Zanesville, Ohio, is where I hail from. It was there I first learned to ride a motorbike, back in my early teen years, racing around the roads on the city’s north side. In high school, I’d ride my slightly larger motorbike on what is called the West Pike, better known as U.S. Route 40. But following my military service, I traveled around on bigger and bigger bikes, leaving Zanesville behind and ultimately settling in Columbus.
Over the years I’ve been back to Zanesville many times, always for something family related. I was overdue for a visit to my hometown to refresh, reflect, and remember. And to discover.
Planning to spend a few days, I stayed at the Quality Inn and Suites (see sidebar below). Early-shift staff members Ausha and Linda made certain I was well fed from their breakfast buffet and well fed with information on changes to the place I once called home.
In hilly Muskingum County, Zanesville is a hub, every road aimed at its center. Few of them resemble anything near a straight line, twisting about, sometimes with fervor, perfect for those of us who enjoy being out on two or three wheels.
Scan QR codes above or click Triple Nickel or The Wilds to view the routes on REVER
Over its history, Zanesville has gone by several nicknames, most notably “The Y-Bridge City,” due to the Y-shaped bridge over the confluence of the Licking and Muskingum rivers. In decades past, due to the soil’s heavy clay content, it was also known as the “Pottery Capital of the World.”
From 1810 to 1812, Zanesville was Ohio’s capital city, and for decades leading up to the Civil War, it was a stop on the Underground Railroad.
Zanesville’s most famous citizen is Zane Grey, the celebrated writer of Western lore, most notably Riders of the Purple Sage. Just east of town is the National Road and Zane Grey Museum, which honors both the author and U.S. 40’s role in America’s growth.
See all of Rider‘s Ohio touring stories here.
But Zanesville was named to honor Ebenezer Zane, who received funds and a land grant from Congress in the late 1700s to blaze a 200-mile path through the Ohio wilderness, from Wheeling, then part of Virginia, to Maysville, Kentucky, a road that became known as Zane’s Trace.
A generation later, the first federally funded road in U.S. history was built to connect the Potomac and Ohio rivers. Known as the National Road, it stretched from Cumberland, Maryland, to Vandalia, Illinois, the state’s then-capital, and passed through Zanesville. It ultimately became U.S. Route 40.
While the current highway often traces over the old National Road, there are places near Zanesville where the original two-lane highway can still be ridden. On one wonderful stretch east of town, properly named Brick Road, the red-bricked highway surface still exists.
On the outskirts of New Concord, east of Zanesville, you’ll pass another of the earlier elements of the highway, now open only to foot traffic, the Fox Run S-Bridge. Built in 1828 and once a hiding place for runaway slaves, the bridge is remarkable in its construction. New Concord is also where you’ll find the boyhood home of John Glenn, which is now a museum. The record-setting U.S. Marine Corps pilot became the first American to orbit the earth, then later a U.S. senator. Mr. Glenn would have insisted on my mentioning his wife, Annie, their life together being a big part of the museum.
Heading in the other direction and dating back to 1833 and the National Road’s beginning is the Headley Inn, which provided accommodation for builders of the highway. In the 1930s it was a Duncan Heinz “5 Star” rated restaurant. Today it’s a B&B and winery.
But it’s not U.S. 40 that draws motorcyclists to Muskingum County. Most prominent among all the twisty lines on the county map is the legendary “Triple Nickel,” State Route 555. Beginning just south of Zanesville, the highway weaves its magic south for 62 miles to Little Hocking near the Ohio River. It is a wonderful but challenging road, with many blind rises and tricky corners. Ride with care, and you’ll be handsomely rewarded.
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Beyond the Triple Nickel, there are other winding roads in Muskingum County that are worth checking out. For those interested in a more tranquil ride, I suggest aiming your front tire to State Route 146. To the west, it will take you to Dillon State Park, a great place for hiking, camping, fishing, and boating on and around a 1,500-acre lake.
If you follow SR-146 to the east, you’ll soon find your way to The Wilds, a safari park that is home to exotic animals such as cheetahs, rhinoceros, giraffes, and zebras. The huge complex, built on reclaimed strip-mining land, looks like African savannah, and wild animals are viewed from open-air vehicles operated by seasoned guides. The Wilds also offers adventure hikes, horseback riding, fishing, a zip-line, camping, and a lodge.
Another fine ride is on State Route 60, either north to Dresden, where you can get a look at the world’s largest basket from Longaberger Baskets fame, or south along the east side of the Muskingum River to Blue Rock State Park. The hilly, forested, 322-acre park features hiking trails, boating, and camping.
