Day 73: Clyde to Norwalk

August 12, 2021

Half Rest Day

“This is a reminder of why we cycle early,” Rachel says as we get closer to Norwalk. The heat is building and the humidity is sky high, clouds are building as thunderstorms are predicted for later this afternoon.

Today is short in miles and continuing on the North Coast Inland trail, so we don’t check out of the room until 10:30am. Our thinking is not hurry to get to Norwalk as we might not be able to check into motel until the afternoon. So we have coffee, and eat the complimentary breakfast of yogurt, cereal and waffle. We finally set off, going back to the trail the way we left it yesterday.

The trail is paved until Bellevue and there is a break in the trail where it ends in town. So we leave the trail early and Patrick navigates us around the town following the “red dotted” roads on Google maps. At one point we join the green Bike Route signs and we wonder if we had continued to the end of the trail, if these signs would map out the route through the town. The few sections we are off the trail and on roads also reminds us how nice the rail to trails system is in giving us relief from traffic. Many places we don't even hear the traffic.

The next stretch of the trail is unpaved, but still a good surface. There is evidence of the storms yesterday; lots of small branches and leaves. The trail is tree covered in sections and open on other parts, and the heat is affecting us. When we see locals on the trails we know we are getting close to a town. When we reach Monroeville, Patrick stops to check the route. A couple out in their garden come over to talk with us and offer us cold water. We decline the offer since we think we are almost to Norwalk, tell them we appreciate being asked.

Our motel is just south of town. We stop first at a Subway nearby for lunch. The heat and humidity are oppressive. We can check into the Norwalk Inn at 1:30pm which is good because we both feel off from the heat and the air conditioning will help in the recovery.

Tomorrow we continue on the North Coast Inland Trail to Elyria then country roads to warmshowers host in Olmstead Falls.