Bicycling Through Dayton: Twenty-One Historical Tours - Paperback

by Kathleen Smythe (Author)

A guide to twenty-one historically themed bicycle tours in and around 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, to beautiful country roads, and to 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 Fort Ancient, originally inhabited and cultivated by Native American people; the gravesite of Shawnee Chief Catecahassa, better known as Black Hoof; and the now vanished Randolph Settlement, 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 Wittenberg 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.

Author Biography

Kathleen Smythe is an avid cyclist and a professor of history at Xavier University.