Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/776310
77 www.thunderpress.net THUNDER PRESS nFebruary 2017n and turned south on Highway 555, the Triple Nickel. Would this be the Ohio Dragon? The Triple Nickel started out with lots of promise. The road immediately started to climb with some steep ele- vation changes and sharp S turns. The land next to the road was thick forest like Highway 129. Have I found the Ohio Dragon? After about three miles of riding the country opened up to farmland, but still there was a lot of winding road ahead of me. I enjoyed the scenery and all those twists and turns the Triple Nickel had to offer. A word of caution is in order: Many of the curves have gravel thrown up from the berm, but it should not pose a problem for any rider who stays alert. This is truly a road any rider will appreciate. I continued to the end of the road at the Ohio River and then rode north on Highway 7 to Marietta for lunch. During lunch I looked over my map and saw Highway 26 and decided to head north on 26 from Marietta to see what I could fi nd. Highway 26 follows the Little Muskingum River Valley. I was glad I decided to ride this road; although there are not a lot of eleva- tion changes, it does twist and turn along the river, making for a relax- ing ride with lots of scenery. It was not long before I came to the Hune Covered Bridge. The road leading over the bridge is gravel and, since I did not know where it led, I chose not to ride over the bridge and instead took a few pictures. A little further on, I came across the Rinard Covered Bridge, which is closed to all but foot traffi c. At this point I continued on to the town of Woodsfi eld, all the time enjoying the scenery and century-old farm homes along the way. At Woodsfi eld I made a right and was back on Highway 78, but then headed east to Highway 536, my last chance to fi nd the Ohio Dragon. Highway 536 is only 10 miles in length to where it ends at Hannibal and the Ohio River. I found a road with little traffi c that for the most part runs along the hilltops with a lot of twisting and turning, not giving the rider much time to relax between turns. What a fun 10 miles. About a mile from Hannibal I got a view of the town and Ohio River below before the road descended to the valley with one switchback before I reached the valley fl oor. Had I found the Ohio Tail of the Dragon? This was by far the closest I had come in my quest. Highway 536 does not have as many curves as the Tail of the Dragon, but it is one good road that I will ride again when I'm in the area. At Hannibal I stopped at the Hannibal Locks and Dam hoping to see one of the many barges passing through the locks, but my timing was wrong. The Hannibal Locks and Dam is at the intersection of Highways 536 and 7, the Ohio River Road, and is always worth a stop. I continued on just across the river to Moundsville, West Virginia, to spend the night and head for home the next day, but there is one more highway that deserves honorable mention: Highway 250 heading north from I-70, just across the bridge from Wheeling, West Virginia. From here to Cadiz, Ohio, Highway 250 offers the rider lots of elevation changes and sharp curves with a few switchbacks thrown in. From Cadiz on, the high- way straightens out with some nice sweepers and scenery while passing Tappan Lake on the left. Looking back, I would rate Highway 78 a 7, Highway 555 a 7.5 and Highway 536 an 8. South of I-70 and east of Zanesville there are also many roads to explore that I did not have time for, but plan to in the future. All one has to do is look at a map and start riding and I'm sure you will fi nd the best riding in Ohio. If you are passing through and don't get off the main highway to explore some of these southern Ohio roads, you are missing a lot of good riding—even if you never fi nd the Ohio Tail of the Dragon. 4 Resource: www.roadsideamerica.com The Hannibal Locks and Dam on the Ohio River Ohio Tail Continued from page 18