Ever dreamed of taking a long trip by bike, but afraid
you don't have the time or stamina? Then try a Sub 24-Hour Overnight,
which is a short out-and-back bike trip with one night's stay. (We've written
about Sub 24-Hour Overnights before, in this
article from Ohio Sports & Fitness Magazine.)
Rich Oettinger from Century Cycles’ Peninsula store did just such a trip earlier this
year on the Towpath Trail. He used it as a training ride for a much longer trip on the Great
Allegheny Passage/C&O Canal Towpath from Pittsburgh, PA to Washington,
DC.
Rich and two of his friends packed up their camping gear and departed from
Peninsula, riding about 60 miles down to the village of Bolivar. This ride is
all on the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail, other than a short street detour
through downtown Massillon and a couple of miles from the end of the trail into
Bolivar.
After camping at the NTR
Canoe Livery, they packed up and headed back to Peninsula the next
morning.
Not feeling up for riding 60 miles a day for two days straight? There are
lots of options for a shorter trip. You can drive to the Lake Avenue Trailhead
in Massillon, and from there it's a 20-mile ride to Bolivar. Or, stop at one of
the other campgrounds just off the Towpath Trail; to learn more here about the
locations of these campgrounds, see www.centurycycles.com/to/camp.
Roughing it and sleeping in a tent not your thing? The village of Bolivar
also offers hotel and motel chains, as well as several historic bed &
breakfast inns. And without having to carry a tent and sleeping bag, you'll be
able to pack a lot lighter as well!
The Towpath Trail offers many diversions along the way to stretch your legs,
get a snack, and see more of Ohio's rich canal-era history, including a ride on
the St. Helena III, a replica canal freighter in downtown Canal Fulton.
Rich used his touring bicycle for this trip, but you don't need a new bike to
do an overnight bike trip. Stop into one of our stores to discuss your trip plans
with one of our bike-touring experts--we've got thousands of miles of touring
experience, and we can help you equip your bike for a trip of any length. Or consider attending our "Bike Touring 101" clinic on Tuesday, February 5.
To read more about the equipment that Rich used, how he prepared for his
trip, and his personal highlights, check out this article on this blog.
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