Chuck78 Posted November 21, 2013 Report Share Posted November 21, 2013 Can someone give me a rundown on their opinions on these roads? I've ridden 278 many times, and have been meaning to hit up the rest, but haven't really had the chance. I think I hit 278S to 56E to 356S on my way to Kentucky once. 356 had lots of tight turns, and and at the very end of it just a few turns before the end at Rt 50, my buddy scraped hard when leaning and put his bike down... 278 is good fun, but the only 5 star part I thought was the big hill climb if headed SW. I'm trying to map out a route the back way into Hocking down to 56 between 664 and 374 (one of my favorites in Ohio for curves and scenery), and end up on 685/13/78 past Burr Oak State Park. Looking to take the extended scenic route either on a good late fall day or potentially the casual "new engine break-in ride" for early spring after I up my 844cc GS750 to 920cc's. 356 to 691 is almost the same road if you connect them on 56, but if 328 and 278 are worth critiquing north of 56 vs south of 56, let me know, as there are a lot of possibilities of loops to do in this area. Knee is recovering from the deer strike on OH-550 11 days ago thankfully. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary#17 Posted November 22, 2013 Report Share Posted November 22, 2013 I like 278 especially south of 56 although the other side has some fun stuff too. More sweepers in the lake hope area. Here's a route my husband and I do frequently. Start in Lancaster. 374 south to 56. 56 west to gas station. turnaround and go back on 56. 56 to 356 south. then 50 west to 278 north. At 30, go to 78 and then 685. We turn around on 685 and then go back to 30 and over to 691 south. After that it depends on what hotel we are staying at. I don't think you can go wrong with any of those roads. I'm not familiar with 328 or at least I don't remember it. Mary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drc32-0 Posted November 23, 2013 Report Share Posted November 23, 2013 328 south of 56 is definitely worth a ride.It has a lot of the same feel as 356...maybe a little tamer.It was paved early this spring. 328 north of 56 is something of a snooze in my opinion. The 691,356 combo has been a favorite of mine since they paved 691 last year. A lot of good county roads in the H.H. area...Thompson Ridge,Big Pine,Kreashbaum,Harble-Grifith(be careful) come to mind. It's good to hear your knee is healing up.So what did you think of the roads on the route you ran that day? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drc32-0 Posted November 23, 2013 Report Share Posted November 23, 2013 If you're looking for a back way down to that area you might look at something like Revenge Rd out of Lancaster down to Clear Creek Rd or Jack Rabbit Run. It's not great,but it's not bad either...much better than 33.One warning though...Clear Creek is Rough on the end away from 33.It's not a high speed road,but it is pretty out there and it has a bolder that you won't forget. Just an option. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary#17 Posted November 25, 2013 Report Share Posted November 25, 2013 Hmm. 328 looks interesting. I'll have to add that to the list. I agree with drc32-0, some of the roads he listed near hocking are nice. Some are freshly paved as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck78 Posted November 26, 2013 Author Report Share Posted November 26, 2013 Not looking like I'll get a chance to ride this one this year, but thought I'd post this map and save it, as I think this will be one of the best routes I could pick to take two friends on their first really in depth SE Ohio ride to show them the best curves and scenery possible. I was torn between Revenge Rd to Snortin Ridge Rd to Jack Run vs Revenge to Clear Creek Rd to 33 to 374 to hit the big hill climb and the Cantwell Cliffs area... Then either route hitting 374 south to Big Pine. Also may do as Mary mentioned and skip Chapel Ridge Rd (I'd be doing it the downhill direction, which is definitely one that can bite ya) and hit the really nice stretch of 56 from 374 to South Bloomingville and then backtrack on 56 again to the 328/278/691 area. Mary, now that you mentioned frequently doing 56 to and from that gas stop in South Bloomingville, I am pretty sure myself and two other friends briefly chatted with you and 2 guys you were riding with there while we were all gassing up our bikes (the 3 of us on vintage japanese bikes from the late 70's) mid-november of last year. I remember Ducati's and riders in full gear, and the cooler temps, and remembering that we were the only die-hard riders out that day. Small world. I mapped out 56 to 691N to Nelsonville, thinking that 691 was probably more fun than the northern half of 278. Am I right? 356 is out of the way for this trip unfortunately, but I have very fond memories of that one until my buddy ended up backwards with the bike on it's side slid into a ditch at the southern end! Could detour 328S to 278N to 56E to 691 for an extended tour. past Nelsonville, detouring off 78 for a short bit on 685 is WELL WORTH missing that section of 78 and riding the mundane 13 N to get back to 78. As I suspected from driving the VW Rabbit Pickup on it last winter, 685 is 4 or 5 miles worth of the funnest fresh pavement I can imagine riding. Great turns, great elevation changes, beautiful wooded setting going up to a ridge and back down...wow. Roller coaster and awesome turns. 