Century Cycles Night Ride - 08/07/10

So, you call yourself a cyclist?  Well, what do you think about riding at night?  And I'm not talking about casually tooling around your brightly lit neighborhood, but rather, cruising along the pitch black trails of a national park with about 150 other cyclists to boot?  Sound like fun? Well, that's what you can expect on one of the many Night Rides organized by Century Cycles in Peninsula, Ohio.  These rides typically take place every other weekend during the Summer and into the early Fall.  They start promptly at 8:00pm and are short rides of no more than 15 miles total.  Of course, the best part of the ride takes place after the Sun sets!

Typical crowd size for our Night Rides.

This past weekend was exceptionally fun as I got to ride with some of the younger guys from the Century Cycles store I work at in Medina. 

Russ, from the Medina store, sportin' the frat boy look.

"I AM SPARTA!!!"  Well, ummm, with a smile.

Chris, also from the Medina store, with girlfriend Mary.

Right out of the gate, we blew past most of the riders and charged to the front of the line, all the while challenging each other with breakaways and fixed gear spin-outs.  Unfortunately, my 44 year old legs started to show their age as I was eventually 'dropped' unceremoniously by those same young whipper-snappers just a couple of miles from the halfway point!!

On the return leg, the Sun had finally settled below the horizon, and only the dancing head and taillights of 150 riders illuminated the inky black trail ahead.  This time, I ground down on the pedals and raced towards the finish, determined to get the better of those pesky younglings (Star Wars reference there).  As I passed other cyclists riding "bumper to bumper", it reminded me of the traffic lines filing out of the Jake after an Indians game...well, back when the Indians were, you know, good. 

"Bumper-to-bumper!"

Speaking of those dancing headlights, we were fortunate enough to have some representatives from NiteRider, the company that actually makes several high-end headlights for biking, handing out light kits for our cyclists to test on the trail.

Again, as these rides are relatively short, we finished around 9:30pm.  Of course, all good night rides must end with alcohol, so the whole gang tromped over to the Winking Lizard across from the Century Cycles store for beer, wings, and great company.  Unfortunately, I had to bow out of the post-ride festivities this time, but I assure you, they had a blast inside all the same.  Occasionally, someone will even bring a classic cult movie like 'Godzilla vs something' or, in the case of this evening, "Monty Python and the Holy Grail"!

So, if you get the chance, be sure to join us on one of the remaining Night Rides.  For a list of dates, check out our website at http://www.centurycycles.com/.

Mid-summer Towpath Ride!

Today was a milestone.  It was the day I had the pleasure of going with my girlfriend on our first bike ride together.  Yes, after much poking and prodding...and the purchase of a new bike (a Giant Cypress DX)...we finally set out on a date with our bikes to the Cuyahoga Valley National Park's towpath trail in Peninsula, Ohio.  Having ridden the trail many times myself, both during the day and on our Century Cycles' night rides, I was anxious to take Maria on this scenic cycling adventure.

Well, if the smiles below are any indication, a wonderful time was had by all!

On my classic Raleigh Peak

Maria and her sporty new Giant Cypress DX

Of course, like the Metroparks that surround Cleveland, the towpath has it's own remarkable scenery to show off.

Towpath through beaver wetlands

Dragonfly cruisin' the marsh

Towpath crossing one of Peninsula's historic canal locks

Geese enjoying a little sunbathing

Today's ride covered about 14 miles and saw temperatures in the mid 80's.  Afterwards, a cold beer, refreshing iced tea, and tasty food at Peninsula's Winking Lizard rounded out a perfect afternoon of cycling.  Great job, Maria.  I see a Tour de France in your future.  ;)

Bike & Hike Fall Ride - October 20, 2009

I must admit that this has easily been one of my most enjoyable cycling seasons to date.  Not only have I had the pleasure of making new friends on various tours, but I've also had the opportunity to cycle through some of northeast Ohio's most picturesque landscapes; from the aromatic, rolling hills of Geneva's wine country to the dramatic flowing river falls and cornucopia of vibrant Fall colors in the heart of Cuyahoga Valley National Park.

Today's ride involved cycling yet another new route for me...the Bike and Hike trails of Summit County.  Organized by friends Joe and Bonnie Sears, this short afternoon jaunt would take us, in part, along what used to be the old Akron, Bedford & Cleveland (ABC) Railroad line, originally built in 1895.  Back in the day, trains on this route would transport hundereds of Ohioians between the cities of Cleveland and Akron for a mere 50 cents!  (By comparison, 50 cents today wouldn't get me from my living room to my bathroom.) This now-paved path (one of the first "rails to trails" projects in the country) mingles with some of the area's most scenic locations.

With 16 cyclists in tow, we set out for our first (and only) stop on this cool Autumn day; Brandywine Falls.  Boasting a 60 foot water drop, the falls are some of the tallest in Ohio.  A long, wooden boardwalk switchbacks its way down into the sandstone gorge to reveal this spectacular treasure.

After a few minutes pondering nature, we hit the bikes once again.  The rest of the afternoon continued to showcase Fall's seasonal palette of beautiful colors.

 

But, as with all good rides, the cycling must come to an end.  And with this group, it can only end one way.  Margaritas!!  Yes, a little old restaurant by the name of Tequila Pancho's was calling to us, so after 15 + miles of riding, we drifted into the parking lot of Pancho's, locked up our bikes, and took our rightful places at table for fiesta!!  I even used this opportunity to down a new flavor of beer...Dos Equis.  When in Mexico...!

So, once again, another great ride in the books.  The group plans to have one more Bike and Hike ride next week, so I'm already saving room for another round of burritos.  I must, of course, give a shout out to my pal, Dave Manning; If it wasn't for his 2005 Corvette WITH attached bike rack (I will give you a minute to let that visual sink in)...I would have not made it to this event at all. Thanks, Amigo.

And thanks to Bonnie and Joe for getting us together to celebrate the great outdoors and our passion for cycling.

Until the next ride, "Stay thirsty, my friends!"

(PS - For more info on the Summit County Metroparks Bike and Hike Trails, check out http://www.summitmetroparks.org/ParksAndTrails/BikeAndHikeTrail.aspx, and for more on Brandywine Falls, check out http://www.nps.gov/cuva/historyculture/brandywine-falls.htm.)