Upcoming events, road routes and more

Upcoming Events

Bicycle Poker Run
May 17:
This Spring's Poker Run begins at the Canal Community Park in Canal Fulton, OH. The ride travels out and back on the Towpath Trail for a distance of 15 miles. It's a fun way to combine two addictions: cycling and gambling. Along the bike route there are 5 check points. At each checkpoint you will receive a playing card. Turn in your cards when you arrive back at the park, and the best hands win. Registration is $5.00, and all proceeds benefit the Ohio Erie Canal Corridor. Registration is from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM.ÊFor more information call 330-832-5111 or 1-800-291-0099. Sponsored by Ernie's Bicycle Shops.

Top of Ohio Hundred
May 3:
Varied terrain in 100/62/25 miles. Century takes riders to the highest point in Ohio - the top! Columbus Outdoor Pursuits. COP Rides; PO Box 14384-F; Columbus, OH 43214. (614) 447-1006.

Vultures Knob Night Race
May 16: 330-264-7636

Alpine Valley Ski Resort MTB Race
May 17: 440-285-2211

Road Routes

The IMBA Subaru Trail Care Crew at Alum Creek State Park May 7: 3:00p.m.
The trail crew will be present for a central Ohio trail maintenance session. The Central Ohio Mountain Biking Organization (COMBO), Alum Creek State Park, The Central Ohio Bicycle Dealers Association, and Ohio Department of Natural Resources will be hosting the event. Please call Alum Creek at 614-548-4631 for more information and directions. After a Q&A session the group will move to the Alum Creek Mountain Bike Area trailhead. At the trail a "hands-on" discussion will take place with IMBA's trail building pros. Trail maintenance will be follow at 5:00pm with with COMBO and IMBA. Currently, the trails are very wet due to spring rains and generally in poor condition. COMBO strongly recommends not riding at Alum Creek until early to mid-summer. For more information Tom Kravec, 614-457-2136.
DIRECTIONS: Alum Creek State Park is located north of Columbus, west of I-71. From I-71 exit east onto Polaris Parkway. Follow Polaris Parkway north and it will become Worthington Galena Road. Follow Worthington Galena Road north to Lewis Center Road. Turn left on Lewis Center and follow it to the trailhead, about 2 miles down on the right.
The Local Bike Shop
Dale's Bike Shop has been running for about fifteen years and has just recently moved into the Amherst Plaza. The self-proclaimed "North Coast Mountain Bike Headquarters" is located off of Cooper Foster Road towards Lake Erie. To get there head north on 58 and turn right at the BP before Super K. (440) 960-7433.
Oberlin to Findley State Park
(34 miles round trip)

South on Professor St to Hamilton St
Turn right (west) on Hamilton St to Quarry Rd
Turn Left (south) on Quarry Rd
cross U.S. Route 20
pass Hughes Rd
cross Ohio Route 303
pass Whitney Rd
pass Merriam Rd
pass Peck Wadsworth Rd (east)
pass Peck Wadsworth Rd (west)
cross Ohio Route 18
cross Jones Rd
Turn Left (east) on Griggs Rd
pass Baker Rd
Turn Left (north) on Ohio Route 58 to Findley State Park entrance
the entrance will be on your right in approxamately 300 yards
Return via the same route, reversed. This route parallels Ohio Route 58 from Oberlin to Findley State Park but has much less traffic.

Oberlin to Vermilion
(30 miles round trip)

The town of Vermilion is located on Lake Erie. It has extensive pleasure boating facilities with the largest boats to be found at the Vermilion lagoons. There are good restaurants in the town. Also of interest is the Great Lakes Marine Museum which has excellent displays of past and present ship models and navigation gear.

West on Lorain St (Route 10) to Pyle-South Amherst Rd
pass Butternut Ridge Rd
leave Pyle Rd at Garfield Rd
when the road curves it becomes Garfield
continue straight on Garfield (west)
Turn Right (north) on Quarry Rd
Turn Left (west) on Russia Rd
Turn Right (north) on Baumhart Rd
cross Ohio Route 113
Turn Left (west) on Middle Ridge Rd

