grand rivers tour - Buckeye Country Roads Bicycle Tours

GRAND RIVERS TOUR
July 24-30, 2016
There is a major river in northeast Ohio called the Grand
River, which is the lifeblood for Ohio’s largest concentration
of wineries. In the best Buckeye Country Roads tradition, we
have designed a tour that gives you ample opportunity to
cycle past all the great vineyards in this area, perhaps savor
the aromas of the grapes at harvest time and of course
sample the wonderful wines that are produced here. But this
bicycle tour also crosses paths with other “grand rivers” of
Ohio such as the Chagrin and the Ashtabula, as it takes you through lush
parklands, a few excellent bike trails, several Amish communities, Ohio’s premier
maple syrup producing region, and the renowned covered bridges that are
scattered throughout Ashtabula County. As you can tell, there’s a little something
for everybody! Off the bike you’ll be pampered as always with excellent meals and
high quality resort accommodations including 2 beautiful Ohio State Park lodges.
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Day 1 (Sunday): Warm-up Loop, 23 or 32 miles
Riders arrive Sunday morning at the lovely Lodge at Geneva on
the Lake, sprawling along the shore of Lake Erie at the northeast
corner of Geneva State Park. Today’s optional “warm-up ride” is
a perfect opportunity to immerse yourself in Grand River wine
country, with the chance to visit no less than 4 great wineries
(more on the longer route) for some light tasting and, if you wish,
picking up a few bottles which the BCR team will safeguard till
you’re ready to pop a cork in your room or load into your car at
the end of the week. The route will also take you across a lovely
covered bridge over the Grand River, plus the “shortest covered bridge in the world” in the charming town of
Geneva. More great covered bridges will await on Day 2.
If you have the time, take a stroll across the grounds, relax in the gazebo, take a dip in the pool and hot tubs, and
enjoy the lakeside sounds of gentle waves. This evening, meet your fellow riders as you enjoy a signature
Buckeye Country Roads wine and cheese reception followed by a luscious dinner at the Lodge.
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Day 2 (Monday): Ashtabula Loop, 52 or 67 miles
Fueled by a great hot buffet breakfast at the Lodge, we set out on a
full exploration of the covered bridges of Ashtabula County. Heading
initially toward the town of Jefferson, you’ll visit the first of the 4 to 9
(depending on the distance chosen) interesting bridges that will color
our day. You will then have a chance to stop at the Victorian
Perambulator Museum in the town of Jefferson, the only museum of
its kind in the world where over 250 antique baby carriages—true
works of wicker art!—are on display. After completing the loop
through Jefferson you will continue to enjoy the serenity of the
countryside, visiting additional bridges as we work our way toward the city of Ashtabula. In the heart of
Ashtabula’s Bridge Street be sure to stop for ice cream, for chocolate (at Marianne’s Chocolates) or for both, or
grab lunch in one of the local river-side restaurants. Let your food settle while you wait for the Bascule or “Lift
Bridge” to lift off (every ½ hour). Then pay a visit to the Maritime and Surface Transportation Museum or the
Hubbard House Underground Railroad Museum. A lakeside cruise back through Geneva-on-the-Lake will
carry you by a couple more wineries and an historical museum, all waiting for your exploration.
For this evening’s wine and cheese reception, we venture out to a favorite winery a little bit off our bike routes
and once we’ve gone over the next day’s route, you are free to step out and find dinner on your own, or see
what the kitchen at the winery can cook up this evening as the wine and cycling talk continue to flow.
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Day 3 (Tuesday): Geneva to Quail Hollow, 36 or 48 miles
Today we take leave of the Lodge at Geneva-on-the-Lake as we set out
along the shore of Lake Erie on our way toward Painesville and the
Quail Hollow Resort. Enjoy several fabulously scenic parks and vistas
along the Erie shore, punctuated by a close-up view of a nuclear power
plant! Climb the hill of the week—what we’ve named “The Blair
Witch”—and ride quickly by her “ginger-bread” house hidden in the
gulch! Riding by several more metro parks will delight your desire for
scenery. Then head through Painesville to the lakefront area of Fairport
Harbor and explore the Marine Museum and Lighthouse at Lakefront
Park. After dipping your toes in the lake once again, we cruise down the Lake Metroparks Greenway Corridor,
which will bring us to our destination at Quail Hollow Resort. This lovely resort will reward your efforts with
pool, hot tub, dry sauna, and all the amenities you expect from our hoteliers.
