Brutal Blue Jay

Flying Tuna loves the attention that she gets prior to the ride start.  Menwhile, Mark slaves away painting road markings, recruiting riders, calling the County to make sure there will be no road closures and frets about rider satisfaction.  Tuna stands in front of a copier for 5 minutes and then preens in front of everyone at the ride start and thinks she is overworked.  Life is not fair.

---

Coming temporarily out of retirement was Group Killer, who seemed to enjoy the camaraderie that can never be found running alone on the bike paths. However, he keeps telling me about all the soccer moms he oggles as he runs past.  Sick.

---

Cindy so loves the Tuna nickname that she has begun to wear a rhyming jersey.

---

We had a decent turnout for what many consider to be the Queen of the roving ride series, the daunting Blue Jay ride.  So named because the route takes us out BJ where we climb over 800' to Brownsville Road and then at the end of the ride, we return on BJ, with 700' of climbing.  Probably a few people decided not to attend based on the previous evening's forecast which was wrong.  At the start, we had cloudy skies and 15 mph winds out of the northwest but the rain was long gone.

Being a good host, I started with the last of the pack to make sure everyone made it through the confusing downtown of Newark.  I picked up the pace and emerging from Blue Jay, rode for awhile with Stefano, that Italian guy who works for Kenda.  At the top of Brownsville I grouped up with Rick H, Beth H, Tuna and another cyclist and we had a good ride into Zanesville, where Jamie, Craig, George and Steve were resting.

At the market in Z-ville, some riders like Amanda, arrived looking kind of fresh while....

---

....Peggy & others looked a little beleaguered and wishing they had followed the previous night's forecast for rain.

---

We left the market with a large group but got kind of strung out, finally arriving at Toboso, where the start to an optional 27 mile loop was available.  Just before, I stopped to snap the unusual wood carving from a front yard.  Craig, Steve, George and Jamie headed for the extra miles while most headed south for the return on Blue Jay.  For me, three straight days of cycling had taken its toll and I wanted nothing but a flat return so I headed back on a bike path.  There was a penalty for my deviation from the hard way.  The path was dark with many holes and broken areas making for a bumpy ride. I removed my sunglasses and held them as I rode.  After a few miles, I glanced down and noticed both lenses were gone!!!!!  I stuffed the frame into a back pocket and a few miles later, discovered the frame had some how fallen out! I arrived at the parking lot with 60 miles and 4400' of climbing.  Those who stayed on course had 65 miles with 5900' of climbing.  Jeff S, who had agotten lost, had over 7000' of climbing.

---