irwin7638

I always seem to"come to" in my own tent.

Marc

seenoweevil

I just reserved campsite #39. I'll be travelling the 7th, and will probably crash in the truck somewhere on the way, then arrive friday morning pretty early. Road Fan has my cell number. If anyone else needs it for logistical support, pm me! Still not sure on miles on the 9th. Are most of the campers riding to the start of the ride, or driving?

freedomrider1

I will be driving to the One Hell Of A Ride.

irwin7638

I planned to ride unless somebody offers one, I'm up for whatever everybody has going on.

Marc

Road Fan

That's probably a good thing.

rtool

John and I will probably drive to the start. We are in campsite #43. Looking forward to seeing all of you.
rtool.

Road Fan

Anyone who's staying at the campground, please fill me in on where the appropriate entrance to the park is.

freedomrider1

Road Fan. West on 94,take ext.150,that puts you on Mt.Hope rd.North on Mt.Hope,turn left on Seymour,stay on Seymour and pass Portage lake rd.Willis rd. and List rd. Entrance is on the right about 200 yards past List rd.

Jim from Boston

Hi Road Fan et al,

My plans for the OHR have nearly completely coalesced. I have two special considerations besides meeting the gang, namely to visit family in the Detroit area, and to ride a Century on Saturday. I have worked pretty hard towards the latter goal, and followed a 10 week century training program with daily mileage quotas. I rode 87 miles on Saturday, so I hope I’m century-ready. This mileage fixation may sound wonky, but it’s my best motivation to ride much farther and longer than my minimal commute.

I plan to drive out to Michigan on Thursday, and stay over in the Detroit area that night. I’ll then drive to Ann Arbor for Friday’s activities and motel that night. I think Chelsea might be the most convenient place. My Century Day-minus 1 quota is 5 miles, and I don’t mind doing more at an easy pace, but I will limit myself as necessary. On Saturday, I plan on starting about 7:00 AM because I’m not a fast rider, and would like to finish at a reasonable time that afternoon.

I had planned to stay over Saturday night for some celebrating, but I just learned that my high school is having an all-class reunion on July 9. Our class reunions are rare and I live so far away so I don’t want to miss this opportunity. Thus it looks like all my socializing with the 50+ cluster will have to be almost exclusively on Friday. I’ll have to leave for Detroit about 4:00 PM on Saturday.

I wanted to let you know that I’ve really looked forward to this event ever since it materialized, and don’t want to appear antisocial. Within these constraints, I’ll be as flexible as I can. I gladly offer any help sightseeing Ann Arbor, and/or shuttling by car from the campsites to town.

Last year for the Second Annual Ride, it was pretty cool that on Thursday and Friday, the various participants posted just before their departures. I recalled the movie “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” where all these disparate people from all over the country had this fixation on traveling to the Devil’s Tower (Watkins Glen), not knowing what to expect, but eager to get there.

Sincerely,

Jim

Road Fan

Are these roads dirt or paved? The Google map seems to show them as some paved and some dirt. In any case, it shows a cycling distance of about 15 miles from the campground to Chelsea. For any of us who may be concerned about the number of miles we will put into our legs on one of these days, keep in mind this extra 30 miles round trip. For my legs, I'd drive to the ride start. The driving distance is 13.7 miles 28 minutes using local roads, and as low as 14.9 miles, 23 minutes by Interstate.

The distance and duration by bike from the Lamp Post Inn Motel in Ann Arbor is 31.2 miles, to the campground. The driving distance is 33.0 miles/45 minutes using the Interstate.

Road Fan

I don't think I can roust up any starship-sized color organs, but a ride and a beer on Friday is within the realm of possibility. Let me suggest we meet on Friday morning in Ann Arbor, since we won't have any other chance to do so together. There's a nice breakfast place on the north side of town called Cafe Marie, near a decent cycling route heading northwest, or if we want, to Huron River Drive. Ride out from Bfast about 10 am, go either to Dexter or northwest and back for about two hours (20 to 30 miles), chill the rest of the afternoon, meet up for dinner in AA, then all return to sleep for the OHR. Have you decided where you'll stay?

From the campground, I'd suggest you folks make your way in cars to I-94, go east (left) to US-23, go north (left) to Plymouth Road, then go left on Plymouth to Cafe Marie. Their address is 1759 Plymouth Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48105. For a cycling departure around 11, we should meet at the cafe at 9. We can finish the ride at Zingerman's for pie.

All, I want to show off some of Ann Arbor. We'll be seeing a lot of countryside west of AA on Saturday.

Jim, I can't help you with Chelsea motels. Good Luck! Keep in mind there may be many people from elsewhere in the Midwest using them for the OHR. Book as early as possible. BTW congrats on all the riding! You are way ahead of me. You sound clearly century-ready.

Road Fan

Firgive me, but I'm going to change the Friday ride yet again, though I do wonder if anyone is reading these. We meet at 9:00 am at an Ann Arbor city park, BANDEMER PARK. You will have to google it. We can park there for free. From there we have breakfast at the famous Zingerman's Deli, biking there from the park. Then we bike on Huron River Drive to Dexter and if we want then to Chelsea, for breakfast or whatever it's time for. Then bike back to Ann Arbor for possible pie at Zingerman's again, then get in your cars and go sleep it off. The Chelsea round trip is about 35 - 40 miles.

The following Google Map has the route from Seymour Road and List Road (just outside the campground) to Bandemer Park.

https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=Se...7Q&mra=ls&z=11

This is probably the most classic Ann Arbor morning ride.

