It was a perfect day to start a ride. The sky was clear, temperature moderate and both of us fueled by a wonderful breakfast to get going. Cincinnati is easy to traverse with a bicycle so with a quick check out, Ted and I headed for the Ohio River where the Ohio to Erie Trail (OTET) begins. And like our start on the Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) two years ago 470 miles up river in Pittsburgh, we could not find the starter maker.
So after an obligatory search that proves futile, we go.
As we leave, I wish we could have spent more time walking around therapeutic gardens that were installed at the riverside. Black-eyed Susans, bee balm, mints and other pollinator plants are inserted into lovely displays. The Roebling Bridge, which was the prototype for the Brooklyn Bridge, sits in the background. Tugboats push unloaded barges upstream.
The OTET here follows the meandering Ohio with its many oxbows and gentle curves. As rains have not let up, the muddy Ohio is moving quickly with trees and other debris floating toward the Mississippi River at a rapid clip. There is a contrast in our ride as the riverfront area in Cincinnati has been developed with a fresh modern look while abandoned railroad tracks and industrial buildings reflect the past. A little further down the trail sits an unused paddle wheel, suspended 40 feet above the ground, a 60-ton replica of what used to propel the American Queen riverboat.
The path changes in texture as it becomes incorporated as part of an old railroad line that has been paved over. We carefully navigate it as the embedded rails can be slippery and dangerous.
Like other trails, we make a few wrong turns and find ourselves at a dead end next to a few freight cars. Turning around, the train screeches to a slow start. I hope we can get over the tracks and back on the trail; we succeed.
We are about 5 miles out of Cincinnati and our route takes us though a light industrial area that is lightly travelled; a few abandoned churches are for sale. For a while we will need to bike the streets.
We are back on the trail next to the river and take a breather at Turkey Ridge Park. We can still see the skyline of Cincinnati in the background and also the effects of high water. In front of us on the Kentucky side of the river lies an abandoned white paddle-wheeler with brown trim and a rust colored structure covering the paddlewheel.
A lone fisherman has just pulled in a catfish and placed him on a steel line. He readies his gear for other attempts.
Like our trip to the GAP we are reminded of many signs of past industrial glory as we pass the Carrel Street railroad station that has a giant crane lift positioned over the tracks. It is no longer needed. A bit further up we quicken our pace as the tell tale sign of sewage is perceived from a nearby sludge processing facility.
We stop at Lunken Airport, a small regional facility with many Art Deco touches including an old restaurant sign. It is a quaint facility that looks out of place in this time. Passing the airport on the trail, there is a white bicycle with matching helmet chained in memoriam for a bicyclist killed by a car. We would see two more such markers later today reminding Ted and I to be extra careful on our trip.
Another misdirection by me causes us to turn around yet again and the OTET is alongside a road with lots of light industry. It will be one of the least scenic portions of today’s trip, though as the traffic is light we are not bothered too much.
We soon reach the Little Miami Scenic Trail, which is on an old railroad bed next to the Little Miami River, which runs into the Ohio River. It will spoil us as it is paved from end to end, making the ride easier than what we have become accustomed to. We are 15 miles into our ride and are feeling good about the day ahead.
