Seville bike trip - Cycling Grand Tour of Ohio

 I joined a great group of women cyclists this year, when they asked me to serve as a Women's Cycling Ambassador.  Due to the pandemic, I haven't met most of them in person, but I have met a few of them.  

Last night I had the pleasure of meeting another one.  Melanie Fry was visiting Ohio from Tennesee.  She invited a couple of us, Lori Lynn and myself, to ride with her in her childhood neighborhood near Seville, Ohio.  Of course I jumped on this opportunity to add another city to my Grand Tour of Ohio.  Also riding with us was one of her childhood friends, actually a friend of her brother's.  

Seville, Spain

When I was 19, I had the opportunity to study abroad in Segovia, Spain.  During that year, I fell in love with all things Spanish.  There are so many regions in Spain and each province is a little different.  Segovia is the city where Ferdinand and Isabelle reigned in 1492, and where Columbus petitioned them for money.  It is austere, and it is the spiritual heart of the "Castilian" language, the most pure Spanish.  Extremadura, meaning "extremely hard" is the home of Cervantes' Don Quixote.  Asturias is all about the sea, and the Basque country and Catalonia are almost like another country, as most signs are posted in both Spanish and Catalan.  This northeast part of Spain is very modern and industrial.  During my year in Spain, a fellow student and I spent Easter break travelling through the south of Spain from Segovia through Toledo, onward to Valencia, Seville and Granada.  

Andalusia is the southern region of Spain, where these three cities are located.  It is probably the most "typical" version of Spain that schoolchildren learn about and most tourists know.  The flamenco dancers, bull fighting, wrought iron balconies, Morrocan tiles set in whitewashed buildings with cascading flowers are all typical of Andalusia. 

According to a current article in Huffington Post, Seville is the #1 city you should visit this year, as designated by The Lonely Planet tour guides.  Some architectural attractions are the world's largest Gothic cathedral, built in the fifthteenth century; La Giralda, a  bell tower that was formerly a minaret for a mosque;

Photo credit: View from the Giralda as published on "Not Just a Tourist" web site. 

  and El Alcazar,  a royal palace built during the Reconquest of Spain by the Christians after the Moors were driven out of Spain. 

Photo credit: By Luckyz - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5804768

Photo credit: Jose Luis Filpo Cabana, CC BY 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Photo credit: Ajay Suresh from New York, NY, USA, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

During Holy Week every year, or Semana Santa, the week my friend and I visited, the entire city was involved in the festivities.  There are many processions from (and to) the churches with icons of Saints being carried and penitents carrying crosses.  There are hundreds of thousands of celebrants and tourists there for the spectacle and pageantry.  Many of the participants wear robes and hoods, which were oddly reminiscient of the KKK to this American. 

Public domain image from Wikimedia Commons

Seville, Ohio

My primary purpose in visiting Seville, Ohio was to ride bikes with my fellow Women's Cycling Ambassadors on a friendly neighborhood ride.  We parked our cars and rode on country roads to the nearby County Line Bike Trail.  This trail follows the line of the former Erie Lackawanna Railroad.  We reached it near the middle.  The trail runs about 7 miles from Rittman to Creston.   We rode to Rittman first, then to Creston, and back to our starting point.  The trail surface was almost perfect.  There was a short stretch where we had to ride on the highway, evidently the right-of-way was not available for trail development.    Our total ride was just about 20 miles.   The bike trail was flat.  The roads were rolling.  I am still working on my hill climbing abilities, and had to walk up one or two of them.  

It was that "golden hour" of the day when the sun was shining nearly horizontally and reflecting on everything with a golden glow.  The towering grain silos at a distance were shining above the farm fields.  The temperature was in the 50's and the sky was blue, and the grass was green.  The trees were blossoming with spring's warmer temperatures.  The gnats were swarming in clouds at a few points along the trail.  I think I swallowed one!   There were some amazing views along the way, but I was busy pedaling and did not stop to take a lot of pictures.  I did get a few! 

I crossed the railroad tracks just as the crossing gates came down and bells started ringing.  A super fast freight train passed by while we took a rest break. 

