Saturday Ride Report--Around the Lake

Surprised that so many came out for a relatively flat , circumnavigation of Buckeye Lake but we were glad so many did.  One exception was Marty, who shut his thumb in the car door the night before.  I examined the thumb and sure enough, an ugly purple confirmed the injury.

We had a good range of fitness for the ride.  Rich Lewis, Doug M, Todd Fry at one end, me on the other so there was a place for everyone.  Twenty-two of us rolled out and eventually reached....

....Pataskala.  As we waited for the light to change, I asked Doug if he would have trained differently for his France adventure.  Someone confirmed that he would have as he peaked 2 weeks prior to the event and then again, 3 weeks after it.  Funny.  We headed east and entered.....

....Heath where the highlight was seeing a sign for Lion's Den.  We lost French Climbing Machine about here and some speculated he had borrowed Don N's VIP pass for entry into the retail establishment.

Back out into the countryside we went, reaching the farthest point east, then going south and then headed back west.  There was some talk among the back of the packers about stopping in Thornport at a market but I failed to travel the vast distance to the front of the packers to alert them and so we steamed by.  Alas, Larry & Lisa thought we had stopped and they circled the parking lot a couple of times waiting for us but got back on route and caught us in.....

....in Millersport, at mile 45.  We discovered plenty of signs on the road advising of a cycling event and we figured out the "Tour of Buckeye Lake" was this same day.  It caused some confusion for deputies at intersections who saw us approach and assumed we were part of the event.  I am not one who enjoys publicly calling out a fellow cyclist but.....

....Rich Lewis....C'mon Man!  Parking your bike in front of the bench.  Gus was able to squeeze in there but the rest of us found cinder blocks or the ground on which to sit.  Finished the 73 miles with a 19.4 average.

Not since the days of Magellan, Balboa, etc... has anything so audacious been attempted but tomorrow is the day!  We shall depart from New Albany with provisions, maps, favorable winds and wampum to circumnavigate Buckeye Lake.  Survivors will receive a medal and lands in Scotland.  8:00am from the usual parking lot in New Albany. B pace with a couple of regroups but for those who want to go faster, have at it. The route:
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/28432682

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