It is interesting to note that Middle Ridge Rd is built along what was the shoreline of Lake Erie during one of the glacial periods.
pass Claus Rd
Turn Right (north) on Vermilion Rd
pass Peasley Rd. Peasley Rd, which runs to the left goes down to Chance Creek where the creek joins the Vermilion River. There are high shale bluffs overlook ing the river and the whole area is heavily forested.
pass North Ridge Rd
pass Cooper Foster Park Rd
pass Jerusalem Rd
pass Brownhelm Rd
Turn Left (west) on U.S. Route 6 to center of town.
Return via the same route reversed

Oberlin to the Village of Lagrange
(15 miles round trip)

This route leads through typical rural Ohio countryside. There is an interesting Civil War monument in the center of the Lagrange town square. The city building (1847) and three store buildings (1892) indicate that future prospects of the town were bright around the turn of the century. There is a Methodist Church built of wood in a rather unusual design just west of the town square. There is a small good restaurant, the Stagecoach Inn, just east of the square.

South on Main St to Vine St
Turn Left on Vine St to Park St
Turn Right on Park St to Parsons Rd
Parsons Rd is the second road across the tracks
Turn Left on Parsons Rd
cross U.S. Route 20
cross West Rd (at Parsons and West is the Oberlin City Reservoir)
cross Hale Rd
cross Diagonal Rd
Turn Right on Whitehead Rd
cross Biggs Rd
Turn Left on Route 303 to Lagrange

Return Trip:
West on Ohio Route 303
cross Whitehead Rd
cross Nickel Plate Rd
cross West Rd
Turn Right on Hallauer Rd
cross Nickel Plate Rd (which has changed direction since you crossed it from Route 303)
Turn Right on U.S. Route 20 to Hamilton St.
This is a very busy highway. Across the highway is the remains of an older road which parallels Route 20 for most of the way to Hamilton St.
Turn Left on Hamilton St to Main St in Oberlin.

Southwest of Oberlin, through Kipton
(16 miles round trip)

South on Professor St to Hamilton St
Turn Right (west) on Hamilton
pass Lincoln St
pass Pyle-South Amherst Rd
Turn Left (south) on Quarry Rd
cross U.S. Route 20
pass Kipton Nickel Plate Rd
pass Hughes Rd
Turn Right (west) on Ohio Route 303
pass Powell Rd
cross Gifford Rd
Turn Right (north) at Ohio Route 511
cross U.S. Route 20
at this point, Ohio Route 511 becomes Ohio Route 10

On the right entering Kipton is a civil war monument. Down the first street to the left is an interesting church. Refreshments can be obtained at the tavern.
Return to Oberlin via Ohio Route 10, going out of town to the north.

Trip through wooded area west of Oberlin
(about 18 miles round trip)

West on Ohio Route 10
cross Pyle South Amherst Rd
cross Quarry Rd
cross Baumhart Rd
cross Gifford Rd
Just past the airport, Route 10 curves to the left
continue straight a few hundred feet to Vermilion Rd
cross Vermilion Rd: the road that has been Route 10 is now Becker Rd
continue west on Becker Rd
Turn Left (south) on Baird Rd
Turn Right (west) on Bates Rd
cross Gore Orphanage Rd
Turn Right (north) on Green (or County Line) Rd
pass Lincoln Rd
pass Denman Rd
Turn Right (southeast) on Ward Rd
Turn Right (south) on Gore Orphanage Rd.
Turn Left (east) on Becker Rd
cross Baird Rd
cross Vermilion Rd: at this point Becker Rd becomes Ohio Route 10
Follow Route 10 east into Oberlin.
Storage and Shipping
If you need to use UPS to get your bike in or out of Oberlin (the U.S. Postal Service won't ship something as large as a bicycle) then your best bet is the stockroom in the Physical Plant. You will first need to get a bike box from a local bike shop. Be sure to call ahead and make sure they have one in the size you need. You'll then need to find a way to get your bike in the box. You could pay the shop $40 or drop by the Bike Co-op where they'll help you do it yourself. Once boxed the stockroom will ship your bike wherever you want for between $15 and $20 depending on the bike's weight, how much you insure it for and where you're shipping it.

If you want to leave your bike in Oberlin over the summer you will have to find a place to store it. Any bike left locked outside over the summer will be confiscated by security. Dorm bike storage hours are from 10-11 p.m. each night starting May 11 until May 18. On May 19 the confiscation begins. Burton and Noah Halls each have bicycle storage space, with some space in Talcott. Call x6406 or x6437 before taking your bike to Talcott.These rides are available as hand-outs from Wilder. Additional routes can be gotten off the internet. Go to www.crankmail.com to start your search.