My Velosano Experience - Cleveland, Ohio

Velosano

 Let me get this off my chest right up front:  Velosano is a charity ride.  100% of the funds collected go to the Cleveland Clinic Cancer Research efforts.   You can donate at this link. 

This was my second year of Velosano.  Last year was kind of a bust, due to the pandemic.  I signed up, they cancelled the event, they sent me a jersey and a discounts on a lot of products, including Smucker's jams and jellies.  I took advantage!  

This year I decided to actually participate.  The fundraising commitment is scaled depending on which ride you choose to ride.  I ride, because I remember leaning about cancer as a child, hearing about my uncle Chick wasting away with lung cancer.  During the 60's cancer was a scary word, and adults didn't say it much around children.  Then my high school biology teacher lost his daughter to non-Hodgkins lymphoma.  Fast forward a few years, my best friend's mother died from breast cancer, then her older sister also died. Meanwhile, my (current) husband was caring for his uncle who had stomach cancer and sadly passed away.  My father and my grandmother both experienced melanoma, but were able to have healing surgery. My ex-husband had skin cancer and eventually the cancer metasasized into a brain tumor which was surgically removed, but led through circumstances to his eventual death.  Another friend got breast cancer and is recovering.  My cousin, younger than me,  passed away. A neighbor has prostate cancer and is currently going through treatment.  My best friend is currently on the journey.  I got endometrial cancer (and just saw the doctor today, still cancer-free after my hysterectomy! Praise the Lord!)  The list just goes on and on.  It's not only the patients, but also the care-givers.  So, that's why I ride to support cancer research.  It is a horrible disease and it won't be cured without scientific research. 

There were thousands of people on Cleveland's Public Square, both riders and volunteers, and sponsors of the event. 

You can enter a raffle to win a chance on four seasons worth of Lexuses on the Velosano.org web site. 

With so many people, there were signs everywhere advising riders to wear masks, especially when crowded together at the starting chute.  I got a free mask from one of the sponsors, it matched the jersey! We had a beautiful sunny, breezy day for the ride. I slipped on my black bolero to ward off any chill.  Later I was glad I did so I could find myself in the photos of thousands of riders in identical jerseys taken by the official photographers! 

They started the longer-distance riders first. The 50-mile riders started earliest, followed by the 25 mile riders.   I wanted to ride the longer ride, but shied away from the larger fundraising commitment.  The 10-mile "Fun Ride" started at 9:30 and I committed to raising $500 at that level.   (After doing the ride, I realized that nobody was really checking ID's at the starting chute so I had chosen to go on a longer ride, I probably could have.  Oh well.)  While I waited for my start, I perused the breakfast options.  There was a lot of food.  Finally, it was time.  First there was a moment of silence for both victims of 9-11 and also victims of cancer.  Then the National Anthem, then a 60-second countdown to the start.  All very dramatic, the ceremony was repeated for each group start. 

The line of riders stretched way off into the distance behind me. 

They had volunteer policemen at every intersection for the entire 10 miles of the ride, directing traffic to allow the bike riders to go through.  I am not all that familiar with Cleveland city streets, so it was a help to be waved through.  At critical points there were additional volunteers pointing out the routes, as well as an abundance of signs.  I blew through the rest stops.  I was told there was ice cream at one of them, but as I don't eat ice cream due to a dairy intolerance, I didn't mind missing it.  I teared up at the midway point, though.  All the volunteers were ringing cowbells, holding up signs, clapping, whistling and shouting encouragement.  It is really moving to see how many people come out to support cancer research.  

This is a huge event for the Cleveland Clinic.  There were 2000 riders, and I suspect there were at least that many volunteers.   At my doctor appointment today, the nurse-practicioner told me that my doctor rode the 50-mile ride.  

After I returned and rode through the Indians misty archway,

Photo credit :NPi Audio Visual Solutions

Photo credit :NPi Audio Visual Solutions

  I found my way back to the food and stood in line for taco. The food was delicious. I hung around for a while listening to the music and picking up swag from the sponsor's booths.  I scored a couple of water bottles courtesy of  Key Bank and the Cleveland Water Department, socks from Primal jerseys, socks from Lexus, a bobblehead of a Cleveland Cavaliers' player, and some Berocca vitamin/mineral supplements to help with hydration after an event.   

After hanging out for a while I went back to my car and headed for home.  

Lodi

It didn't seem like I had ridden enough.  It occurred to me that I could stop in Lodi and complete my "tour of Italy".  Alert readers may remember that earlier this summer I had planned to ride from Rome, to Milan, to Florence, to Parma, and then to Lodi.  All in Ohio, not in Italy.  The weather was really hot, in the nineties, that week, and I never made it all the way to Lodi, although I got as far as Hinckley, Ohio.  

So, without a plan in mind, other than to go to Lodi, I parked on the village square and got my bike out.  I circled around the brick-paved square a few times.  

The Town Hall is a charming brick village.  

The banner advertised a 9-11 event.  

I could not read the inscription on this statue in the fountain. I was curious.  So I looked it up here. 

I randomly picked a road that led out of the square and found a railroad museum on the south side of town. 

On my way out of town, I saw a yellow sign in front of the American Legion post advertising a clambake.  We just returned from a vacation in Delaware, travelling through Maryland and across the Chesapeake Bay.  We ate a lot of seafood there, but didn't get to a Crab Bake or a Clam Bake.  

Slow Roll Mansfield

Tonight I rode with the Slow Roll Mansfield group.  We did a 5-mile ride, led by Nelson Shogrun, around the Clifton Boulevard neighborhood. I had never been to a couple of the parks that we rode past. 

Nelson pointed out the danger of cyclists riding more than 10 miles without stopping for ice cream.