Upcoming Events

Event Organizer: Please consult this page to request an appearance by the Ohio Wheelmen at your event.

Various parades & events

It's expected that regular events from past years will be attended by Wheelmen in 2012. These events include the Great American Brass Band Festival, the Pemberville Free Fair Parade, the Minster Oktoberfest Parade, and others.

If your local area has a parade, offer to ride your bicycle and help promote The Wheelmen.

Calvin's Challenge

Springfield, Ohio

2011 REPORT: Six Wheelmen showed up and five raced! Mrs. O. was support for the Michigan team. Randy and Amy came from Michigan, Mike and Eric came from Maryland, and Dick represented Ohio. Randy won the men's high wheel division with 132 miles, Eric was a close second with 131.5, and Mike finished with 121 (but took the tougher route of two 50-mile laps instead of just one). Dick finished a long century of about 107 miles. Amy won the women's high wheel division with 104 miles, bettering her record from the previous year.

Teddy Roosevelt Firelands-area Campaign Centennial

Firelands Area of Ohio
Norwalk, Bellevue, Sandusky, Fremont, and Fostoria, Ohio

More details will be added here when plans are firmed up by the historical society.

Dayton Lane Promenade Home Tour

Hamilton, Ohio

This is a home tour highlighting the beginnings of the neighborhood in the 1880's. A few Wheelmen were requested for riding in the neighborhood during the home tour. Two Wheelmen have agreed to attend.

Strawberry Festival

Troy, Ohio

The Strawberry Festival Parade for 2012 has been cancelled by the Festival Committee

The Strawberry Festival Parade will return in 2013. The festival will be held in 2012, but will be located in town, not on the levee. The Wheelmen will return in 2013.

Please contact Richard if you have a question.

Great American Brass Band Festival

Danville, Kentucky

We have been invited back for GABBF 2012!

Great American Balloon Race - Entertaining the crowds at the Great American Balloon Race will start about 5:00 p.m. on Friday evening, June 8 at the Stuart Powell Field airport south of Danville. Or use an alternate website by the GABBF. The newspaper magazine AMERICAN PROFILE had a short article about the GABBF in the May 30, 2011 issue.

Great American Brass Band Festival - The Wheelmen will participate in the 11:00 a.m. parade on Saturday. The probable gathering spot for Wheelmen before the parade is the Constitution Square State Park on Main Street. Before the parade, we'll probably meet for breakfast at the Red Rooster restaurant one block east from the park. Immediately after the parade, I expect us to be invited to an 'office party' for a luncheon buffet. After the parade we'll ride around festival sites around town. From 1:30 pm until 2:30, we also staff an exhibit area on College Street (where it is closed for the festival between Walnut and Grant Streets).

The housing list has been submitted (4/11/12) but if you still want to participate, send me a note NOW. We can see if there is an empty dorm room available. Even if there is not a dorm room available, you can surely come and participate in all the Wheelmen activities.

For those who reserved a room in the dorm, the meeting place is the Ruby Cheek House. Parking is available in the back. The address for your GPS is 517 US 150, Danville, Kentucky. This is on the NW corner of W. Main St. and N. 5th St. in Danville.

A ten-mile, Sunday morning ride will be an option. Last year we found an interesting route out of Danville into the rural countryside.

A bunch of photographs are available on a gallery page.
Contact Richard for further information.

Cleveland Photographic Society in Ohio 125th Anniversary

Cleveland, Ohio

The Cleveland Photographic Society will be having an anniversary observance at Wade Park Oval in the afternoon with a vintage baseball game and the Wheelmen. The event should be between 1:00 pm and 5:00.

Please contact Richard if you can participate with a high wheel or safety.

Wheelmen Optional Tour

Findlay to Grand Rapids & return.

This will be an optional, self-supported (but in a group) Wheelmen tour before the formal Annual Meet begins. Perhaps a century distance. We will most likely meet up with Wheelmen riding to the meet and will ride back to Findlay with them.

2012 Wheelmen Annual Meet

Findlay, Ohio.

REGISTRATION IS OPEN!

Go to the on-line registration page and find the small menu at the bottom.

This huge meet will be held at the University of Findlay in beautiful Findlay, Ohio. Registration and other descriptive information is available.

The meet will include all the usual activities of the Annual Meet.

Sunday, July 22, 2012, 9:00 a.m.