During my time riding the local byways, I saw road names such as Moonlight Drive, Neptune Lane, and Sunflower Drive. When I happened upon Norwich Valley Road, it was unassuming, tiny in stature. I had to follow it. Early in the morning, it was the perfect place to be. I had the road to myself, not a bother in the world. I eased on, enjoying every morsel of what lay before me. In short order the road ended. I had a choice: left or right. Had I gone left, my ride might have continued. But I made the turn that was the brief way back to the main highway. Those few miles were the finest of my visit. Finding them is why I ride.
Of all my stops, the most memorable was my visit to the Stone Academy. Located in the Putnam Historic District, then a separate community just south of Zanesville, the impressive building was constructed in 1810 in a failed effort to be named the new state capitol. In subsequent years, it became a community meeting place, then an early location for something unheard of in the 1800s: a school for girls. In 1835 the building held the first meeting of the Ohio Anti-Slavery Society while serving as a hiding place on the Underground Railroad.
There’s so much history in the area, but today there’s a new kid on the block – make that a long city block. Travel up Sixth Street from the river, and you can’t miss them. Stretching for nearly the length of a football field are the creations of sculptor Alan Cottrill, ranging from the common to the abstract.
Pick anywhere of note in the county, and you’ll find memories to share. But beyond the rivers, bridges, and parks, there’s nothing that says Zanesville better than Tom’s Ice Cream Bowl. USA Today once called it the Number One Ice Cream Shop in America.
For those looking for a bit of culture, there are several art museums in the downtown area, and further north is the highly regarded Zanesville Museum of Art, one of the finest small-town art museums in the nation.
Downtown welcomes everyone for First Friday Art Walks, and there’s a Summer Concert Series at the Secrest Auditorium on Thursdays. During the warm months, the city offers rides on the Muskingum River aboard the Lorena Sternwheeler. In August there’s the Muskingum County Fair, where my wife, my brother Bill, his wife Peg, and I enjoyed an afternoon of demolition derby – one heck of a great time.
With my visit coming to an end, something caught my eye. On the east end of the Y-Bridge I saw something called the Y-Bridge Cultural Arts Center. I was in town to discover new things, so why not stop and see what this place was all about? Inside was a photographer’s studio, and beyond it, out in the open, a pottery class. An instructor was showing a student how to prep clay to be thrown.
From one of the other areas of the building, a man appeared. I couldn’t place him, but I knew he was someone from my past. I reached out, ready to shake his hand, telling him I was Ken Frick. He stopped abruptly, looking at me with a questioning look on his face, then asked, “Are you Bill and Flo’s boy?” “Yes,” I said, and he said his name was Bob Grayson.
He’d been my parents’ next-door neighbor. My parents and Bob were very fond of each other and were, for lack of a better term, “best neighbors.” After rediscovering my hometown, Bob and I reminisced about a special part of my parents’ lives and of his – a serendipitous way to connect past and present.
My few days in Zanesville showed me that I could go back home again and be welcomed with open arms. Now as then, I appreciate its small-town charms and rhythms, the gentle swaying, the back and forth, of roads, places, and people. How lucky I was to grow up in this special place, and today, to live close enough to visit and cherish as a place to stretch my wings.
If you’re looking for a friendly place, a mix of history and highways, and great riding, maybe like you knew during your own youth, try Zanesville. Come and check it out for yourself. You will not be disappointed.
SIDEBAR: Quality Inn and Suites
The Quality Inn and Suites was the perfect place to stay while I was in Zanesville. It’s locally owned, and the lobby wall has a collection of gold and platinum awards the hotel has earned. The lobby is bright and spotless, with a huge bouquet of fresh flowers on the check-in counter, and the rooms are nicely appointed with modern furniture and beds. Located on Underwood Street, it is within walking distance of many restaurants and a quick ride or drive to anywhere downtown and the local museums. The hotel has an excellent breakfast buffet, an indoor pool, and very friendly staff – someone always asked how my day was going and if there was anything they could do to make my visit more comfortable.
RESOURCES
• Ohio Tourism
• Zanesville/Muskingum County
• Quality Inn and Suites
• National Road and Zane Grey Museum
• The Wilds
• Blue Rock State Park
See all of Rider‘s touring stories here.
Ken Frick’s first story for Rider appeared in 1988, with many others to follow. He calls central Ohio home, from where he made his living as a freelance commercial photographer. Visit KenFrick.photography to find a library of Ken’s photography and writing.
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