Mapping out more of Tour Ohio...

Friday, May 24, 2013
I had limited time for a workout and decided on a short run and some bleachers to test the hip.  I went 20 minutes on my favorite trail and could easily have gone further; it felt that good.  Instead, I drove from the park to the Mayfield track and jogged over and onto the bleachers.  I did 12 sets in the next 10 minutes without a twinge.  Clearly loading the pack with 60 pounds and hiking was the culprit and I’m probably okay unless I do that again.  At least I know.

Holly volunteered to go with me to Southern Ohio and pick up where John and I had left off in mapping the cycling course for Tour Ohio.  That placed us in Marietta and with the dilemma of getting through that area on cycling friendly roads.  I couldn’t see a good way to do it, so I stopped at the Police Department to see if I could get some assistance.  It was after 5 p.m. and all doors were locked, but when I saw a Sheriff walking outside the building, I asked him for help.  He wasn’t a cyclist and didn’t know the roads well enough, but went into the police department for me (civilians aren’t allowed in) to inquire.  He returned with the news that they had a great map on the wall, but nothing that he could give me.

“Could I maybe just go in and speak to someone that might be able to help?” I asked.

“Umm…I guess not.  They never offered that,” he said.

So much for Marietta’s police force.  At least the sheriff’s department was helpful.  They could have had some large emergency or maybe their policy prohibited speaking to people about cycling…I don’t know.  You just have to get lucky sometimes.  People will go out of their way to help if you can make a polite appeal.  I never got the chance and no one was interested enough to go through the bother of speaking to me.  I’ll have to try contacting the service department or local riding groups to help me in my quest of getting through this city.

We did find accommodating roads west of the city and made it all the way to Gallipolis, Ohio before calling it a day and finding a room with the Quality Inn to spend the night.  We grabbed dinner at Bob Evans where I avoided all the wonderful breakfasts because I knew I’d be returning in the morning and have one then.

Run/bleacher workout duration:  30 minutes.

Training Heart Rate:  140 bpm.
Calories burned:  500.