Northern Tier Day #16 Fremont, OH to Napoleon, OH
Northern Tier Day #16
June 4, 2019
Fremont, OH to Napoleon, OH 69 Miles
Ride Time 5:52
Tour Total 1266 Miles
I slept really great last night at the Double A Motel in Fremont. My body was sore and tired when I woke up this morning. I packed up all my things and got back on the North Coast Inland Trail. The trail ended as soon as I crossed the Sandusky River. On the west end of town the houses were much bigger, with nice lawns and large trees. Fremont is the home of Rutherford B. Hayes, who served as President of the United States from 1877 to 1881. On the way out of town I passed numerous shuttered factories and mills.
I was soon back out in the cornfields on a two-lane highway with very little traffic. I was joined by two hawks gliding through the air overhead. The small county roads smelled like manure. I got barked at by a big white dog that didn’t chase me. I was then chased by a big brown German Shepherd. He came after me and I couldn’t get my pepper spray out fast enough. I could soon tell that he wasn’t mean and he wasn’t going to bite me. He was just chasing the red Boure sweater rabbit.
At one point County Highway 59, also known as Staff Road, became one lane with tall grass to either side. There were cornfields off to the left and trees to the right. In the distance were barns and grain silos. At two different times, oncoming motorists needed to pass me. I needed to stay on the asphalt, so both slowed down and veered into the grass. The first driver gave me the index finger salute.
Coming into Gibsonburg two deer ran across the road in front of me. I love the spring bounce action of their rear legs. I stopped at a Marathon station in Gibsonburg for a Starbucks Frappuccino and Hostess powdered donuts. I’m still feeling the grease from the fried haddock last night. I think I ingested more grease than fish and potatoes. Gibsonburg was a small town with two barber shops, a furniture store, an antique store, two taverns, a pizza parlor, and a Subway store.
I left Gibsonburg on State Highway 600 West. Heading out of town a brown squirrel ran right out in front of me, and I had to slam on my brakes to avoid hitting him. There were three giant crows standing nearby in a field and they all leapt into the air as I approached. It was enchanting watching them take flight. It was a gray overcast day with a darker skies to the west. Rain was in the forecast for tonight and tomorrow.
The other day I was playing leapfrog with a Fed-Ex truck. Today on this long straight highway, I was playing leapfrog with a US mail carrier. This reminded me of the game I play with the B-69 bus on Vanderbilt Avenue in Brooklyn.
People in Ohio spend a lot of time cutting grass. Their front lawns and all along the road are perfectly manicured. Grass here is kept trim. I passed some dude firing his rifle in his backyard. Coming into Pemberville a freight train passed me on the right, blasting it’s horn. I was now following the north Branch of the Portage River.
Pemberville had the same sorts of businesses as Gibsonburg with the exception of a gorgeous building that stood out. The ornate red brick Pemberville Opera House was built in 1891 and now primarily operates as a city hall. It is the oldest functioning opera house in the state of Ohio.
The river was flooded and there was water in people’s backyards. I read an article in today’s Washington Post about rain in the corn belt, and how it has effected and delayed planting this spring. I’ve witnessed it first-hand the entire route.
Amanda was crossing into Niagara Falls today. I told her about all the confusion at the border. She hasn’t posted on her blog for a couple of days, but I’m glad she’s still continuing west. We both complained about the rain.
After the Tackle Box last night, I went for a couple of beers at the Copper Penny bar. Bottles of corona were only $2.75. People were playing darts and a man was seated at a gambling machine. He kept bringing paper tickets to the bartender and she would give him cash.
On State Highway 105 West the rumble strip was cut right into the white line, which is the way I think it should be. The shoulder, though, was narrow. It was only about 30 inches wide, and I kept ending up in the rumble strip, rattling my teeth.
I’ve seen some barn quilts here in Ohio. They don’t compare in any way to what I saw last summer in Kentucky. On my way into Bowling Green I passed a small airport and saw a single engine plane fly overhead. I thought about my flight last year with Roger in Berea. That was an exhilarating experience.