Former Baltimore & Ohio freight station located just west of the trailhead in Sterling at Kauffman Avenue, which will be refurbished and repurposed as a museum. 

After our ride, I said goodbye to my friends.  I drove my car to the actual town of Seville while twilight was falling.  I parked my car in one of the DIAGONAL parking spaces downtown.  (I thought these all disappeared in Ohio during urban renewal in the 60's and 70's!!!) 

I was pleased to see a bike shop.  Even if it was for e-bikes.  Electric Pete's E-Bikes is what the sign said. 

Mix of old and new, the church spire juxtaposed with the bank ATM counterpoint. 

Sun was just setting and the streetlights were charming in front of the cafe. 

My car was parked in front of a florist. 

The Seville library was another contrast in old and new, the classic architecture with the electronic sign in front. 

The town was like many rural towns in Ohio, along a railroad line with a large grain elevator in the background behind the Rusty Bucket.  Look at that DIAGONAL parking! 

I think I saw a Tree City USA sign on my way into town.  The many ornamental  crabapple trees were in full flower.  

The town reminded me of my hometown, the way it used to be during my childhood. Of course, there was no e-bike store then! 

Seville, Spain - population 690,000 as of  2016

Seville, Ohio -  population 2,296 as of 2010

If you call ahead to schedule it, you can visit the Seville, Ohio historical society museum, which holds life-size mannequins of  Captain and Mrs. Martin Van Buren Bates, who were 8-foot tall giants! 

According to the Village of Seville's web site, "The Captain & Mrs. Bates toured Europe and the United States giving lectures and having "teas." They were presented at the Court of England on at least 2 occasions. Many of their friends included the royal families of Europe."  So, they also did "the Grand Tour!" 

Seville, Ohio is located in Medina County, just north of Ohio's Amish country.  

Wooster Bike Trail

 Yesterday I had an appointment for physical therapy (more about that later) in Wooster, Ohio.  So I popped my bike onto the carrier, locked it up with a cable, and took off for my 7:30 am appointment. 

My plan was to find a trail near Wooster to cure my geographic boredom.  I've been doing some training rides on the Richland B&O trail near me.  It is a wonderful, 18.5 mile trail that is really well-maintained that runs from Mansfield to Butler, running through Ontario, Lexington, Bellville .  You can park your car at any of the trail lots and ride to the end, double back, and ride to the other end, return to your car for a 37-mile ride. It connects to the Mansfield city loop, and there are plans in the works for the park system to be connected.  But repeating it over and over does get stale after a while.

So, I took my bike to Wooster.  After my PT appointment, I stopped in at Panera Bread to collect my coffee-club brew, while I considered my options.

There was a group of old men (retirees?) at the next table, having coffee and discussing world events from their view in Wooster, Ohio.  I almost jumped up to provide an alternate point of view a couple of times, but I managed to restrain myself and dedicated myself to looking up a rail-trail near Wooster.  I didn't find any.  So I turned on the bicycling layer in Google maps and saw a defined bike path a block away from where I was sitting.  It led to a park and a big circular route.

I parked between the Children's services building and the soccer complex.

  I asked a soccer mom if there was a restroom nearby, and she pointed out the field house at the other end of the complex.  She offered that if the water is turned on, maybe I could fill my empty water bottles at the drinking fountain.  I rode off to check it out. Turned out the restrooms were open, but drinking fountain was shut off.  Probably due to Covid-19.

I noticed a bike repair station next to the trail.  It looked new.  

I kept riding along the paved trail.  Someone had painted directional arrows on the path. So, since I wasn't really sure where I was going, I followed them.  They led to a path that ran along the street.  Then to a area that was under construction, and I could see that the path went on across the street.

So I hopped off my bike, crossed the boardwalk, and kept going.  A rider in Spandex whizzed past me, so I guessed I was on the right path.

The path led to another park.  This was the 

Oak Hill park.  The pavilion near the entrance had a map.  My photo is poor, you can see my reflection in the glass.

