Around Lake Erie Epic Bike Tour

DAY 1: We meet at our hotel in the heart of the North Coast Harbor of Cleveland, OH. You’ll be within walking distance of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, the International Women’s Air & Space Museum and the Great Lakes Science Center. We’ll start our tour at 2:00pm with an orientation, followed by a bike prep and then dinner together. 0 miles.

DAYS 2-11: We’ll ride out of the city on the Cleveland Lakefront Bikeway. Once out of town, the landscape will become gently rolling and flat, as we roll by farmland, vineyards and orchards.

We’ll run this tour as we do our cross-country tours. We start early with a light breakfast provided by the hotel. Then you'll pack your bike bag with a snack of raisins, nuts, energy bars or a peanut butter sandwich. Make sure you have an extra layer of clothing and perhaps a rain jacket with you. Everyone leaves on her own, usually between 8-9am and follows the electronic GPS cues or printed cue sheets that have been meticulously prepared for the tour.

About every 15-20 miles, you’ll meet our SAG vehicle. It holds water, snacks, tire repair tools and a first aid kit. Even if you don’t need anything, stop to chat about the wonderful tailwind or the panoramic view. If you’re too tired to bike anymore, take a ride in the SAG vehicle to our hotel for the night. The SAG makes sure everyone is in safely at the end of the day.

Once at our hotel, you’ll find your luggage, (delivered earlier by the WomanTours van and trailer), check in to your room, and meet your roommate. You'll rotate roommates every time we change lodging, unless you've requested a specific roommate or the upgrade for a single room. There's time to shower before dinner and perhaps take a dip in the hotel pool.

BIKE TOUR HIGHLIGHTS:

• Ecological Trail System of Pelee Island
• Niagara Falls
• Canadian Waterfront Trail and Friendship Trail
• Cleveland attractions: Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, the International Women’s Air & Space Museum and the Great Lakes Science Center
• States of Ohio, New York Pennsylvania, and the province of Ontario

We’ll have one layover day on this tour in Buffalo, NY to give our bodies a chance to recover. You can do the optional ride to Niagara Falls where you can hike down into the gorge, take the jetboat tour through the rapids, or visit the Cave of the Winds to walk beneath the falls and feel their immense power. Lunch and dinner are on your own today. 49 miles average per day.

DAY 12: Our ride back to the USA includes 2 ferries as we cross the lake via the southernmost community in Canada, Pelee Island. The island is on major migratory bird and butterfly routes, and is home to the Ecological Trail System. The trails were constructed to provide access to the beaches, forests, sand dunes, and marshes found nowhere else in Canada. You’ll cycle past a lighthouse, winery and several nature preserves and have time to kayak if you’d like.

DAY 13: Our last day of cycling takes us back to our starting hotel in Cleveland along the Lakefront Bikeway. We’ll end our tour with a celebratory dinner before saying our good-byes.

DAY 14: We will offer a complimentary shuttle to the Cleveland airport or train station arriving by 9:00am. 0 miles.

REGISTRATION DETAILS: To sign up for this tour, we require a nonrefundable deposit of $300. The first payment of $1000 is due by January 1, 2024 and the $1300 is nonrefundable and nontransferable. The balance of the tour price is due 75 days prior to the tour, and our normal cancellation policy applies to that payment. We offer a 2% discount for paying by check. 

TRIP INSURANCE: We will provide you with a source for trip cancellation insurance. We strongly recommend insurance, especially for a trip of this magnitude.