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GI: Ashtabula Covered Bridge Ride?


armith

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Alright so last year my girlfriend and I decided to try a ride to hit up the 17 covered bridges of Ashtabula County.. We decided for the sake of traffic and stuff to do it after the annual festival. The problem is we didn't start out early enough and only got thru maybe 6 or 7 bridges before we had to go home.

DETAILS UPDATE:

Who: Anyone.. all types of bikes

What: Tour of Ashtabula County Covered Bridges

Where: Astabula County

When: Saturday, October 3rd Weather pending...

Why: See historical landmarks and a little autumn color

Meeting spot: Sheetz @ 10:00am. 2411 North Ridge Road East Ashtabula OH 44004

Coming from I-90 take the Ashtabula Rt 11 exit (exit 228) North.

Proceed up Rt 11 for about 3.5 miles to the Ashtabula US20 exit.. Turn left onto US20 Sheets will be on your right

NOTE: I found some mapping software has the address pushpinned East of the 20/11 interchange.. This wrong.. It is just west of the interchange.

1.riders meeting, top off gas, grab snacks/drinks, bathroom, etc.

2.depart 11am Bridge tour part 1

-Smolen-Gulf (group bike photo op)

-Olin's Bridge (can be skipped)

-Benetka Rd

-Doyle Rd

-Mechanicsville Rd

-Harpersfield (photo op)

3.War Memorial in Jefferson

4.break at Jefferson (Gas, drinks, pee break, etc.)

5.Bridge tour part 2

-Netcher Rd

-Denmark Rd

-Root Rd

-State Rd

-Creek Rd (can be skipped)

5.Covered Bridge Pizza (North Kingsville) for dinner 5pm (group bike photo op)

6.everyone head home (sun sets around 7)

Who's In:

-armith (2up)

-Casper

-Kosmo

-LikWid (2up)

-scottb +3

-neohiofan

-magley64

-timotheus

-zoner1320

-jbctown

Edited by armith
Ride details update.
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ok I meant to post this up front too..

This is absolutely an any bike and 2-up safe ride.. These bridges are kinda scattered so the point is to enjoy the ride and scenery. I think the concern are more the fact that some of these bridges are in rural dirt/gravel roads.. Some organization may be needed to park and turn everyone around on a couple bridges.. If your not comfortable with a little tar and chip or dirt then speak now and we'll see if we can adjust the route to minimize it..

The more I'm looking at it, It would be a major challenge to hit all 17 bridges in a day.. We'd have to all meet up kinda early in the morning and stops for pictures and stuff would be pretty short..

Regardless figure on this being an all day thing.

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Ewww... I was with you until you said tar/chip + dirt.

I'm not scared (though it's admittedly more difficult 2-up), I just hate rock chips and cleaning afterward. Minimization of this would be a good thing. Unless I could convince the chick to ride 2up on the SV... that's the beater bike anyway.

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Ewww... I was with you until you said tar/chip + dirt.

I'm not scared (though it's admittedly more difficult 2-up), I just hate rock chips and cleaning afterward. Minimization of this would be a good thing. Unless I could convince the chick to ride 2up on the SV... that's the beater bike anyway.

Completely agree, I on the other hand would be nervous as all hell :lol:

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I will have to go over the map and see how many of them require dirt road access.. Given the nature of why the covered bridges are there and where they are rurally located, many of them will be on dirt roads. Maybe I'll scout things out more in my car this week.

I can tell you that of the bridges we saw last year none of the dirt roads were terrible.. Being that they have an annual festival, the locals people and governments to make an honest effort to keep the surroundings and roads adequate. Again, I have no intentions of riding a spirited or kneedrag pace..

Oh one more side note.. Purely FYI and not intended to worry anyone.. Crossing a covered bridge can be a little scary first time.. Most have tire beaten wood plank floors which can make the feel of the bike feel unstable as you travel over the smooth but uneven planks.. Its no big deal, but could be a little alarming if your not expecting it.. Especially 2up.

Also, I was thinking about the rain date of Oct 10.. Problem with that is that's when the festival starts and we could run into more cage traffic than I'm comfortable riding in a group with.. The dust, navigating around parked vehicles on narrow roads.. For me I'm a no go for that one.. I couldn't do a group ride like that in good conscience.. Maybe if I was highly familiar with the roads and personally knew the groups riding styles and abilities.. But even then. So for me Oct 4th is really the only day I have available till the end of October. By then some of you could have your bikes parked.

Barring soaking rain and/or sub 50 temperatures I'd like to go for it on the 3rd.

Admins/Mods, should I create a new thread for event details and attendee list or should I just edit the original post?

Edited by armith
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Count me in as 2-up for October 3rd.

Single rider if October 10th

I think most people here understand 2-up group ride means we're going slow and safe... although you never know, we can always kick Casp... erm.... a dangerous rider out.

DTC should get out there with their ladies. Fonz... Sam.... come on you slackers.

Edited by Likwid
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