thdave

On the next nice fall day, with the colors peaking--perhaps next week or the week after, I want to ride around Cleveland with my road bike. Daily I ride from Rocky River down the metroparkway to work, by the Airport, but I want to keep going. I want to do about 70 miles. I've never done a bike ride longer than 20 miles in my life--even though I've ridden approximately 10K miles since 2004, they've all been from commuting. I'm really looking forward to such a ride.

So, I've been searching for routes around the county and can't find what i want. I know how to go from the mouth of Rocky River down to Strongsville, and from there I figure it will be easy to find my way the Brecksville Reservation. But then want to figure out what to do. I want to head east still, instead of coming back up north on the towpath (which, if I did, looks like it would be less than 50 miles). I'd like to end up way north, on the Cleveland/Euclid border at the bikepath and take that path through Bratenal, downtown, Lakewood, and home.

I've seen one route, although it's not labled and they want money to "map it", that loops around Cleveland, RR, Strongsville, Brecksville, and then east and and up to Euclid. It does what I want, but that route is 100 miles.

Advise?

tligman

That sounds brilliant. If I had a road bike, or any hope of keeping up on my beautiful tank of a MTB, I'd be asking if you wanted company. I can tell you that the "Lakeshore Bikeway" that goes through Bratenal and downtown is awfully paved for the section that's on Marginal and you'll want to be lit up like a christmas tree if it's even a little dim by the time you get there. As far as extending the towpath idea, you could get to Brecksville, head north on the towpath, break off around 71st, spend 5 miles on streets there, get to Euclid Ave and the bike lane, head east to Case, take the Harrison-Dillard north to the bikeway, take that downtown, lakewood, and home... or you could take it all the way up to Harvard, spend a bit more time on roads that are slightly less sketchy, still get to Euclid and it's lovely bike lane, and so on.

sonatageek

Once you are in Brecksville, swing up to Route 82 on Riverview Road. Take 82 east less than a mile and you can pick up the Summit County trail. Take it north and it will connect you up with the Metroparks trail at Alexander Road. That will take you all the way into Solon and South Chagrin Reservation.

Depending upon when you do the ride, I would be interested in riding with you.

wens

I'd do this as well. Valley Parkway is closed for construction partially, but if you turn left at the intersection where it closes (metroparks drive?) then right at the street that runs into it'll take you to the same place.

jedde

Here's a nice easterly route. https://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path...n-strongsville
Mostly park route right on into Chagrin Falls and great ice cream!
70 miles 'round and about 4000' total climbing.

trep53

That section from Albion to So. Chagrin Reservation is nice and hilly. I remember riding that, isn't it called the Emerald Necklace trail. I started in North Chagrin Res. and rode to Lakewood. Great ride.