Fifty Plus (50+) - TOSRV ride

I signed up to ride TOSRV (Tour of the Scioto River Valley) last year but had to cancel due to back problems so I decided to give it another try this year. The ride has two options - two 100 mile days or two 50+ mile days. My friends and I opted for the two 50+ days:)

Saturday we drove to Chillocothe, picked up our ride packets and started out for Portsmouth. The first 22 miles is the hilly section. Mostly rollers with a couple short 10% climbs to make it interesting. I really didn't mind this section as it gave us some shelter from the 25-30 mph headwinds:mad:

Our only rest stop was around mile 25. The food is at the top of a hill with 97 (I counted them) steps:eek: The rest stop was well stocked with good food and fantastic volunteers.

Around mile 46 I started experiencing cramps in my left leg. We had to stop for a few minutes while I stretched and tried to rehydrate. Loading up on a bottle of Gatorade and the short rest seemed to solve the problem and I was able to complete the day.

Sunday morning was chilly and of course the wind direction had changed. We would be heading into the wind again. At least they were only 10-15 mph winds and seemed tame compared to the previous day. The only thing I worried about was the hilly section would be the last 22 miles of the day:twitchy: I was determined to stay hydrated and avoid the leg cramps again. It must have worked because those hills didn't seem as tough as the previous day:thumb:

This is the 48th year for this ride and it's one of the best organized rides I've done. Everything was well done - the volunteers, the SAG support, overnight accommodations, the party in the park on Saturday night and local police support. We managed to miss one turn Sunday. We had only gone a few hundred feet and stopped to check our map because nothing looked familiar. While we were digging out the maps one of the ham operators drove up in his car to guide us back on route.

I didn't take too many pictures. I was either fighting the winds or enjoying the great scenery. This is one ride I want to do again:thumb:

Rode TROSRV on a tandem with one of my sons back in 1975.
Was 100 miles a day then and one of the few years that it did not rain.
Agree, a very well organized tour with plenty of food.
Do not recall any 10% grade anywhere on the TSORV route.

Sounds like you had an enjoyable ride. Glad you had fun.

Don't know about the hilly part, but the pics sure look like nice flat road.

That is a beautiful rural area that has not been developed too much. I have family in a small town of Beaver in Pike county. It has always amazed my how little people live in such a beautiful area. Thats probably why it is so nice. Bet it was a nice ride. Brings back memories.

I've done TOSRV twice. No more for me, thank-you. Support is OK; I've seen better and I've seen worse. Twenty-five miles between rest stops doesn't sound too bad until you consider that there's almost no opportunity for a rest stop anywhere else along the route. Businesses all close for the weekend and roll up their sidewalks for storage. But the biggest challenge is usually the weather. Unless you enjoy riding in cold rain, IMHO you should consider quitting while you're ahead, Beverly. After all, you just missed being treated to an all-day 40F rain on Saturday. Dry TOSRVs are extremely rare - from what I've seen no more than one in ten. Headwinds are required. I've talked with many people who agree with me that TOSRV would be a much better ride if it were held three weeks later, when the instability of spring has quieted down a bit. As it is now, I think they should rename it to "The Columbus/Portsmouth Death Ride."

Nice looking place to ride, Bev. Conditions up there sound like ours of late, wind and rain. Thanks for the report.

Rode TROSRV on a tandem with one of my sons back in 1975.
Was 100 miles a day then and one of the few years that it did not rain.
Agree, a very well organized tour with plenty of food.
Do not recall any 10% grade anywhere on the TSORV route.

They've changed the route since '75 to avoid sections of Route 104.

That is a beautiful rural area that has not been developed too much. I have family in a small town of Beaver in Pike county. It has always amazed my how little people live in such a beautiful area. Thats probably why it is so nice. Bet it was a nice ride. Brings back memories.
Little people have just as much right as big people to live in a beautiful area.;)

Too bad about the winds. I like that area a lot. Have stopped at the Hopewell Culture National Historic Park a couple of times.

Sounds like you are in pretty good shape for this time of the year in Ohio.

Too bad about the winds. I like that area a lot. Have stopped at the Hopewell Culture National Historic Park a couple of times.

