The Windy 9 motorcycle roads in Ohio are a renowned two-wheeler’s destination, offering a thrilling and scenic riding experience for enthusiasts. These roads in the southeastern part of the state, feature rolling hills and picturesque landscapes. Riders can expect to be surrounded by lush forests, charming small towns, and stunning vistas. It’s a visual treat, as well as a dream motorcycling destination.
The Windy 9 motorcycle roads are all centered around Athens, a city of 25,000 people located on the Hocking River. It is home to Ohio University, a large public research institution with an undergraduate and graduate enrollment of more than 21,000 students. Our motorcycling group would encounter a great number of them shortly.
After breakfast at the Union Street Diner in Athens, we headed south toward one of the Windy 9 motorcycle roads known as “The Pomeroy Dash.” The ‘dash’ part didn’t start as soon as planned. Apparently a large sporting event was taking place on the Ohio University campus that day. We waited at a traffic signal, watching it cycle from green to red at least 15 times, while what seemed like ALL of those 21,000 students were safely ushered across the intersection in front of us by law enforcement.
The Pomeroy Dash
The Pomeroy Dash is No. 7 of the Windy 9 motorcycle roads listed on a helpful map from the Athens County Convention and Visitors Bureau. The road heads south out of Athens on Old Route 33 and provided a nice taste of what was to come over the next two days. Until it merged with road No. 2, “The Southern Dip” and No. 4 “Lazy Rivers.” At this point all three of those Windy 9 motorcycle roads become anything but windy. They all include an 11-mile long stretch of U.S. 33, a four-lane divided highway.
The Zaleski Zipper
In the town of Albany we picked up Route 50 heading west. This is part of the Windy 9 route No. 5, “The Zaleski Zipper.” This wonderful road transitions into Route 278 North and takes you through the Zaleski State Forest. You’ll pass Lake Hope State Park along this stretch of road.
At this point you’re starting to enter the forested region of Ohio that is marked by steep gorges and narrow ridges. Adventure riders should take note: the Ohio Department of Natural Resources offers various camping options from cabin rentals to improved campgrounds to primitive camping.
At Ohio State Route 56 we turned west and headed toward the Hocking Hills region. This area is Ohio’s premiere outdoor adventure destination. More than 10,000 acres of unbroken forests surround Hocking Hills State Park are home to some of the most beautiful waterfalls one will ever lay eyes upon. Two problems arose: one, 2023 was one of the driest years on record in the region. As such, the volume of water that normally passes over the falls in the park was reduced to a trickle.
Two, the day we chose to ride to Hocking Hills State Park turned out to be the date of the 45th Annual Hocking Hills Trail Run. The Hocking Hills Trail Run winds through vast wooded areas of the Hocking Hills State Park and Hocking State Forest, crossing streams and deep gorges in the dense lush forest. There were literally thousands upon thousands of visitors at the park when we arrived. I couldn’t have gotten a good picture of the waterfalls even if the water was flowing. Heck, we couldn’t even find parking spots to squeeze the bikes into.
Hocking Hills State Park is a gem, for sure. Go early in the season when the winter’s snow melts and spring’s showers have the waterfalls flowing in all their glory.
Just west of Hocking Hills State Park on Route 664 you will find The John Glenn Astronomy Park. The venue is in one of the few remaining areas of Ohio where the night sky can be seen in all of its splendor. I knew that I would be arriving in Athens on the night of the new moon, the darkest night of every month, and the best night for viewing the night sky. Furthermore, conditions were ideal that night. Perfectly clear skies without a cloud for a hundred miles in any direction.
I also knew that I had been awake since 4 a.m. and had two full days of demanding riding ahead of me on those Windy 9 motorcycle roads. The prospect of pulling an ‘all-nighter’ before two full days of technical riding didn’t make sense on any level, so I had to pass.
Artists’ rendezvous
Our ride would take us through Logan, Ohio. While the rest of my group wandered around town, I went to meet my photographer friend Don Holycross. By prior arrangement, we had agreed to meet at The Bowen House, an art gallery where some of his works were currently hanging on display in a photography exhibit.
The Bowen House is a nonprofit center for cultural arts and special events. Don and I spent some quality time together discussing all things photography-related. Another photographic artist I know from the area, Renee Williams, was recovering from a bout with COVID and couldn’t join us. Her husband, Mike, gladly took care of the social obligations and put in an appearance on her behalf. In true welcoming fashion, he arrived at The Bowen House on his new BMW R1250 GS. Motorcyclists will do anything as an excuse to ride, even if it means visiting an art gallery on a sunny Saturday afternoon. If local art and culture interests you, The Bowen House should be on your list of places to stop. Be sure to check ahead of your visit for their limited exhibition hours.
The Rim of the World
Is it just me, or does it seem as if the weatherman only gets the forecast right when you don’t want him to? It’s day two of our Ohio “Windy 9” motorcycle trip, and I draw back the curtain in The Days Inn to unveil Mother Nature’s cruel sense of humor. It’s raining — and not just a drizzle. It’s raining like the heavens have decided to take a giant leak right over our riding plans.
