Sorry for my cryptic comments on Ohio route 78. I’ve been on vacation and I haven’t had much computer time. We are stayed with family in Canton so we had to return from Athens the day after the last post. We chose to go east on US 50. The quality of this road if very good but it isn’t very exciting, though you do get to go through Coolville, Ohio (see my latest album). We crossed to Parkersburg, WVa from Belpre, OH and explored a little before heading north on WVa route 14. We visited the Fenton Art Glass Co. in Williamstown. Afterwards we crossed into Marietta, Oh and then the fun began. We headed north on Ohio 26. Talk about curves! They start a little slow but after you are a couple of miles outside of Marietta they are truly crazy! Our ride on 26 was cut short by construction. An old geezer suggested we take Ohio 260 north to the little (little being the operative word) of Marr, then get on Ohio 537 were we could pick up OH 26. We did just that so we retraced our path back to Marr where we continued north on 260 until we reached Ohio 145. North on Ohio 145 took us to Lewisville where we hydrated, then north on 145 to Ohio 800 which took us to Barnsville where Wendy’s offered up some fine cuisine. Except for a wrong turn onto US 22, we followed 800 north all the way to Canton.
These roads offered many tight curves and elevation changes. The roads were virtually all in good condition but for a tiny bit of gravel in a few places, mostly at intersections, so pay attention. For the most part the was little traffic. Unfortunately we did get behind slow moving trucks a few times, and what makes the road fun to ride makes it difficult to pass. Many of the roads run along irregular ridges and then drop down into the valley and back up to the next ridge. What a blast! There were few opportunities for food or gas.
Last Thursday, I went for a solo ride. I followed OH 43 from Canton to Steubenville. Fairly easy riding. The stretch between Carrollton and Steubenville was the best. There was some construction but that meant that were was also some brand new pavement. I joined Ohio 7 in Steubenville and went south a few miles to get on Ohio 151. It slowly winds it’s way up out of the Ohio River Valley. I think much of the country beginning at Smithville was strip mined in the past, so it is not forested and expansive view abound. Like most southern Ohio roads it curves and twists along the ridges and occasionally drops down in a valley and up to the next ridge. The stretch between Smithfield and Hopedale is fantastic. I followed Ohio 151 to Jewett where I got on Ohio 9 north. At Germano I went west on Ohio 646, a great road, to New Rumley, the birthplace of George Armstrong Custer. There is an informative Custer Monument and museum. I poked around in the old cemetery near the abandoned Lutheran Church and discovered the grave of Sarah Custer a cousin of G. A. Weathering has rendered the marble tombstones almost unreadable but the quartz sandstone headstones are almost pristine.
I continued west on Ohio 646 to Scio where it intersects 151. I jumped on 151 to Bowerson where I caught Ohio 212. Much of 212 runs along river bottoms, crossing an occasional ridge. In Bolivar I jumped on I-77 back to Canton.
What can I conclude from all of this? Virtually any state highway south of US 30 in eastern Ohio is a blast to ride. I can’t believe that Ohio doesn’t actively market this fact to potential motorcycle tourists!
