8/15-We’re Not in the Midwest Anymore!

At least as far as the terrain goes! It was a hilly one today! Oh it was flat for the first 18 miles from Hill Lake to Chillicothe. I finished the Painted Creek Trail in Chillicothe.

A little foggy

This part of the trail had just been fixed

Hopewell Mound Group

The Cathedral Mound

Scioto River in Chillicothe.

Since Chillicothe wasn’t that far into the day, I waited until I was on the other end to get a snack and resupply. There wouldn’t be anything else until almost the end in Zaleski, some 50+ miles later. I saw a Tim Hortons. I stopped and had “real” breakfast (my banana and protein cookie were just to tide me over). They even had chocolate milk!

There was a Dollar General next door. I picked up some stuff for dinner. As I was leaving town, I saw a country market. I stopped there too and got another banana for breakfast tomorrow. 

Finally I was back out in the countryside. Today was more road riding than I’ve had for awhile. And, as I said, it was hilly. At times I felt like I was at home. 

Nice country road, going up!

What are those bumps over there? Oh, they are hills!

The route went through the Tar Hollow State Forest. Now I really felt like I was riding the D-Line through Capital Forest at home!

There was even a creek running next to the road

I don’t think we have these weird caterpillars though.

Okay, this climb was like the D-Line off Bordeaux. It hit 17%! I walked.

Pretty steep!

Uh oh!

The nice thing was, at the top, there was an equally steep descent! I think the descent was longer than the climb!

The other thing that was nice about today was the curves. No super long straight roads. 

I said, as I passed, “You’ve got a line behind you!”

Surprise gravel number 1

Nice scenery!

I came to a second surprise gravel section. This one definitely showed evidence of flooding.

Pretty high water still

Very wet road. 

Then I came to this mess. 

The only way around it was through the flooded ditch

Ah…soaking wet shoes again!

I had another climb, then a nice downhill into Zaleski. 

I stopped at the Moonville Market and got a snack. I asked the guy how far the state park was. He said three miles. Then I said, “I suppose it’s up a steep hill.” He said it wasn’t. 

I got on the Moonville Rail Trail. Let’s just say it’s not the most improved trail I’ve been on.

Walked around this one. 

“Muscle Power Only”

Just mostly grass

Then sandy stuff, but firm from the rain.

I got off at a “trailhead” to go to Hope Lake State Park. The camping area was actually 5 miles, and it WAS up a long steep hill, the longest hill I had climbed all day! Dude at the market lied!

I went into the office. The camp host was there talking to the  boss lady. I asked about a tent site for the night. Glen, the camp host asked if my bike was dead, thinking it was an e-bike. I told him it was not an e-bike, and I had pedaled it up the hill. He asked where I was riding, how long, and all that. I told him. When I asked how much I owed for the campsite, Glen pulled out his cash and said, “I’m paying for your site tonight!” How nice was that! He had the gal put me on a site close to the showers, and restrooms. Showers are free in Ohio State Parks!

I was kind of hoping on this, Day 64, that I would ride 64 miles. Then I could say I rode 64 miles on Day 64, and I’m 64 years old. Alas, I only rode 59.8 miles. Oh well, they were definitely not Midwest miles today!

Day 64 and 11 days until I arrive in DC