Day 6 - Xenia to Wayneville

Day 6 was our last biking day of the tour. Sue didn’t ride and went sightseeing with her roommate, Cindy. Alan, Nick and I rode together, along with a 2016 Coaster, John. It was about 71 degrees when we started at about 7:45am, however the overcast skies and wind made it feel more like 67. The wind was out of the WSW at 12 mph with gusts of 23. There had been a thunderstorm during the night, so the trail was littered with tree debris and even a few fallen trees. This was the same trail we had biked earlier in the week, the Little Miami Scenic Trail; however, this time we headed south towards Waynesville rather than going north. We were caught in a brief shower not quite half way in the ride. It didn’t take away from a wonderful day on the trail. There was a bulk food store, Simple Roots, in Corwin with baked goods, snacks, sandwiches and drinks, but no coffee. We didn’t go extra miles into the town of Waynesville. Instead we opted to do the planned route and headed back to the hotel and finished with 30.5 miles. Alan and I checked out of the hotel and traveled to my daughter’s home in Cincinnati for a very brief visit. The folks who organized the ride had a farewell dinner planned and we did miss out on the last event of the week. We had a great week of cycling, meeting new Coasters, and reminiscing with friends. I would highly recommend using Xenia as a hub for a cycling trip!

One of several fallen trees.

Alan, Nick and John.

Another tree down on the trail.

Barn quilt art on a garage door.

The Little Miami River.

John who cycled with us this day is a Coaster from 2016.

Another view of the Little Miami River.

A view of Spring Valley Lake in the distance.

Day 5 - Xenia to Jamestown

Started the ride around 8am with sunny skies and a temperature of 75. It stayed windy during the entire ride with WSW winds around 10-13mph with gusts up to 21mph. We cycled on the Xenia -Jamestown Connector Trail. It was pretty flat and mostly shaded. Unlike the past days, no real “points of interest” along the way. The “official” days ride was a scheduled 28 miles. Nick and I added four miles for 32. My ankle starts to hurt around 30 miles, thus my decision to only add four extra miles. Alan and Sue added eight more for a total of forty miles. We enjoyed the sub shop so much from the day before, we went there again for lunch today.

The trails extending from the Xenia hub are numbered; today we rode on the number four trail.

Caesar Ford Campground located along the trail was a convenient bathroom stop. It also had this bike repair stand.

The entrance to a short tunnel along the trail.

A view inside the tunnel.

We drove back to Yellow Springs so that we could both enjoy Young’s ice cream.

Sushi and sake for dinner.

Day 4 - Covered Bridges

With fewer miles on the days’ ride, we started cycling a little later at 8am and it was a humid 73 degrees. It was just the three of us (Alan, Nick and I) as Sue joined a small group that included Sherry R, Mark V, Mickey M, and others. As the title of the day indicates, we traveled on trails and back roads to see three covered bridges.

At about the half way point we were in Yellow Springs again and stopped for coffee. On the return trip to Xenia, we stopped at Great Council State Park. It is located on the site of the Shawnee village of Old Chillicothe. The park celebrates and honors the history of the Native Americans and European settlers of the region. The interpretive center is modeled after a historic Shawnee longhouse.

We biked 30 miles and upon our return to Xenia, Alan and I headed to a local Penn Station for East Coast Subs. It was our first time to this chain, and we both enjoyed it.

Alan did a mini workout at the hotel fitness center while I enjoyed a chocolate chip cookie followed by a long hot shower.

A fellow coaster from 2018, Sarah Z, drove up from Cincinnati to join us for dinner. She didn’t ride the tour because her daughter just had a baby. After the days rider meeting, we gathered outdoors for a group photo.

Hyde Road Covered Bridge built in 2014.

Sherry taking a photo of a group of riders starting their ride. Sue is to the right of Sherry.

At the very start of the ride, we came upon Chris H and John S. This photo is of Alan and Chris.

Charleton Mill built in 2013.

Eleven riders were all at the Stevenson Road bridge at the same time, so we snapped a group photo. This bridge was built in 1877 and carried traffic until 2003. It is one the few Smith Truss bridges left in the United States.

Alan, Nick and I stopped in Yellow Springs for coffee/chai/juice at Dino’s Cappuccinos.

Just ten miles back to the hotel.

About half way to the hotel, we stopped at the Great Council State Park.

This statue of Tecumseh is just outside the interpretive center.

“A Panther Across the Ohio Sky" is a famous translation of the Shawnee name Tecumseh (or Tekoomsē). Born near present-day Xenia, Ohio, the legendary Shawnee leader was named after the celestial panther, representing a meteor or shooting star that streaked across the sky during his birth in 1768.

An example of a Wiikiwa, or bark house. It is representative of what a Shawnee home would look like in the 1700’s.