Our wine and cheese reception will be held at this beautiful golf resort, followed by a delicious banquet dinner.
After dinner, stroll around the grounds and enjoy the sunset, a fitting end to a wonderful day of scenery and
cycling!
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Day 4 (Wednesday): Chagrin Loop, 38 or 53 miles
Today brings with it another great day of cycling adventures, scenery,
and history as we head out on a loop ride toward the Chagrin River
Valley. We begin with a tour of Holden Arboretum, among the largest
arboreta in the USA covering 3,600 acres. The day’s long route will
explore the Chagrin River Valley and cycle through the North Chagrin
Reservation, paying a visit to the visitor’s center and to Squire’s Castle,
the quaint remains of a mansion built by Fergus Squire, Vice President
of Standard Oil in its heyday. A bit further on will lead to the historic
center of Kirtland, where the Mormons under Joseph Smith established
a residence and built a temple. Explore the temple complex and the Historic Kirtland Visitor’s Center for a
survey of Mormon history prior to their move to Illinois and then on to Salt Lake City. Stops by the Mooreland
Mansion and the James Garfield National Historic Site will fill in some historical details. Turning towards the
lake once again, we visit Headlands Beach State Park, with a late and well deserved stop at Pickle Bill’s Lobster
Shack, near the mouth of the Grand River, for an early afternoon riverside seafood snack. Then jump on the
Lake Metropark Greenway Corridor once again to cruise back to the Quail Hollow Resort.
Today’s late afternoon wine and cheese reception will be held at the Redhawk Grille, a short walk from the
resort, and feel free to stay there with us for dinner or explore other local restaurants not far away for a pleasant
walk in this golfer’s paradise.
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Day 5 (Thursday): Quail Hollow to Punderson Manor, 43 or 56 miles
Leaving Quail Hollow Resort this morning,
we head south toward Punderson Lake State
Park and the Tudor-esque Punderson Manor
Lodge. Celebrating the fact that we are in
the heart of Ohio’s maple sugar territory, we
will spend lots of time today on the Maple
Highlands Trail, as it winds its way down to
Chardon and to the headwaters of the
Cuyahoga River. We’ll cycle through a
number of lush parklands, enjoying the great natural beauty of this area. Then we head out to our snack stop at
the interesting Observatory Park, known as one of the prime areas least affected by the light pollution of big city
lights (and thus the location for this observatory, formerly operated by Case Western Reserve University).
We’ll make our way to the town of Chardon where you may wish to pick up some Ohio maple syrup or
otherwise satisfy your sweet tooth at Richards Maple Products. While away some time on Chardon’s lovely
town square, visit a nice bike shop if you wish, then head south where you may want to grab a spot on the patio
of the Bass Lake Taverne for a sandwich or your favorite beverage, before making the final push to the lodge.
Thursday evening we’ll regroup to swap stories from our cycling day over wine and cheese at the nearby
Sharon James Cellars, and enjoy a group carbo-load dinner at Mangia Mangia Italian restaurant just down the
street.
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Day 6 (Friday): Amish Loop, 40 or 59 miles
Following your buffet breakfast at Punderson Manor, it’s time to
venture deeply into northeast Ohio Amish country. This area is
home to the second largest Amish population in Ohio and the 4th
largest in the world. Start the day with a short ride to the village
square in Burton where we will have a group guided tour of the
Century Village Museum followed by a quick jaunt over to the
Burton Log Cabin, where you will be able to learn about maple
syrup making in Ohio. Have a “second breakfast” piece of Amish
pie at Mary Yoder’s Kitchen in the town of Middlefield at mile 10
before paying a visit to the village of Mesopotamia. Then we will
head south and west for additional glimpses of the Amish lifestyle in this unspoiled rural area. Both Burton and
Middlefield offer many local shops to explore, whether it’s antiques, leather goods, wood crafts, Amish baked
treats, chocolates or cheeses you may be looking for. Even tiny Mesopotamia has a gas station and general
store that will make for a mind-boggling stop (with an enormous horse-drawn Amish buggy on display across
the street). As you ride the back roads throughout much of this area, frequented by the horse-drawn buggies,
you’ll learn that these roads are not exactly paved with gold but rather with a different “material.” You’ll cross
tracks and the Cuyahoga once again in Burton, but don’t miss stopping in for a late-ride treat at the Buckeye
Chocolate Co. near the end of your jaunt. It’s some of the best chocolate we’ve found in Ohio, and the samples
are wonderful!!
