Following the Tour of Granville.

There were about 25 cyclists for the start of the Granville stage of Tour of Ohio.  They all looked like Da Boss but younger and bigger muscles.  I expected the group would ride up Reynolds into Utica and planned to take an image there as they struggled to the summit but something happened that I am somewhat embarrased to admit....when the caravan following the peloton passed me, I steered my car into the back portion of it.  We headed out New Burg  but instead of hanging a right on Dry Creek that would take them over to Chattam and then Utica, they hung a left and headed out Louden.  I was curious how they were going to approach Utica so I stayed in the confines of the following vehicles. Three sherrif cars created a rolling road block and each time I approached an intersection, I just kept going and no one seemed to mind this breach of protocal.   

We reached Rt. #62 and headed east and eventually reached Utica where the group then headed up Reynolds.  By now, a couple of cyclists had dropped off but the pace did not seem too high but then, sitting in a car following makes it difficult to judge.  At the bottom of the Reynolds hill, the group stayed straight and I hung a left on Weaver, drove to 657 and got ahead of the group.  After they passed, I jumped back in as they turned right onto Chattam where, at the top, they turned right and headed to 661 then a left on Louden.  At this point, I proceeded on to Granville, parked at the top of Thornwood and chatted with others who were there. 

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After hanging a left at the top of Thornwood and then right on New Burg, the group entered the Dennison campus and had a summit top finish on Sunset Drive.  Patrick Raines was the winner, also having won in Worthington the day before and today the group will ride in Hocking Hills.  Hey, maybe we'll pass them going up Revenge today.

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