Bikeforums.net is a forum about nothing but bikes. Our community can help you find information about hard-to-find and localized information like bicycle tours, specialties like where in your area to have your recumbent bike serviced, or what are the best bicycle tires and seats for the activities you use your bike for.Neil_B
07-18-11, 10:29 AM
Plans made. Rental car picked up. Gear packed. I turned the key, the motor roared to life, and I backed onto the road for my 8 hour drive to Ohio.....
I'd been planning this trip with thestoutdog for months. At first we'd discussed riding across Pennsylvania north to south. But it was impossible to get our time off to coincide. Finally we agreed it would be easier if I came out to Ohio and rode from there. My plans were to ride with Stoutie for two day, to just over the PA border at Pymatuning. At that point he'd get picked up and I'd continue towards home.
After a restful night's sleep at Stoutie's place, we packed up the bikes and trailers. The first downstrokes were made a few minutes after ten Am:
http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/283426_2098535515450_1607271639_2039603_2228687_n.jpg
And our first problem developed. A mile or so into the trip, I blew out the rear tire. Stoutdog rode to a nearby bike shop with my old tire and I waited on the curb next to my poor bike.
http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/270461_1987580261638_1607271639_1972368_1687399_n.jpg
By 11:45 we were rolling again. But to where? My maps from Map My Ride were OK, but not living in the area I'd not chosen the most direct route. Stoutdog was trying to decipher the directions. Finally after ten minutes debating which way to ride on Fishcreek Road, and a couple of wrong turns, we were on our way.
It was now I discovered two things about Ohio:
1. It does have hills, or at least significant rises.
2. Its roads don't have shoulders.
I had to walk up a climb in Stow. Fortunately for me it was the only climb I'd walk on this ride.
My route used the Portage Trail for about seven miles. We were happy to find the trailhead. Especially since it just started to rain. We ducked into a trail shelter.
http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/284031_2098535675454_1607271639_2039604_1038042_n.jpg
http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/281471_2098535835458_1607271639_2039605_1828960_n.jpg
http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/282147_2098537835508_1607271639_2039607_2653962_n.jpg
The rain stopped, and we pedaled on. We reached Kent, where we pulled into a mini-mart for fuel and fluid just as the second band of rain hit.
http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/284646_2098537995512_1607271639_2039608_3928255_n.jpg
At the trail's end, we discovered that Map My Ride had routed onto an imaginary trail to continue the trip. We rode on Ohio Route 88 for a stretch as Stoutie got to a point his GPS could reroute us. We spent the next few hours working on the route, dodging Ohio drivers, and getting wet. I started keeping count of the bands of rain, and gave up when I reached the eleventh....
http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/282005_2098539315545_1607271639_2039612_4438098_n.jpg
Finally, after hours of riding through Ohio countryside without any place to get food or water, we found a gas station. It was seven PM and we had five miles to go to our destination, Mosquito Creek State Park. I was leading the ride at this point, and pulled into the lot. Stoutie was ten minutes behind me. I didn't realize how much he had been suffering on the trip until he arrived and started gobbling down Yellow Zingers.
http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/284793_2098540635578_1607271639_2039618_2316329_n.jpg
We finally reached the campground about 8. We were both beat. I found out the reason Stoutdog was lagging behind me was that he was having muscle cramps so severe he couldn't pedal. Meanwhile I'd noticed I was having problems mounting the bike the last stretch to the park.
We unpacked our wet gear, set up our wet tents, and had a meal on my campstove.
http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/267831_2098540795582_1607271639_2039619_1610122_n.jpg
Stoutdog wasn't hungry, but I made him eat so he had something hot, nutritious, and salty in him. It took the edge off our mutual misery. As I crawled into my tent it began to rain again....
I had leg cramps during the night, but that was expected. The next morning I heard Stoutdog get up. After a few minutes I limped from my tent.
"How did you sleep?"
"I had two major asthma attacks, leg cramps, and I couldn't sleep. I'm coughing up blood. I just texted my wife, she's going to be here in an hour."
I began to help my friend break camp. Stoutdog is a relentlessly cheery individual most days. Today wasn't one of them. As we sat on the wet bench waiting for his wife, I reminded my friend of something.
"You remember when you were the Histosayreianmaniac on Bike Forums and posted that your 2011 goals including doing a bike tour? Well, congratulations. You are now a bike tourist."
"I guess I am."
"Look, how many cyclists would willing put ourselves through what we faced yesterday? The truck driver who nearly killed you -"
"Yeah, that black pickup."
"There were two? I was thinking of the 18 wheeler."
"I forgot about that one."
"And then the rain and the mechanical and the bonking and cramps. And on top of it, doing it with your medical history. That's pretty tough."
Stoutdog's wife pulled up, and we loaded his stuff. I said goodbye and asked that he call or text me with a report on his condition. The rain started again as the car pulled away.
I was so concerned for my friend I didn't notice I was limping and bent like a question mark. I packed up and tried to mount the bike. I couldn't. I lowered the saddle and pedaled a few feet. Massive pain in my lower back. Once or twice a year I hurt my back, and need a day or two to recover. I pedaled to the front of the park, and then to the showerhouse, while I tried to plan my next move. My friend Troy, who was going to be hosting me on his farm in PA in two days, agreed to come get me that evening. My plans were changing......
