Huron to Upper Sandusky, Ohio. Friday, May 7, 2021
Serves me right. You get cocky, you deserve what’s coming to you.
I started the day a little more nervous than usual. Saying goodbye to Erie, and to the Adventure Cycling route, I was striking off on my own across Terra incognito. I have two versions of mapping software, the familiar Google Maps, and the bike-specific but less sophisticated Ride With GPS. The latter lets you edit the route, and I was using it to navigate the AC route. But the concern remains, from now on my route would be chosen by algorithm, rather than savvy locals.
I went out to the end of the pier for one last look at Lake Erie. The Cedar Point amusement park, the nation’s largest, was visible ten miles away (not in this picture).
The Google maps route to Campbell Hill, highpoint of Ohio, was more direct, it was only 102 miles away. It was sunny, in the 50s, and there would be a steady tailwind. I bet I could do a century, like the old days. Oh yeah. Oh yeah. We bad. We bad.
Bad is right. About 20 miles in, nimbocumulus clouds appeared ahead, the wind shifted around to a stiff headwind, and it shortly started to rain. Not a downpour, but a steady rain. I got my fancy rain gear on just in time, it did its job, but I was crawling at 6mph in a full tuck. Dress rehearsal for the Great Plains?
Century schmentury. I’d be lucky to make Upper Sandusky by dusk.
I was gutting it out, resigned to get my just deserts; after a while the rain and wind abated a bit, but by 6PM I was pretty bleared out and relieved I only had 5 miles to go. Road closed, the sign said. Aw, c’mon, a bike can sneak by, right?
Uh, no.
I stood there, flummoxed, for way longer than I should. I seriously considered trying to ford the creek over those stones on the left side, but then imagined myself dragging my hundred pound rig up that muddy bank on the other side, and came to my senses.
My gym teacher told us adversity builds character. Gee, thanks. This character had to backtrack two miles and take a detour that added five, but I got to the motel by 7:30. I’d rather take my lessons from the Shirelles.
Mama said they’ll be days like this, they’ll be days like this my mama said.
Distance 61.8 miles, 942 total. Time 9 hours with stops. Elevation gain 1,066 feet.
The Ends of the Earth 