If you choose the longer route on this day you’ll also be visiting Nelson-Kennedy Ledges State Park where you
might want to catch a glimpse of its very interesting sandstone cliffs, and you’ll pass through the towns of
Garrettsville and Hiram, the latter being the home of Hiram College.
Our farewell reception and dinner will be held at Punderson Manor, and we hope that the Tudor architecture
will put you in a regal mood fit for a feast with Henry or Elizabeth, as you prepare for your final day on the
Grand Rivers Tour.
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Day 7 (Saturday): Punderson Manor back to Geneva State Park Lodge, 44 miles
On this last day we leave “Maple Syrup Country” and head back into “Wine
Country” once again. We’ll make a beeline for three (or four or five) of our
favorite wineries, so if you didn’t have time for wine on Day 1, this particular
day is for you!! We’ll pass through Chardon once again and after a snack stop
in the hamlet of Hambden, we’ll head out across the changing landscape
toward the vineyards of Grand River Cellars, Chalet Debonne, M Cellars, and
South River. Take it from us—these are some of the finest wines in Ohio,
regardless of how refined your palate is! Crossing the scenic Harpersfield
Covered Bridge will bring you to several more wineries, which you may
already have visited on Day 1. So the final charge will likely be on to return
to our start at Geneva State Park Lodge, where a hot shower and your car will
be awaiting you.
On your way home you can replay in your mind your visit to Ohio’s grand
rivers—the Grand, the Ashtabula, the Chagrin, and even the headwaters of the
Cuyahoga itself—and imagine now what it might be like to ride with us next time in the shores and Islands near
Sandusky and Marblehead Peninsula or the challenging Amish country of Coshocton, Wayne, Holmes and
Tuscarawas Counties.
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What is included with the registration fee?
Your registration fee covers 6 nights’ room accommodations in luxurious inns with beautiful natural
surroundings (2 of the 3 inns are situated on lakes). Awake each morning to an included hot breakfast, and
enjoy dinner on us for four of the six evenings. Also included are daily snack stops offering a wide variety of
fruit, cookies, candy bars and Gatorade/water, full SAG support along the route, and baggage transport of your
luggage from one hotel to the next. Naturally each day’s ride is rewarded with a wine and cheese reception
before dinner, featuring local wines, cheeses, soft drinks, and Ohio craft beers. To make sure you won’t get lost
on our routes, we provide a booklet containing detailed maps and cue-sheets for each day’s route and, if you
wish, a loaner Garmin Edge 200 GPS device that is pre-loaded with all the routes for the week. If you have
your own GPS device, we will furnish the route files upon request for your use. Also included are showers at
the lodge upon your return at the end of the tour.
What is not included?
Not included in the registration fee are costs of admission to museums and other attractions along the way, since
we have no way of controlling who would be interested in visiting which one. Also you will need money for
any miscellaneous purchases at restaurants, wineries and shops you may wish to visit. Alcoholic beverages
with our included dinners are at your own expense, although we may at times have leftover beverage from our
wine and cheese receptions to finish off during dinner.
Can I buy wine along the route?
Yes, we will designate certain wineries along the tour routes for you to sample and purchase wine and we will
pick up your purchase(s) for you and hold them as long as you’d like. At the end of the tour you can simply pick
up your stash and take it home to enjoy as a souvenir of the trip. Any cheese, chocolate and pastries you
purchase you will have to eat on the spot or carry with you on your bike or person.
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Buckeye Country Roads Bicycle Tours, Ltd.
http://BuckeyeCountryRoads.com
email: info@BuckeyeCountryRoads.com
“Ohio as you’ve never seen it!”