A plaque on the building gave the names of several donors.  I recognized the name of a local grocery store chain. The water fountains were turned off.

As soon as I entered the park, I noticed a "King of the hill" feature with a couple of benches on top.  I tried to ride up, but had to dismount.  The view was incredible.  I felt like I could see all the way to Mansfield.  

I had to dismount to go down, as I was afraid I could not make those right-angle turns at the end.

The Park was situated on a slope, so as I entered the loop, I was mostly going downhill.   I knew I would pay the price on the return leg, and I was correct.  I am working on my hill-climbing ability, but I am not there yet.   

I saw a couple ahead of me.  I called out "on your left", preparing to pass them.   The girl moved to the right and the guy moved to the left.   I had slowed a little, so I was able to pass between them safely.  You can never depend on people knowing trail etiquette.  When someone indicates they are passing, don't jump into their lane!  Just keep doing whatever you are doing, move to the right a little if it is safe.  I called out "ooooh-kay?" as I went past to let him know that his action had been unexpected.  He yelled "Just take the whole road!" I wasn't sure if it was friendly or not!  

A few minutes later I was climbing a hill and ran out of air in my lungs.  So I stopped at a convenient bench to rest.  The couple passed me and made a friendly remark, so I guess all was forgiven.  

I returned to the park entrance and back to my car by a slightly different route.   I accidently bumped my phone and ended the tracking prematurely, so there are two maps for this ride.

The total mileage was not very much, but it satisfied my need to get out of town.

So, why am I getting physical therapy?  It seems that I have not been stretching properly before or after my rides and am suffering from a common cyclists' overuse injury.  My quads and hamstrings have shortened in the leg with the knee replacement, which irritates the tendons and is causing tendonitis. So the physical therapist is teaching me techniques to stretch the muscles.  I regret to say that if I had kept up with my yoga during the pandemic, I might have avoided this.

One other way I am branching out is that I have accepted the invitation to lead a local chapter of Women's Cycling group.  There are a couple of local women I have ridden with during the last week and we have agreed to ride on Tuesdays during the day.  We'll meet at the Richland B&O parking lot north of Lexington at 10:00 on Tuesdays.  

Club kit is available now at https://teamstore.pactimo.com/stores/women-s-cycling/show.

Last thing.  This morning I got a chance to get a few more les in before the rain.  Spring is coming, trees are starting to leaf out.  

Thanks for following!

Mountain bike trail in Mid-Ohio

 Mohican State Park

I took my bike for a ride today.  By that I mean I put it on the carrier on the back of my car and drove around.   

My knees are still hurting from my ride a couple of days ago, and today, my fanny pack was pressing into my kidney as I drove, making me aware of a kidney stone that hasn't moved for a while.  Some days are better for this woman in her 60's than others.

 I drove to the bike trail.   The sky was overcast, the temperature had not yet hit the promised 70 degrees, and I just did not feel like riding.  

So I put the car in drive and detoured to Malabar Farm State Park.   The roads around Malabar are pretty hilly and winding.  There are not good shoulders on the roads, they drop off sharply due to erosion.   I was not inspired to park the car and ride the bike.

I kept driving.  I stopped at the scenic overlook where you can look out upon the Clear Fork river Valley and took a photo.  It is too early in spring for the trees to have leafed out and the view was meh.

  

 I ended up at the intersection of Route 97 and Route 3, at the Mohican State Park.   

I checked out the Mountain bike parking area.  There was a sign with a map stating the trail was marked, and that there was a crossing at the bridge, but I could not spot the actual crossing. 

 I did see a paved entrance to the camping area across the street, so I drove to the parking lot.   There is quite a long camping area that is paved, with cabins and spots for RVs along its length.  There were several road bikes parked at some of the cabins. There were people riding bikes on the paved surface.  I saw the mountain bike trail as I drove by.  It was a dirt path that snaked up the side of a hill.    It is a marked trail, 25 miles long.  The map indicates that it runs along the topography lines.  This looks like it would be a fun ride on a mountain bike or even a gravel bike.

