As they say on TV...”A day without sunshine...is an ABB ride in Ohio in the spring.”  Well, I guess they don’t say it quite like that, but they should have this year.  We seem to be stuck in a wet pattern that won’t move...well, it’s moving but we are moving along with it.  We may be wet all the way to the beach, but we press on come rain or wind.  The good news today was the temperature did mellow out a bit and the wind was light all day.

Can you believe it, we entered our 10th state today...Ohio.  Welcome to the east I guess.  We crossed the state line about 4 miles into our ride today and the riders had to stop and record the event.  We only have 4 more states to go...seems like we have been on the road for a week...not 3.  Did we start in California?  Ohio is one of my favorite states as we are mostly in the rural countryside surrounded by family farms and pastureland and the roads are much more interesting than the rural roads of Indiana that are pancake flat and straight.  Ohio rural roads seem to have more character as they wind around farmsteads and pastures and have a little up and down too.  I call it intimacy...more houses closer to the roadway and more trees to break the monotony. 

We rode most of the day on the marked Cardinal Bike Trail, a stretch of lonely country roads many of which didn't have any lines.  These are the roads that they pour crushed gravel down and then put on a coat of oil to make it into blacktop.  It makes for a great road to cycle especially in the cool winter and spring.  In the summer, however, the heat makes the oil soft and sticky which sticks to wheels...fun to ride, but messy sometimes.

With the rural riding comes lots of turns to make our way across the state.  Lots of turns usually means extra miles as the riders tend to miss a turn now and again.  I'm not sure if anyone got through the day without at least missing one turn.  The good news in Ohio is that most of the roads run north and south or east and west and are laid out in nice squares.  If you miss one turn, just go to the next intersection and get back on route...well, that works most of the time. 

Besides great roads and the farms that dot the countryside, my favorite things are the homes and the endless number of barns we rode by today.  We passed some beautiful old structures that must have some interesting stories to tell...wish they could talk.  Many times I've thought I'd like to just go inside a rickety old barn and spend the day listening to it tell me of what went on in it's earlier life. 

When we arrived at the motel an old friend, J. L. Herron, from past rides was there to greet us and to take some of our folks to the bike shop to get some of the needed repairs we needed.  A couple of riders had a few small adjustments that needed to be done along with getting a few small parts that we don't carry.  Thanks J. L. for your time and generous help and mucho thanks for making runs to the bike shop.

Also had a visit last night from an ABB buddy Ken Mercurio who has ridden with us on a couple occasions.  We were able to have dinner and visit for a bit.  Also nice to see Lucinda Dunbar an ABB North Alum who came by for a short visit.  Nice to see friends on the road.

Tomorrow we trek into Wooster...one of my favorite days.  The day of Johnny Appleseed, the pink pigs, and 603...a road the riders will remember after tomorrow.  We’re hoping to get some much needed sunshine.  I'll be in the van early but hope to ride some time during the day and I'll try to get some good photos if the sun comes out.  Hope you've had a good day...we sure did.  See you tomorrow.  M