Saturday, June 20: Norwalk
VisitHuronCounty.com
Gather in the northern
Ohio town of Norwalk, called "Maple City" for its beautiful maple
trees and known for its historic districts and the Firelands Museum. Nearby
Milan beckons, with the Thomas Edison Home. Line up for the bicycle parade
and opening ceremonies, then camp at the Huron County Fairgrounds.
Sunday: Norwalk
to Elmore
Ottawa Co. Vistiors Bureau
51 miles
Father's Day dawn comes early.
Grab your Dad and your bike, and head to Elmore. Relish your time on the road
and visit the Bellevue Railroad Museum, take a swim at the food stop, and
tour the Hayes Home & Presidential Center. Glide awhile along the North
Coast Inland Trail. The dinner bell has sounded in Elmore, so pitch your tent
at Woodmore High School and ask for Lowell to serve up your supper.
Monday: Elmore
(layover day)
50 optional miles
Today, linger in Elmore or bike
some more or take a trip! Can't-miss sites in Elmore are the Schedel Arboretum
& Gardens, antique shops, the Elmore Train Depot and log house, and authentic
turn-of-the-century five-and-dime. The optional bike route paves the way to
Port Clinton with Lake Erie, walleyes, marshlands, and beach. Or expand your
horizon with a trip to either Put-In-Bay on South Bass Island, or Cedar Point
Amusement Park/Soak City, for a thrill-a-minute.
Tuesday: Elmore
to Bowling Green
Bowling Green Convention
& Visitors Bureau
Wood Co. Tourism
54 miles
Get your rest...a full day awaits.
Meander with the Portage River into Pemberville, a treasure trove of history
with a restored Depot, old school house, and 1892 opera house. Be dazzled
by the gold dome of the Islamic Mosque blooming above the cornfields. Honor
the past at Ft. Meigs Historical Site, the reconstructed fort from the War
of 1812. Pluck the best of Bowling Green: the collegial flavor of the University,
Wood County Historical Museum, Slippery Elm Trail, Snook's Dream Cars Auto
Museum, Children's Discovery Garden, American Civil War Museum, and a unique
tour inside a wind turbine. Tuck yourself in at the Wood County Fairgrounds.
Wednesday: Bowling
Green to Defiance
Greater Defiance
Area Tourism & Visitors Bureau
56 miles
Say farewell to Bowling Green as
you ride past the Wind Turbine Farm. Stop and smile awhile in the old canal
town of Grand Rapids on the Maumee River, an irresistible blend of shops,
local arts and crafts, canoes, locks, and more. Find your way to Defiance,
where Johnny Appleseed lived, 1811-28. Your sojourn, at Defiance College,
is much shorter, but every bit as sweet, from the stomping grounds of General
"Mad Anthony" Wayne, to landmarks and movie props from The Prize
Winner of Defiance, Ohio.
Thursday: Defiance
(layover day)
50, 58, or 100 optional miles
Take a nap today, if you dare!
In Defiance, choose from Auglaize Village, the 19th century recreated village,
Miami & Erie Canal & Lock, Indian earthworks, Holgate Ave. Historic
District, or downtown shops featuring creations of artists and artisans. Get
the latest issue of the Bulldog Press, a compendium of local news, the arcane
and the trivial, and riddles. Take in Sauder Village, Ohio's largest living-history
village, either on the optional bus trip or the optional bike route. Bike
further, and you'll reap rewards: Goll Woods, a primeval swamp forest, Lockport
covered bridge, the farmlands of the Great Black Swamp, Harrison Lake State
Park, swimming, and Stoney Ridge Winery.
Friday: Defiance
to Fostoria
Sececa Co. Convention
& Visitors Bureau
Fostoria Area Chamber of Commerce
56 miles
Turn your bike to the morning sun.
In North Baltimore, watch a few of their 78 trains per day. Set your sights
for Fostoria High School and a welcome that has been in the works since our
1996 visit. Known the world over, Fostoria Glass is represented in the sparkling
Fostoria Glass Heritage Gallery. Explore and learn what put Fostoria on the
map: the first nighttime horse race in 1887 under artificial lights, the bank
robbery by the Dillinger gang, and the Academy Award in 1956 to National Carbon
(Specialty Products) for carbon arc lighting used in Cecil B. DeMille's The
Ten Commandments.
Saturday: Fostoria
to Norwalk
52 miles
Write your last postcard, stow
the tent, and get back in the saddle. Skirt the Sandusky River and pay homage
to the Sorrowful Mother Shrine. Feel the heartfelt welcome on your return
to Norwalk. Pack up your GOBA memories and savor the whole bunch!
Route
details and mileages are approximate and subject to change.