BlazingPedals

The parking area is at the north end of the park? Looks easy for me to get to there by taking US-23/M-14 right into town from the north. If we get in a 40-mile RT, then that'll be enough miles for me for the day. Still haven't decided which bike I'll bring, though.

freedomrider1

This sounds like the original plan...good for me.All the tmes i have been to Ann Arbor i have never , i say never have been to Zingermans,I am really pumped for the deli, i could even hold the table till you guys get back.

Road Fan

This is Mrs. Road Fan's contribution.

You could hold the table, but then we'd have to roll you all the way back to Chelsea!

If you and Blazing know the way to Bandemer, you may have to serve as navigators for the other campers. Old Fat Guy is probably coming with us (he needs a Zone 1 ride), and I may have to guide Billydonn.

freedomrider1

Ok,no problem,i have a good idea where the park is, and thanks to Mrs. Road Fan for helping.We had to great deli s in the Toledo area,both gone now.Boy do i miss them.

seenoweevil

Well folks, I'm not going to make it after all. I was really looking forward to meeting some new faces and seeing some from last year again but it's not going to happen. Everyone's ok, not a medical emergency, just a financial one. I'll follow up when I'm not so disgusted. Have a great time, post lots of pics, be safe, and by golly let's start planning for next year soon!

Road Fan

Seenowevil, I'll look forward to next year's trip! Thanks for your support.

miss kenton

I just wanted to say to those participating BF50+s headed to Ann Arbor: Good luck, be safe, have fun and take loads of photos. I'll be anxiously awaiting a full report after the weekend!

Jim from Boston

I'm very sorry to hear this; I looked forward to renewing our acquaintance from last year. When I've told people I'm driving from Boston to Michigan for a bike ride, I always added that there was even someone driving up from Alabama--that deflected some of the quizzical looks I got.

I also mentioned Billydonn coming in from Nebraska. BTW Road Fan et al, I arrived in Fraser MI about 7:30 PM, after leaving Boston about 6:00 AM, and including about a 45 minute stop at the US Canadian border in Sarnia, ONT coming into Michigan. It'll be an easy drive to Ann Arbor tomorrow. I did read Road Fan's PM. See y'all, tomorrow.

And thanks Miss Kenton for your kind words of encouragement. Though you couldn't make it this year, along with Beverly, Louis, and seenoweevil, all from last year who intended to come to Ann Arbor; in the words of Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca, "We'll always have Paris (Watkins Glen)."

Beverly

It looks like perfect weather for the 50+ ride. Everyone have a great time, take plenty of pictures and be safe

Keep an eye on rtool and John as Ma won't be there to keep them from getting lost or into trouble.

Sorry I couldn't join the group this year but I'm planning on next year.

Road Fan

Last night I met the Ohio guys (rtool, John, Freedomrider1) in Chelsea for dinner and beer at Chelsea's Cleary's Pub. Good food, a new beer discovery (Mount Pleasant Cow Catcher), and good company! Tonight they're eating out again, without me, I need massive hydration and some attention to saddle issues - grrr!

I can report that everyone rode quite well on today's "tourism" ride, 37 miles out and back, Ann Arbor to Chelsea, MI on the repaved Huron River Drive. John and Rtool did not get lost, and Rtool guarded the back, reliably calling out "CAR BACK." Some of us guiding (mainly me) were dependent on that help. I also needed Rtool to write me tickets when I left-turned in front of traffic. Sorry about that, lady in Chelsea!

We employed very flexible pacelining, able to ride in close quarters at similar speeds, without taking up undue lane space. Good bunch of riders, IMO well-skilled. But the peleton was unable to reel in the decisive breakaways by Old Fat Guy and BlazingPedals!

Attendees: Old Fat Guy, rtool, John, BlazingPedals, Freedomrider, Jim from Boston, Irwin7638. We had ice cream at the Washtenaw Dairy after the ride, joined by Mrs. Road Fan.

Jim from Boston and Irwin took a few pics, not sure when they'll go up.

Jim from Boston

Hey Ma,

I tried to write the first ride report this afternoon, but Bikeforums ate my homework (it logged me out before I finished). Rtool and John were the first to arrive at the parking spot, then me, and the others. RT explained GOBA to me and that came in handy when I met some other Ohioans here for the ride. Road Fan had a nice itinerary laid out with the first stop at Zingerman’s, a fine deli for breakfast. We left about 10:00 AM for the ride on Huron River Drive, as picturesque as it was in the 1970’s when I rode it as a yute. I only did 20 miles while the others did 40. It was a gorgeous riding day, maybe a little hot, and everyone applied sunscreen even before breakfast.

We did the old-fashioned ice cream shoppe after we re-grouped and then went our separate ways. Your boys, Irwin, Freedomrider, and I had a nice dinner in Chelsea, and hung out at my motel for a bit, and met another rider from Canada, to whom we prostyletized for Bike Forums. It has been so nice, as was last year, to relate to those who share a serious affection for the cycling lifestyle.

One disappointment was that Billydonn couldn’t make it from Nebraska; he seemed to really want to visit Ann Arbor, and Road Fan and I wanted to show it off. I was going to then take the prize for distance traveled, 750 miles from Boston, but yielded to Irwin who rode his bike with camping gear 120 miles on Thursday. We’re all looking forward to the event tomorrow. Freedomrider, Irwin and I, at least, will try to start out together early. RT did remember, at least as of tonight to pick up your socks?

miss kenton

Me too! We are there in spirit, aren't we, Bev?

seenoweevil

Thanks for the update Jim! Sounds like you have the start of a great weekend in the bank. I'm with you in spirit as well. Pics, pics! Have a safe ride tomorrow guys.