Day Forty-one

Wooster, Worcester, Woostah

We continue to live a charmed weather life with lots of showers around including some heavy thunderstorms but we were rain free again today. It’s warm and humid but that’s better than rain.

Ohio doesn’t seem to be getting its share of stimulus funds. Are they all Republicans? The roads are patched over and over and a lot of the back roads have that rough chip seal that gets gushy in the afternoon after the sun has baked it awhile. Yesterday two people had to stop riding because their bikes picked-up so much tar and at one point today I thought both of my tires went flat at the same time and then realized that it was the softening chip seal. After that I tried to keep on the extreme side where it was firmer.

Sorry no pictures today but the morning was overcast and not very pretty and once I got going I just didn’t want to stop because I was in a good groove and needed to get the mileage done. I think most people feel the same way between now and Erie, the last rest day. These are all high mileage days and hopefully the group will relax in New York and New England.

Great start this morning with a huge train of about 14 people into the first SAG. We were about 3 minutes behind Phil’s A-train. He recruited all the big dogs to work together today. It was amusing to watch them because they were so focused on riding hard. They kept leapfrogging me as I moved along at my usual pace and I actually left the second SAG before them (they passed me again) but they only hit the ice cream stop before the hotel a few minutes before me. By that point they had busted-up a bit losing a third of their riders who just couldn’t keep up anymore.

Lester really shook them good when he went flying by them solo with a few miles to go. He probably would have beaten them all except maybe Phil if he hadn’t taken a wrong turn (again). This is getting interesting because Lester’s roommate is Wild Thing and I’m beginning to think that Lester is turning into an agitator possibly due to his roommate’s influence.

Downtown Wooster looks to be struggling. Rubbermaid used to be based here but moved its headquarters in 2003. Lot’s of “for rent” signs on the main street but there are a couple small colleges here and the streets are neat and clean.

Today’s ratings: (the higher the better or easier)

Scenery: 6

Road conditions: 3

Grunt factor: 3