Sunday Ride--Riding Through the Land of the Locusts

A good turnout for the Sunday Granville ride from River Road Coffee Shop.  Mike Rea there on the left with a variety of others, totaling around 24.

Steve Fields on the left, John Sada on the right, listen as John Martin makes a couple of points and then....

...off we go on what is a relatively short route of 46 miles.  New guy Nick on the right.  The route includes....

...a 6 mile bike path adventure to Newark but I am lucky and find myself chatting with Luke, one of the truly nice guys of the peloton.  He greets every walker and cyclist we pass on our way to...

....The Newark YMCA and then the streets of Newark before we hit infamous Blue Jay.  Nothing breaks a group like the Blue Jay hills.  After the first ascent, I am alone and after the second ascent, still alone but also surrounded by the sound of thousands of Cicadas (I prefer to use locusts) so I had entered the land of the locusts (LOL).  I rise, I fall but constant is the buzzing.  Eventually, the route turns left to climb....

...Gratiot Road where I hear voices and find Farmer Mike, Gus, Peggy and one other approaching.  As I did not ride Saturday (long story involving see-through bike shorts) I decided to head to.....

....Zanesville where I stop at the market on route 40 at mile 40 prior to climbing Kopchek and then on to Ridge Road where I saw a farmer involved in the first cutting of hay, or is it hey?  Onward I rode, stopping briefly at....

...Flint Ridge Park where I saw many Cicadas and heard thousands more.  Not too much farther than that I exited the land of the locusts and was glad.