Finding your way
Each of us must cycle our own tour
My dad was the pilot and my mother was the navigator of the Plymouth. The AAA Trip Tik and Sohio maps were my mom’s road trip companions. We were inevitably lost as the pages turned and the map folded like an origami butterfly. The best navigation tools of the times were not failproof.
Those memories are replaced by technology’s march forward. GPS, mobile apps, and in-car navigation are now the standard. My mom would have loved turn-by-turn directions freeing her from pleading with my father to stop and ask for directions; something his ego would never allow.
Technology changed how cyclists find their way on a tour. A phone, Garmin, or Wahoo delivers on-bike navigation (nearly) flawlessly. Apps are evolving their features making the on-bike experience more enjoyable and easier to navigate.
The Ohio to Erie Trail provides on-the-bike navigation resources for trail visitors. The trail’s interactive map is customizable displaying the essential and trail visitor's most-requested information. The map, based on Google Maps, is responsive to the device making it ideal for on-the-bike use.
Ride with GPS routes can be downloaded from the trail’s website. Most cycling apps and devices can use them for on-the-bike navigation. Northbound and southbound itineraries are available. Current trail alerts, closures, and detours are included in these routes.
The trail understands that bicycle tourists come in all flavors, from a person with a technology-overloaded bike to a person traveling tech-free and mobile device-free. The trail’s Trip Planning resource page is the perfect place to plan a technology-free tour.
The printed Ohio to Erie Trail Guide is a set of four regional guides that fit in a map holder or handlebar bag. Published annually, it is the ideal companion for a technology-free tour. It is a condensed view of the trial highlighting tuns, complex areas, and trail connections. It meets the needs of most bicycle tourists.
Printing the guide annually limits the depth of information on the pages. Trail alerts, closures, detours, recent additions, and construction must be shared timely. The trail website, interactive map, and Ride with GPS routes are updated promptly and as needed ensuring an accurate trail route.
“The best rides are the ones where you bite off much more than you can chew, and live through it.” – Doug Bradbury, Early adopter of mountain biking
Lessons from my family trips apply to those touring technology-free. Someone is the navigator. The navigator reviews the route in the morning and follows the directions in the trail guide during the day. They must stay alert, be aware of where they are, and keep a keen eye open for OH-1 trail signs.
A solo tourist accepts the challenge of being pilot and navigator. A busy urban environment often requires on-the-spot decisions. Prioritize the navigator's voice, rely on instincts, and past piloting experience. Stay alert when you sense you have gone off course and stop to take inventory.
My mom voiced the best advice when lost. “Ask someone if we are going in the right direction.” My pilot dad would never heed that advice, not manly. Cyclists always lend a hand to a fellow cyclist. Ask for directions. Navigators are human and not without fault. Accept that and move on with the day.
Touring by bike means different things to different people. Some want every inch and minute of the day planned. Others set out for an adventure with little planning and find their way at their own pace and time. Most people tour somewhere in the middle balancing planning, structure, and adventure.
When I was a runner, “Run your own race” were words of encouragement from fellow runners. Translate that to “Cycle your own ride” as a cyclist. Your approach to a tour is yours to own. Embrace technology, live technology-free, or something in-between. Celebrate that and find your own way.
Cycle your own ride!
Tom on the Trails