To Erie

July 5, 2021

The day gets off to a dismal start when we head down to breakfast and I can’t find my glasses. Not again! We both look around without success, then defer the problem for now in favor of beating the morning rush to the chow line. We make a more thorough search when we return to the room, with no success. Maddening, but also perplexing. Yesterday was such a vanilla day, itinerarywise. We stopped by the roadside to help Dana after her accident; at the service station for drinks and ice cream; at the YMCA camp to eat lunch. That’s it. After we reached the hotel I went back out to Dollar General to buy a beer, and down to the lobby to eat our pizza. Not much scope for losing my glasses in all that. I check at the motel front desk, then call the service station, and finally Dollar General. Nope, nope, nope.

Oddly enough, I nearly included my glasses in a photo two nights back, just to brag on the fact that I hadn’t lost them yet. One last chance remains - I’ll call the Italian restaurant in Cleveland tomorrow (they’re closed today) to see if I left them there. Thinking back now, I’m not even certain I had them yesterday at all, but I remember putting them on in that restaurant to focus on a picture on the far wall.

Depressing, but there’s nothing more to be done about it now so we bike off. It’s 7:30 when we leave - another early start, for another hot and humid day ahead.

So common they must be pests! We saw seven of these and a muskrat within three blocks of our hotel this morning. A nice distraction though, taking my mind off of dwelling over losing my glasses again.

Just a few blocks from the motel we join the Western Reserve Greenway, another delightful biking path. We’re joining it near its northern end, and will ride it only the seven miles north to Ashtabula; but I’m sure it would be a fine experience heading south for 35 miles to its end in the other direction.

Its name piques my curiosity though, because it resonates with Case Western Reserve, an educational institution I’ve always thought had such an odd name but never bothered to read up on. They’re both derivative from the Western Reserve of Connecticut, an interesting piece of regional history I’d never heard of before. After the Revolutionary War, the State of Connecticut was granted a significant expanse of territory further west as compensation for its losses during the war. After releasing most of it when the Northwest Territory was established, Connecticut retained a chunk in what is now the northeast corner of Ohio as its ‘western reserve’. It’s so strange to think of this chunk of Ohio once belonging to tiny Connecticut, hundreds of miles to the east.

And Case Western Reserve? Its name was the result of the consolidation of two educational institutions: Western Reserve College and Case School of Applied Science.

On the Western Reserve Greenway, a 40 mile north-south route that connects Warren in the south with Ashtabula. It passes by Austinburg, just three blocks from our motel. A brilliant way to start the ride.

Unfortunately, we join the trail only seven miles from its northern terminus in the outskirts of Ashtabula. I’d like to ride its entire length sometime.

In Ashtabula we left the Greenway and bent east. For the next fifteen miles we followed a string of simply named roads: State, Ridge, Spring, Center, Mill; until finally reaching Conneault and merging on to Route 20. Quiet, pleasant the whole way until reaching 20, and a much better ride than I’d been expecting.

Early in the ride we detour a half mile to check out the Smolen Bridge across the Ashtabula River. A new bridge built in 2008, with its length of 613 feet this is the longest covered bridge in the country.

Not the best photo of the Smolen Bridge. I should have continued on a bit further to round a bend for a side view.

The long view down one of the lateral pedestrian aisles. This gives a good sense of how long this impressive bridge is.

Surprisingly, there’s a second covered bridge almost directly beneath the Smolen Bridge. This shot is taken looking down from its side aisle. This is the Indian Creek Bridge, a pedestrian structure created in 2016 for the recreational opportunities it provides.

A heavy load to pull, but it looks up to the task.

I was amazed to learn that there are 19 cover3d bridges in Ashtabula County. We just scratched the surface with the four we saw. This is Creek Road Covered Bridge, and was directly on route.

Creek Road Covered Bridge, built in 1880, spans Conneault Creek.

Conneault Creek, viewed from the Creek Road Covered Bridge. This modest creek that empties into the Ashtabula River is one of Ohio’s three wild and scenic waterways.

On Creek Road we pass a flock of eleven turkeys. Yes, I can count - I know this is only five of them.

Conneault Creek again, a few miles further downstream.

One last sight in Ohio before turning the page. It’s unusual to see a tower with a square cross section like this.

Two miles east of Conneault we cross the state line and enter Pennsylvania. I can sense the GBO buzzing back in the tool bag, eager to get out for a look and to add another state to his life list. Later, little guy.

Once we cross the line into the Keystone State we start seeing signs indicating that we’re on a scenic bike route: the Great Lakes Seaway Trail, and Pennsylvania bicycle route Z. We’ll ride it all the way to the outskirts of Erie, and enjoy a good three foot shoulder and modest traffic the whole way.

We also see a sign that prompts me to research another local historical curiosity: the Erie Triangle. This is the wedge of land that juts up from northwest Pennsylvania and provides its only direct access to the Great Lakes. Like the Western Reserve, its history dates back to our nation’s early years. At one point New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut and even Massachusetts all had a stake in this triangle. And, of course, there were the Native Americans, but their interests were honored no better here than anywhere else in our nation’s history.

New State! Soon I’m going to need to start counting them with two hands.

On Z Road again. Just can’t wait to get on Z Road again. We’ll be following this route for most of the way to Buffalo.

Hey, he’s sticking his tongue out at me!

Entering Erie. The body of water is Presque Isle Bay, closed in by Presque Isle on the far side.

We arrived in Erie about one, after a much more pleasant and easier ride than we’d been expecting. Besides finding a good route, we were also the beneficiary of a fair tail wind that eased the work and kept the temperatures down. We’ll be here for two nights, and then bike east through the rest of the Erie Triangle to enter New York.

One other note about the day. Mom’s birthday is tomorrow (97!), so I called her up early to beat the rush. It was a good conversation - she sounded strong, and more optimistic and focused than I’ve heard her for awhile. I’m sure it’s really helping that the Covid shutdown has finally passed. She and dad are getting out for regular walks again, and family can stop by to visit once more. There’s no escaping the fact that she’s 97 now, and has memory issues - she’s surprised we’re on the road again and bound for Europe, even though she’s been informed of this several times; but she knew immediately that it was I on the phone and had no trouble carrying on an extended conversation. Very encouraging.

This is almost the phot I was after, but not quite. I had a hard time getting the focus and exposure right in the low light, and just about had it when he flew off.

Looking sly with his fresh butch cut (an entry for this month’s Cycle365 Challenge theme: pareidolia).

Heart

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Ride stats today: 53 miles, 1,300’; for the tour: 1,409 miles, 36,800’

Today's ride: 53 miles (85 km)
Total: 1,409 miles (2,268 km)

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Suzanne GibsonI think your glasses are hiding somewhere in your panniers.
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3 years ago

Jen RahnTo Suzanne GibsonI agree with Suzanne.
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3 years ago

Scott AndersonTo Suzanne GibsonWould that it were so. Alas, no.
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3 years ago

Scott AndersonTo Jen RahnWishful thinking, but it prompted us to conduct one last search. No glasses, but we did find the missing bicycle gloves!
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3 years ago