GOBA
By Gary Gilbert
Friday, September 03, 2004
The official web site of GOBA is http://www.goba.com/
The sponsor's web site is http://www.outdoor-pursuits.org/
GOBA is a ride of about 3000 cyclists. I flew to Columbus Ohio where I met up with Joe and Peggy. We drove down to Gallipolis for the start of the ride.
I've stolen the text of this report from Columbus Outdoor Pursuits 2001 annual report. My additions are in red.
From June 16th through the 23rd, the route through southeastern Ohio, while not an exact repeat of the ‘97 route, did come through with the expected beautiful scenery, kind hospitality, long lines for food and toilets, changeability in weather, road rash and de-hydration, lively entertainment, and hills, hills, hills and more hills!
Overnight host towns were Gallipolis, Wellston, Nelsonville, Marietta (2 night), New Lexington, and McArthur.
Registrations (after accounting for cancellations) numbered 2,988 at the start of the week. On the route on Sunday the 17th, the counters counted 2,561 riders leaving Gallipolis; and on Saturday, there were 2,238 counted leaving McArthur.
The weather for the first half of the week was very hot, with daytime highs in the 80’s and 90’s, clear blue skies, but humidity that was tolerable. Nights were comfortable for sleeping. Midweek was punctuated by increasing humidity and thunderstorms that built into a crescendo on Thursday. Unbelievably, we missed the worst of the storms (Marietta had damaging hail and 45 mph winds just after we left), but with the threat of severe weather late on Thursday, we called for moving the participants to shelters. The riders who were already in the camp in New Lexington moved into the coliseum. The 300 or so riders who were still out on the route were “caught” by our volunteers at the PM Snack stop at Crooksville High School, where we enjoyed the local hospitality much longer than expected! Then, with a break in the weather and an expected 2-hour window of time before the next wave, we shepherded the riders into a convoy for the final 10 miles into camp. With a law enforcement cruiser at the front and one at the back of the convoy, the riders made it safely into camp in the most orderly fashion ever observed on GOBA.
I was one of the riders moved intot the colisieum in the afternoon. We spent a little more than a hour in the shelter at which point I went back to my tent. My tent was dry inside while the campgrounds were quite muddy.
Friday and Saturday saw low humidity, highs around 80 and lows in the 50’s. Highlights of the week included: the bicycle parade in Gallipolis led by Hope Taft, Ohio’s First Lady, on a bicycle, and Bob and Jewell Evans; opening ceremonies with a powerful speech by Ohio Governor Bob Taft; seeing Venus in the noon-day sky in Oak Hill; the whole town turning out for the food stop in Shawnee; the rousing Song Contest (“I found my thrilllllll....on a GOBA downhilllllll” - to the tune of “Blueberry Hill”); the unusual shuttle into town in Nelsonville...by scenic railway; the CHALLENG-ING hill at Sharpsburg; the 6:00 am sternwheeler ride up the Muskingum River (a good time to catch a few ZZZZZZs); the inspiring bike races in Gallipolis and McArthur; square dancing; the high density of tie-dye t-shirts; the outstanding food, canoeing, horse-back riding, games and other activities at Bob Evans Farm; the Hocking College security patrols on bicycle; air-conditioned bathrooms at Warren Fire Department; the abiding hospitality of McArthur; and many other poignant memories.
The Wednesday optional loops out of Marietta offered 74 miles and 95 miles, not a bit of which was flat. Both routes returned to town via SR 26, designated as an official Covered Bridge Scenic Route. Reportedly, about 200 riders rode this day. A lunch stop was organized on the short route, food was available in Woodsfield eateries on the long route, and a water/banana stop with Century Award buttons was provided on the homecoming stretch.
Joe and I rode the optional loop on Wednesday. We had planned on doing the 95 mile route but the hills were quite challenging and we ended up doing the shorter route. I had a problem with my bike. It turned out that my rear brakes were rubbing on the rim as some dirt and mud were lodged. As a result I was working quite a bit harder than necessary. Joe quickly named my brakes as Huffy Brakes. Later that day I encountered one of my most scary days on a bike. We were travelling on a long downhill on a 2 lane road. The road was etched into the side of a hill with a bluff across the road and a cliff on my right. A coal truck came behind us and the driver began blowing his horn. There was a car coming up the hill as well. There wasn't much of a shoulder and no place to go. It was touch and go and finally just as the truck passed me, the car coming up the hill was able to move over onto a gravel patch and allow the truck to give me some room.
The Wednesday optional field trips were operated by Ohio Travel Treasures and included one bus (55) for a combined tour of Fenton Glass and Blennerhassett Island and another busfull for a day of white-water rafting in West Virginia.
Interesting data: This year’s participants came to Ohio from 43 states, plus Washington, DC, Canada,and the Virgin Islands.
Age Breakdown
2001 2000
0 – 15 15% 18%
16 - 30 10% 10%
31 - 50 40% 41%
51 - 70 33% 30%
71 + 2% 1%
The oldest registrant, a male rider from Grand Rapids, Michigan, is 82 years old. Other interesting data
2001 2000
Male riders 62% 59%
Female riders 38% 41%
Last, but not least, I want to thank all staff and volunteers for making my life worth living this past week. Everyone worked very hard so that others could play, and they always did so with a big smile. Julie Mills, GOBA Director
And a follow up note from Joe to some cycling friends after the ride.
Hi all,
The Great Ohio Bicycle Adventure is over and Peggy, Gary and I survived it despite a lot of hills (right up there with RAGBRAI last year, believe it or not!) and being forced to endure one bountiful meal after another (also right up there with RAGBRAI). The memorable meal at the American Legion Hall would most certainly rate a 10 on the Ron Buffet Index. Mostly excellent weather, great people (as you always find in biking circles), lovely scenery, and FREE HOT showers via special-purpose semi-trailers (wish I had taken a picture of one, but didn't). Total mileage for me: 399. For some strange reason my computer failed as I tried to ride an extra mile around the fairground at the end. Those who heard my other oddball computer story earlier this year may not be too surprised at this. Peggy totaled fewer miles, as she broke away from Gary and me and went biking with a different crowd on the "off" day. Yes, Gary and I did an "insane" ride that day - 75 miles with big hills and a harrowing experience with a couple of coal trucks on a big downhill.
Cheers,
Joe
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