Date: June 1-2
Route: Edgewater Park to Heritage Farms
Miles: 30
Elevation: 200ft Gain
Weather: Cool (We started late June 1 and biked 10 miles with sunlight and 20 miles in the dark. We woke to a 45-degree temperature.)
Mood: Tired
Highlight: Getting off trail using Google Maps (bike) and falling with a 110lb e-bike and gear.
Today’s Ride at a Glance
Today I rode from Cleveland to Peninsula, covering about 30 miles along the Ohio to Erie Trail. The day started with parking my van in Cincinnati, loading a U-Haul with our bikes and equipment, and driving to Cleveland to start the trip. Our day ended in Peninsula at Heritage Farms for some primitive camping
The route took us through downtown Cleveland and along the Ohio and Erie Canal towpath, with the biggest challenge being the dark and my failure to test out the RidewithGPS app better prior to biking the trail. The best part of the day was our excursion into the heavily wooded and very skinny trail Google provided us. It was short, but so thick with brush and briars. I lost my footing at one point, fell in slow motion, and had to pick long thorns out of my chest for a mile or two.
Cleveland Rollout
Caption: All packed up in the minivan ready to make the trip from Cave City KY to Cincinnati.
Caption: Picking up the U-Haul in Cincinnati.
Caption: Dropping off the minivan at Reser’s Bicycles in Cincinnati and loading the U-Haul. There is public parking behind Reser’s.
The Ride
I got rolling for the first day at around 7:30 p.m. after dropping off the U-Haul and loading the bikes. The first few miles were super difficult, and it took me a little while to settle into the day’s rhythm as we struggled with the map in getting out of the city.
One thing I noticed early was how busy Edgewater Park was in the evening. There were people everywhere! At one point we asked the police where the trail started and they didn’t know. At an intersection, the map was confused as to which way we were supposed to head. The start left and it made a correction. We went right and it made another correction. A couple of ladies were watching us at a traffic light in their car and the passenger rolled her window down and offered some help. She said, “Go left or go right, but go somewhere!!” I think she had our best intentions at heart.
When we finally found the trail, we realized we were three streets above where we needed to be and it would take us awhile and questioning several people to get to the start of the trail. Our camp at Heritage Farms would only have a gallon of water (primitive campling) that we paid $3 for, so I brought an empty one-gallon plastic jug that once held spring water from Aldi. I filled it 1/3 full so we’d have a little extra for coffee and oatmeal in the morning. It was awful riding with this jug on the back of the bike!
Quickly the trail turned into packed dirt-gravel and even quicker, the sun dropped below the tree line. At 9 p.m. it was completely dark and we still had 20 miles to ride! As the time progressed and the temperatures dropped, Eddie put on every layer he had. I kept my long sleeve sun shirt on, but should have put on an undershirt as the last 5 miles were cold!
Favorite Trail Moment
Caption: Camping at Heritage Farms. My tent is a Featherlite one-man 3-season.
People, Places, and Surprises
Today’s unexpected moment was the lady who yelled at us from her car. Everyone else we met on the trail was amazing! Each time we needed help, people went out of their way to help or offer suggestions. The Heritage Farms camp site was excellent! They had a bike maintenance station, a charging outlet for our e-bikes, and one of the best views of the trip.
The OTET has a way of shifting from urban to rural without much warning. One minute I was an urban trail, and the next I was a dirt path alongside the Ohio and Erie Canal.
The Hard Part
Not everything was easy today. The hardest stretch was the 20 miles biking in the dark. My legs felt strong, and mentally I was focused on getting there, but the darkness made it difficult. At one point, I realized that each time I opened my mouth for a breath, I was sucking in insects. I longed for the camp site!
What helped was knowing the site was near! Bikepacking has a way of making problems simple: eat, drink, pedal, rest, repeat. We were at the pedal stage heading toward rest!
End of Day Setup
Caption: Campsite G at Heritage Farms. Super clean and beautiful!
What I’ll Remember
If I had to pick one image from today, it would be the view from the tree farm. So peaceful and quiet.
Today reminded me that preparation is key. Test EVERYTHING before heading out. The miles are adding up, but so are the little memories: Edgewater Park, the angry passenger, Cleveland, biking in the dark, and a cold night in the tent!
On day two, we headed toward Turkey Hollow Camp in Millersburg, with about 83 miles ahead. I’m hoping for a nice tailwind, some good coffee, and to enjoy the sights in Amish country.
Daily Stats
- Miles ridden: 30
- Total trip miles so far: 30
- Time in saddle: 4.5 hours
- Start: 6:30 a.m. Cave City KY to Cincinnati (around 11 a.m.) to Cleveland (7 p.m.).
- End: Peninsula OH (Heritage Farms) 11:30 p.m.
- Best food: Cracker Barrel (Wasn’t amazing, but it was the best we had that day)
- Best view: Heritage Farms
- Hardest moment: Falling on the bushwacking trail in the middle of the night.
- Favorite quote/thought of the day: “Go left or go right, but go somewhere!!” (Angry car passenger in Cleveland)
Quick Gear Note
Worked well today: My Aventon Level 3 bike. No issues whatsoever.
Needs adjusting: My sleep system. My bag is rated for 50 degrees. I didn’t bring my air pillow because my blow-up mat has a built-in one. I’ll get a nice air pillow for the next trip.
Estimated Temperature
- High: 70–75°F
- Low: 42–46°F
Toby DeHay 