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Where We Ride: A Sub 24-Hour Overnight on the Towpath Trail

Rich Oettinger

Rich OettingerEver dreamed of taking a long trip by bike, but don't have the time, or afraid you don't have the stamina? Then try a Sub 24-Hour Overnight, which is a short out-and-back bike trip with one night's stay. We've written about Sub 24-Hour Overnights before, in this article from Ohio Sports & Fitness Magazine.
 
Rich Oettinger from Century Cycles’ Peninsula store did just such a trip earlier this year. He used it as a training ride for a much longer trip on the Great Allegheny Passage/C&O Canal Towpath from Pittsburgh, PA to Washington, DC.

Rich and two of his friends packed up their camping gear and departed from Peninsula, riding about 60 miles down to the village of Bolivar. This ride is all on the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail, other than a short street detour through downtown Massillon and a couple of miles from the end of the trail into Bolivar.

After camping at the NTR Canoe Livery, they packed up and headed back to Peninsula the next morning.

Not feeling up for riding 60 miles a day for two days straight? There are lots of options for a shorter trip. You can drive to the Lake Avenue Trailhead in Massillon, and from there it's a 20-mile ride to Bolivar. Or, stop at one of the other campgrounds just off the Towpath Trail; to learn more here about the locations of these campgrounds, see www.centurycycles.com/to/camp.

Roughing it and sleeping in a tent not your thing? The village of Bolivar also offers hotel and motel chains, as well as several historic bed & breakfast inns. And without having to carry a tent and sleeping bag, you'll be able to pack a lot lighter as well!

The Towpath Trail offers many diversions along the way to stretch your legs, get a snack, and see more of Ohio's rich canal-era history, including a ride on the St. Helena III, a replica canal freighter in downtown Canal Fulton.

Rich used his touring bicycle for this trip, but you don't need a new bike to do an overnight bike trip. Stop into one of our stores to discuss your trip plans with one of our bike-touring experts--we've got thousands of miles of touring experience, and we can help you equip your bike for a trip of any length.

To read more about the equipment that Rich used, how he prepared for his trip, and his personal highlights, see this article on the Century Cycles blog.

This page was published on Nov. 9, 2012.