Another Beautiful Labor Day Weekend in Store

Clearly, Summer isn’t ready to give in yet! This weekend looks to be another spectacular opportunity to get outdoors. Whether you want to spend the weekend training for next week’s Findley Lake Sprint Triathlon/Duathlon or you want to spend it touring on your bike or kayak, here’s your opportunity. With a host of great art exhibits and galleries , museums, events and farmer’s markets, you surely won’t be at a loss for stops.


We’ll be out this weekend with our cameras looking for Findley State Park mountain bikers, kayakers and the BRaB road riders so you might see us pointing a camera at you.

Lorain International Triathlon 2008 Pics and Recap

Yesterday was the annual Lorain International Triathlon at beautiful Lakeview Park. Although it was a very hot day, the skies were just cloudy enough to keep participants cool in the early morning hours.

Women take off for swim leg of sprint distance triathlon.

Sprint distance swimmers exit the water at Lakeview Park.



International distance men and women head into Lake Erie for their 1.5k swim.

Patty Banks, womens overall sprint distance winner charges to the finish line for the final leg of the triathlon.


First three international swimmers out of the water. From left: Dave Garrett (finished 1st place overall international distance), Josh Brown (finished 3rd place overall international distance), Denise Vanek (finished 2nd place women's international distance)


Jodi Thomson, women's overall international 1st place winner finishes her bike and heads into the transition area to begin the run portion of the triathlon.

Click here for complete results of the 2008 Lorain International/Sprint Triathlon.
Click here for more photos of yesterday's exciting race.

Beginning this evening, every corner of the Back Roads and Beaches route will be hoppin’ with events from art openings to county fair excitement.


This evening in Vermilion is the gala opening of Water, Light and Land: Reflections on Inland Seas. Experience the spectacular views of inland seascapes, masterfully rendered in clay by nationally recognized Oberlin potter Chris Breuer at the Inland Seas Maritime Museum in Vermilion. The opening is from 6:30–8:30pm. Artist talk will be at 6pm. The show will run through September 25.

Also in Vermilion this weekend will be the Vermilion Local Market where you can purchase local produce, flowers, herbs, pasture-fed beef, and more. The market is held Saturday afternoons 2–6pm in Victory Park in Vermilion and will run through August 30.

The Lorain County Fair continues to run through this Sunday, August 24.

Carnegie Library, Oberlin College, Tappan Square

This Saturday, August 23 at 10am the Oberlin Heritage Center will be presenting A Walk Through Time. Learn about the earliest residents of Oberlin, hear fascinating stories of triumph and misfortune linked to the landmarks around Tappan Square, and walk away with a lively appreciation of Oberlin's unique heritage. Advance reservations required; call (440) 774-1700 or send an email to tourinfo@oberlinheritage.org. There is a $6 per person fee ($4 for Oberlin Heritage Center members) and enrollment is limited. Meet at the James Monroe House (73 1/2 South Professor Street, Oberlin; see map) and allow 1 hour and 15 minutes for the tour.

While in Oberlin, check out the new exhibit at the FAVA Gallery, Views: Three Landscape Artists featuring the work of John Benton, Amy Casey and Glenn Ratusnik. The show runs through September 6.

For more events taking place around the Back Roads and Beaches Route as well as all throughout Lorain County, click here.

Annual Lorain Sprint/International Triathlon this Sunday

Lakeview Park fountain
Originally uploaded by ronnie44052

Lakeview Park Photo by Rona Proudfoot

Triathletes will again get great views of Lake Erie this Sunday, August 24, 2008, only this time the race will be in Lorain, Ohio. Racers will begin at Lorain’s beautiful Lakeview Park with a swim in Lake Erie followed by bike and run through parts of Lorain and along Lake Erie. Racing begins at 8am. Click here for more information including registration information. For more information on area lodging, check out the Lorain County Visitors Bureau website here.

Vermilion Harbor Triathlon recap

The beautiful weather held again today for the first Vermilion Harbor Triathlon held at Linwood Park. HFP Racing brought the triathlon to Vermilion and selected an exciting and challenging course. Much of the bike course was hilly and scenic and utilized much of the Back Roads and Beaches route.

Winners included, overall Women's Olympic Distance triathlon: Lauren Goldstein-Kral, with a time of 2:11:40. Men's overall Olympic Distance triathlon winner-Ryan Bates with a time of 1:59:38. Men’s Sprint Distance overall winner was Jack St. Marie with a time of 57:51 and Women’s Sprint Distance winner, Kerry Flynn with a time of 1:07:10.

Click here for more results.
Below are some photos from today’s event. For additional photos, click here.

Overall Olympic Distance Female Winner, Lauren Goldstein-Kral runs to the finish line with a time of 2:11:40

Too fast for a photo-finish...RYAN-tastic! left: second place overall Olympic Distance Men’s, Scott Myers right: first place overall Olympic Distance Men’s, Ryan Bates

Adam Kuncel runs to finish 5th place overall men's, first place in Men’s Olympic Distance age 25–29. Time: 2:10:28

Ready…set…GO! Men’s Olympic swim start.

