Or as some like to call it, 'Get Over Being Attractive' This years ride began in Norwalk in north central Ohio. 
Kathy made a scrap book of the last nine GOBA's she has ridden. She is sharing it with Judy and Karen. Saturday evening, members of 'Team Bob' renewed acquaintances and made new friends. 
Sunday, we rode west 52 miles to Elmore. Almost half of the route was along the North Coast Inland Trail . We stayed at Woodmore High School. Elmore has a population of 1500; GOBA has a population of over 3000! Team Bob is camped inside the yellow tape. 
Members of Team Bob relaxing and refueling in the shade of the truck. John, Karen, John, Ed, Beverly, Kathy and Ron
As we walked to downtown Elmore, we passed the FFA 'boys' who had roasted the pig for the dinner being served at Woodmore High School. The pig was roasted; the FFA 'boys' were cleaning up! 
Elmore always has lots of food and entertainment for the bicyclists. We stayed one night in Elmore in 2005. Here are Ed, Pete, Judy, Lee, Linda, Harold and Stu sitting in the beer tent in Ott Park listening to the band. 
We stayed downtown to watch the bicycle races. This was the last stage of the Tour of Ohio. Races had been held in Gallipolis, Wilkesville, Nelsonville, Granville and ended Sunday evening in Elmore.
Monday was a 'rest' day; meaning that we remained in Elmore for two nights. Monday, we rode part of the optional route to Oak Harbor for lunch at Subway.
Tuesday morning, we started out early for Bowling Green where we stayed at the Wood County Fairgrounds. We opted to not ride the 'Tour de Wood County' and rode a more direct route to Bowling Green after the morning snack stop in Pemberville. We rode about 37 miles. 
It was hot and there was no shade. The engineers of the group provided shade using the Penske truck, a 40 X 40 tarp and some twine. We were cooler campers! Mike, John, Ron, Jody, Judy and Lee
Wednesday morning, we rode past Bowling Green's 'wind farm' heading west to Defiance. Stu and Ed are riding with us. At a cost of 4.8 million dollars, the first two units were dedicated on November 7, 2003 and the project officially became the only utility-sized wind farm in Ohio. Turbines three and four were dedicated just over a year later on November 19, 2004. The Bowling Green Wind Farm Project has ignited interest in wind power across the state of Ohio. Eight other municipalities have joined the project: Cuyahoga Falls, Edgerton, Monroeville, Napoleon, Oberlin, Pioneer, Montpelier and Wadsworth.
An aside: before leaving for GOBA, our area had 2 1/2 inches less than the 'normal' amount of rain for June. One week later, we now have 3.15 inches more than the 'normal' amount of rain for June.
Wednesday evening, Lee took us 'letter boxing'. Letter boxing is like geocaching, except that you have written directions. 
Lee, Audrey, Judy and Pete: we have read the directions carefully....or have we? And where is Pete with those directions? 
We re-read the directions and success! Audrey's sharp eyes spotted the 'letter box' in the brush. 
Lee places his 'stamp' on a page in the letter box; then records the 'letter box' find in his journal. He, then, carefully replaces the letter box back where he found it.
Thursday morning, after a relaxing breakfast at a local Frisch's, we rode our bicycles down to what was Fort Defiance. 
In August 1794, General Anthony Wayne ordered the constuction of Fort Defiance at the confluence of the Maumee and Auglaize Rivers. 
Stu and Ed standing by the cannon; Ed, me and Stu standing in the gateway. 
The Defiance Public Library was built in 1904 with funds from a Carnegie Grant. One of the many beautiful homes along historic Holgate Avenue.
We had a couple of really hot days in Defiance. The town clocks recorded 104 degrees in the afternoon. Thursday evening, even though we had the briefest of storms, the weather was still hot. Friday morning, we started out at 6a.m. to head east to Fostoria. The 56 mile route, the longest so far, turned out to be 62 miles: a metric century! And for those of us who started early, we had the nicest of tail winds! Those who started later or who dilly-dallied at the rest stops, ended up with a head wind. Oooops. 
Finally! We have some shade under the pine trees! Even though we knew it wouldn't be for long! John relaxing; Stu putting up his tent. 
Steve, the first one on Team Bob to arrive in Fostoria, put his tent up in the sun. And here is a sight that you normally don't see: Steve drinking a diet Pepsi! 
We rode the bus to downtown Fostoria for dinner and to see the sights. The Fostoria Glass Company began operations in December 1887. The site was chosen because natural gas at a recently opened field in the area had been offered at a very low cost to attract new industries. The field was so short-lived that in 1891, Fostoria moved to Moundsville, West Virginia. This Glass Heritage building had a nice display of glass products through the ages. 
That evening, Audrey's friend brought Audrey's and her white Boxers to camp for a visit. 
The last night in camp... and where is Steve's tent now?
Saturday, we started out at 6 a.m. again for the last 52, but really 54, miles east to Norwalk. Yesterday's tail wind turned into today's head wind. And, there were a couple of hills in the last five miles. Yikes! 
Pete sweeping the truck; Lee and Beverly unloading the gear; Ron, Stu, Ed and me. Life's a bunch of GOBAs
Ed sent a CD with his pictures to us. I have put a couple of his pictures into my blog. Thanks, Ed!Enjoy!
# posted by Martha @ 9:16 PM
