and other companies and the number of trips are increasing every year.

Finally, Trail Tom shared that he posts to a “somewhat weekly” blog entitled “Tom on the Trails” where he shares more about cycling and the OTET. His pics are da bomb and if it doesn’t workout for him as a trail boss, he has a future as a palate tester on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives because the man knows how to source tasty local trail fare. My only personal regret from our own southbound tour is that I didn’t get to Weaver’s Farm and Furniture to take a bite out of their Trail Bologna sammich. #nexttime

The “First Family” of the OTET

As we’ve always said, it’s the people we meet while on tour that is the true gift. We leapfrogged with a family of four from Brevard, NC who was also cycling southbound. Dad, Mom and two sons were riding tandems and camping along the way with a couple of indoor stays scheduled.

We were in awe of this young family not only for their ability to cycle the OTET but to do so and include their sons. We had multiple opportunities to interact with what we referred to as “our young family” and were especially charmed by their sons who were funny, articulate and polite.

Mom and Dad shared with us that they were able to complete a number of self-supported, multi-week tours before their sons were born and that it’s been a joy traveling with them on bikes, being outdoors, meeting other people and learning about places and connections to the world around them.

This week on the OTET was a continuation of their DC to Pittsburgh trek and their hope is to eventually link multiple trips and complete the Great American Rail Trail across the country.

And for this reason, I nominate this family to be elected as the “First Family” of the OTET, and maybe even the First Family of the yet to be completed Great American Rail Trail. Ride on, friends!

EtOH Bingo

Last but not least… as requested by SO many, here’s the skinny on our Beer Bingo game. Since all four of us are craft beer lovers and believe local microbreweries are among the best places to meet locals and swap stories, we thought Beer Bingo might be an entertaining way to ensure we tasted a variety of craft beers and meet new friends.

Because we were not peddling from the Ohio River To Lake Erie Trail (OTET) northbound as many do, but instead southbound the initials would be EtOH or, Erie To OHio. Scientists that they are, Dan and Christie quickly recognized EtOH as the chemical compound for alcohol. Hence, the name of the game. The “R” in REtOH stands for “Ride”. Ride Erie to OHio which is exactly what we did.

It’s still up in the air about who actually thought about the Bingo game. I think Christie did. She thinks I did, but it doesn’t matter. We had ground rules at the beginning of the ride but made some up as we went along. I mean, why not?

Christie and Dan came up with 24 types of beer (note that there are 25 squares but the Free Space takes one block). Christie used Excel to randomize beer types on 16 different laminated cards, however all types of beer were represented on each card and we drew Bingo cards on the first day. Each of us had four cards and would keep these cards the remainder of the trip.

Each time we enjoyed a crafty (usually a small pour, I mean we aren’t lushes and we had cycling to do), we’d mark it off. At the end of the day, Bingos were declared and scored on a randomized name sheet. LOL we didn’t even figure out what the prizes would be. It was just fun to play.

During the last few days we decided that each one of us would keep a card and not erase it at the end of the day. This would be our “coverall” and scored at the end of the trip.

As we cycled south, Christie and I had fun fantasizing how this could be a retirement gig and fund future bike trips. For example, we could change up the bevvie offerings to create a wine-centric Bingo card, or an IPA-centric card. We could fashion a non-alcoholic card. And how fun would it be to collaborate with Trail Tom and create a card that included highlighted landmarks of the OTET (and Weaver’s Farm and Furniture definitely needs to be included.) How about EtOH swag including T-shirts, pins, socks and of course specially EtOH logo labeled markers and hand sani for marking and cleaning Bingo cards? And it could be replicated on other rail trails! All this of course was fodder for fun and nothing more, but can you imagine the extent of our convos and laughter?

Although our southbound ride is over we continue to be grateful for friendship, good health and the mission, volunteers and benefactors of the OTET. And whatever you call it, OTET or EtOH just call it an exceptionally nice ride.

To view more pics, videos and OTET info click on the image below: