Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/617259
28 nJanuary 2016n www.thunderpress.net by Larry King ASHTABULA COUNTY, OHIO— On a sunny Sunday in mid-October, the fall colors were abundant and the weather was perfect for a ride. My friend Chuck Wiley and I decided to meet for breakfast and spend the day riding. Chuck suggested we ride some of the covered bridges in our area and I was on board with that idea. I was thinking it would be just the two of us, but Chuck said we could meet up with the V-Twin Cruisers MC of Northeast Ohio and ride with them. Maybe there would be 40 or so bikes, but I was in for surprise. By the time all riders had arrived at the designated meet spot, there must have been around 200 bikes. This was going to prove interesting considering most of these bridges are on back-country roads, some of them gravel. Pennsylvania has the most covered bridges in the U. S. and Vermont has the most covered bridges per square mile in this country, but other states also have an impressive number of these old bridges. Ohio has approx- imately 138 and Ashtabula County has the most in in the state with 17. Ashtabula County is located in north- east Ohio and is bordered on the north by Lake Erie and the east by Pennsylvania. Many of these bridges were built in the mid 1800's and have been restored due to the efforts of the Ashtabula County Covered Bridge Committee. When you think of covered bridges it brings to mind a slower pace of life in years past. Covered bridges have been around for hundreds of years, but we think of the 1800's and early 1900's as the time when covered bridges were the norm. These bridges are old fashioned and appeal to tour- ists and riders alike. Covered bridges were built for two reasons: one is they appear as barns and it was easier to transport cattle across them without spooking them and the other reason is weather protection. Since these bridges are made of wood, a bridge that was not covered would last about 10 years. Bridge builders of the day discovered that if a bridge were covered it would last up to 80 years. Ashtabula County is just a 30-minute ride on I-90 from my home in northeast Ohio. The majority of these bridges can be reached from I-90 within a few minutes. Every year Ashtabula County has their covered bridge festival the second weekend of October. They offer to the public free maps with tour routes highlighted. I have ridden the back roads of the county many times and visited these bridges, but had never ridden during the bridge festival. One of the reasons you will most likely enjoy this ride is that you are off the beaten path. You are not only rid- ing two-lane state highways, but you will be riding both county and town- ship roads you will not fi nd on the map unless you have a GPS. This country is a combination of farmland and wood- lots. In the fall it is especially beautiful with changing colors and little traffi c so take your time and enjoy. Our large group rolled out and headed for the Harpersfi eld Bridge in Geneva. This is one of my favorites since it is a two-span bridge originally built in 1868. It is 228 feet long and is one lane with a wooden deck as are all these bridges in this county with the exception of one. The bridge is located in Metro Park with plenty of parking for visitors to take a break and snap a few pictures. Our group did not stop and we rolled through as tourists lined the sides looking puzzled as so many bikes passed over the bridge. After crossing the Harpersfi eld Bridge we then turned east to Mechanicsville Road and headed south a short distance to the Mechanicsville Road Bridge, also in Geneva. This bridge was built in 1867 and is believed to be the oldest bridge in the county. Across the road is Grand River Manor, built in the 1800's. This biker- 46 Harpersfield Covered Bridge Mechanicsville Bridge The Grand River Manor Jefferson Diner Doyle Road Bridge Netcher Covered Road Bridge South Denmark Road Bridge Caine Road Bridge Graham Road Bridge Root Road Bridge Middle Road Bridge State Road Bridge Smolen-Gulf Bridge 193 167 33 84 534 11 307 7 View of the Harpersfi eld Bridge from the river bank COVERED BRIDGES OF ASHTABULA COUNTY Off the beaten path Through the back country of Northeast Ohio This map does not show the exact route that our group took, rather, it's just some of numerous roads that can be found in this area. Half the fun of this ride is discovering the many small roads that are well off the beaten path.