Strava Link

Brad and Geoff rolled out at 8:10, and Brad apparently decided from the start that “tour” was just another word for “race.” He set a fast pace and kept it going all morning, passing riders left and right.

We caught up with Steve, April, Sarah, and Jason at the Scio rest stop, enjoyed a few snacks, and then headed back out. Along the way we crossed three covered bridges, with the obligatory stops for a few photos.

At the final watermelon stop, we struck up a conversation with another rider, Jay, who joined us for several miles. Turns out Jay started BikeTiresDirect—my favorite online bike shop—and recently retired. He had some great stories about leading cycling vacations in Europe and riding many of the famous Tour de France climbs.

We finished the 44-mile route averaging 16.6 mph—a pretty spirited pace for a supported tour.

And the perfect finish? Back at the fairgrounds, a complimentary root beer float. Hard to beat that. 🚴🍉🥤