 I got in a short ride on Wednesday, which included a stop to check out the progress of a bridge replacement project, west of Granville. Hard to say how much longer it will take and all the workers were on their lunch break.  The crabapples, redbuds and other flowering trees have been spectacular this spring. And than, Thursday arrives and....  ....I run into old cycling buddy, Dirty Dan. Typical, he mocks me, good naturally of course, for getting dropped from last week's B group. I assured him it won't be the last but I'll round back into mediocre form eventually and be able to hang.  Dan reminded me of a small camera I used to carry so I could take pics during our rides. With my iPhone, it's too awkward for me to pull out and use and besides, I'm always chasing to hang with the group so no time for pics anyway.  The start temp was 60 degrees for this evenings romp toward Granville. A smaller group than last week's 65, maybe only 50-55.  Don N once again gave an inspired pre ride speech. He should enter politics that guy, so gifted is he with talking! OK, so most of you probably visit my silly blog to see if you can see yourself in the group pics so with that out of the way, on to the action report.....  The Rivets took off, then the A group, then the B's were split into two groups so I left with the first. I titled tonight's ride on Strava as "Riding in with the Broom Wagon" so you know where I'm going with this. I was in good shape until I wasn't! I think I fell back on Battee Road but regrouped, than I was hopeless on the Lobdell Rd climb but regrouped, than as I reached the group I stated, "I'm spewing hydraulic fluid" and someone actually looked for it, ha, ha. We got on Jug and I was ok to 310 but then fell back...my endurance sucks, although I wasn't the first to drop back so there! Improvement being made. I and 3 others were strung out but Don N dropped back to form our Broom Wagon and escorted us in as the sun was setting. Finished with 35 miles, 18.8 average and 1400' of climbing. Meantime....  ....check the forecast! Finally.
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 Hey gang! Sorry, had internet issues so late with this report. My day began, starting a small fire than soon a raging fire so I could drag more brush onto it and begone!!! Awful, briers and thorny bushes. I've managed to tug and yank on them without slashing my face so that's good.  And then...on to the Thursday Cycling Club group ride. Beautiful evening as 65+ show up for a 32 mile ride to the east...well, always to the east cause to the west is Columbus. I've been pretty good about remembering names although I did refer to "Jonathon" as "Carlos" but that's been my only mistake...so far.  We line up to hear....  ...Don give the pre ride instructions. Don does a good job, not quite as good as when I assumed the role but almost, lol. Don said some nonsense about everybody taking 1-2 pulls to which I replied, "Not all of us our that ambitious." Ha, ha and so I wasn't, securing my spot, drafting.  The Rivet group was called to exit. Oh, I remember the days when I too....ok, not ever but I was the person responsible for coming up with the group name of "Rivet". There was a time when several would show up and just destroy the "A" group so I formed a new, faster group and it has lasted. They'll average around 24mph for most of the routes.  After the Rivet and A groups departed, I slotted in with the first B group. All went well until about mile 18 when during a descent into Alexandria, I drifted back and then could not catch back on. The group paused at the lone Alexandria light but I didn't quite make it and than got in with Steve and some other guy and we waited at the top of Jersey Mill Road for the 2nd B group. Now that was fun as we breezed out 161 and entering New Albany, my average was 19.6 so that was satisfying. Need to add a bunch more miles each week, if only the weather would cooperate, coupled with being a weather weenie. OK, I'll be far more prompt with the reports, promise.
 Granville has a new wine bar! I & 2 children enjoyed a glass of wine as I contemplated my first group ride in OH, in 5 years. You would think, a guy coming from southern AZ would be fit as a fiddle but alas no. For a variety of reasons, I struggled to reach 100 miles each week, usually well short.  With absolutely no prodding from me, the ride organizer, Don N, allowed his emotions to get the best of him as he greeted me. Truthfully, it was as if I never left and I throughly enjoyed reconnecting with the gang.  There were 43 of us for tonights journey through rural Ohio. Rather than have 3-4 groups, the Tuesday ride has a main "Conversational B" pace group and a C group. This evening, I'd have no conversation during the ride and as one guy tried to talk to me, all I could say was, "I'm too busy being exhausted"!  My expectation for my performance wouldn't even register on a highly sensitive Richter scale. But, we headed out "Old 161" and I managed to hang in until we crested the high point, then descended into Alexandria. Hey, much better than I anticipated but then a left turn and the climb on Mounts but heck, I hung in there too. Than a right on Lobbdel and that screaming down hill, on to.....  ....the kinda long Battee Road climb where.....I spit the bit. Steve Nelson hung with me so that was nice, even giving encouragement like, "You can't do this!" Nice.  The group eventually regrouped at Loudon, just north of Granville. Looking back....  ....I wasn't last but....  ....also, there weren't a whole lot of cyclists still arriving. I dreaded what was to come, ugh, Stone Quarry Road. I didn't even try to keep up, despatched out the back before the climbs began. There I was, utterly alone in the wilderness between New Albany and Granville where it is rumored....  ...packs of wolves roam, looking for wounded antelopes like me but wait!!! What's that ahead???? Good guy Steve Nelson waiting to nurse me along...what a guy! With the hills behind us and some encouragement from others, I stayed with the group, finishing with 36 miles and an 18.6mph average. I was actually kind of encouraged. True, I had to turn myself inside out to stay with the group but given my sad state of fitness, there is no place to go but up, well, hopefully.  I visited Easton Towne Center. Wow! Very impressed with the selection of restaurants and retail, including this train feature. With that, obviously the Tuesday ride is over and now, the famous Thursday ride on the horizon.
