Ohio-Erie Canalway Century Ride

When I was a kid, we biked everywhere. On the street. In the “big woods” behind our neighbor’s house. To Mike’s Market. To the school and playground. To friends’ houses.

Everywhere.

I still remember my Dad teaching me how to ride a two-wheeler. In our wooded backyard, he guided me —holding on and coaching “Pedal!”—before letting go. I remember pedaling as hard as I could while simultaneously failing to steer my bike. I hit a tree and spilled off the bike. “You have to turn the handlebars,” Dad said.

Lesson learned.

I don’t bike much now. But my husband (Al) recently registered the two of us for the Ralph Regula Memorial Bike Ride—sponsored by the Ohio-Erie Canalway Coalition and benefiting the Towpath Trail. He rode 32 miles. I rode 16 miles. And we both felt great about the ride and about supporting our fabulous Towpath Trail.

The past two years, Al and our daughter, Lysa, have biked in the Towpath Trail Century Ride. 101 grueling miles of biking—Cleveland to New Philadelphia and parts in between.

This year, Al has opted out of the ride. But Lysa is forging ahead and will ride on her own (with 99 other cyclists). September 16 and 17 (although she says she is going to ride the entire thing in one day...WHEW!).

Al and I will be there—cheering her on—even as we have supported her fundraising goal. As I write this post, she has just under $600 to raise to reach her goal of $2,000.

If you are reading this post, then I hope you will send positive thoughts to Lysa for her Century Ride. And I hope you might even consider making a gift to help her. Every gift goes to the Ohio-Erie Canalway Coalition and its work to maintain and finish paving the Towpath Trail. Here is a link to Lysa’s fundraising page:

https://p2p.onecause.com/towpathcenturyride/elysabethe-richardson