Cycling to Work: Wrap-Up

I usually end each trip with a short entry to wrap up the experience. Here are a few parting thoughts.

First, about the route. The route through Kentucky was very enjoyable. The biggest challenge was to try to stay on more rural roads, away from car traffic. I plotted the Kentucky leg of the route back in 2019 when I rode from Lexington, KY to Cleveland, OH. We used nearly the same route, only modifying the few miles out of Falmouth to make for a bit easier climbing. Overall, I think the route is good, with a few caveats. First, be prepared for dogs. Second, it is inevitable that you can’t always be on the most quiet roads. We had a few miles that were on busier roads because there just wasn’t any alternative. Third, the more rural the route, the fewer the opportunities are for food and water. Just pack prepared.

Ohio has a great set of trail networks. People are surprised to learn that you can ride from Cincinnati to Cleveland on paved bike trails for most of the journey. See the Ohio To Erie trail web site for more information. On this trip, aside from a little bit of on-road bike lanes in Cincinnati, one detour (see below), and maybe 5-6 miles total of connector roads in the little farm towns, I was on paved bike trails from the time we crossed into Ohio until I reached the main road to the Josephinum north of Columbus.

Here’s the actual route I took, constructed from the GPX logs:

There was one significant detour from the regular route north of Loveland, OH. The Little Miami Trail has a huge construction project next to the Peterson Cartridge Factory (See the “Cartridge Brewing” marker in the map below). There is an official detour that you can find online, but I didn’t use it. The posted detour takes you up on busy roads for a good distance. Instead, I found a way that takes you through a residential neighborhood and back down to the trail with only 0.5 miles on a wide shoulder of Route 48, then back to the trail at the South Lebanon trailhead. My detour has a punchy climb at the start, but then is mostly easy riding.

Next, my equipment. I’ve already mentioned my equipment in the past, but a quick overview for those who are new or curious about bike touring. I’m using a bicycle that is designed for a bit heavier use than a typical road bike. It has thick wider tires, a steel frame, and eyelets to allow you to bolt on racks and bottle holders. The best way I can describe it is by comparing to cars: my touring bike is like an SUV, my road bike is like a sports car. Next is the luggage. I use panniers (pronounced “Pan-Ears”) that lock into the back rack of my bike. They’re waterproof and rugged. They allow me to carry clothes, food, electronics, and repair gear for the trip. I didn’t weigh them, but I estimate that I’m carrying about 20-25 pounds of luggage. I also have a little bag that velcros to my top tube. I put my wallet, pepper spray (which I’ve never used), and some energy food in this little bag so that I can easily access while riding. I also carry a tire pump in the event of a flat.

I’ve been bike touring since 2010. Over time, I have developed a packing list that I review before each trip. It includes clothes, rain-gear, a first aid kit (which I’ve needed for me and others in the past), bike specific tools, important spare parts, spare tubes, tire patches, food, and electronics. Some of it may seem like overkill, but if you’re self-supported, you need to be able to get yourself to civilization no matter what happens.

We were fortunate that we didn’t encounter any difficult weather. Rain, wind, heat, or cold, you need to be prepared. I often get asked “What would you do if it rains?” The answer is simple: put on a rain coat and ride. Unless, of course, it is dangerous, then I seek shelter. I have a cycling raincoat with a longer back area and a cover that goes over the helmet. These keep most of the water off of me. Sometimes, the rain actually feels pretty good, such as a very hot day.

Unlike when I’m road bike training, when I’m bike touring, I try not to pay much attention to my speed. My only concern for speed is to see if I’m slowing down, indicating fatigue. Otherwise, part of bike touring is just enjoying the ride, not worrying about metrics.

Lastly, people frequently ask “why would you travel by bike?” I think the assumption is that riding this much can’t possibly be enjoyable. I guess it is like any other hobby or activity – if you’ve never tried it, you might be missing out on something really neat. I thoroughly enjoy bike touring. I especially like seeing the little towns and meeting great people along the way. If you’ve ever considered trying a long bike ride, I suggest doing an overnight somewhere and back. You might enjoy the accomplishment.

For me, I often try to bring in sabbath time when I’m out on the touring bike – time to not only rest, but also to reflect on my relationship with the Lord. What’s the difference between vacation and sabbath? They’re both valuable, but sabbath recognizes the Lord and what He has done, is doing, and will do in our life. Sabbath recalls the relationship we have with the Lord. Sabbath is more than just resting from work. Sabbath includes prayer and worship of God. Vacation time (and money) is often earned at work, but sabbath is a freely given gift of God that we need to accept and open. Much like spouses who need to spend intimate time with each other to keep their relationship strong, we need to spend intimate time with the Lord. So as I turn the cranks, when I take a rest at the end of a long day, and in the people I meet, I try to remember that the Lord is there at all times.

Wrapping up, Here’s a link to each part of this trip to make it easier to find:
Day 0 – Prologue
Day 1 – Lexington, KY to Paris, KY
Day 2 – Paris, KY to Falmouth, KY
Day 3 – Falmouth, KY to Milford, OH
Day 4 – Milford, OH to Cedarville, OH
Day 5 – Cedarville, OH to Columbus, OH (Worthington) and The PCJ

This was a short tour, but I had a great trip and really enjoyed it. I’m already looking forward to a longer tour this fall with some friends. Plans are TBD but taking shape.

Peace,
Dcn. Matt (and Joe)