Southeast Ohio / WV long weekend ride | GTAMotorcycle.com

Southeast Ohio / WV long weekend ride

plutoz

Well-known member
Thinking about doing something like this on the Victoria Day long weekend. Is 3 days / 4 nights enough time from the GTA? Any recommendations for places to stay / routes to take?

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Includes Ohio 555 (The Triple Nickel) and PA 666
 
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What kind of bike do you ride and more importantly how many km's do you like to ride in a day? For me, that's a 2 day ride. For some others that's a 4 day ride.

If you post the actual Google Maps link to that route, then people can make modify it with other roads. It's a decent route, but you can ride a little longer and have more fun with some other roads.
 
I did a similar trip like this a few years back.

Day 1 was from GTA to Marietta. I stopped in Zanesville for a couple hours and hung out with my cousin and his family before continuing on and hitting the 555. I got to Marietta in the evening.


Day 2 I rode through the National Park just North east of Marietta. Take 26 east through the park. It's a gorgeous road. Don't forget to stop and see the covered bridges.



Some of the other roads in that park like the 255 and the 536 were very twisty but the road surfaces (at that time) were poor. I also found the 555 to be dirty and pebble strewn quite a bit so be cautious.
....and I noticed (and confirmed when I went through my GoPro) that I would see street signs warning of an upcoming hard left when infact it would be a right. The signs up there were ****ed up sometimes.

After all was said and done I grabbed I-79 north to I-90 and went home.

 
Day 1 was from GTA to Marietta. I stopped in Zanesville for a couple hours and hung out with my cousin and his family before continuing on and hitting the 555. I got to Marietta in the evening.

Nice, did you just slab it to Zanesville or was there a more interesting route?


Day 2 I rode through the National Park just North east of Marietta. Take 26 east through the park. It's a gorgeous road. Don't forget to stop and see the covered bridges.

Thanks for the tip on 26, looks awesome and not much out of my way at all.
 
Nice, did you just slab it to Zanesville or was there a more interesting route?


Yup. Slab'd it. I took I-90 to 271 to 77 and approached Zanesville from the North through Dresden. IIRC my cousin told me next time to cut south down 11 as it's faster to go around the Cleveland traffic.

It sure is a boring slab but it's not too bad.
 
Keep the border wait times in mind unless you are leaving very early on Friday.

There is a thread here on a mid Sept trip in 2015 ...
http://www.gtamotorcycle.com/vbforum/showthread.php?193317-Where-to-base-in-Ohio

Triple nickel has some gotchas in unexpected turns but much fun.

Based from here
https://www.airbnb.ca/users/show/41418302

Also mind the deer .....

As long as you are doing PA ...catch PA 44/144 both North and South of Renovo for one of the best riding stretches anywhere.
It's just a hair east of your route and HIGHLY recommended.
 
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Yup. Slab'd it. I took I-90 to 271 to 77 and approached Zanesville from the North through Dresden. IIRC my cousin told me next time to cut south down 11 as it's faster to go around the Cleveland traffic.

Hmm fair enough. I had hoped to avoid freeways completely even if it takes a bit longer. Its hard to tell from Google Maps though if the 'avoid highways' route from Zanesville to West Hickory, PA (western end of 666) is going to be slow and boring or interesting enough to make it worth the extra time. I did NY62 from Warren back up to the Buffalo area a few years ago and enjoyed it.

I know one thing for sure I want to stay the hell away from Cleveland and Pittsburgh!

Keep the border wait times in mind unless you are leaving very early on Friday.

I have Nexus so not really worried there... ;)

As long as you are doing PA ...catch PA 44/144 both North and South of Renovo for one of the best riding stretches anywhere.

Did that area a few years ago, agreed those are some great roads. Will see if I can squeeze it in, time permitting.
 
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I see you're using US 219 and 119. Two under used highways IMO for folks going south.
They are nicely twisty.
If you haven't ridden them before, from the border crossing in Buffalo take the I-190 south. When you get to the thruway go west towards Erie.
You can't really tell from the map.
 
Been working on my trip plan a bit, starting to take shape

Day 1 (assuming I leave work around noon) head straight down the QEW to Fort Erie, take the 219 / 119 as far as they will go and pick up the I70 around New Stanton, PA. Continue on the I70 to Washington, PA or depending on time keep going to Wheeling, WV for the night.