I'd been planning this trip with thestoutdog for months. At first we'd discussed riding across Pennsylvania north to south. But it was impossible to get our time off to coincide. Finally we agreed it would be easier if I came out to Ohio and rode from there. My plans were to ride with Stoutie for two day, to just over the PA border at Pymatuning. At that point he'd get picked up and I'd continue towards home.
After a restful night's sleep at Stoutie's place, we packed up the bikes and trailers. The first downstrokes were made a few minutes after ten Am:
http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/283426_2098535515450_1607271639_2039603_2228687_n.jpg
And our first problem developed. A mile or so into the trip, I blew out the rear tire. Stoutdog rode to a nearby bike shop with my old tire and I waited on the curb next to my poor bike.
http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/270461_1987580261638_1607271639_1972368_1687399_n.jpg
By 11:45 we were rolling again. But to where? My maps from Map My Ride were OK, but not living in the area I'd not chosen the most direct route. Stoutdog was trying to decipher the directions. Finally after ten minutes debating which way to ride on Fishcreek Road, and a couple of wrong turns, we were on our way.
It was now I discovered two things about Ohio:
1. It does have hills, or at least significant rises.
2. Its roads don't have shoulders.
I had to walk up a climb in Stow. Fortunately for me it was the only climb I'd walk on this ride.
My route used the Portage Trail for about seven miles. We were happy to find the trailhead. Especially since it just started to rain. We ducked into a trail shelter.
http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/284031_2098535675454_1607271639_2039604_1038042_n.jpg
http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/281471_2098535835458_1607271639_2039605_1828960_n.jpg
http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/282147_2098537835508_1607271639_2039607_2653962_n.jpg
The rain stopped, and we pedaled on. We reached Kent, where we pulled into a mini-mart for fuel and fluid just as the second band of rain hit.
http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/284646_2098537995512_1607271639_2039608_3928255_n.jpg
At the trail's end, we discovered that Map My Ride had routed onto an imaginary trail to continue the trip. We rode on Ohio Route 88 for a stretch as Stoutie got to a point his GPS could reroute us. We spent the next few hours working on the route, dodging Ohio drivers, and getting wet. I started keeping count of the bands of rain, and gave up when I reached the eleventh....
http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/282005_2098539315545_1607271639_2039612_4438098_n.jpg
Finally, after hours of riding through Ohio countryside without any place to get food or water, we found a gas station. It was seven PM and we had five miles to go to our destination, Mosquito Creek State Park. I was leading the ride at this point, and pulled into the lot. Stoutie was ten minutes behind me. I didn't realize how much he had been suffering on the trip until he arrived and started gobbling down Yellow Zingers.
http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/284793_2098540635578_1607271639_2039618_2316329_n.jpg
We finally reached the campground about 8. We were both beat. I found out the reason Stoutdog was lagging behind me was that he was having muscle cramps so severe he couldn't pedal. Meanwhile I'd noticed I was having problems mounting the bike the last stretch to the park.
We unpacked our wet gear, set up our wet tents, and had a meal on my campstove.
http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/267831_2098540795582_1607271639_2039619_1610122_n.jpg
Stoutdog wasn't hungry, but I made him eat so he had something hot, nutritious, and salty in him. It took the edge off our mutual misery. As I crawled into my tent it began to rain again....
I had leg cramps during the night, but that was expected. The next morning I heard Stoutdog get up. After a few minutes I limped from my tent.
"How did you sleep?"
"I had two major asthma attacks, leg cramps, and I couldn't sleep. I'm coughing up blood. I just texted my wife, she's going to be here in an hour."
I began to help my friend break camp. Stoutdog is a relentlessly cheery individual most days. Today wasn't one of them. As we sat on the wet bench waiting for his wife, I reminded my friend of something.
"You remember when you were the Histosayreianmaniac on Bike Forums and posted that your 2011 goals including doing a bike tour? Well, congratulations. You are now a bike tourist."
"I guess I am."
"Look, how many cyclists would willing put ourselves through what we faced yesterday? The truck driver who nearly killed you -"
"Yeah, that black pickup."
"There were two? I was thinking of the 18 wheeler."
"I forgot about that one."
"And then the rain and the mechanical and the bonking and cramps. And on top of it, doing it with your medical history. That's pretty tough."
Stoutdog's wife pulled up, and we loaded his stuff. I said goodbye and asked that he call or text me with a report on his condition. The rain started again as the car pulled away.
I was so concerned for my friend I didn't notice I was limping and bent like a question mark. I packed up and tried to mount the bike. I couldn't. I lowered the saddle and pedaled a few feet. Massive pain in my lower back. Once or twice a year I hurt my back, and need a day or two to recover. I pedaled to the front of the park, and then to the showerhouse, while I tried to plan my next move. My friend Troy, who was going to be hosting me on his farm in PA in two days, agreed to come get me that evening. My plans were changing......