THE OHIO BACKROADS ADVENTURE TOUR
A Four-Day Metric Mille
Dates – 8/5/12 through 8/9/12
The Ohio Backroads Adventure is a 2012 Great Lakes Regional event presented by the Western Reserve Section | Mercedes Benz Club of America. This is a four-day driving tour that will go through east-central and southeast Ohio featuring the “roads less traveled.”
While our dinners and event stops will require being time-certain, participants will tour at their own pace and on their own schedule. Spend as much time or as little time as you desire at the various stops along the way.
Our stops will be interesting and not always seen by the everyday tourist. A husband-wife team developed this tour for you. Don and Carol Velcio’s varied interests were used to balance the roads and the stops to satisfy everyone in your group.
The tour is not a rally, a race, or a speed contest of any kind. Everyone should observe all legal limits and their own personal limits as well.
Readers of Car and Driver magazine have read about the editors’ well-loved but secret roads through Ohio’s Appalachian mountain foothills. On this tour, you’ll drive many of our well-loved roads. Be warned – some roads will seem like never-ending ups and downs curving right and left. These are drivers’ roads. This isn’t going to be a cruise control snore down the interstate. (You’ll love it).
Participants will make their own hotel reservations at our suggested spots or any other of their own choosing. Blocks of rooms are being held for us thirty days prior to the event. Book early! Generous discounts are being extended to us from the normal rack rates.
Sunday night, 8/5/12 – Kickoff buffet dinner (included in your entry fee) with cash bar, Parma, OH – Das Schnitzel Haus.
Monday 8/6/12, Day 1–Head out of Cleveland to Cambridge, Ohio. 160 miles. We will see:
- Berlin, OH in the heart of Ohio’s world-famous Amish country – lots of shopping opportunities.
- Hershberger Bakery and Farm, Charm, OH – definitely worth your time to stop, shop, snack, and visit the petting zoo.
- Roscoe Village, Coshocton – Ohio and Erie Canal history and lunch opportunity.
- Lodging at the Comfort Inn (a gold medal winner), Cambridge, OH.
- Dinner on your own or with your friends in Cambridge.
Tuesday 8/7/12, Day 2–Cambridge to The Wilds back to Cambridge. 140 miles. “If Momma ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy” is our theme today. We will see:
- Dresden, Ohio contains shopping opportunities galore. It was Longaberger’s premier location before the construction of the Longaberger Homestead.
- The Longaberger Homestead is known to every basket collector and basket maker. Shopping and more are available to make everyone in your party happy. Lunch opportunities in the Restaurant or the Barn.
- Cross the unique “Y-Bridge” in Zanesville. You’ll briefly be on the early nineteenth century National Road.
Take a long drive out into the heart of strip mine country. See the Miner’s Memorial complete with the “Big Muskie” bucket. Definitely worth a visit.- Enjoy The Wilds “Sunset Safari Tour” and buffet dinner (included in your entry fee). The Wilds is one of the largest and most innovative wildlife conservation centers in the world. Twilight is a magical time of day to experience The Wilds.
- Return to our lodging at the Comfort Inn in Cambridge (about 25 miles from The Wilds).
Wednesday 8/8/12, Day 3– Cambridge to Marietta. 150 miles.
This is a true driver’s day! These incredible backroads compare favorably to the most enjoyable and scenic mountain-style and canyon-style roads found in North America. Drive a series of seemingly never-ending ups, downs, rights, and lefts. You will exercise your driving skills and concentration. The reward is enjoyment and satisfaction. You don’t need race tracks if you can drive on roads like these – and you can have fun at or below the speed limit.
- See the Switzerland of Ohio section of the state. Driving the recommended roads, you will understand why this part of Ohio is so named. You may be looking for Heidi, the von Trapp family, or an alpenhorn.
- Parts of the Switzerland of Ohio roads are more gentle mountain-style roads. They drive like the Smoky Mountains or the Black Forest High Road.
- Kiedaisch Point Park is a remote, obscure, and hard to find Monroe County Park. On a bluff 500 feet high, you overlook the Ohio River. It reminds us of an Upper Mississippi River view. Beautiful.
- Twelve miles of the suggested route through the Switzerland of Ohio are on a mountain-style road that makes the others seem level and straight. Drive with care. Your smile will hurt.
- See three covered bridges on the way to Marietta. This is on a canyon-style road. And look for the Mail Pouch barn along the way.
- Lodging at the historic Lafayette Hotel in Marietta at the confluence of the Muskingum and Ohio Rivers.
- Have dinner on your own or with your friends in Marietta.
- We’ll complete our day with a Sunset Dessert Cruise on the Valley Gem sternwheeler (included in your entry fee).
Thursday 8/9/12, Day 4– Marietta to Columbus. 160 miles. Enjoy a bit of natural beauty in the Hocking Hills. Stretch your legs on two short hikes in the park.
- The Hocking Hills State Park is an Ohio treasure. Take the short hikes at Old Man’s Cave and Conkle’s Hollow.
- Continue your adventure by driving to Columbus, Ohio’s German Village.
- We’ll conclude our trip with an early buffet dinner at Schmidt’s Restaurant und Sausage Haus (included in your entry fee) with cash bar.
- You can start back home after saying “goodbye” to your new friends, or stay at your lodging choice.
Registration Information:
The registration form and lodging information sheet are available below in both pdf and word formats:
Tour_registration_form_pdf
Lodging_info_sheet_pdf
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Lodging_info_sheet_word
MBCA_liability_waiver
Questions: Call Don Velcio, work, 440-886-1660 or email, velcio@aol.com
