Day 7: Lincoln Highway

Today, I headed almost directly west through the rolling farmlands of north central Ohio in the Allegheny foothills. Thunderstorms complicated and delayed the morning ride, but the afternoon saw bursts of sunshine and increasing humidity that presages hotter days ahead. My body is growing more accustomed to the daily ride, but I am still waiting for a brisk tailwind to make easy work of shorter rides like today.

Parts of my route today followed the Lincoln Highway. Laid down in 1913 at the dawn of the automobile age, the Lincoln Highway was one of the nation's first transcontinental highways. In Ohio, four lane US-30 follows parallel to the original Lincoln Highway and carries most of the region's high-speed traffic, allowing cyclists to enjoy stretches of the old highway. Markers like the one shown here in Canton line the route.

As a tool for promoting the construction of highways, the creation of the Lincoln Highway was wildly successful, boosting economic activity along the route and spawning the creation of new national highways. The federal government took an increasing roll in organizing the formation of a national highway network, and Lincoln Highway inspired Dwight Eisenhower - who traveled across the country on the highway in 1919 - to oversee the creation of the interstate highway system in the 1950s that we rely upon today.

Emptiness in Canton, OH

The region between Pittsburgh and Chicago is nicknamed the Rust Belt, and the towns of Canton and Mansfield lived up to the name. Entering Canton yesterday, I was struck by the wide boulevards and grand art deco buildings in the middle of a city utterly bereft of people. Admittedly Memorial Day had something to do with the lack of activity, but the hotel bartender informed me that the downtown typically clears out and shuts down by the end of business hours.

Downtown Mansfield had much the same feel as Canton, with little downtown foot traffic and shuttered buildings and houses lining the route into the city. An abandoned factory near the railroad tracks overgrown with weeds offered a characteristic snapshot of the typical Rust Belt city. In Mansfield, manufacturing continues to provide some economic support to the region, but there is little left to fall back on.

For any who may venture through these parts, I would strongly recommend a stop in Wooster, OH where I enjoyed an excellent lunch at the Muddy Waters Cafe. Unlike Mansfield or Canton, Wooster's downtown was buzzing with activity and far more hospitable.

STAGE SUMMARY:

Starting Point - Canton, OH

Ending Point - Mansfield, OH
Distance - 66.2 miles
Cumulative Distance - 600.4 miles
Vertical Elevation - 3725 feet

Counties - Stark, Wayne, Ashland, Richland, OH

Wind - strong head/crosswind