2018 Coasters, including Sarah Z who drove up from Cincinnati for dinner.

Day 3 - Xenia to Dayton/AF Museum

The day had been predicted to be a “rain out,” but our luck held for most of the day. We started riding about 7:30am with a temperature of about 70. We enjoyed tailwinds as we cycled up to Dayton to visit the Air Force Museum. We started as a group of four again (Alan, Sue, Nick and I) however Nick didn’t tour the museum and headed back on his own.

On the way north, we passed the Beavercreek 9/11 Memorial. The artifact on display here is a multi-story window easement from between the 101 & 105 floors of the North Tower just above the site of impact of Flight 11. The piece is 35 feet tall, 8 feet wide and weighs 3 tons.

The three of us wandered among all of the aircraft for about 1.5 hours. A person could spend days there viewing all manner of aircraft and reading so much history. The museum was incorporated in 1960 and includes buildings dedicated to Pre WWII, WWII, Southeast Asia and Korean Wars, the Cold War, a Missile Gallery, Presidential Gallery, and Research & Development.

We looked for a plane that one of Sue’s brother-in-laws flew in 1967. It was a RF-4C Phantom. The museum’s plane was delivered to the USAF in 1965 and was used for tactical reconnaissance. All of the guides at the museum were very helpful. We even met a guide that had actually biked the same NYC 5 Boroughs bike ride that Alan and I did in 2024. He helped us find the plane we were looking for. He also recalled the cold temperatures and rain of our NYC ride. Some things about a ride you just don’t forget.

After touring the museum we retraced the 19 miles back to Xenia for a total of 38.5 miles. We encountered rain at about mile 28 of the round trip. Luckily the rain was brief. Once back in Xenia, we had lunch at Butterbees American Grille.

The 9/11 Memorial that also includes two concrete “towers.” If you look closely, you can see both a plane engraved at the approximate points of impact and the location, in the tower, of the artifact on display.

Along the entrance to the USAF Museum.

My father served in the Army Air Corps during WWII in the China, Burma, India theatre. He was a sheet metal mechanic whose duty was to repair planes that had bullet holes/other damage to get them ready to return to flight.

A few aircraft from within the research and development section.

Even R2D2 was on display.

An RF-4C Phantom, similar to the plane that Sue’s brother-in-law flew in 1967.

Berlin War art. I’m dedicating this photo to my nephew who served for our country, in Germany, when the wall came down.

A drone type that is currently used in the USAF.

I was able to sample the famous Young’s ice cream as we exited the museum.

Back on the trail.

Day 2 - Xenia to Yellow Springs

On Monday we biked 36.25 miles from Xenia through Cedarville, to Yellow Springs and looped back. We started early, about 7:30am to avoid any chance of afternoon rain. Unfortunately, that meant that Young’s Dairy, famous for their ice cream, was not open when we got there. For most of the day, Alan and I biked with Sue and Nick on the Little Miami Scenic Trail. During the times we were on back country roads, the traffic was minimal.

We stopped at the Clifton Mill and Alan enjoyed a cup of coffee while Sue and I explored the little gift shop.

I splurged for the extra calories on a carrot cake muffin at Emporium Wines and Underground Cafe when we stopped in Yellow Springs. It was worth it!

We passed several old train stations throughout the day.

After the ride, the four of us headed to Skyline Chili for lunch. We all enjoyed our first time experience at the Cincinnati classic.

We chilled out in the afternoon until the 5 pm rider meeting. For dinner we went back to Yellow Springs for German food back at Ye Olde Trail Tavern.

Ended the evening back at the hotel where we ran into Henry. He made me an Old Fashioned. A great way to end the day.

Sue, me and Nick getting ready to ride.

Alan, Sue and Nick

At the Clifton Mill..

Having some fun at Young’s Dairy

Along the Little Miami Scenic Trail

All the trash receptacles in Yellow Springs had fun decorations.

Yellow Springs Post Office

Xenia train station

Bubba with two riders (Dave and Mickey) from the original 2010 Coast to Coast ride.

Our dinner destination

Day 1 -Welcome dinner Xenia, OH

Today was the start of the Coast to Coast reunion. Riders arrived from all over the country and from every Bubba C2C year starting in 2010 through 2020. There were seven riders here from the year I rode, including: Sue T, Nick G, Henry M, Chris H, John S, Joe V and me. A few others had planned to attend, but “life happens,” and they had to cancel.

Alan and I had biked 40 miles on the Tour de Melon yesterday in Florida, so it’s been a long two days getting here. Today included checking in, retrieving a new jersey, dinner at Nick’s Restaurant and a rider meeting back at the hotel. Alan will be riding each day, and received his own C2C reunion jersey.

This is not a typical tour as most meals are on our own and there are no SAG stops. However, there are small towns along the trails for snacks and beverages.

Dinner included pizza, baked potato slices, chips & dip, bar pretzels and onion rings/fried mushrooms.

Met up with Henry and I reminded him that he still owes me an Old Fashioned.

At the rider meeting where Bubba thanked this year’s volunteers (Jeff, Coach, Mike, Richard and Chrysa) and introduced the hosts (Rose & John Murphy) for next year’s reunion ride in Colorado.