Biking Ohio's Rail-Trails: Where to Go, What to Expect, How to Get There (Biking Rail-Trails) [Paperback]

Shawn E. Richardson (Author)

Book Description

Series: Biking Rail-Trails | Publication Date: June 1, 2000

An indispensable book for bikers, hikers, walkers, joggers and families who want to enjoy Ohio's trails.

Product Details

• Paperback: 212 pages
• Publisher: Adventure Publications; Revised edition (June 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1885061862
• ISBN-13: 978-1885061867
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,213,536 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #58 in Books > Travel > United States > States > Ohio

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent guide book to Ohio's bike trails., October 13, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Biking Ohio's Rail-Trails: Where to Go, What to Expect, How to Get There (Biking Rail-Trails) (Paperback)

An "indispensable book for bikers, hikers, walkers, joggers and families who want to enjoy Ohio's Trails." This book is a major update of the original Biking Ohio's Rail-Trails offering more trails to visit. Shawn E. Richardson's book Biking Ohio's Rail-Trails follows an identical format to Shawn E. Richardson's other two books Biking Missouri's Rail-Trails and Biking Wisconsin's Rail-Trails. This colorful paperback book includes detailed maps, photos, and a description to each trail. Trail lengths range from 1 mile to 72 miles and incude information about trail surface (smooth crushed limestone, asphalt), trail use (biking, roller blading, horses, wheelchair, hiking), parking, and points of interest. Shawn E. Richardson provides information about the Ohio Office of the Rails to Trails Conservancy and their involvement with Ohio's rail-trails. If you live in Ohio, or plan to visit Ohio, this book is a must for any cyclist!

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars A Lemon, June 21, 2003

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Biking Ohio's Rail-Trails: Where to Go, What to Expect, How to Get There (Biking Rail-Trails) (Paperback)

First impression: Poorly laid out. The contents are organized by the name of the trails. The first three "names" are: "Bike & Hike", "Bike Route -1", "Bike Route -2". There is an ameturish attempt at a map of the whole state with the trails in dark blue and some sort of numbering system. Unfortunately, the numbers are only marginally proximate to the routes (unless they are written over them -YOU try reading black type on a dark blue background!) The map and the legend for the whole book are hidden in the preface - I guess they think you won't be referring to them very often. Some trails are broken up into haphazard sections - I guess to fit the map scale - which varies only slightly from map to map. There is no way to find a trail by either location or length. Unless you know the "name", you'll have to scan the index (guess where it is!) looking for a "vicinity" you recognize. An example: Looking for something east of Cleveland I find one in the vicinity of "Ashtabula/Warren" (if you look at a map you'll find those cities are 45 miles apart) go to the page indicated and ...no, you won't find that map. Leaf forward and it'll show up. Then you can read all about the "future plans" for the trail. You might overlook the information on the length of the trail or the trailheads since the author hides that info in his painfully stiff prose. Show up at the trailhead and there is a beautiful asphalt trail for about 0.06 miles before it turns into golf ball size crushed rock (you'll need new tires - and leave the kids home!) but only for a mile or so. North of there, its all as described, but he obviously didn't do his homework. He seems more interested in what the planned trails will look like someday than what you can use today. Also no good information on traffic, elevation changes, or trail surface. Caveat Emptor.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing, March 30, 2008

By 

JR8888 (Columbus, OH United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Biking Ohio's Rail-Trails: Where to Go, What to Expect, How to Get There (Biking Rail-Trails) (Paperback)

At first, I was excited to find this book, as it promised to guide me to all of the "rails to trails" bike paths in Ohio, tell me what points of interest I could find along the way, and, most important to someone relatively new to the state, where to park. Unfortunately, as I flipped through the book prior to purchasing it, I did not see that after the first 50 or so pages, the book mostly describes paths that DO NOT EXIST. These are part of the mythical "Ohio to Erie" bike trail. Also, there are not clear directions for getting to the trails (for instance, what exit to take from the nearest freeway). Points of interest include "shops," "restaurants," and other vague descriptors. Where to park is equally vague. I expected to be told where I could most conveniently access the trail, at multiple points. Instead, for the Kokosing trail, for instance, I am told I can park in "Mount Vernon" or one of the other towns along the route. Really? I can park in the town? So helpful. (To be fair, for some of the other trails, parking instructions are more specific.) I recommend that Mr. Richarson review Bike Rides: Los Angeles County by the Brundiges for pointers on how to write a helpful guide to bike trails. I was so disappointed in this book I would return it if I could, but I unfortunately bought it in a shop two hours away from where I live. The one bright spot is that the book promises that there will be a trail I could ride to get there--someday!