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08/06/2007 Entry: "Oakwood, Oh"

Folks, I have the second half of the update today from the Oakwood Library, so I will be covering from Akron to Roanoke to Oakwood, wooh!

Akron, In to Roanoke, In (48 miles)

We got up late due to the visiting of Orian and it being Kaia and Anders' last morning. Most of us stayed up until 2am hiding from the rain in the girls tent. Karen and Orian were off having their own adventures. It rained most of the night and into the morning and we didn't get out of our tents til around 9 or 10am. (we had just changed time zones so no one is sure) Mamma Welling had sent several good foodstuff with Orian so we had a long breakfast frying up veggies and rice on a cast iron skillet she had sent along as well. Then after a big breakfast and long good-byes we left Orian, Kaia, and Anders' and went on our way. Kaia and Anders' had family that were waiting them in Minneapolis and were to drive back to Wisconsin with Orian and then bike 150miles or so to Minneapolis. We haven't heard from them since they left, so wether they bike or hitched from Steven's Point, Wi we are not sure, but maybe they will comment and tell us how it went.

And so we were back to our original numbers for the first time since I had to leave in Wood, Sd. We took off on country roads using a new map that I had found the night before that actually SHOWED county roads. Prior to that we had been zig-zagging around empty spaces on the map trying to avoid traffic. It was fun, but not always productive as we sometimes ran into gravel or got turned around by curvy roads. The new map served us well until I took a wrong turn out of a town and it turned us east and we were chased by a dog. Neither were technically the maps fault, but I'm going to blame it on the map anyway.

We than regathered our bearings and had a mostly uneventful ride into Roanoke, punctuated by tailwinds and several dog chases. We didn't get out of town until about noon so even with the short day we arrived around 5 or 6pm. We asked around about their local park and ran into a few local bikers and police officer. After a bit of discouraging discussion concerning us staying in the park the police chief happened to drive by who gave us permission. Yay! It couldn't have turned out better.

Upon arriving at the park we found the shelter occupied by scores of sceaming children and carnival type things titled, very descriptively I might add, as "kids in the park." Avoiding this area we went to the bleachers where we hid from the rain (oh yes, it was raining) by strapping my tarp and our rainfly to the bleachers above. We hid under that for most of the evening making dinner and whatnot and then pitched tents during a break in the rain. A good stormed swelled up later in the night with stellar lightning which we enjoyed from the thenvacant shelter and then curled up in our tents to the pitter patter of tent rain.

Roanoke, Il to Oakwood, Oh (68 miles)

Holy cow it was humid today. It was 85 degrees and foggy in the morning and 95 and liquid later in the day. The ride was pretty easy and VERY flat once we got into Ohio. Getting to Ohio was a bit of a chore though because my wondeful county road map was confused about what roads were gravel and what roads were paved. We survived, however, and made it to Ohio.

Also hindering our progress to Ohio were the dogs. The dogs were even worse today than other days, and they were pretty bad other days. Which make today a good day to talk about dogs, and so, without further filler: Here is how biking on low traffic county rodes in the midwest works!

Step 1: bike by house in country
Step 2: see dog charging at you
Step 3: ride as fast as you can
if: dog chases you still go to step 4
Step 4: squirt dog with water
if: dog still chases you after water go to step 5
Step 5: piss yourself
Step 6: Hit dog with by stake mallet
Step 7: get eaten by a dog

We almost got to step 5 today. Almost. It was a BIG FAST DOG. A dog chased me yesterday up to 23 mph. Stupid country dogs.

And so we got to Ohio, where the roads are flat and, so far, the dogs are nicer. We had lunch in Scott, Oh. There we got to watch them demolish a building with a digger for lunch. If you're wondering who would win in a fight between a digger and a building wonder no more - the answer is digger. Also, if you are wondering who'd win in a fight between a falling brick wall and a 20 foot tree the answer is the brick wall. Ouch.

While watching this building get whooped worse than Iowa Mark in a smelling good contest we met Marcia and Fred Pond who run a seed company in town. They gave us a tour and then hooked us up with friends of theirs in Oakwood whom we have yet to meet but will soon. They have arranged for us to eat at the resteraunt next door and will be arriving shortly so I must run. Hooray!

ILYQ

Replies: Leave us a note! (4)

Hi everybody! I happened to read about your trip through the newspaper. The Crescent-News from Defiance, OH. I teach school close to the Scott area in the town of Grover Hill. I know the Ponds and have had their children in school. I have ridden in the Great Ohio Bike Adventure a couple of times so I can relate to riding about 50 or so miles a day. NW Ohio has some of the flattest terrain in Ohio. Nothing like having to pedal all the time. I hope you like the hills in the Easter part of the state since you only have to work part of the way...the uphill part. Enjoy the coasting down the other sides. Have a great adventure and I'll look forward to seeing your updates. Take care

Mike Bok

Posted by Mike Bok @ 08/09/2007 08:33 PM CST

Hi guys, Hope the trip is going well. Sounds like you found some bad weather in Ohio. Great fun to have you stop by and tour our seed plant. By the way the building is all down and hauled away aready. Have a safe trip the rest of the way to the east coast! Take Care - Fred & Marcia

Posted by Fred Pond @ 08/09/2007 04:22 PM CST

I also like to taunt dogs that are tied up but still trying to get me by showing them a little leg. The slower dogs that chase me I tend to slow down for so I can make fun of them longer for being fat.

Posted by Seager @ 08/08/2007 09:32 AM CST

Step 2.5: Bark at dog. It doesn't always help, but it is always fun.

Posted by Paul @ 08/07/2007 02:50 PM CST

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