The Wheel Deal

On a scale of 1 to 10, STOMP organizer Larry Grewe gives today’s 63-mile bicycle trek a 7 for difficulty. That’s because the uphill climb out of Cuyahoga Valley National Park is a monster to conquer, he says. But it’s all downhill by the time bikers reach the halfway point in southeastern Summit County. “If you’re starting at the bottom of the valley, you’ve gotta get out of the valley,” he says. “But you want those hills in the beginning.”

STOMP stands for Summit Tour of Metro Parks, and that’s pretty much what participants can expect during the six-hour jaunt. The ride starts at Peninsula’s Howe Meadow and heads southwest to Camp Christopher in Bath Township. From there, riders roll south to Silver Creek Metro Park in Norton, before they turn around and pedal to Furnace Run Metro Park in Richfield Township. It all wraps up where it started -- at Howe Meadow. Along the way, bikers can check out three “fun stops,” featuring a Mexican watering hole, toga party, and hippie camp. In addition to being a great workout, the outing serves as a terrific showcase of the area’s best biking spots, says Grewe. “This is a tour, not a race,” he says. “Take your time and appreciate what we have here.”
Sat., Sept. 1, 7:30 a.m.