That Wheeling Feeling II

May 28, 2023

Wheeling Heritage Tour

May 28, 2023

The 16th Annual Wheeling Heritage Ride (~55 miles)

The ride began near the Wes Banco Arena, on a beautiful early Sunday morning at a spot called Heritage Point. A riverfront park, the Heritage Trail, the arena for the minor league hockey team, and the Ohio River are key features at Heritage Point.

At the start of the Wheeling Heritage Tour.

The hockey team is called "The Nailers" because cut nails (the iron and steel variety, not fingernails) were once made here in Wheeling and shipped everywhere. Nail-making and other industries made the Wheeling area so prosperous as to be considered the wealthiest city, per capita, in the country, at one time. Sadly, that is not the case anymore but the remnants of what once was are still there to be seen.

One of the old structures in Wheeling that has been maintained and is now upscale apartments in the Downtown district.

The tour is essentially an out-and-back to the small town of Bethany, which lies to the North. At the beginning, the route meandered through downtown, took the Wheeling Heritage Trail spur out to Elm Grove, and then returned to the point. Coming back on the trail, I rode and conversed with a local police officer who was in uniform and marshaling the event. He is an avid rider and very knowledgeable about cycling in the Wheeling area. Upon arriving back to the point, he broke off to lead the next group of riders who were signed up for the 30-mile ride. I continued on the route for the longer ride.

From Heritage Point, a view of the river, the trail, the Wheeling Suspension Bridge, and the I-70 Bridge.

After returning to the point, the route followed the trail northward along the Ohio River, to the Short Creek area, where there was a rest stop. There, we left the trail, crossed Highway 2, and followed Short Creek Road (SCR) for several pleasant miles. SCR followed a creek with the same name. It was a bit of a surprise, to me, that the route had so much relatively flat terrain here in the Mountaineer State. However, I did not become complacent because the hills would arrive later on.

A view of Short Creek Road and a coal tipple in the distance.

We eventually made a left from SCR onto North Fork Road (NFR) but the pleasantly level and winding country road character continued for several more miles. In all, approximately the first 30 miles of this ride were flat riding. Many of the riders were younger folks, in sleek riding clothing, and on expensive racing bikes. Being who I am, traveling at a comfortable pace, enjoying the scenery, and stopping for occasional photos, I was by myself for most of the ride. Occasionally, I would meet another rider or small group of riders. All were very friendly.

A rider passed me as I stopped for a photo on North Fork Road.

With this set-up, you could practice your balance when getting the mail. I would be on my hands and knees.

Following NFR, I reached the outskirts of West Liberty. This little town is home to the West Liberty University Hilltoppers. A big climb led me into town proper and to the campus. The college seemed to be largely closed down in late May, with most students and faculty gone for the summer. The town itself was quiet, clean, and tidy. There were not any tour rest stops in town but after talking to a small group of riders, I learned there was a stop in Bethany, another 5 miles or so down the road.

The town limits were reached on North Fork Road.

A group of riders were cresting the big hill into town.

The ride to Bethany was decidedly more challenging courtesy of the hilly terrain. After climbing again to get out of West Liberty, the road rolled along past some picturesque farmland. Bethany is also home to a college with the same name. It is about an hour from Pittsburgh, but when out here, seems worlds away. Stopping along the road and getting off the bike, the only sounds heard are birds singing and the wind.

The road between West Liberty and Bethany, West Virginia.

The tour had a rest stop set up near the field house of Bethany College. Go Bisons!

I missed a turn somewhere after leaving the rest stop, so the 100K (62.5 miles) ride ended up only being 55 miles for me. The route eventually wound its way back into Bethany and from there, it was back to Wheeling the same way we had come.

If I had a criticism of this ride, it would be that it is an out-and-back. From a look at some maps afterwards, there are definitely other roads, from which a loop back to Wheeling could have been fashioned. But not being from here and unfamiliar with those roads, I'd have to ride them before making any legitimate commentary. Maybe in 2024.

A winding and uphill country road after leaving Bethany.

Part way back, I hooked up with another rider who hadn't missed the turn but still caught up to me even though he had done an additional 7-8 miles. He was a friendly young fellow and we had a good chat on the way back to Short Creek. At the rest stop, his friends were waiting and he was going to take a break. My intention was to keep on going because I still felt pretty good... perhaps due to having missed a few miles!

I was pulling out of the rest stop when I heard my name. Upon looking in the direction of the sound, there were two of my friends from Pittsburgh, Don and Jackie. They had come out from Pittsburgh to do the ride and to visit with a couple they know, Doug and Suzanne. Doug is one of the organizers for this ride. He and his wife, Suzanne are active with cycling and the trails in this part of West Virginia. Doug was actually at the rest stop while Suzanne was back at Heritage Point, taking care of details there.

The 3 of us rode back to Wheeling and finished off the tour. Some festivities were going on at the point, complete with food trucks, music, and beverages. I had lunch and sat with Don, Jackie, Suzanne, and several couples with whom they cycle frequently. All in all, the Wheeling Heritage Tour is a nice event that showcases a bit of Wheeling, its trails, and the surrounding countryside. It is well worth the modest price of admission. The tee shirt was nice too!

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Today's ride: 55 miles (89 km)
Total: 225 miles (362 km)

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