Fall-2016-OTET-For-Web.Pdf

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�� Ohio to Erie Trail

Fall 2016 Newsletter #54 3rd Annual OTET Adventure Ride a Success Washington. The average age of the participants was 62. Three riders had taken part in the 2015 ride as well. The nineteen men and seven women were assisted by a volunteer staff of five includ- Apple Creek Now on ing OTETF Board members Tom OTET Route Moffitt and Mike Groeber, Sandy This past summer the OTET route Twenty-six bicycle riders took Sanders of Hamilton, Ohio and was changed in Wayne County part in the third annual OTET Ron Overly and Bob Niedenthal to include the Village of Apple Great Bike Adventure the week of Oxford, Ohio. Mike Groeber Creek between Fredericksburg of September 10 by riding from was the group’s bike mechanic. and Dalton. The new route elimi- the Ohio River in Cincinnati The OTET Adventure Ride was a nates several hills and places to Lake Erie in Cleveland. The fund raiser for OTET. A portion travelers on safer country roads. 300+ mile ride spanned six days of the registration fees were a Bicycle 1 OTET signs are up and and five nights, with the short- donation. Approximately $8,000 travelers passing through Apple est day at 40 miles and the was raised from the event. Creek are enjoying Amish bakery longest 71. * * * * * goods in this small Ohio town Ranging from their mid-thir- with a bank, laundromat, grocer, ties to 79 years old, riders came For info about the 4th Annual deli and the park shelter. The from Ohio, Indiana, New Jersey, Ride, see page 2. new OTET Tour Guide includes Nebraska, Pennsylvania and the modified 8-mile route.

www.ohiotoerietrail.org facebook.com/OhiotoErie Fall/Winter 2016 Newsletter #54 Trip Brings History to OTET Ride first paved trails in Illinois and in Newark, Ohio in the 1980s. Tripp served on the OTET board dur- ing most of the 1990s through 2006. She has been an OTET Advisory Board Annual OTET Ride Registration member from Opens In December 2009 to present. Ohio cycling history The 4th Ohio to Erie Trail arranged for OTET riders. traveled with the 30 She trained for the 6-day Annual Adventure Ride The ride is rated inter- riders of the 2016 OTET annual OTET ride by rid- will be held September mediate, however since ride in the form of Ellen ing 1-2x per week, start- 9-15, 2017. The 2017 the majority of the 300+ Tripp, founding OTET ing with 20 miles and Cincinnati to Cleveland miles are on flat paved board member who working her way up to 60 ride will be six nights, trail, this is a first-time has remained on the miles. “It’s surprising that seven days. Early regis- rider’s dream. Transpor- board through the last 3 I never felt sore the next trants (before February tation back to Columbus decades in various roles. morning.” She serves as 1, 2017) will be asked to and Cincinnati is available an inspiration for many donate $500. The ride is for a small fee. 2016 rid- “I came to trails as an of us, both in her advo- fully supported with a ers rated their experience advocate for the green- cacy for the greenways in luggage truck, SAG cars as “excellent” and said, ways”, said Tripp, a for- Ohio, and for remaining and an outstanding bike “we’ll tell our friends this mer runner who got into an active cyclist in her 7th mechanic. is a must do adventure!” cycling once she began decade! Space is limited to 40 riding on some of the Participants pay for lodging and food costs, but participants so watch for significant reduction in sign-up as of December 1 on the OTET web site. � NEW OTET Trail � hotel rates have been pre- ��

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�� Becoming a Friend of the Trail ��

Available �� A new program, Friends of � �� Pre-orders for the all new � � �� the Trail, is being offered �� OTET Tour Guide are avail- �� able at www.OhiotoErie �� to those supporters who

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� � �� 1, 2017. The new guides become a friend of the contain updated maps of trail through our web- A sneak peek at the 2017 the OTET/Ohio Route 1 site (look under Donate), OTET Trail Guides and are filled with helpful you’ll be offered exclusive information about lodging, discounts throughout the food, parking, restrooms year. Currently, Friends OTET sticker for free. and much more. Become of the Trail can pre-order The Friends program has a Friend of OTET and save the new 2017 Trail Guide several different giving $5 on your pre-order! for a $5 discount and levels, ranging from $25 to receive a small and large $1,0000. Fall/Winter 2016 Newsletter #54 Ripper Gets to the Root of the Problem

