It all started out at the Ashland Country Club after each rider had breakfast with their host family. This was the first time this had occurred in five years of the tour and it was a nice surprise. We all met at the country club then to regroup and study the route maps for the day. On paper it looked simple: ride west a ways then go a bit north to Shelby then stair-step southwest to Galion and then westerly to Marion. The problem is that lines on paper are only two-dimensional. What was missing was the third dimension, the height of those lines.
 

Thursday, July 16 – Ashland – Shelby – Galion – Marion – 66 miles. Leaving Ashland we again have the opportunity to mount the high hill but the elevation doesn’t last long as we wander first to Shelby and enjoy refreshment with the club in their local park. It’s just a quick stop though because we have a lot of ground to cover.

Next we head to Galion, home of District Governor-Elect Dave Dayne. We meet  again in the Varsity Grille. Where we still harbor memories of last year’s meal there – a buffet of foods not meant for cyclists on a trek… but not resisted either.

With overfull tummies we’ll do our best to find our way next to Marion. This will actually be the third time we have stayed over in Marion, a “presidential” city (Harding) known for its friendliness.