Workin' To Wooster, OH

In all the euphoria of completing the last century ride of the Tour yesterday, we kind of overlooked the fact that we had a long tough ride to Wooster lined up for today.  Tracy went out of her way to emphasize that we should plan for some serious climbing which, oh by the way, will really kick in at around the 70 mile mark.  And, as always, she was right.   These were really tough climbs, as evidenced by downhill speeds approaching 40 mph.  Tom's Garmin was flashing 14% on some of the uphill grade readouts.  Tomorrow looks like more of the same.

On the plus side, the wind was coming out of the S and SSW today as we rode E and ENE so it was more in our favor than not.  On the not so plus side, it was very warm and humid with a fairly high probability of thunderstorms.  After yesterday, we now knew that it actually could rain.

Morning departure out of Marysville, OH 

Today's route was a zigzag through the Ohio countryside.  These were among the longer sets of map directions that we have had during the Tour.  I tell you this because in the course of weaving through the corn fields, Tom and I zigged when we should have zagged.  Remember when I told you yesterday that we had completed the last century ride of the Tour?  Not so.  We only went a few miles out of the way but that's all it took.  This is the first time that we have made a navigational error that wasn't caught immediately by one of us.

The directions that we use are called "Cue Sheets" and are provided by CrossRoads.  They are not maps but, rather, a set of instructions as to when to turn, what to watch out for (railroad tracks, rough road, cattle guards, no shoulder, narrow bridges, vicious dogs, Dairy Queens, stores, restrooms etc.), all referenced to mileage points on the ride.  There is an elaborate code of abbreviations which we have all pretty much mastered by this time.

The following video clip has an element of unwitting humor in that it was shot during the time we were off course.  I even mention that we are running against the south wind but that it would probably soon change.  How prophetic!

We have been on the lookout for the Amish, particularly their horse drawn carriages.  We did come across evidence that they were in the area.

One more video clip from today's ride:

An hour after we arrived in Wooster, the storm hit with much lightning and thunder.  Timing is everything.



Finally, after I did the hard hitting feature item about Chillicothe, MO being the home of sliced bread, I promised my sister Annie that I would do a follow-up story on the home of Rubbermaid Products.  Wooster, OH claims that honor.

Total Miles:   100           Total Vertical Climb:  5100 ft.