unit could remain on the an elegant system for paved trail. mounting weights off the The ripper cuts roots at a cutter’ frame to ensure depth of about 12 inches the unit’s blade cut con- deep, and runs at a speed sistently 12 inches deep, of about 3 mph. It was resulting in a more robust used by FMCPT in spring ripper. of 2015. Last December, George Stockham, mem- in a true example of trail ber of FLMSP and one of collaboration, Friends the leaders of the volun- of the Little Miami State teer crew that operated Park (FLMSP) borrowed the ripper last winter the Root Ripper and put noted that anyone com- it to the test. fortable pulling equip- The conditions of the Lit- ment on a small tractor Those buckling bumps The “Root Ripper” was can operate the ripper. and cracks caused by designed and built by tle Miami Trail were much tree roots growing under Jerry Miller and Danny tougher than what the Maintenance crews are trails may become a Holt, members of Friends ripper had encountered hopeful that the ripper’s thing of the past, thanks of the Madison County on the Madison County schedule will be about to Friends of the Madi- Prairie Trail (FMCPT). The Prairie Trail. Built on a every 5 years, but this son County Prairie Trail original implement was a pre-Civil War abandoned remains to be seen. (FMCPT), who created the donated Howard V Chis- railroad right-of-way, the Pavement issues will be Root Ripper, a machine tle subsoiler unit, and had trail’s ground was full of monitored carefully for that stops the roots a trio of cutter blades. densely packed, 150+ the next few years, as alongside trails before Jerry and Danny modified year-old ballast stones. the Root Ripper awaits they have a chance to it to have only one blade The tougher conditions its next opportunity to cause issues. offset to the right so that encountered last winter make the trails bump and the tractor pulling the prompted Jerry to devise buckle-free!

A Tale of Two Bridges Two recently completed a bridge crossing State The recently com- sections of the trail with Route 36 at Lytle Road. pleted Galena bridges were completed The 182 foot bridge was Brick Trail, running just a few weeks prior transported in three sec- between Dustin Road to this publication. The tions and it took a whole and Holmes Street, Heart of Ohio Trail added day to install on site by covers a distance of crews with two 1/2 mile on the old large cranes. Penn Central Rail- It has a carry- road bed. It offers ing capacity of scenic views as it The Galena Brick Trail Bridge 30,000 pounds. passes over Little This new sec- Walnut Creek for 145 old railroad water tower tion brings the feet over a historic base, offering a peaceful, HOOT trail to railroad bridge. The trail wooded picnic location also features an obser- A new bridge on the HOOT, south of 16.64 miles. overlooking the Hoover vation deck built on the Centerburg, Knox County Nature Preserve. 118 Graceland Blvd. #146 Non-Profit Columbus, Ohio 43214 Organization www.ohiotoerietrail.org U.S. Postage PAID Coumbus OH Permit 5466

Address Changes: E-mail changes to: [email protected] Telephone Number changes to: 614-918-3636

OTET Becomes a Destination for Many This past summer, travel- visitors from Australia, ers from near and far came Canada, and 35 states, to experience all of what including the District OTET and its neighboring of Columbia, Washing- Board of Directors Executive Coordinator communities offer. Thou- ton, New York, Arizona, Tom Moffitt, PhD, Butler County, Lisa Daris sands of people not only California, Florida, Kansas, President Advisory Board biked, hiked, ran, walked, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Bill Daehler, Franklin County, Vice President William Baker, Holmes County and skated on Colorado, and Elizabeth Watts, Franklin County, Melodee Kornacker, Franklin OTET’s 300+ miles, New Jersey. Treasurer County Greg Lashutka, Franklin County but they also dis- Board member Wayne Roberts, Madison County, Secretary Tom Offut, Lake County covered the best Mary Plumley Tom Alexander, Holmes County Charlie Ruma, Franklin County of Ohio through helped coordinate James Flaherty, Delaware County Jim Schneider, Greene County Mike Groeber, Clark/Greene Oliver Seikel, Cuyahoga County lodging, dining, and visit- a new webpage, “Destina- Ted Short, Wayne County Counties Sam Speck, Franklin County ing the many attractions tions.” This page links to Sean McGurr, Summit County Ellen Tripp, Franklin County along the trail. “Where can local Convention and Visi- Don Mills, Hamilton County Stephanie Vesper-Gephardt, Don Noble, Wayne County we camp?” was one of the tor’s Bureaus sites, making Hamilton County Mary Plumley, Franklin County Brad Westall, Franklin County most common questions. it easier for visitors to plan Jerry Rampelt, Franklin County “Where can we park along their trip. Check it out at Dan Rice, Summit County the trail?” was another. The www.ohiotoerietrail.org/ Dan Ritchey, Muskingum County Bob Taft, Greene County hospitality of Ohio shined cvb-page/. Jack Williams, Ross County at its finest, welcoming Thomas Yablonsky, Cuyahoga County