This will be our fifth and final day of riding on the Ohio and Erie Canal Towpath Trail. All that's left is the southernmost 9 miles of trail, which will take us 20 miles of riding to accomplish.
We parked at the nearest trailhead to last night's hotel, at Fort Laurens State Memorial in Bolivar, and first rode north to Canal Bend to link up with our previous southernmost trail point. Then we flipperoo'd south and rode to the trail's southern terminus at Towpath Trailhead SR 800 and then slightly beyond to the Zoarville Station Bridge before doubling back to the car.
Tuscarawas River Aqueduct
Darn right!
Outside Bolivar, Ohio
Tom pauses on a boardwalk
Fort Laurens was the only fort of the Revolutionary War within what is now Ohio. The fort was built in 1778 as a defensive position against the British and Indians. A number of American soldiers were killed here and are buried nearby.
Revolutionary War fort in Ohio
Lock 7
It was a beautiful, rural final section of trail, and we passed several more locks and cool old bridges. There was a nice, long section of boardwalk in north Bolivar. The trail south of the fort was by far the roughest part of the entire trail, and it beat up the bikes a bit, but we didn't let that stop us!
Zoar Iron Bridge
Tuscarawas River
Another lock
Mayan looking
We rode on past the final Towpath trailhead to the south side of State Route 800 and across the Tuscarawas River to the historic Zoarville Station Bridge. Built in 1868, this was one of the earliest iron bridges in the United States and the last truss bridge of its style known to exist. It was restored and reopened to bikers and hikers in 2007.
Zoarville Station Bridge
Beyond the south end of the Towpath Trail
Mission accomplished!
Back at the car, we loaded the bikes for the final time and headed toward Tennessee. We didn't need to be home to pick up Bosco Dog until tomorrow, so there was no rush. Instead of the most direct route, we decided to head straight south into West Virginia and follow the Ohio River for a while.
In the late afternoon, we made a pit stop in Point Pleasant, West Virginia, home of the mysterious Mothman! This man-sized winged creature with glowing red eyes was spotted multiple times by Point Pleasant residents in the late '60s. Soon thereafter, a nearby bridge collapsed over the Ohio River, killing 46 people. Coincidence??? Some think not.
Point Pleasant, West Virginia
Look out for the Mothman!
Railroad bridge over the Ohio River
We drove on to Huntington before calling it a night. Unfortunately, we were unable to find a local brewery open on this Monday night that also served food, and we ended up eating at Applebee's. But you know what? It was delicious.
Lodging: Comfort Inn, Huntington, West Virginia.
Great trip! Home tomorrow!