The Amish Country Adventure - Buckeye Country Roads Bicycle Tours

The Amish Country Adventure
July 13-19, 2014
Day 1: Tune-Up Ride (19 and 31 miles)
Gather at the Coshocton Village Inn and Suites and join us for an optional 19
mile tune-up ride in the early afternoon. As you pedal, enjoy the gorgeous rolling
hillside landscapes of Coshocton County. We will conclude the ride with a stop
at some of the chief historical sites in Coshocton (the Johnson-Humrickhouse
Museum, Historic Roscoe Village, the Canal Museum and Monticello Canal
Boat). A visit to Clary Gardens will satisfy the softer side after a hard ride. For
those who want more, a longer 31 mile route will pass through the town of
Warsaw and enjoy an added climb or two (or three). A wine and cheese
reception at 5:30 will be followed by our opening banquet, both at the
Warehouse Restaurant in Roscoe Village. Orientation will conclude the first evening. Enjoy the pool, hot tub and
sauna before bed. Overnight at Coshocton Village Inn and Suites.
Day 2: Loop to Dresden and Longaberger Homestead (35 and 45 miles)
Breakfast at the Inn. Today we offer an optional 35 mile loop ride out of
Coshocton in the morning. The route will take you to the delightful village of
Dresden, one of the most charming small towns in Ohio. While in Dresden,
don't miss the sinful sweet potato fries at the Depot Restaurant. For those
who came to ride, a longer 45 mile loop will take riders by the Longaberger
Basket Co. Homestead near Frazeysburg, marked by the world’s largest applebasket. (Short routers can add this on with a 7 mile loop). Be sure to explore
the Longaberger campus. Take more time in the afternoon to visit Historic
Roscoe Village and the Canal museum, Monticello Canal Boat, and find your
bliss in Coshocton. Those who wish to relax rather than ride can enjoy the
state of the art water park at Lake Park, a very short bike ride from the Inn
through Roscoe Village and along the old canal tow-path bike trail. Or explore the history of this early canal town.
Don’t forget the wine and cheese at 5:00 p.m. featuring local wines from the Shawnee Springs Winery. Dinner is on
your own tonight so you can explore the local cuisine. We will be delighted to provide a list of recommendations.
Day 3: Coshocton to Berlin (30 and 43 miles)
Enjoy breakfast at the Inn, and then park your car at Lake Park and load
your luggage into the luggage truck. Say goodbye to Coshocton and ride the
30 mile route to Berlin through Chili (pronounced CHAI-lai), New Bedford,
and Charm for a genuine taste of country roads Amish life. Overnight is at
the fabulous Berlin Grande Hotel. We will ride through the beautiful
countryside of Coshocton and Holmes counties replete with Amish shops
and businesses, such as the Schlabach Wood Design Co. and Miller’s Dry
Goods and Quilts. Directors’ recommendation: Stop in Charm for lunch at
the ‘charming’ Chalet in the Valley (go in for the fantastic and
complimentary pretzel bread and stay for the schnitzel and cream pies).
Top it off with samples of cheese at the Guggisberg Cheese Factory across
the street, and save dessert for the Hershberger Farm and Bakery closer to Berlin (pronounced BUR-lin). But you
have GOT to stop by Heini’s Cheese Chalet in Berlin to sample what seems like a thousand different types of
cheese. For added punishment, go to Kaufmann’s Country Bakery across the street for an Amish fried pie or apple
fritter! For those not yet ready to put their bike away, however, a longer and hillier route of 43 miles will take you
through the county seat of Millersburg, with the Victorian House Museum and Glass Museum. Stop by the historic
Millersburg Hotel for a sandwich or brew, then ride through the rolling countryside past charming bed-and-
breakfasts. Once in Berlin, be sure to wander the streets and enjoy the local craft shops, and savor the myriad
delights in the Coblentz Chocolate shop (open until 6:00 p.m.). But be back for the wine and cheese hour at 5:00
p.m., and then enjoy an Amish buffet feast at the Farmstead Restaurant next door to the hotel. By all means, save
some time for conversation and great ice cream at the Java Jo Coffee Bar.
Day 4: Loop to Kidron and Amish Towns (42 and 54 miles)
Today we explore the Amish towns of Holmes and Wayne Counties,
including Mt. Hope, Mt. Eaton, Wilmot, Winesburg, and Trail, the home of
‘Trail bologna’. Lehman’s Hardware in Kidron, a gathering spot for Amish
and tourists alike, will impress you with its blend of antique and modern
gadgetry. Is morning pie at Mrs. Yoder’s Kitchen in Mt. Hope out of the
question? Or perhaps lunch at the Amish Door Restaurant and Village in
Wilmot? Or afternoon ice cream at the Winesburg Dairyette? Be sure to
sample the ‘Trail bologna’ at Troyer’s Trail Bologna shop in Trail. And if
you’re worried about getting into a jam, a trip by the J.M. Smucker Co. Store and Café on the long route will meet
all your jelly and jam needs. But most of all, take advantage of the afternoon to explore and relax in Berlin and to
enjoy the amenities of the Berlin Grande Hotel. The wine and cheese reception at 5:00 will be followed by dinner
on your own this evening at any of the area restaurants within an easy walking distance of the hotel. Check your
cue sheets for recommendations. What a wonderful day of good eats. But just wait for day 5!
Day 5: Berlin to New Philadelphia (30 and 45 miles)
Eat a hearty breakfast at the Berlin Grande. Then enjoy a leisurely ride through
the heart of Ohio Amish territory to New Philadelphia through Walnut Creek,
Sugarcreek, and Baltic. Overnight will be at the Holiday Inn Express. Begin the
ride with a group visit to the Amish and Mennonite Heritage Center and a guided
tour of its famous ‘Behalt’ mural, depicting the history of the Amish community.
