Saturday Ride Report on the Kokosing River Ramble

Marty's bike, with Marty came to the ride.  Rumor was that Dave Chesrown was coming too but joining us enroute.

Milt on the left, would have some severe cramping later toward the end of the ride and Kenda Janet on the right, game face on and ready to roll.

Our group of 25+ was graced with many women and it occurred to me that maybe they have at last figured out I am not a creeper, just content/images needed for the silly blog.  Above, left to right, Kristie, Peggy, Janet, Shari, Cindy, Katherine along with Cassie and others.

And so, the departure time had arrived and we began marching our bikes through the gravel and up an incline to the official start.  Hey!  There is Dirty Dan in the blue jersey.  Just a couple days ago, Dan was in.....

...Banff and sent me the above image.  He said the day he and wife arrived it snowed. I was not envious all that much.

I want to go on record that I did not create the route that had us start up the Beechwood climb at mile 0.000002.  Above, we wait at mile 0.84 to regroup, surely the earliest regroup in group riding history? Soon we were off and eventually arrived at Sportsman Club Road where we regrouped a 2nd time.  Hmmmm, where were the Kendas?  Being the ultimate ride host, considerate and it being a hoot to ride with the Kendas, I waited while the group went on. Mark v waited too and not too soon, the Kendas arrived, towing Flyin Tuna.  Off we went until....

...I had crossed #13 and gotten ahead of the band of cyclists so I waited and waited.  Must I descend that hill to find out what happened???  No I will not! So I wait some more but finally, coast down, go about a mile and here they come, having stopped to fix a flat. Now look, all know this blog is the epitome of truth, justice and the American way so I will not spill the beans as to why we did not quite make it to Gambier. Instead, we shifted our attention slightly east and south and arrived in Martinsburg.  You know the Kendas, way too sophisticated for gas station food so we stopped at....

...at the nicest restaurant in the village.  While consuming the culinary delightful hamburgers, grilled cheese or similar food, the first of our original group streamed by.  Not long thereafter, a 2nd group went by, long thereafter, a 3rd group and what good luck....

....they waited for us!!!!!  Very thoughtful and nice and much appreciated by our band of four (Mark V having departed from our group earlier).  We crushed the roads that followed but in St Louisville, a great debate broke out; should we try the rumored Preston Road closure or climb St Joseph? Well, we sent Kenda Paul out....

...to gather intelligence.  There he is in the back ground.  It was odd, as he approached buildings or houses, shutters would slam shut and doors locked.  I kept thinking, none of these people will know if a road is passable for cyclists so we just went for it!!!!  We.....

....made it too.  Later, we summited the final major climb of the day at the top of Chatham Road.  This is where Milt had some issues with cramping but he and the rest of us made it back to Granville.  Me with 71 miles and a 16.9 avg with 3300' of climbing.  Fun day as usual.

            

Wheels rolling from Granville's Wildwood Park, 8:30am.  I understand there will be plenty of cyclists representing a range of fitness.  Ride hard, ride moderately but ride.  Overall a B-B+ pace but with some regroups unless you want to form a group and just keep going, which is fine.  Everyone has their own goals and should not feel obligated to hang back.  Come prepared, know the route and don't expect someone to wait for you if you fall off the pace, just keep pedaling.