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Across Ohio Bicycle Adventure |
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XOBA 2008 by Dan Sheridan |
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Monday: 61 miles, Cincinnati to Wilberforce, about 90 degrees.
As I was about to start the day's journey, one of the riders told me that he'd been standing nearby when Brian (the mechanic) was working on my bike the evening before. Brian had found numerous small cracks in the rim of my rear wheel, which made it difficult to true the wheel. I decided to ride onward, and talk to Brian that evening.
Many riders looked forward to this day, as it promised to be our easiest day-- 58 miles on a level, shaded bicycle trail. Lucy and I started early, riding past huge mansions in Indian Hill, and then coasting down a long hill to the bike trail. As we entered the bike trail, we stopped on a bridge to photograph the beautiful sunrise.
We stopped for lunch at a delicious luncheon in Oregonia, Ohio, hosted by the Oregonia/Harveysburg United Methodist Church. Church members served us sloppy joes, delicious cookies, and many other treats. This was a special stop for us, as our close cycling friend Judy Schaefer is a member of the congregation. Judy planned to ride across Ohio with us, but crashed during a training ride and so was unable to ride. Judy was at the lunch, and we were happy to see that she was on the mend. The sign in front of the church said "XOBA Riders: God loves bikers and so do we. Safe Travels. Welcome to the 'Lord's Shelter House'."
Leaving Oregonia, I discovered that my troublesome back wheel was not rotating freely. In fact, it was difficult to turn the wheel. I decided to pedal on to Xenia (15 miles away). As I proceeded up the trail, the wheel continued to worsen, eventually wobbling from side to side so that one brake pad was always rubbing. This meant that I was unable to coast, because each time I stopped pedaling the bike would rapidly slow. This "easy trail ride" ended up being one of my toughest workouts of the week.
When we arrived in Xenia, we found friendly members of the Dayton Cycling Club, waiting with a large jug of lemonade. One of the club members called a local bike shop (K&G Bike Center) and asked "If I send you a XOBA rider who probably needs a new wheel, can you get him back on the road today?" Hanging up, he told me "They promised to fix your bike quickly. Ride to the bike shop and ask for Allan." I rode in just as Allan finished another bike, so he had my bike on the stand within minutes, and I rode out with a new back wheel within 20 minutes.
In Wilberforce, we were treated to an air conditioned gym floor at Central State University. After a group picture, we had another delicious catered dinner. I took my dinner tray into the gym so that I could set it on a bleacher step. John Kemper from Cincinnati was sitting nearby, so John and I had a nice conversation while eating. After dessert, I walked a few blocks to the National Afro-American Museum and Cultural Center. Later, we watched a historical movie about the Underground Railroad. |
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North Carolina's Ken Kaye, his son, and two friends take a swim break in the Little Miami. |
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Sunrise along the Little Miami Scenic Trail. |
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Contact Dan through the Heart of Ohio Tailwinds web site. |