September 10, 2022
Day 1: Cincinnati to Xenia
Cycling north along the bank of the Little Miami River
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It was a spectacular September morning when the cyclists on the Ohio to Erie Trail Moffitt Memorial Ride left the hotel heading to Xenia. I am not cycling today as one of the 9 volunteers who provide support to cyclists. Six of the volunteers rotate their roles in pairs throughout the week. My role today was luggage transfer. Jody Dzuranin, Ohio to Erie Trail Executive Director, and I shuttled the cyclists’ gear to our hotel in Xenia.
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The mileage recorded in this journal entry reflects the cyclists’ mileage on this ride stage. I will document my mileage in my daily post. I felt it important to document the miles traveled in this journey whether on the bike or the luggage truck.
This section of the trail deserves some words in this post. It happens to be an extremely scenic ride. I have cycled this route many times. The riders spent the night in Covington, Kentucky directly across the Ohio River from Cincinnati. Hotels in Covington and Newport are ideal overnights close to the trail start. The price is lower than a downtown Cincinnati hotel and offers more convenience in accessing the trail. Some of these hotels offer free or reduced rate weeklong parking for touring cyclists.
The official start of the Ohio to Erie Trail is at the foot of the Roebling Suspension Bridge in Smale Riverfront Park on the opposite shore from Covington and Newport. The first miles of trail wander through a park setting along the Ohio River. There is a mixture of dedicated trails and marked bike lanes on the road before you reach Little Miami Scenic Trail north of Mariemont.
The Little Miami Scenic Trail is one of Ohio’s jewels of rail trails. It is shady following the Little Miami River most of the way to Xenia. The highlight of this trail is Loveland, a prime example of a train town. The trail cuts through the center of town and is lined with shops, restaurants, and a brewery, all very trail, and cyclist friendly. The trail passes through a few smaller towns before reaching Xenia.
For rail-trail fans, the Miami Valley in which Xenia is located has around four hundred miles of trails. Xenia was a railroad hub in days past that has been transformed into a trail hub. Trails connect the city to Yellow Springs, Dayton, Jamestown, Loveland, and Cedarville. My ride tomorrow will continue north on the Prairie Grass Trail (Ohio to Erie Trail) to London.
Tom’s Miles
- Today: 0
- On this tour: 0
Quote of the Day
How much farther? You are almost there. (In reality, it’s many, many feet of elevation and miles) - Response from any cyclist speeding down a steep descent you are climbing.
Today's Trivia
The Little Miami Railroad ran from the eastern side of Cincinnati to Springfield, Ohio. It merged with the Columbus and Xenia Railroad in 1853 creating the first through-rail route from Cincinnati to Columbus, Ohio’s capital, Columbus.
Follow the Tour
No need to jump on a train or canal boat as I pedal the tracks of steam locomotives and canal boats across the Buckeye State. You can just check me out on social media at Cycle Blaze and Instagram with hashtags #OH2Erie and #Moffitt22.
Today's ride: 70 miles (113 km)
Total: 70 miles (113 km)
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