Left off heading to Wilmington, OH to a Radio Shack store to buy new charging appliances. Bought 1 for the phone / jetpack and one for the edge then put the fear of charge in each. The computer got a refill also.

Tuesday after breakfast I left other sister Lise’s house and headed south. Plan is to drive to John Bryant SP and ride their trails then drive to Caesar Creek SP for the night and ride there today. I drove down US 42 which is a 2 lane highway going in the same direction as I-71. Found the forest. Hot and humid. Ride was 8.53 miles and climbed 315′ thru tight trees. Many gloppy mud holes.

trail saturation.

Ohio State parks don’t allow adult beverages.

left there and continued down US42 to Waynesville and Caesar Creek SP. I paid for a camp spot and the free shower. Hot sleep as temp stayed in 70s. Need cooler nights to catch up on restful sleep. ABout 6:30AM sprinkles wetted the windshield as a precursor of the main stream which it was. Bummer. Skies wanted to deliver more. I bailed on the ride and headed to Indiana for Versailles SP trails.

Mohican: Rode it for the 10th time. GPS data recorded a shorter ride attributable to the dense tree cover blocking satellite acquisition. Technical difficulties were primarily roots and roots. Issue is the trails are mostly ridden in across the slope over roots. It’s the off camber angle crossing them just begged for slide out. I managed to pick my slow lines carefully remaining upright. Took a short break @ 1 hr 8 mins then rode the remaining 1 hr 52 mins straight. Again the wheels were very beneficial. I like this trail.

Text in upper left corner: Muskingum… Namesake of my Alma mater

I stayed 3 nights at sister Lynn’s house in Woodland neighborhood in Mansfield. Just remarkable stately old homes on treed lots. What the economy was like back when the houses were built. No strong enough economic engine to attract buyers for the for sale houses. Mansfield is a rust belt city as it lost Tappan, Westinghouse, National Seating, Fischer Body, and Ohio Brass to name the big ones.

I am hunkered down in Versailles SP listening to rain dripping off the leaves after several down pours. May the trails drain well for a ride tomorrow.

What happens when a 1,000lb 4 hoofed animal w/ over weight rider  chews up the wet earth

 

Here’s the thing: When I am living “my” life and I have internet access I write stuff. Yesterday I got my life back but no internet.

So, some catching up. Time frame might be jumpy as I recall experiences and add them.

Wed in State College I caught up w/ Herm and Purple Lizard Maps. Actually it was Tuesday in town then spent the night in Herm’s driveway. Tuesday i drove into State College and visited Freeze Thaw bike shop in downtown, just off Penn State campus. Justin and Chuck own the store, they remembered me and I them after a 4 year absence. rain fell that negated a ride. I joined several riders @ Justin’s house that is a bicycle treasure trove of collectible bike items. Drank some beers and ate some pizza then followed Herm to his place east of town up against the Rothrock State forest. Justine and he are living in an old log cabin that has been modernized. really cool that they are growing several square foot gardens, the first I have ever seen actually growing.

Herm networked to join a group ride in Bald Eagle ST further east. Rocks and trees. Group ride, largest ever 17 riders spread out, a  bunch of flat tires, some riding tubeless, me never even riding 22 psi. I met a look alike:

Mischa converted a Sprinter.

Group ride. Afterwards during the ride debrief Mike volunteered to come back tomorrow and treat me to his favorite trails. I spent the night up @ Black gap.

We agreed on 10AM meet and he arrived on the button. What followed was a ball bust tour. He races multiday races. New trails to me. We rode several creek drainages that were old logging railroads used way back when. Hemlocks shelter the clear flowing streams for a few more years before they die due tto the aldelgids.

Mike left me sweaty. I drove to Huntington, PA for the Allegripis trails on Rayestown lake. I id my wash then ate dinner @ Boxers in town. I asked the bar tender what affect mtn bikers have had and he said it was noticeable.

I drove out to ACE campground for the night which was crowded but it had a shower. 3 shower stalls but only 1 toilet.

Friday I got after it early as I was going to ride the trails, take a shower afterwards then drive to Ohio.

The trails were machine made several years ago by Long Cane ( Todd and Bill). Let a trail age and the hidden treasures emerge

Gotta go: ran out of battery and charging equipment.

Presently I am outside Wilmington, OH and headed to Versailles, IN.

Sunday I rode Mohican for the 10th time. Killer ride of  23+ miles and 3154′ of climbing, all short punchy climbs, never settled into a grunt climb.

Yesterday was John Bryant SP in Ohio. tight twisty trails w/ no elevation gain.

Rained this AM causing me to skip Caesar Creek trails.