Sounds like you are in pretty good shape for this time of the year in Ohio.

I had less than 400 miles for the year with a couple rides over 40 miles. I think working out at the gym over the winter really helped.

Is Charley Pace still running TOSRV?

I've ridden TOSRV 9 times, the last time some 14 years ago. My ex recently told me she hated when I went on that ride, since I wasn't there for her on Mother's day. Never mentioned this when we were married!

Whatever . . . I always liked the ride, no matter how terrible the weather was. It was on TOSRV that I learned that blue finger tips are one of the first signs of hypothermia! And just to show you how unfair it was, the first time I rode TOSRV it was 75 deg.F with a tail wind both days.

Needless to say, that never happened again!

Rick / OCRR

Is Charley Pace still running TOSRV?

Yep, he's still the director.

Beverley, Congratulations on a good ride so early in the season. From the headwinds it sounds like it was a tough ride...But from some of the comments it sounds like it could have been a lot worse. I know what you mean by good support...I've been on both sides of the table at rest stops and, either side, the volunteers are always great.

I did the full TOSRV once, in the late seventies, and I agree about it being well organized. I remember some warm drizzle one of the days, but overall not too bad. I don't recall any complaints about the rest stops.

I was living in Pittsburgh at the time, and was there with a group of friends. We couldn't find any of the hills that the people from midwest were complaining about. But I suppose I shouldn't joke, as I doubt I could do even the 2x50 these days. Come to think of it, that would be a good goal for me to reach by September.

Living in Ohio and being a cyclist for 27 years, one would think I'd done at least a few TOSRV's. But nooo...I'm a wuss.:o

There's a local group that brings a support truck for their stuff, and rides Cincinnati to Columbus, 100 miles, then the next day does the TOSRV, 100 each way, then rides home on Monday. They said it was the first time they had 4 dry days. I don't know how they missed the rain on Friday.

Anybody that's done the TOSRV ride has mentioned the rain. It seems to be required.

I was living in Pittsburgh at the time, and was there with a group of friends. We couldn't find any of the hills that the people from midwest were complaining about.

I've never cycled in the Pittsburgh area but I've done a couple Livestrong Challenges in the Philadelphia area. If the terrain around Pittsburgh is anything similar then I can see where the southern Ohio hills are tame:) The rollers and short steep hills around here are minor compared to the ones I encountered near Philly:eek:

Living in Ohio and being a cyclist for 27 years, one would think I'd done at least a few TOSRV's. But nooo...I'm a wuss.:o

We can remedy this situation for 2010:):)

It sounds like the winds are pretty rough up there too. Anyhow it sounds like it was a bear, with your leg and the winds. I hope you had some fun.

I've done TOSRV twice. No more for me, thank-you. Support is OK; I've seen better and I've seen worse. Twenty-five miles between rest stops doesn't sound too bad until you consider that there's almost no opportunity for a rest stop anywhere else along the route. Businesses all close for the weekend and roll up their sidewalks for storage. But the biggest challenge is usually the weather. Unless you enjoy riding in cold rain, IMHO you should consider quitting while you're ahead, Beverly. After all, you just missed being treated to an all-day 40F rain on Saturday. Dry TOSRVs are extremely rare - from what I've seen no more than one in ten. Headwinds are required. I've talked with many people who agree with me that TOSRV would be a much better ride if it were held three weeks later, when the instability of spring has quieted down a bit. As it is now, I think they should rename it to "The Columbus/Portsmouth Death Ride."

+1 on above i also rode twice 1993 was last
I did average 18.7 mph for the century one dry day and 15.7 one cold and wet day

note starting at Chil. you rode the nicer half

if you want a excellent ride this time of year
go do the 2 day Horsey 100 mem day weekend


http://www.bgcycling.net/

if you want a excellent ride this time of year
go do the 2 day Horsey 100 mem day weekend


http://www.bgcycling.net/

Several members of our club have done this ride and say it's great. It's definitely on my to-do list.

The winds around here have been relentless this year also. Sounds like you had a great ride in spite of them though. It also sounds like retirement agrees with you. Thanks for the ride report, now I'm inspired to go out for a ride latter today also.

We can remedy this situation for 2010:):)
Hmmmm...with me ya never know:)