Two Wheels with a Charge Day 5
Millersburg to Massillon: Life is good
Life is good. That was on my mind all day. It rested well at Hotel Millersburg. It was unique being 170 years old with simple clean rooms and a touch of nostalgia unlike the chain hotel cookie cutter design. This stay is what makes touring special.
The hotel restaurant was not open for breakfast. That was not an issue since I had other breakfast plans up the trail. I peddled down the hill to the Holmes County Trail and headed north.
The trail was peaceful and bucolic with the morning mist rising through the woods and fields. There was hardly a soul on the trail. A only a couple buggies passed me on the ten miles to Fredericksburg.
The peaceful setting was the perfect place to record a video. I promised to post my thoughts on E-bike touring when I launched this series. Below is my walkthrough how my touring rig is configured.
E bikes are challenging in attaching touring bags and devices. The frames are not standard and the battery is usually positioned limiting where things can be placed. Watch the video to see the full walkthrough. The bottom line is my Serial 1 is a good bike for E-touring. I was able to attach the bags in just about everything that I needed for the tour.
The Holmes County Trail ends just south of Fredericksburg. Breakfast plans came into view as I cycled to the center of Fredericksburg. Salt Creek Café is my go-to when is cycle this area. It’s not what you expect in Amish country. It’s Starbucks trendy. I opted for their breakfast bowl and iced latte. It was made from scratch and a four star winner.
I followed the Ohio to Erie Trail 1 sign around the corner and climbed the first of several hills on the 17 miles on-road and off-trail miles. These hills challenged me on my four prior tours. I did conquer them. This is where I saw the advantage of touring with an E-bike. I used the assist on the hills making the day much more enjoyable.
The miles were quite scenic and exemplify why life is good. The Amish people farm in olden ways with their farms simple and clean. The gardens are immaculate ringed in flowers. I encountered roadside farm stands stocked with fruit, vegetables, and flowers. As summer rolls on, these are more common with a wider variety of offerings.
Life was good until I turned off Kidron Road and was face to face with a road closed sign and chip and seal paving trucks beyond.  If you’re not familiar with chip and seal. A layer of tar is laid and topped with crushed limestone, a dreaded combination for cyclists.
I was directed to use the grass and pass the parade of trucks and rollers. I walked about 500 feet and mounted my bike praying I would not be mired in tar. I used caution as chip and seal takes some time for traffic to imbed the limestone down to smoother but not perfectly smooth surface. I rolled along for about 5 miles and ended up tar-free in Dalton.
I stopped for a cold drink and coney at the Dalton Dariette, a classic retro drive-in diner along US-30, the Lincoln Highway. Â The Amish produce stand behind the drive-in sells wonderful jams and jellies, as well as fruit and produce. My bags were full and I was not interested in carrying anything today.
I headed across the Lincoln Highway to the Sippo Valley Trail which took me into Massillon. The trail has varied surfaces and conditions with some shade and some open farmland. It was a fast 10 uneventful miles.
I headed to Ernie’s Bike Shop on the Ohio to Erie Canal Towpath Trail. Ernie Lehman and his family have built a wonderful bike shop, canoe and kayak rental, and restaurant complex that is an asset to the trail. I spent some time chatting with the family about trails and cycling.
I reversed course and headed into downtown. It was too early to check in to my hotel. One of my go-tos in Massillon is Tremont Coffee Shop. I am a coffee aficionado and this place checks off all my bullets for a superior caffeine experience. It has a cool vibe, excellent coffee, and great coffee shop mood music. Two hours passed quickly catching up on email and web surfing. I headed to the hotel to check-in.
I showered the trail and road dirt away and did some laundry. My friends Mike and Sue joined me for dinner tonight at Smiley’s, a local family pizzeria and Italian restaurant. The night ended at a downtown Massillon family-oriented music event.
Tomorrow I head back to the towpath and turn north to Akron. It’s a very short cycling day. I suspect I’ll be venturing off the path for some exploration and rekindling memories. I am now in the area of Ohio I called home before I retired to Central Ohio.
Life truly was good today.
Today’s miles: 40
Tour miles: 271
Beautiful!!! I have visited all the places you visited on this day, so nice to reminisce!!!!