Our travels on the Great Ohio Bicycle Adventure 2002

GOBA is a week-long bicycle tour that takes place in June. The route changes every year, and its organization is mostly stellar. Most similar rides go from point to point, which means a long bus ride to get back to the start. GOBA goes in a big circle--you ride away from your parked vehicle on Sunday, and ride back to it on Saturday, about 350 miles later. Founded in 1989, it attracts some 3,000 participants, as well as bike repair shops, and vendors who sell food, t-shirts, and bicycle accessories.

Our bags are in here somewhere...

Thousands of  bags, and probably half are black. 40% are Army green duffle bags spray-painted with distinguishing characteristics. The luggage travels on one of those four semis.

On Sunday (niece Karen's birthday) we all wore our checkered shorts.
	The "Girl Power" tandem with Tía Ellen and Laura

Someone ahead of us kept chalking messages like "Hey Karen Happy 11th Birthday!" on the road. How did they know??

Picking up the cake

It got a little smooshed!

This is a body chalk outline labeled "MORE HILLS."

Laura's sign says, "It's my sister's 11th birthday and all I get is this stupid sign!"

Extra bananas for the road. Food is not included--you buy your own at small towns or at organized rest stops, usually set up in a local fire station and hosted by a civic group. Some of the rest stops are just great, with a wide variety of stuff at reasonable prices, and entertainment. These bluegrass pickers had a spare mandolin, so Tía Karen sat in on the folk song "Red Wing."

Six little card sharks enjoying the morning off in Chillicothe.

	Now this is a  t-a-l-l  tent!
Comfortably sleeps four	But it wasn't the biggest one in GOBAville.
Conspicuity is our hallmark!
On Thursday (before setting out on the 72 miler) we wore our polka-dot shorts.
Nice pants!	Ellen called these "pokey-dots."

Team Karen on the	Counterpoint tandem.	Sprocket T. Bear takes a nap.

More photos

Counterpoint!

Girl power!

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