I noticed as I left the area that State Route 3 has a marked lane for bicycles.  This continued for a mile or more, where it changed to a paved trail heading towards Loudonville.   The Loudonville area was previously heralded as the "Fun Center of Ohio" and there are many campgrounds and canoe liveries in the area.  So Loudonville seems to be a bike-friendly town.   

I want to come back when the weather is warmer and the sun is shining.

Trainer

 Medical Recommendation

I visited the doctor for my annual checkup.  It turns out he also cycles.  He asked me if I had a trainer.  I told him I was seriously thinking about it, but I was cautious because when I had a stationary cycle previously, it became a place to hang clothes.   And it would mean laying out cash, as well as re-arranging my yarn storage.  

I have had a lot of people tell me what a good experience they have had using Zwift.  I need a trainer to do this! I read a post yesterday where someone said it doesn't even have to be a smart trainer.  

I am edging closer to getting a trainer. 

Winter non-cycling activities

 What does a cyclist in Ohio do in the wintertime, when it is too cold to ride, and no trainer yet? 

Read about cycling.  Plan cycling trips.  Sign up for rides.  Dream about cycling. Knit hats with pictures of bicycles! 

I am knitting these (see my post on BrightMeadow Bicycles to see more) to raise money for my Great Cycle Challenge.  My goal is $2500 this year.   

They are available for purchase at my Etsy shop 

Potential Purchases and Acquisitions

 I am thinking about getting a trainer.  Specifically a Wahoo.  I need to make sure I understand the features of the different models.  

I am torn between buying it at the Local Bike Store and REI.  REI will give me a ten percent rebate.  But it's not all about money, the LBS will also give me support. 

I am also thinking about the movement-tracking cell phone camera mount that keeps coming into my Facebook feed. Pivo is the brand that is advertised, they show a horseback rider taking video.   The starter kit is under $200.   I think I could possibly use it for taking some excellent video of me riding my bike down the trail.   But, my phone is not listed as compatible.  I would have to upgrade my phone.  The specific Motorola phone that is listed as compatible is not one available from my cell phone carrierS, and from Motorola it is $1K.  I would need to call and make sure the SIM card from my current Motorola phone could be moved, or they could provide a new one, bringing the cost of the equipment to $1200.  Hmmm.  Need to give this some more thought.  Especially if I am going to use it to take of video of me riding on the trainer.  

Hey, wait, do I really need movement tracking to ride on a trainer?    

Dates of Bicycling Events in and around Northeast Ohio

Non-comprehensive list of events related to bicycling in Ohio! 

This is a list of events that pique my interest.  There is a more comprehensive list of tours and races on the ohio.bike web site

01-27-2021  - Rails to Trails Webinar  

The first webinar of the 326 Miles of Smiles webinar series.

Start here to learn the nuts and bolts of the 326-mile Ohio to Erie Trail whether you are visiting on wheels or by foot. The trail offers miles of smiles for the day visitor, friends looking for a weekend getaway, or adventurers setting out on a weeklong tour.

Join the trail and guest speakers on the fourth Wednesday of the month at 7:00 pm EST. The webinars are offered via Zoom and streamed to the trail’s Facebook page.

Registration Link:

02-10-2021  Ohio to Erie Trail Zoom meeting 7:00 pm

See Facebook event for more info. 

4/17/29. 29th THINK SPRING RIDE. Stow. 

A free ride ushering in the 2021 cycling season, select from routes of 20 miles of multi-purpose trail riding, or 34 rolling to hilly road and trail miles. Ride support consists of snacks and limited sag. All participants are asked to observe state and local precautionary guidelines regarding COVID-19. Helmet Required. Akron Bicycle Club. Walter Kudlaty; 975 Canyonview Rd. Apt. 105; Sagamore Hills, OH 44067. (330) 806-9106. AkronBike.org

06-04-21 through  06-06-21  Bike Travel Weekend

Join me on an Italian leg of my Grand Tour of Ohio cities named after European capitols.  My route will include Rome, Florence, Parma and Lodi, and will be a mix of roads and trails.  50-60 miles per day.  

