July 1, 2024
This land feeds the nation
Day Three: Fremont to Archbold
We got an early start today. Out the door at 8 am., motivated by the knowledge that this was going to be a long ride—78 miles total as planned. (Detours would end up making it longer.)
The weather was perfect. The temperature had barely cracked 60, but the sun was out. The wind had moderated a bit since yesterday. At times, we would even have it at our back!
The first 5 to 6 miles of our route for the day traveled local roads. We passed field after field of corn, soybeans and wheat as well as farmhouses sheltered by giant oak and fir trees. Best of all, there was little traffic.
Soon enough we were back on the North Inland Coastal Trail for its final miles, all paved. At one point, we were detoured on local roads, but it was smooth sailing. Perhaps the nicest little town we passed was Elmore, which had a park surrounding the path all the way through the tiny downtown.
The adventure began when we left the trail, heading west. On the map, we were routed amidst truly massive fields, crossing a train line along the way. According to Google, the road crossed the tracks and kept going. In reality, the road ended at the tracks, which were actually part of a CSX rail yard. To make matters worse, the rail line itself was filled with a train more than a mile long. We were forced to ride a mile out of our way and then wait a half hour in the blazing sun for the massive train to back up, seemingly inch by inch. We ate an early lunch while waiting.
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When the way was clear, we found a grandfather and three young girls waiting on the other side of the tracks. He told us that we were lucky: sometimes CSX leaves the trains blocking the roads in this area for hours! Later on we talked with Chris, the owner of The Bard’s Coffee, who said such inconveniences reflect the region’s two major powers—the agricultural and automotive industries. (Did you know that Ohio is the nation’s third largest producer of tomatoes and pumpkins? Chris told me that and Google agrees with him.) Also, if you are ever in Perrysburg, stop at Chris's coffee shop and let him make you a drink. The beverages are good and he's a lot of fun.
We crossed the wide and muddy Maumee River after our coffee stop and passed the Fallen Timbers battlefield where an American army defeated a confederation of native peoples. The memorial is pretty clear about who the heroes are, but it does at least reserve one side of the statue for an acknowledgement of the Native Americans, albeit without very much in the way of sympathy for their losses.
I hadn't known much about the Battle of Fallen Timbers previously, but before our trip, I had read that it was pivotal to the nation's history. It certainly was a defining moment for the area through which we traveled. After the defeat and removal of the Native American tribes, the U.S. government gave the land to white settlers who drained the area’s Great Black Swamp to create the enormous flat fields that stretch in every direction. It also opened the rest of the Midwest to settlement. Today, those wetlands-turned-fields produce a bounty of food and food products, while altering the environment in sweeping fashion. (In the Watershed: A Journey Down the Maumee is a fascinating account of the history of the area as well as the wid-ranging environmental and social impacts of its agricultural development)
The final 30 miles of riding included the Wabash Cannonball Trail, which traverses the remnants of the area’s extensive wetlands, and more farm roads. The trail starts out beautifully paved, winds through some incredible low-lying woodlands. The final six to eight miles are a dirt and gravel track that run between cultivated fields and forests.
As the sun sank lower in the sky, we arrived at Sauder Heritage Inn and village. (Yes, the Sauder of manufactured furniture fame.) The inn’s restaurant was closed, but Marco’s Pizza delivered so ended a long, long day.
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Listen: Rain on the Scarecrow, John Mellencamp
Today's ride: 79 miles (127 km)
Total: 147 miles (237 km)
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