May 8, 2021
Day 4: Akron to Cleveland
The final leg into Cleveland to the Lake Erie shore
Happy birthday to me! Eileen and Greg prepared a delicious breakfast of wraps to fuel us on this cold morning. The threat of rain was minimal for the morning with clearing skies and warmer temps in the afternoon. We were out of Greg’s house by 9 am and heading 4-miles downhill from Bath to the Cuyahoga River Valley. It had a few uphills but was mostly a downhill spin.
I entered the Cuyahoga Valley National Park with a short detour to the Blue Heron rookery on Bath Road. Locals flock to this area to view a large collection of the large nests perched high on trees along the Cuyahoga River. The Ohio to Erie Trail follows the Ohio and Erie Canal Towpath Trail and the Cuyahoga River through the national park.
The Beaver Marsh is a long wooden boardwalk on the trail that draws many people. This was the site of a former auto junkyard that was cleaned up when the park was formed in the early 70s. Beavers dammed the canal and soon the marsh appeared. We stopped for some snapshots, catching the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad (CVSR) heading south across the marsh to Akron.
The trail meanders along the Cuyahoga banks on its route north to Peninsula. We passed Deep Lock Quarry, one of the canal’s deepest locks, as we approached Peninsula. The Cuyahoga River passed under our wheels as we cycled past lock 29 into Peninsula. This sleepy town was transformed by the national park. It is the visitor hub positioned midway between Cleveland and Akron. There are many shops, restaurants, Century Cycles, and a CVSR train stop making it a nice day trip destination.
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The towpath out of Peninsula is an extremely popular park attraction. I avoided this area on weekends on my Akron cycling days. It is only 2.5 miles to Boston. The trail is scenic passing close to the river with a long boardwalk thru a marsh. Popular with families, children, walkers, as well as cyclists, it was Saturday and traffic was heavy.
I pulled into Boston passing under the Ohio Turnpike and I-271 high-level bridges, a favorite photo-op for me. Boston is a popular destination and has undergone dramatic change in the last year. The Cuyahoga Valley National Park renovated a series of buildings along Riverview Road in a large visitor center complex. The center has many interactive displays and a large souvenir shop. Most welcomed this morning were the warm clean restrooms.
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The CVSR train station was relocated to the visitor center front door. The Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad recently rebranded and expanded its popular Bike Aboard program. It is now the CVSR Explorer. The train picks up hikers, kayakers, and cyclists at stops along the towpath trail from downtown Akron to independence. It’s a bargain at $5. Our schedule did not permit us to take the train today.
The northern section of the national park follows the Cuyahoga into an open valley before reaching Rockside Road. The temps were still in the low 40s. We opted for lunch at Yours Truly at Rockside Station along the trail. Lunch warmed us. The sun began peeking out and warming our ride. The Cleveland Metroparks section of the trail is surprisingly beautiful. I say this since it was the site of John Rockefeller’s oil refinery.
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We headed onto the new protected bike path along Harvard and Jennings Roads. The biggest improvement in this area since my Cleveland ride days is just past Steelyard Commons. The mo-fo hill climb up to W 14th Street has been replaced with a trail on the edge of the industrial valley at a more gradual grade. It offered nice views and several pull-asides for photo-ops. Well done, Cleveland!
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I said goodbye to the towpath at W 14th Street as we tuned onto Abbey Avenue. The tour from this point on is not part of official Ohio to Erie Trail route. It is my former bicycle club’s Downtown Cleveland loop ride. We were headed to the first stop, the Cleveland script sign overlooking the Flats across to the Cleveland skyline.
The group left Abbey Avenue and turned onto Lorain to cross the Lorain-Carnegie Bridge, now known as the Hope Memorial Bridge. This is my hands-down favorite gateway into Cleveland. The bridge has a large pedestrian and bike path that crosses the Cuyahoga and Flats. The towers of the mile-long bridge are the distinctive Guardians of Traffic, large granite art deco pillars that frame a downtown photo perfectly. It’s a grand entrance to the city.
Next up was Progressive Field, home of the Cleveland Indians, and Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse, home of the Cleveland Cavaliers. We followed Ontario Street to Cleveland Public Square. This is an amazing urban cycle on a wide multilane city street. It is important to check sports schedules and avoid this route on game days due to heavy traffic. No games today made it a super ride.
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Cleveland Public Square is a large green space that is pedestrian and bike-friendly. The views of downtown buildings are anchored by the iconic Terminal Tower. I followed Ontario past the square to Lakeside and down E. 9th Street to Northcoast Harbor. It was quiet today. W. 3rd Street offers a quiet route on a busy day.
We cycled past the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on our way to Voinovich Park and the Cleveland script sigh with sweeping views of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, First Energy Stadium, Great Lakes Science Center, Lake Erie, and the downtown skyline. A visitor snapped our end-of-tour group photo at the script sign. Could there be the more perfect destination for this ride!
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We cycled west past the hall of fame, science center, and stadium and down into the Cleveland Flats. This former industrial hub has been transformed with a mix of trendy urban eats and housing with a smattering of industry. We pedaled across the Cuyahoga and headed up out of the valley to 25th and Superior.
The final leg of the tour was a short 3 block pedal down Superior to W 28th street to our end of tour beers and eats. Saucy Brewworks is a new brewery to me. The food and beer were outstanding. My husband Brett and Greg’s wife Eileen joined us. They would be our SAG driers back to our homes.
The sun, blue sky, and warm temps made for a wonderful outside celebration on the patio. Allen and I were surprised with birthday cupcakes. Today is my birthday. Yesterday was Allen’s. It was a super time with good friends.
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I could not think of a better end to a tour from my home to Lake Erie. The downtown Cleveland loop brought back many memories of good times in the city. I like to end a tour with something memorable. This was a winner for sure!
Today’s highlights
- Joy: End of tour Downtown Cleveland loop
- Challenge: Cold and dreary morning that lingered far too long
- Surprise: Saucy Brewworks pizza and birthday celebration
- Photo-op: Script Cleveland sign in Voinovich Park
Life is good!
Tom
Today's ride: 41 miles (66 km)
Total: 179 miles (288 km)
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