Day 2 Head southeast out of Wheeling down WV 250 to Hundred, WV. Start heading west on WV State Route 7 to the Ohio River. At this point I could either head up 255 into the national forest or continue down the WV side of the river to Sistersville and take the "historic ferry", and shoot up 800, in either case pick up Ohio 26 heading west through the forest (as suggested by slowbird). Grab some lunch in Parkersburg and then head up OH 555 to Zanesville, OH and find a hotel for the night.

Day 3 Head east out of Zanesville on US22 (parallel to I70) until Cambridge, then head up the I77 to the turnoff for OH 258 and then OH 151 to Lisbon. Still trying to figure out the best route from there but the goal would be to finish the day on the PA 666 and spend the night in Warren. The Holiday Inn there has a nice indoor pool and hot tub :) and maybe on my 3rd visit I'll get to see the Kinzua Dam *not* in the pissing rain...

Day 4 head home up 62 to Buffalo. Hope my wife hasn't left me...

I switched my route planning from Google Maps to Furkot.com here is a link https://trips.furkot.com/board/kSnwnq

rQnarDd.jpg
 
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Glad to see someone using Furkot.
If you are looking for a riding partner I might be up for it tho long weekends that are both US and Canada I do try and avoid.
Ohio is on my planning list and now I'm not getting hand surgery this year I want to ride a fair bit.
Even better if you have a SENA.
I tend to AirBnB but motels are fine - share or not.

Kinzua Dam *not* in the pissing rain...

Hehe ...I think that was the marina I stopped off at to dry off and warm up....learned my lesson about cotton baselayers and getting sweaty ( walked down to the fallen bridge and got sweaty walking back up ).
Serious mistake at 8 C and raining.
 
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If you are looking for a riding partner I might be up for it tho long weekends that are both US and Canada I do try and avoid.

I thought the Memorial Day weekend was usually the one after? Yep, just confirmed it is May 29th. I'd be up for that, assuming I go (not going to go if weather is a total wash out). Will PM you.
 
I did a similar trip like this a few years back.

Day 1 was from GTA to Marietta. I stopped in Zanesville for a couple hours and hung out with my cousin and his family before continuing on and hitting the 555. I got to Marietta in the evening.


Day 2 I rode through the National Park just North east of Marietta. Take 26 east through the park. It's a gorgeous road. Don't forget to stop and see the covered bridges.



Some of the other roads in that park like the 255 and the 536 were very twisty but the road surfaces (at that time) were poor. I also found the 555 to be dirty and pebble strewn quite a bit so be cautious.
....and I noticed (and confirmed when I went through my GoPro) that I would see street signs warning of an upcoming hard left when infact it would be a right. The signs up there were ****ed up sometimes.

After all was said and done I grabbed I-79 north to I-90 and went home.

The 555 south from Zanesville is good - rode it north on the way home. Also just a bit west is the AMA hall of fame which is also good.
 
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Recently?

Well maybe 3 years ago.

OP 16 North from Fayetteville is nice. Check out the New River Gorge bridge - you can ride down into the gorge and cross the old small bridge at the bottom. It's a good place to take pics of the big bridge.

Also there is an old ghost town further down the gorge. Ask at the bridge visitor centre, it's the one with the old coke ovens. Not a great gravel roa down to it but I managed 2 up on a goldwing just fine.
 
Oh. I was just curious. how the road surface conditions were on the 555.

Plutoz, let us know!
 
Oh. I was just curious. how the road surface conditions were on the 555.

Plutoz, let us know!

Road was in decent shape when we were there. A few patches. But like MD says this one does throw a few surprises so beware. It's just a squiggly two lane thru farm country if I recall.
 
Road was in decent shape when we were there. A few patches. But like MD says this one does throw a few surprises so beware. It's just a squiggly two lane thru farm country if I recall.

Yeah when I did the 555 a few years back I recall it to be exactly as you describe. Some of the really twisty roads in the National park near Marietta were in bad shape though. Except 26 which was beautiful
 
Yeah when I did the 555 a few years back I recall it to be exactly as you describe. Some of the really twisty roads in the National park near Marietta were in bad shape though. Except 26 which was beautiful

find it rare to see poor roads in the US. If you don't help the people with good medical care at least you can afford to keep the roads in good shape
I
 

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