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05/30/2003 Entry: "Sandusky, Ohio - Mentor, Ohio"

Since Paul is covering the ride to Sandusky, I will go over the past couple of days. The day after Cedar Point, we got a bit of a late start. We made it a short day so that we could sleep in a bit after a big day at Cedar Point. As soon as we got on the bikes it started to rain. Early in the ride, a few of us stopped to talk to Jaime, a bicycle tourist going the other way. He is a Canadian and was on the the last leg of a week long bike ride around Lake Erie. It was the first time we have seen a fellow bicycle tourist in quite awhile so it was nice to chat and exchange information. Not long after that, we ran into a couple of bicycle tourists going that were also going East. One of them was on the last day of a trip from Jackson Hole, Wyoming to Cleveland, Ohio. His son-in-law, who runs several bike shops in Cleveland, was along to ride with him for a few days. When Paul, Norm, and I stopped for lunch at a grocery store, it started to rain incredibly hard. It was good timing for a stop. Then we met David and his son Peter who are avid cyclists that live in the area. They offered us a place to stay for the night, but it was a bit too far off of our route to be feasible. Then we rode on to Lorain, where we did some juggling for the Shinsky family reunion at a beautiful lakeside park. They were very nice and offered us some food and donations. We stayed the night in a picnic shelter at a lakeside park in Avon Lake.

Later on in the day, we found out that a tornado had touched down 10 miles South of us when we rode through Lorain. Seager, Mark, and Mike had some more mechanical problems so there day did not go very smoothly. Chris, as always, rode nearly straight through the day and got to the end town first. He has earned the title "Enduro" for his surprisingly strong endurance. Josh is recovering from his cold at the right time because his girlfriend Amy had to head home and he is back on the bike today.

Today we will be staying at a state park at Geneva-on-the-Lake. Right now I am writing at a library in Mentor, Ohio which is on the East side of Cleveland. The Adventure Cycling maps we used to get us through Cleveland were very helpful and riding through downtown went much smoother than we expected. We rode through a lot of nice old neighborhoods and also passed by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Cleveland Browns Stadium. For 15 miles or so we rode on a bike path that bordered Lake Erie. By tonight we will have made it out of the Cleveland suburbs. That about sums it up for now. Tomorrow we will be riding through two more states, wow!

Replies: Leave us a note! (6)

Hello-

Glad to hear that you're all surviving!!! Hopefully the weather will treat you a little better in the future compared to this tornado. Although I do find it a little ironic that you guys had no clue about the tornado. I guess one less thing to worry about. Be safe and may your bikes treat you well.

Posted by Libby @ 08/04/2003 11:16 PM CST

Glad you're back in action, Josh. Hope you got to see some of Cleveland and Sandusky too! Tried to send you an email tonite (all is well on the home front) and your box is full so it was rejected. To all you guys....keep up the good work. It's been a great run and we are proud of each of you. 2 more states and on to Boston!!! All the best, Uncle Tom

Posted by Tom Duggan (Josh's Uncle) @ 08/04/2003 10:54 PM CST

Hey guys! You guys are doing fantastic! Can't believe how well you all have done. Looking forward to seeing you again in the near future! Best of luck on the rest of your trip. Hey Josh - sorry to hear you were so sick. Get well soon - easier said than done when you're on a bike ride across America!
p.s. We are enjoying having Morgan at home - he is going to physical therapy every week and making some progress.
Love, Dad & Mom XXOO

Posted by David & Genie @ 08/04/2003 08:52 PM CST

How many times throughout your journey you have brought back great memories for me, especially from about the point where you entered Yellowstone N.P. That whole long trail down through the Tetons, the Wind River Range to Dubois, Shoshone, across Wyoming and stretching all the way to your present ride through Ohio. We enjoyed meeting you during your short two days here in Omaha. We lived in Cleveland in the late 60's, and you passed by the old Rockefeller Bldg, in downtown Cleveland where I used to work. Many memories of all that, and Sandusky too, when Cedar Point was a major recreational park before the big Disney and regional ones came along all over the nation. Hope your momentum continues as you narrow the gap to Boston. You need prayers that your mechanical breakdowns don't become more serious and disabling now that you have the goal not far off. Every good wish for each and every one of you guys in completing your Ride across America! We're proud of all of you!
Frank (Jesse's Grandpa)

Posted by Frank Goodell, Jesse's Grandpa @ 08/04/2003 08:13 PM CST

I think to call what Josh had a cold is a bit mild... I would say something more along the lines of the flu. You guys were lucky enough to mostly only see him during the times when he was feeling a bit better. There were other rough times where he looked like death itself, turning weird colors, moaning and groaning, and laying on any surface lest he pass out. I'm glad he's better now and able to ride again.
I know someone who saw that tornado yesterday... glad it was her (in a car) and not any of you. I was worried when Josh and I heard the tornado warning over the radio.
Yay for making it through Cleveland. Keep up the good work!

Posted by Amy @ 08/04/2003 12:20 PM CST

I was at the Shinsky reunion yesterday--thanks for mentioning us in your journal. We enjoyed your show and were happy to make a donation and give you a homecooked meal. Good luck on the rest of your tour!

Posted by JANET DUBER @ 08/04/2003 12:17 PM CST

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