 The visits to my silly blog have ticked up and I suspect that a is because the Tuesday group ride has come and gone and a few people are anxious to read about it. Meantime, it was new shoe day at the Denison Bio Reserve.  It was great to run on soft dirt trails and leap, awkwardly like a wounded antelope, over streams and logs. Also nice not to worry about a rattlesnake, poised to strike behind the logs.  A long dear tree, soon to fall over.  The trees are massive. Some of the most mature examples of oaks, maples and....  beech. Got in 4.5 miles on this Sunday before....  ....watching a soccer game, so crowded I had to sit in the second row, lol. Then....  ....to Anthony's to play with him in the backyard. Then out to dinner with family. All is going exactly as hoped and planned. And now, on to the group ride report.
 That for which I returned to Ohio was a big part of my first day in Ohio. Anthony is thrilled I am staying longer than a week. He dearly wants to be a goalie but being 8 in an "Under 11" league means he's too small. But, he is undeterred and so I was required to kick ball after ball so he could practice.  And than the woods. I will finally bring order to the 3 acres and cleared brush and briers for several hours.  And the projects to relieve the work load of my son-in-law and son. On the second day, I began splitting these pieces of cherry. Alas, those in the front row are ginormous and I'll have to use the wood splitter. A follower of thee blog asked if I would start posting ride opportunities here as I once did and of course! The infamous ride reports as well!!!
 The Catalinas received a bunch of snow after precipitation marred my final 2 days in Tucson.  I enter NM and approach the Organ Mountains. Actually hiked there once.  A rest stop had this unusual statue.  I pass White Sands.  I was following the system that came through AZ and the scenery was amazing.  More snow capped peaks in NM.  So far, I had threaded the needle and avoided the rain, which was good considering I had 2 bikes on the back of my SUV.  Now this is annoying! Trucks occupying all three lanes.  Day 3 and going through St. Louis with the Arch. I broke the drive into 4 days and so....  ....I enter Ohio! Good to be back. It did seem a little unfair that after enduring one of the most inclement winters in southern AZ, my first 7 days here would have vast quantities of moisture fall from the heavens. Oh well.
 When I announced to friends I was about to become a grandfather, they said, "Ohhh, you won't want to return to AZ." I did and was glad to but then.....during a visit last spring, I had a great time with grandson Anthony but upon returning to AZ, the separation ate at me. A visit last fall, in which the other two grandsons, Chris & Ben had also transitioned from babies into boys, really impacted me after I returned to AZ. Having great memories of my grandfather coupled with the certainty that if I continued to live my life as I was, in 10 years, I'd be filled with deep regret. Something had to change. I had to become part of their lives. Having a super active guy like me as a grandfather would be great for them. But also, the outdoor active part of me, which is a huge part of me, was not being fulfilled. It's no ones fault but my own. I'd ride some mornings and then other than grocery runs, pulling weeds, routine maintenance....really blah. So.....  ....we received two days of rain, a real bummer for my final two days in AZ. Than, 4 days in my SUV....  ....as I.....  ....drove from AZ to Ohio. I am over the moon with excitement about working in the 3 acres of woods, reintegrating into the very vibrant, central OH cycling scene, enjoying the grandsons, helping my son and son-in-law with their projects (as you read this, I've already begun splitting a huge pile of wood), spending time with my 3 children, etc...
 I took a short ride around the east side, pausing here to see snow covered Mount Lemmon peeking through the notch between Thimble Peak and Blackett's Ridge.  I got in a 40 mile route, again pausing for Mount Wrightson. Beautiful, warm morning before....  ....gathering the family and driving up Mount Lemmon to Ski Valley. Got to love having the ability to ride in the 70's and an hour later, in the snow. We stopped at the Iron Door restaurant for a glass of wine, chili and cornbread.  We stopped at a few overlooks, including one providing views of another peak, this time Mount Graham.  At Seven Cataracts vista, a couple took our pic.  I got in another ride, my 3rd day in a row. This time with the Cactus Club where we contemplated crossing this wash. It looked rather easy but the sand caught most, who than had to dip a foot into the cold water.  Stephanie and Anthony departed on Friday so Anthony could make a Saturday soccer game, the first of the season. Then, Olivia and I had dinner at Westin LaPaloma, sitting on the patio, watching the sun set on the mountains. Great Visit.
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