Findlay Ordinary Race for Three Hours (FORTH)

Findlay, Ohio

This will be the third annual race that will be a three-hour race using high wheel bicycles. The route will most likely be on the southern edge of Findlay on normal county roads. Some photos from the 2010 inaugural FORTH race are available.

Please contact Richard if you plan to show up or if you want more information.

Sauder Village Regional Meet

Archbold, Ohio

This weekend is the Ohio Wheelmen's big biennial Sauder Village Regional Meet hosted by Sauder Village. Riding demonstrations and exhibits will be in the village green. The meet will include a multi-lap century on Saturday and an OHWT on Sunday morning, both on quiet country roads. A great location for your first century (or your second or ...)

The 2012 Cover Letter and Wheelmen Information are available with instructions, dates, and times. Read the cover letter and you'll see there are advantages to pre-registering and for being in a Wheelmen outfit. The 2012 registration form is available on-line. Get it, print it, and mail it in. Registration and participation is FREE except for your postage stamp.

The Sauder Village event calendar (PDF) is available for those in the area or passing by this year. The village is close to the Ohio Turnpike in the NW corner of the state. The village remains a strong supporter of the Ohio Wheelmen.

A few photographs from the 2008 meet are shown on the Ohio Wheelmen photo gallery. A large selections of photos from the 2010 meet are on The Wheelmen website. There are additional extensive collection of photographs from past years on The Wheelmen photo gallery.

If you've visited Sauder Village over the years, you might be interested in a short review of their 35 years. Check their 35th anniversary newsletter (PDF) and the video.

How do we get to Sauder Village? Use this map to get directions.

Pemberville Free Fair parade

Pemberville, Ohio

Pemberville Free Fair parade - This is a big parade in a small town. The parade starts at 1:00 pm and we're expected to be in place at noon. Contact Richard for details.

Where is Pemberville? That map will help but really, just head south from downtown Luckey! LOL

During the War of 1812, Northwestern Army Commander General William Henry Harrison led troops through northwest Ohio on the way to Detroit and Ft. Malden in Michigan. Later, after a battle near Monroe, Michigan, Harrison retreated and led his troops southward to the Portage River. Near the present-day William Henry Harrison Park, Harrison's men waited for supplies and reinforcements, which were delayed due to heavy rains and flooding in the Black Swamp. A historic society marker is located south of Pemberville, Ohio in the park.

Frederick Clustered Spires High Wheel Race and tours

Frederick, Maryland

Mark your calendars for August 17th-19th for the "Frederick Clustered Spires High Wheel Race!" and a weekend of penny farthing riding activities in the Frederick, Maryland and Washington DC area. A one hour penny farthing race will be held in historic downtown Frederick. A retro commemorative wool jersey and finishers medal will be given to all race participants. And, get this, the first lap will be lead by none-other than Greg Lemond on a penny farthing! The main race is limited to the first 35 riders registered. Proceeds from registration and sponsorship benefit The Wheelmen national organization and the Frederick Bicycle Coalition!

The weekend will feature:

• 8-mile Frederick History Loop tour
• Greg Lemond Night on August 17: Short ride to Keys Stadium (home of Frederick's minor league baseball team where the High Wheel riders will do a lap around the infield before Greg Lemond throws the opening pitch.
• Main event on Saturday, August 18: The one-hour penny farthing criterium (multi-lap) race on a 0.4 mile course in historic downtown Frederick. Kickoff will include Greg Lemond (3-time Tour de France winner) riding the first few laps with the racers to pump up the crowd.
• Awards ceremony and dinner at the downtown Delaplaine Arts Center on beautiful Carroll Creek
• Optional 20 mile DC monument ride on Sunday, August 19 to wrap-up the weekend of events.

For more information, contact Eric Rhodes for details. Check here also: www.tourdefrederick.com.

Old Car Festival at Greenfield Village

Dearborn, Michigan

A large gathering of about 800 classic, pre-1932 automobiles takes over the village for the weekend. About 100 Wheelmen machines on display, demonstrated, and ridden around the village. Casual games are played and ice cream is served. Early Sunday morning, an OHWT is ridden through the quiet streets of Dearborn. Come join the fun, it's just a bit north of the state line! Old Car Festival Info . Wheelmen need to pre-register their machines.

Glenmoor Gathering of Significant Automobiles
and (if I may add) pre-1918 Bicycles and Tricycles

Glenmoor Country Club
Canton, Ohio

The Glenmoor Gathering of Significant Automobiles is an annual auto show of elegant automobiles at the Glenmoor Country Club near Canton, Ohio. The 2012 Gathering will be the 18th annual event.