78 Surely from 13 to way past Burr Oak is definitely one of the funnest and most scenic roads in Ohio. The high altitude ridgetop vistas for a few miles starting a mile or two past Burr Oak State Park entrance give you some of the best high altitude views you can find in Ohio. The road is just endless ridgetop curves sweeping all over the place and getting twisty here and there. Not the most technical, but an absolute MUST RIDE - definitely one of the most enjoyable. it mellows out a slight bit before McConnelsville, but still not too bad. After McConnelsville, it is boring for a while, but nearing the Big Muskie Miner's Memorial and I77, it gets fairly fun again. I mapped it out ditching 78 before McConnelsville and hitching a ride back towards Columbus on 669, which was just paved in 2012 and has some really fun curves east of the river there. Towards Somerset, it mellows out, you can take 757 out of Somerset to 204 (starts out with some mild fun hills./curves) which is a country road route that parallels I70. OR you can take 668 N out of Somerset to I70. 668 is pretty darn fun, caught me by surprise with it's big hills and several really fun curves - unsuspecting from the map view. Watch out for gravel and dirt on the road from farm tractors in a few parts close to the highway! Well, that's really about the best day trip intro to the best twisty and scenic roads in SE Ohio that I can come up with, other than the part 2 trip if my buds want more - hitting 260/565/537/255/536/800. I didn't ride 536 as I heard it could really use re-paved, but it looks absolutely WICKED on the map! I rode 255 both ways and skipped most of 800. 255 was a blast definitely. 260S to 565E to 537E to 26 E was definitely a blast packed full of fun roads curves and hills, as was the other way doing most of the entirity of 26 westbound with a detour on 537E to 260S. that was an awesome ride.... definitely the best stretch of 260 there. 565E to 537E was equally awesome (connector on 260N for a minute between the two). I'm trying to get a spare engine to build up a 920cc GS750 mill this winter, and my buddy just build a modded out KZ750 big bore setup, so this may be a good late April long route to do as a new engine break-in ride! Thanks again for all the pointers. The back way into Hocking I was tipped off on from you guys a year ago, and wow Revenge Rd is a blast... Even Groveport to Lithopolis to Mt Zion to Crumley to Delmont isn';t too bad, but it;s only 34 minutes from my house to 33 and 22 taking 33, so that's not so bad either. I really appreciate all of your feedback on here. I just have to be more careful about the twilight hours and riding during deer mating season from now on! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drc32-0 Posted November 27, 2013 Report Share Posted November 27, 2013 Another fun route. Thanks for the write-up. 536 is in pretty bad shape,but it is supposed to be paved in the next two years.Once it's paved be sure to check it out.When they last paved it back in 2007,I was working over there and I was able to run it out and back every night.In my opinion,536 is one of the best twisty rides in S.E.O. when it has good pavement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary#17 Posted August 7, 2014 Report Share Posted August 7, 2014 Tried 328 finally. Had forgotten about it. Nice road. We are adding it to our keeper list! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drc32-0 Posted August 9, 2014 Report Share Posted August 9, 2014 If you get over there to ride 328 again you might want to check out 677.It's not as long as 328,but it's a fun way to get over to 278.it cuts out some of the not so fun parts of 50 and 278.very good road surface...probably paved in the last year or two.Did you guys get over to WV yet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck78 Posted August 9, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 9, 2014 I heard mention that maybe some of the roads around Lake Hope were a little rough this season, can anyone confirm? Sounds like 278 and 328 are not, so maybe it was just a rumor. I think one or both of 356 and 691 got fresh pavement in the past year or two anyhow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drc32-0 Posted August 9, 2014 Report Share Posted August 9, 2014 691 was paved in May of 2012,356 hasn't been paved for a few years unless it was done in the last month or so.I'll be down that way either tomorrow or next Sunday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck78 Posted August 10, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 10, 2014 In June 2013, 356 south from 56 left me with very fond memories. I don't think the pavement was terribly new then, but as I recall, I had no qualms with it at all. The last few turns before 50 proved a little tricky, however, a few bumps leading to suspension compression in a slight off camber S curve section and my buddy scraped his minimalistic crash bars, breaking front tire traction sliding into the ditch... Recovered alright and rode to KY with a slightly tweaked fork. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary#17 Posted August 11, 2014 Report Share Posted August 11, 2014 If you get over there to ride 328 again you might want to check out 677.It's not as long as 328,but it's a fun way to get over to 278.it cuts out some of the not so fun parts of 50 and 278.very good road surface...probably paved in the last year or two.Did you guys get over to WV yet? Funny, I was thinking about trying 677. I will put in on the route for sure now next time. No, didn't make it to WV yet. Hoping this week or last week of the month. My son was sick and the weather kind of iffy so did an overnight trip to Hocking/Athens instead. Mary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary#17 Posted August 11, 2014 Report Share Posted August 11, 2014 (edited) I think the roads around Lake Hope are fine. Pavement quality of 356 is fine as well. Unfortunately, the last time we rode it, there was some fine silt on the road in the turns and it made the bikes a little twitchy. Our tires were also on the end of their life so that could have played a factor as well. I think taking 356 south from 56 is the better route. I don't like it as much coming from the other direction. Not sure why........... Edited August 11, 2014 by Mary#17 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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