I take a quick look at the weather radar and put plan B into motion. We’ll have a leisurely breakfast at a nearby IHOP restaurant while we wait for the storms to move on out. It should stop raining within the hour. Sunshine is predicted for the afternoon. Great! If we’re going to ride the Triple Nickel today, I’d like to have dry pavement beneath me. Unlike those MotoGP racers there will be no wet pavement heroics for this guy.
We leave the restaurant with a light rain still falling and head east on Ohio Route 550. This beautiful byway is part of The Windy 9 route No. 6 called “Pioneer Pass.” This wonderful road flows through miles of farmland in the Ohio countryside, with gentle sweeping turns that would certainly be a whole lot more fun if the roads weren’t so wet and slippery. They were quite enjoyable, nonetheless. Even at prudent speeds.
We stop along the way at the intersection of Ohio Route 329, unaware that this road will later become an exciting part of today’s travels. Twenty miles later we roll into Chesterhill, Ohio, and rendezvous with the rest of our riding group. There are five of us now (aboard 3 BMWs, one Ducati and one Honda GoldWing). Chesterhill is significant because it is situated at the intersection of two of the most technically challenging segments of The Windy 9: route No. 1: “The Rim of the World” and route No. 9: “The Triple Nickel.”
Chesterhill is also home to the Triple Nickel Diner, a biker-friendly establishment because of its location. Anyone who comes to ride the Triple Nickel passes this diner. Even on this day of marginal weather conditions, there were about 25 bikes in the parking lot when we arrived. Having just had a righteous breakfast a couple of hours ago I opted simply for coffee. The food got good reviews from the rest of the gang, with the veggie burger getting multiple accolades. For the more conventional appetite they also serve locally-raised bison burgers and local grass-fed black Angus beef burgers.
It was close to 2 p.m. when we finally climbed into the saddle to take on these highly anticipated routes. Just one look at the Windy 9 map shows this as being the most technically challenging sections of The Windy 9. We pulled out of Chesterhill onto “The Rim of the World” heading in a counter-clockwise rotation to traverse Ohio Route 377 to its northern terminus. We then turned left onto Route 78 heading southwest toward Ringgold, Ohio. Forget everything we learned yesterday. Today was a whole new ball game. This road was a blast.
This road features lots of long sweeping curves, many tight decreasing radius turns and an abundance of beautiful scenery to distract even the most focused rider. This route is a keeper and worth riding in both directions. As I said in my book “Road Work: Images and Insights of a Modern Day Explorer,” every great road is actually two great roads: the riding and visual experience being entirely different depending upon which direction you are heading.”
The Triple Nickel
In the town of Ringgold, Ohio we made a left turn off of Ohio Route 78 onto Ohio Route 555. We’re about to ride the Triple Nickel! Riding Ohio Route 555 isn’t just a motorcycle journey, it’s a transcendental experience. It’s a reminder of the simple joys of the road, the beauty of the American countryside, and the freedom that comes from embracing the wind in your face and the curves ahead.
It’s not just the road that enchants. It’s the scenery that unfolds around you. Towering forests rise on either side, their trees providing a natural canopy that dapples the road with patches of sunlight and shadow. Then you burst out of the forested regions into wide open spaces with the sprawling farms that line the countryside.
The road itself is a work of art, a black ribbon of asphalt that weaves through the landscape like a masterful painter’s brushstroke. The surface is smooth and sinuous, inviting you to twist the throttle aggressively as you navigate its wicked curves. You’ll lean into the turns, your bike and body becoming one.
Route 555 is 75 miles in length and you’ll savor every inch of it. There is a reason this road has earned legendary status among motorcyclists. In the past year I have ridden “The Tail of the Dragon” — which crosses between North Carolina and Tennessee — and “421 The Snake” in Tennessee, “The Diamondback” in North Carolina and “The Back of the Dragon” in Virginia.
Because the “Triple Nickel” isn’t built into the side of the Blue Ridge Mountains, it lacks the presence of any wicked first or second gear uphill and downhill switchbacks. That’s just fine by me. I’ve had my fill of “hero roads” this year. When you ride the Triple Nickel it’s all about the curves — and taking them at speed.
The southern end of the byway marked the end of our ride the Triple Nickel experience. We hopped on Ohio Route 50 which, unfortunately, is a four-lane divided highway at this point. Ten miles later we would exit and get on Ohio Route 329, part of the Windy 9’s “Pioneer Pass.”
What a great way to end the day. Twelve miles of twisties through the forest brings you back out on to Route 550, which was a lot more fun to ride on this dry sunny afternoon than it was earlier this morning. Eleven miles later we were back in the parking lot of The Days Inn.
Bottom Line: Is Ohio’s Windy 9 a great motorcycle destination? Is it worth the trip to ride the Triple Nickel? For certain. We did, however, ride the best-of-the-best of it in two days. I wouldn’t plan a stay much longer than that unless you want to explore other activities in the region such as hiking in The Hocking Hills area. When I return, I plan to fill my itinerary with more of Ohio’s attractions as side adventures.
(Michael Oneill operates RoadcraftUSA.com, an online resource for travelers, motorcyclists, photographers and adventurers.)
