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A guide to twenty-one bicycle tours of Dayton, Ohio. Dayton boasts the largest contiguous bike trail network in the United States, and this guide for cycling enthusiasts and armchair travelers includes introductions to the city's innovative cycling past and present, beautiful country roads, and vibrant urban landscapes.
Bicycling Through Dayton is divided into three themes: "Sacred Ground," "Changing the World," and "Flying on a Bicycle." In "Sacred Ground," riders pass through many areas and structures such as Ft. Ancient, originally inhabited and cultivated by Native American people, the gravesite of Shawnee Chief Catecahassa, better known as Black Hoof, and the now vanished African American settlement, Randolph Colony, where freed African American men and women in the 1840s were met with hostility upon arrival. Also included in this section are rides through majestic parks, colorful caves, and beautiful buildings, including Weaver Chapel at Wittenburg University. In "Changing the World," tours focus on rides that highlight the richness of Ohio as a home of our nation's educators, activists, engineers, innovators, and writers. "Flying on a Bicycle" pays homage to Ohio's central role in the history of aviation and space exploration, featuring the birthplace of Orville and Wilbur Wright, the National Museum of the United States Air Force, and the home of Neil Armstrong.
Readers can plan and export rides ahead of time using the QR code in the book to view turn-by-turn directions, detailed route maps, and photos of route sites.
Bicycling Through Dayton helps cyclists and readers form a more intimate relationship with Ohio's landscape by learning the history of Ohio and the people who came before us, all while enjoying a ride.
About the author
Kathleen Smythe is professor of history at Xavier University.
