I’ve been riding steep, short hills against a headwind. I’m currently in Quaker City, which has a population of 400, enjoying a cold Dr Pepper and a cherry pie. My campground is about twelve more miles away. Stores are scarce in this area.
4:00 PM
After leaving Salesville, I turned off Rt 265 onto Salem Road, a small hilly back road. This road ends at Route 313. My route heads west to Zanesville, I turn east toward my campground in the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District.
We are packed and driving out of the campground heading for Bridgeport, Ohio. This is where I connect with my route to Zanesville. I load my gear onto my bike and start my Wahoo to guide me along the route. The screen pops out the unit. WTF! How many issues will we need to address on this tour? The Wahoo is only three years old. I dig into my supplies for the clear tape we were given to fix the taillight that had fallen off the camper. We tape the screen in place, I swear a bit more and start heading west. Nancy and Moe drive off to Dillion State Park in Zanesville.
I have a mountain, Dixon Hill, to get up and over. It’s a mile long climb and I push the bike with sixty pounds of gear to the summit.
11:45 PM
I stop at a store in the town of Neffs for a pint of ice cream and ice tea. I eat the Strawberry ice cream and drink one of the bottles of tea. I filled a water bottle with the other and continue riding toward my campground, Barkcamp State park. Along the way I pass through Loomis, Ohio.
3:10 PM
I ride into the campground and find my site. Thunder is in the distance, I set up my tent and cover the bike. I fill my bottles and three liter bladder. I start my stove and boil water for cooking my dehydrated meal. As I wait ten minutes for the meal prep, rain begins. Next to my site is a cabin with a porch, it’s vacant, I sit on the porch and eat dinner. I can finally relax.
We finally have the car and camper ready. Nancy had to get a new car, which was ready to go two days ago.Yesterday, we replaced the camper’s rear left taillight and installed a roof rack on the car to transport the kayak.
Today, we loaded all of our gear and supplies for three months of touring. We drive out of the driveway, exhausted, toward Nancy’s brother’s cottage in Mount Gretna, Pennsylvania. We arrive at midnight and go to bed quietly to avoid waking anyone.
June 7
Today we are relaxing to prepare for the drive to Pittsburgh before heading to Raccoon Creek State Park. After driving for five hours, we arrive at our campsite. It’s late, so we prepare for sleep. I gather some oak branches and build a fire. Nancy brings some PBJ sandwiches, which we devour while watching the flames glow in the night sky. We talk about the morning plans. It will rain throughout the day, with thunder showers in the afternoon. We decide that I will spend tomorrow here. I will now start riding in Wheeling, Ohio not from this campground.
June 8
I spend the day resting up while staying dry. It is raining, we watch from the windows.