Riding through Walnut Creek be sure to watch them make the chocolate candy at
the Coblentz Chocolate factory and enjoy more samples, if you did not get your
Coblentz chocolate fix satisfied in Berlin. Or stop in at the original Der
Dutchman restaurant for second breakfast. A ride along Cherry Ridge drops you
down into Sugarcreek, the ‘Little Switzerland of Ohio’, where you can stop by Heini's Gourmet Market and sample
even more cheese and wine to your heart's content. A visit to the Alpine Hills Historical Museum & Sugarcreek
Information Center will provide you with the history of the area, but don’t miss the old-world clock that ‘acts out’
every half hour, just before you get to the snack stop. Once on old State Route 39 you can sample wines at three
different wineries: The directors’ recommendations are:
Swiss Heritage Winery: the American Chardonnay and Hans’ Favorite Blend
Breitenbach Wine Cellars: the drier Riesling and Charming Nancy
Silver Moon Winery: the Luna Bianca and the Midnight Red
For those who came to ride and who want more miles, a longer route of 45 miles will drop you down to the towns
of Baltic and Ragersville, and through more rural Amish countryside. A stop at Miller's Dutch Kitchen in Baltic will
give you a taste of authentic Amish home cooking. The wine and cheese reception at 5:00 will be followed by
dinner on your own at any of the nearby restaurants, or join Rod and Joe at Bistro 131 right next door to the hotel.
After dinner there’s nothing like a dip in the pool and hot tub to prepare you for a great night’s sleep.
Day 6: Loop to Gnadenhutten, Dennison, and Schoenbrunn Village (38 and 50 miles)
Enjoy breakfast at the hotel. Today we have optional 38 and 50 mile loop
rides out of New Philadelphia that will take you to historic sites associated
with earlier days in Ohio. At Gnadenhutten (pronounced Je-NAID-enhutten) you will visit the site where, in 1782, ninety-six Indian Moravian
converts who were caught up in the drama of the Revolutionary War were
massacred by the Pennsylvania militia. Then visit the Dennison Railroad
Depot Museum, a memorial and museum remembering World War
II. Finally, stop by to see historic Schoenbrunn Village itself, settled in
1772 by the Moravian missionary, David Zeisberger, with its recreated village and museum. Those who wish to
stay close to home can easily ride to Schoenbrunn Village and spend the rest of the day relaxing at the swimming
pool, enjoy the aquatic center and other amenities of Tuscora Park, or ride to see the famous Warther Carving
Museum just 5 miles from the hotel. The wine and cheese reception will naturally be at 5:00 p.m. Our concluding
banquet will be at the McDonald/Marlite Center just around the corner from the Holiday Inn. Enjoy our final
evening together chatting with your new friends in the hotel’s hot tub and pool, and get ready for your last day on
the tour.
Day 7: Return to Coshocton (40 and 45 miles)
Start the final day with a group Photo-Op at the hotel after breakfast. Load up
your bags one last time and ride the Piece de Resistance, our 40 mile route through
the hills and dales of Tuscarawas and Coshocton Counties back to Coshocton
and your car. Begin the ride with a stop at the Yaggi Cheese House and sample
their smooth and sharp cheddars, smoked Gouda and pepper cheese, and the
very tasty trail bologna! Anyone needing one last climbing test on the final day's
ride can take on a lovely but challenging 5 mile extension. Later on, after riding
with the Angels in gorgeous Angel Valley, make a 2 mile side-trip (each way) to
the newest of Ohio’s wineries, the Yellow Butterfly Winery. It’s uphill there,
but downhill back, and so worth the visit! From there it’s on to The Unusual Junction Deli, where, if you can’t find
it, it cannot be found! Pedal across the street to Raven’s Glenn Winery and Italian Restaurant (recommended
lunch stop, maybe?), where you can have one final taste of the best that Ohio’s country roads have to offer. After
you return to your car at Lake Park, take the opportunity to shower and freshen up before your return home. But
don’t leave before you collect your wine! And begin rehearsing your memories of our Buckeye Country Roads.
What is included with the registration fee?
Your registration fee covers all room accommodations in first-class hotels (leave your tents and sleeping bags at
home!), breakfast each morning, and three catered dinners (three are on your own to explore the communities). It
also includes daily snack stops during the week with a wide variety of fruit, cookies, candy bars and Gatorade/water,
full SAG support along the route, and baggage transport of your luggage from one hotel to the next. Naturally,
each day’s ride is complemented with a wine and cheese reception at the hotel, at which we will sample local
products from area wineries and cheese shops. We provide free admission to a private tour at the Amish and
Mennonite Heritage Center in Berlin. Also included is parking for the duration of the tour at Lake Park in
Coshocton and showers there upon your return. We provide a booklet containing detailed maps and cue-sheets for
each day’s route.
What is not included?
Not included in the registration fee, besides the three dinners on your own, are costs of admission to museums
along the way, since we have no way of controlling who would be interested in visiting one. Also you will need
money for any miscellaneous purchases at restaurants, wineries and shops you may wish to visit. Alcoholic
beverages with our included dinners are at your own expense.
Can I buy wine along the route?
Yes, we will designate certain wineries along the way for you to sample and purchase wine and we will pick up your
purchase(s) for you and hold them throughout the week. At the end of the week you can simply pick up your stash
and take it home to enjoy as a souvenir of the trip. However, any cheese, chocolate and pastries you purchase you
will have to eat on the spot or carry with you on your bike or person.
More about Ohio wineries