Today might be the hardest day I’ve had so far. It started out really well. I packed up from the motel room in Vermilion and headed to Huron for breakfast. I found a nice place and enjoyed a bagel with scrambled eggs and cheese and some fruit. This is where my trouble began. What I should have done is stayed on my ACA route to Fremont from here. I headed north to Sandusky, not knowing that I wouldn’t be able to cross Sandusky Bay because bikes aren’t allowed on Route 2.
When I got to Sandusky, the Ohio Highway Patrol sent me to Fremont on Route 6. It was a very long, scary ride. Here’s why: today was very hot, about 90 degrees with no cloud cover. Route 6 has no shade and there’s nothing, no shops, churches, stores, anything for 18 miles. Add to that a very narrow shoulder with LOTS of traffic, mostly tractor trailers passing very close to me. Add to that a lot of people who apparently don’t like bikers on their roads, and it was NOT a good time. Frankly, I think it would be a lot safer for bikers to just allow them on Route 2, but that’s just me.
WOW – I just looked outside and it’s like a hurricane out there. Glad I’m not in my tent tonight, or I would have been in trouble. Sounds like some serious storms are supposed to hit tonight.
Anyway, I made it to Fremont and was dangerously close to heat stroke. I found a place called the Tail Gator Tavern and they were very nice. The bartender gave me a glass of water when she saw how awful I looked. I ordered some food: a walleye sandwich and some cole slaw and it fixed me right up. I also got some cranberry juice and ginger ale. It was just what I needed. I had been texting Gino about an alternate route, and he found me a bike path that pretty much takes me right to Chicago! Somebody pinch me!
The owner of the bar gave me excellent directions and I headed west on the bike path. It was beautiful and very well maintained. I rode it for quite a while, to Elmore, and then it suddenly turned into a foot path. Then it just ended, dumping me in the middle of nowhere. I didn’t know which way to go so I headed north on 51. Eventually I made it to Genoa, hoping for a motel, but there was nothing. Some nice people in town told me I needed to go another 10 miles to Northwood, and they gave me some cash. That was a TOUGH ride to Northwood, and I was crying by the end. Mean people shouting nasty things at me didn’t help at all either. When I finally walked into the motel office I burst into tears. It was pretty embarrassing. The lady was patient with me and took my information and gave me the key. The hotel had a huge swimming pool, but it was empty. I took a cold shower and got a Subway sub and felt much better. I’ll go to bed soon. Just watching one of the Bourne movies and relaxing a bit. Not sure how I’ll hook up with the bike path tomorrow, but I’m hoping Gino can help me again. I owe him big time after this!
No more tears.
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