Runners arriving near the finish get a beautiful scenic run right next to Linwood and Lake Erie.

Today was a beautiful sunny Saturday along the Back Roads and Beaches Bike Route! It was great fun finding so many enthusiastic cyclists, tourists and athletes in Lorain County today. The usually quiet route was busy with lots of activity: charity rides, winery rides and triathletes preparing for their big race.

Below: The MS-150 Pedal to the Point came through Lorain County today along the Back Roads and Beaches Route. Everyone seemed to be enjoying the ride and the great weather. Click here to see more photos of Pedal to the Point riders in Lorain County.






Today was also the day for the Silver Wheels’ Dog Days Wine Tour:

Above, cyclists are all geared up and spinning for the winery on the
Silver Wheels Dog Days Wine Tour

Dog Days riders looking like they are having a ball heading for the wineries.

Below: Racers register for the Vermilion Harbor Triathlon taking place tomorrow.
(Watch here for recap and photos)

Well—what can we say? Comfort IS a factor in triathlon racing.

Pam Horvath from the Lorain County Visitors Bureau cheerfully greets triathletes with
information on the area and Back Roads and Beaches.

Welcome Vermilion Harbor Triathlon Athletes!

Vermilion is ready to welcome athletes and spectators for the first Vermilion Harbor Triathlon to be held on Sunday, August 17. And we are excited that much of the bike route follows Back Roads and Beaches.


There is still time to register tomorrow at the Red Clay in Vermilion. Registration will be held from 12–6.


The triathlon swim will begin at scenic Linwood Park.
Staff from the Lorain County Visitors Bureau will be on hand to distribute information on the bike route and other area information. If you are still in need of lodging for the event, click here. Welcome!

Pedaling through the past — bright futures ahead

Bronx Lab students pose in front of Passage to Freedom kiosk in Oberlin

Yesterday, seven Bronx Lab students and their guides arrived in Oberlin as part of their 250-mile “Health and History” cycling journey through Ohio’s Underground Railroad. The goal was to provide students the opportunity to experience the joy and beauty of bicycling along with a glimpse into Underground Railroad history. The students were provided bikes by the Jamis Bike Company and rode Adventure Cycling’s Underground Railroad route. The trip is a project conceived by trip leader, Sarah Eustis of the Bronx Lab School. Oberlin marked the end of the students’ journey. The students have been training since March, exercising and eating healthy to prepare for the effort. Congratulations to all! Click here for photos and journals of their trip.

Trip leader Sarah Eustis trains with her students in the Bronx to prepare for their cycling journey. Bronx Lab photo

A sunny summer Sunday along BRaB

Lorain Wheelmen had their annual “Roast your Buns” ride today.

Above, participating riders arrive back to Oberlin.

Roller bladers enjoy the Lorain County Metroparks’ North Coast Inland Trail



Historic Marker at Kipton Community Park marks the site of the Great Kipton Train Wreck.


View from Baird Road along the Back Roads and Beaches Route.

Click here for more scenic photos along Back Roads and Beaches.

Dog Days are here

Silver Wheels photo

Dog Days Wine Tour
Saturday, August 16
Beginning at Lions Park, LaGrange, OH

Sponsored by local cycling club the Silver Wheels, this ride is a nice flat, scenic tour of either 38, 45 or 65 miles that will visit local wineries. The ride will wrap up with a cookout. Click here for more details.

Upcoming Tri News

Event:

Sunday, August 3
34th Annual Findley Lake Sprint / International Triathlon
Location: Findley State Park, 25381 State Route 58, Wellington, OH
International - 1/2-Mile Swim, 28-Mile Bike, 10K Trail Run
Pre-Register Here


Vermilion Harbor Triathlon & Duathlon
Sunday, August 17, 2008 8am
Linwood Park, Vermilion, OH
The series heads north for stop number 5 in the beautiful harbor town of Vermilion, Ohio. Known best for its association with the largest one-day festival in Ohio – The Woollybear Festival, held every September. Multisport athletes will love the small town feel of this venue as they race through downtown Vermilion and tackle one of the most challenging courses in the series. Triathletes will be treated to a spectacular rectangle swim course (2-laps Olympic, 1-lap Sprint) off the private beach of Linwood Park. The Duathletes opening 5k run is out and back featuring a run through downtown Vermilion. The bike courses feature an out and back course for the sprint course and a demanding loop course for the Olympic distance course featuring two Vermilion River gorge crossings. The race finishes with an out and back run through downtown Vermilion with breathtaking shoreline views of Lake Erie for the entire course. This race is a perfect addition to the series and a must do for northern Ohio multisport athletes.