06-19-2021 through 06-25-2021 Pedal Across Lower Michigan - 

POSTPONED TILL 2022

PALM, taking its name from the shape of the state, is an exciting six-day ride across Michigan. We use paved scenic routes, geared to the novice and intermediate touring rider. The daily distances and terrain combine to make PALM unusually well suited to family bicycling. More experienced riders are welcome: optional longer routes are provided. The emphasis is on the social and recreational aspects of bicycling. We hope that the fun of PALM will persuade our riders to use bicycles more frequently. We also hope that the people who encounter our riders will increase their awareness of safe bicycling and perhaps become frequent, safe cyclists themselves.

06-19-2021 through 06-26-2021 Great Ohio Bicycle Adventure

As usual, Michigan and Ohio rivalry means that I must choose one or the other.  See the website for status, this event is subject to cancellation due to COVID-19.  Currently registrations are open to new riders on March 15.

 07-16-2021 through 07-18-2021 - Velosano

Latin for “swift cure”, VeloSano is a year-round fundraising initiative to support lifesaving cancer research at Cleveland Clinic. Since the inaugural ride in 2014, more than $24 million has been raised and 1OO% of those funds are hard at work in the fight against cancer.

07-22-2021 through 07-25-2021 - Pan Ohio Hope Ride 

 The 15th Annual Pan Ohio Hope Ride is planned to be a 328-mile tour of Ohio during the 3rd weekend of July, 2021. Cyclists also have the option to join for just one or two days of the tour. Those who are unable to be with us in person or who prefer a more casual cycling experience can participate in the “Create Your Own 328” option and challenge themselves to complete 328 miles on their own throughout the entire month of July.

07-25 through 07-31 RAGBRAI 

09-11-2021 through 09-17-2021 Moffit Memorial Ride 

 The annual Ohio to Erie Trail adventure ride is named the “Moffitt Memorial Ride” in memory of our former Board of Directors President Tom Moffitt (Dr. Thomas Lawson Moffitt, III). Tom passionately served as Board President for over 16 years and worked tirelessly to fulfill Ed Honton’s vision of a multi-purpose cross state trail/greenway. Tom’s leadership and enthusiasm in working with local agencies and trail organizations to complete the Ohio to Erie Trail will forever be appreciated by present and future generations of trail users. Tom was a devoted educator in the greater Cincinnati area for over 45 years and as many of you may know an avid cyclist. He completed several cross county rides and rode the entire length of the Ohio to Erie Trail a number of times before his departure in 2017. Tom will be greatly missed by all who knew him.

09-18-2021 MORON  - Mid-Ohio Ride Outa Nowhere (Mifflin, Ohio)  

09-27-2021 Bike Your Park Day

Explore your parks and public lands by bicycle for Bike Your Park Day, when thousands of others throughout the world ride to and through parks and public lands on the same day. Ride any distance on roads, paved bike paths, or single track. Stop to enjoy a spectacular view, treat yourself to your favorite ice cream, cool your toes in a lake, or learn something new at an historical site. You'll be elbow bumping your friends and feeling a sense of accomplishment for discovering your public lands in a new way-- by bicycle. 

10-9-2021 Women's Cycling Day

Women's Cycling brings together women to experience, share and express their love of cycling!  Check the web site for local events.

 

10-16-2021 Fall'N Leaf Ride 

Annual Ride of the Mid-Ohio Bikers

Recurring Rides

Y-Not Cycling - Lexington, Ohio

Every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evening beginning in May.  See website for details.

Cycling Sports Center - Mansfield, Ohio

Indoor cycling on trainers during winter months.  Outdoor rides, organized by average speed, on Wednesdays during warmer weather.  See website for details. 

Mid-Ohio Bikers - Mansfield/Richland county area

Weather Permitting, we typically meet almost every Saturday at 9:30AM at the Bike Parking Lot next to Lexington City Park. This summer we also have a trip planned for a week in the Xenia area. There are a lot of nice roads and bike trails in the area. Details to follow.  See website.