Happy Father’s Day!, (Belated)

I started go write this yesterday and then got really tired and opted for bed and I admit to watching the season finale of Game of Thrones. Lots of folks died, one on the privy so I didn’t feel too much like writing after that…

Well the day started off auspiciously as I felt kind of sickly with a sore throat and my concern with the bottom bracket issues. However, as I ate breakfast, I began to feel better and resolved to ride as far army throat and bottom bracket would carry me. Almost from the start, all the riders who were close to me inquired as to the origin of the strange sound. After I assured them that it wasn’t something that I ate last night, most of them were sympathetic to my plight.

We hit the Ohio border very shortly after leaving the hotel and we had the sand sprinkling ceremony and pictures. I didn’t opt to stand next to the sign because it was “in the weeds” so I just took some photos. It was going to be a long day and I was not sure if I’d be able to finish. As the ride wore on, I began to feel better and stronger and the throat issue disappeared entirely. It must have been my day for good luck (or at least to that point) since the obnoxious grinding / popping noise from my bottom bracket ceased as well. Now a few folks said that I could ride with them….

It seemed that the headwinds were returning that day or at least side winds but we made very good time. Some of the roads were quite bumpy though and that seemed to slow us more than the wind. The first SAg was at mile 42 and it was a welcome stop. Carol had prepared some excellent sandwiches and wraps and it was quite good. Alan and Ross went exploring for coffee but Ross wanted espresso and none was to be found so they pressed on.

We rode through quite a few farms and small towns so there was a lot of life stock and associated aromas. It seems that every state has it’s own brand of road kill and Ohio has a lot of  dead raccoons and skunks which add a nice touch to the scenery and smells.

The second SAg was in the town of Urbana and it had grown to be quite hot at that time. Carol had some watermelon and brownies and other food. It really seemed to hit the spot. Barry and Richard went into an ice cream shop. Richard is a recently retired physician and a couple of the ladies asked about losing weight. Richard may have been a little over the top when the asked one lady who had just purchased a tread mill how far she lived from work. When she said 1 mile , Richard asked why she just doesn’t way to work. The Brits often commit on our propensity to drive short distances and have very large homes and lawns and riding tractors. We parry back and forth quite a bit. It is fun because we are all good sports.

After we left the SAG, I felt good and started to hammer the last few miles. Some how a very large pothole opened in the pavement when none had been before. I hit it hard with both front and rear wheels. I thought that my luck was holding but the rear (it is always the rear) tire decided to exhale and when flat. I was only 7 miles from town and changed the tire begrudgingly and with a few words that I regretted later. I actually overinflated the tire with the CO2 cartridge but caught it before I started to ride. I managed to deflate the tire, put the tread back into the rim and reinflate with no further calamity.

Meanwhile, Pierre, Richard and Barry all passed me without notice because I had decided to fix the flat on the other side of the road that had a place to turn the bike upside down. After I git into the hotel, Pierre and I went to Culvers for smoothies and sandwiches.

All in all, we rode fairly hard considering the fact that we are ring over 90 miles a day for 4 days straight.

Tailwinds

Chuck