Coming into Bowling Green on Scotch Ridge Road, I passed by an enormous warehouse complex and then crossed I-75. There was a lot of traffic and I only had a 6“ shoulder. It was nerve-racking and I had to focus.
My route put me north of the center of Bowling Green. I was hungry, but didn’t want fast food. I rode south into town in search of something authentic. Bowling Green is home of Bowling Green State University. A good percentage of my high school class went to college here.
Riding into the center of town, I was looking for a restaurant and also a place to buy postcards. There was construction work and I got snarled in traffic. I found myself stopping with the pavement sloped to the curb. I lost my balance and couldn’t unclip my right foot. I have an old injury in my right foot that limits mobility. Long story short, I fell, and slammed my right elbow into the curb. I also banged up my right knee. I felt like an idiot.
The bookstore was up ahead on the next block but the construction worker wouldn’t let me pass. I had to ride around the block and then walk my bike down the sidewalk. I finally got everything I needed. I went to Canyon Cafe and ordered the barbecued pork burrito with chips and several sodas.
I left Bowling Green on a two lane country road where the speed limit was 55 miles an hour and there was definitely motorized traffic. I had a 4” shoulder with cornfields on both sides of the road. A wind farm was up ahead.
There were large puddles in everyone’s yard. This area has seen a lot of rain in recent weeks. A lot of fields have been completely submerged. I’ve seen numerous Marine Corps flags along the route. Many people from these rural areas have served in the military.
During my fall, my right knee got bloodied up. I forgot to clean it in the restroom at the restaurant. I hate walking around with blood squirting out of my limbs. I can’t imagine what people think. I stopped to clean it out with my water bottle and was eaten alive by flies. I also flipped over my paper map sections. There didn't appear to be many camping or lodging options up ahead.
I decided to stay in Napoleon for the night, and contacted a Warm Showers host. I’ve been having problems with the Warm Showers website, but the first thing I always do is copy the host’s name and contact information. Immediately afterwards the site crashed on my phone. I sent the host a text message, and later a message through the site. There were three hotels in town if the host fell through. This plan would make a 60 mile ride to Monroeville tomorrow where there is a hostel for cyclists to stay. It’s supposed to rain tonight and tomorrow.
I heard back from the Warm Showers host and he was unable to house me. I’ve been making my requests at the last minute, because I never quite know where I’m going to end up for the night until about 50 miles into the ride. I could be wrong, but I think, perhaps, Warm Showers hosts are more flexible out west.
I was riding down this narrow country lane that was not quite wide enough to be a two-lane road, jamming out to some amazing tunes, and I heard the tap tap of a horn behind me. A pick-up truck was trying to pass me. My bad. My right elbow felt like it was bleeding, but it wasn’t. I had a small scrape and a big lump. I had cleaned it at the restaurant bathroom with soap.
I’ve heard of Grand Rapids Michigan but this was the first time I had heard of Grand Rapids Ohio. It got it’s start as a canal town, and it’s current population was 965. I crossed over the Maumee River, and they were doing construction on the bridge. On S. River Rd, also known as County Road 424, I followed bike route pavement markings. Last week I rode through Texas, New York, and today I rode through Texas, Ohio. I don’t care much for Texas.
Coming into Napoleon I spotted a little park down by the river, with a picnic table and a porta-potty. I thought about camping there, but it was visible from the highway and just down the road from the police station. I passed the Tenneco factory. I was planning to stay at the Knights Inn where I was quoted a price of $60 for a room.
TransAm racer Abdullah Zeinab is at mile marker 751 and people think he might finish in 2 weeks.
I ate at Eddie J‘s Grille right across from the ostentatious Napoleon City Hall. I could see the enormous building from a mile east of town. As I ate my burger and drank my beers, I had a front row seat to a building that lived up to the Emperor’s name.
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