The Glenmoor Gathering organizers have asked for a select set of Wheelmen machines to be exhibited at the 2012 Glenmoor Gathering. We would like to have a representative set of Wheelmen-era machines, such as a early bicycle(s), Ordinary, Star/Eagle, hard tire safety, cushion tire safety, pneumatic safety, and children's machine. Perhaps a few of each type would make a good representation. There also may be an opportunity for limited display of memorabilia.

If you would like your machine to be considered to be included in this significant event, please contact Richard DeLombard, the Ohio Wheelmen Captain. Please list the year, make, model, and condition and integrity of your machine. Original (and complete) condition as well as restored condition will be considered. At this time, we'll not consider reproduction machines, but perhaps in the future, we'll consider including a well-made reproduction for comparison with the originals.

The details of Wheelmen participation will be developed over the next year leading up to the event in September. An Official High Wheel Tour (OHWT) is a definite possibility, perhaps early Sunday morning.

Oktoberfest Parade and OHWT

Minster, Ohio

Oktoberfest Parade at 2:00 pm. This is a huge parade in a small town. We usually have about 20 Wheelmen (young, old, and in-between) riding! Mel's Decorating is our sponsor each year! Many thanks to Mel's for providing sponsorship as well as food and drink! Wheelmen participating in the parade are invited to Mel's Decorating at 106 W. 4th Street in Minster before and/or after the parade for food and drinks and conversation.

We are planning to have an OHWT 10 mile ride in late-morning before the parade. A beautiful route has been found from Minster, through Fort Loramie, through Lake Loramie State Park along Lake Loramie, and back to Minster.

We meet in the parking lot at the corner of N. Cleveland Street and W. 5th Street. This is just around the corner from Mel's Decorating up on 4th Street.

Our line-up spot is usually on Cleveland Street, just north of Fourth Street. The parade organizers request that we arrive between 11:30 and 1:00 and be ready to go by 1:30 pm. Since we are near the front of the parade, we should be starting soon after the parade start time of 2:00 pm.

Marion County Rail-Trail Opening

Marion, Ohio

More details will be added here when plans are firmed up by the county park district and historical society.

Strawberry Festival

Troy, Ohio

The Strawberry Festival Parade will return in 2013. The Wheelmen will return in 2013.

Please contact Richard if you have a question.

Copake (NY) Swap Meet and Auction

Copake, New York

Copake Bicycle Auction in Copake, NY near the border with Massachusetts and Connecticut. Many activities make this a must-attend event! A swap meet on Friday - bring a list of what you need for efficient shopping! At 3:00 pm on Friday, a ten-mile OHWT bicycle ride begins. On Saturday is the Copake auction, the catalog is available on-line.

Memory Lane Swap Meet

Grand Rapids, Ohio

March 24, 2012 (Saturday)

Ohio Wheelmen Memorabilia Meet

New Bremen, Ohio

Memorabilia Meet, swap meet, and OHWT. Come see memorabilia from the Wheelmen era of pre-1918 cycling. Hosted by the Bicycle Museum of America from 9:00 am until 5:00 pm. A draft schedule is available.

Reserve a $10 table with an e-mail to Jessica at the museum. Those with reserved tables get in at 8:30 to setup.

We expect a wide range of collections including cyclometers, lanterns, sheet music, badges, ribbons, tools, and more. In late morning, we'll have two presentations that day in the Lock One Theater. Lou Schultz will give a talk on Bicycle Steins and William Hentges will present LITTLE WHEELS - a Century of Cycling Toys.

Take a video virtual tour of the Bicycle Museum of America.

Depending on the weather that day, we will also ride around town again. So, if the weather looks favorable, bring a bike! Judging by January, February, and most of March, the weather should be terrific!

A set of photos from the 2011 Memorabilia Meet are now on-line.
Check the photos from the 2010 Memorabilia Meet.

Some of the activities in 2011 were:

• We had about 60-75 attendees!
• Lorne Shields (Toronto) presented another cycling photograph show.
• Britton Black, a Chicago area art/portrait photographer, with a portable photo studio, continued his project of photographing modern Wheelmen on their antique bicycle. Samples are viewable on his website.
• Of course, we had the memorabilia exhibit & swap shop area!
• Attendees also browsed through the wonderful collections of the Bicycle Museum of America!
• Four high wheel riders took a short tour of New Bremen after the meet was finished.