SE Ohio Spring "Ramble" 2008

[wheatonFJR]

Just like last spring I'm gonna visit SE Ohio in the later part of April

Date selected for this SE Ohio ride...Saturday April 19th (using backup raindate of [SIZE=18pt]Saturday April 26th[/SIZE].)

I will get in town Friday, we will ride all day Saturday... :yahoo: ...and head for home on Sunday with happy thoughts of the previous day's ride.

SIGNUP IS CLOSED [SIZE=8pt]AS OF END OF THE DAY 2/29/08. See post 121[/SIZE]

[SIZE=18pt]SATURDAY, APRIL 26 - Meetup spot: Athens, OH Super 8 motel at 8:30am[/SIZE] ARRIVE GAS TANKS FULL

It is about 2 miles east of Rt 33 on State St....or you can take Rt 50 and exit on State St. See map below. There are gas stations east of 33 on State Street but I don't think there are any near the Super 8.

IMPORTANT FUEL NOTE TO ANY NON-FJR RIDERS (and their FJR riding buddies): Although we will be stopping every two hours or so for breaks, there won't be gas at every stop that we make.

Plan on going 180 to 200 miles between gas stops. If your bike does not have this range, it will be the responsibility of you and your FJR buddy to ride together as a group separately from the others. Starting spot may possibly be at the back end of the starting grid.

I will also have tankbag turn sheets for those that want them. No GPS stuff...but you can figure out the route from the maps posted below. Note: Depending on how many people arrive for the "Ramble" ride on Saturday...we will look to split up into smaller flights of 4-6 riders so we don't have one big long parade. The riding will be good...COUNT on it.

Split up into groups 8:45, "Kickstands up" for first group asap after safety nazi talk.

Overall route

Part 1 - start

Marietta area closeup - Washington, right on 7th, left on Greene (Rt 26)

Part 2 - Marietta to rest stop along OH River and 800...

Part 3 - East end of route - "full monty" :yahoo: [SIZE=8pt]down556, LUNCH, uphill536, down78, uphill536, uphill556[/SIZE]

Close up of New Martinsville directions to our Lunch stop - Bob Evans....Gas stop - Speedway

Part 4 - West of Woodsfield

Part 5 - "Big Muskie Bucket" and McConnelsville

Closer up of 377/555 segment west of McConnelsville

Part 6 - West end... 78w to rt 13s to 550w to 33s to 50e to Super 8

close up of Super 8 plus gas locations

I expect to ride the "full monty" route unless "how I feel"/road conditions/daylight causes me to adjust. However, there are a bunch of day riders that may have to scoot for home and can't take the longer route, or just are feeling a little fatigued and would like to shorten the route.

Notes:

1) The fully abbreviated route with all cutoffs is about 290 miles and 8-8 3/4 hours (1 3/4 hours of breaks, 6 1/4 to 7 hours of riding time). This ride will get you back to the motel about 5-6pm. This is close to the route griff and I took last year...near the end we felt like we wanted more riding so we took off west for a little ride on 56...

2) The "full monty" route with no cut offs is about 370 miles and 10 -11 hours (2 hours of breaks, 8-9 hours riding time). Depending on how the day goes...this ride will should get you back about 7-8pm...before the 8:15pm sunset and the 8:40pm twilight.

Possible alternate cut offs of loops at east end for those short on time, etc...

Alternate 3B [SIZE=8pt]down556, LUNCH, uphill536, down78, uphill 536, west on 78[/SIZE] - Cuts off about 50 minutes

Alternate 3C [SIZE=8pt]down556, LUNCH, uphill536, west on 78[/SIZE] - cuts off about 90 minutes

Here are your riders...

[SIZE=12pt]Participants[/SIZE]

1-wheatonFJR

2-OhioFJR1300 -TD-

3-Jeff - friend of OhioFJR1300 -TD-

4-griff

5-geezer

6-WVFJR

7-thompsonian -TD-

8-yamaholic

9-El Toro Joe

10-Murph -TD-

11-drc32-0

12-Joevelocity

13-jimstaff

14-Pappy

15-Ray

16-scrapedup

17-Dave (ST1300)- friend of scrapedup

18-K-2

19-K-2's dad (BMW LT)

20-cougar8000 -TD-

21-FredandJeannesRacer

22-vabrzn

23-OHFJR

24-OHFJR's friend Bob (VTX1800)

25-MartyA -TD-

26-Big-B

27-FJRPierre

BikerGeek99 -2up

Possible

1a-Renegade

2a-tstaff

3a-valetz

5a-dean

6a-Rentaroo

7a-RiderCoach Lar

8a-Geezer's buddy

 

[OhioFJR1300]

Looks like a great route. I missed this one last year. Going to try to make it this year.

 

[griff]

A good time was had by all last year. I'm in for this year.

 

[Geezer]

I hope to make it this year. I'll be watching this thread. Thanks Wheatie.

 

[mdisher]

I'm hopeful I can make it this year.

 

[WVFJR]

I'm in. Last year was a blast. :clapping:

 

[thompsonian]

Barring complications from working, I'm in. You'll be in my backyard basically. :clapping: I'm keeping an eye on this thread. And let me know if there is anything I can do on this end for you.

 

[El Toro Joe]

I'd be interested...looks like a fun weekend.

 

[wheatonFJR]

Well, it looks like there is plenty of interest...should be a fun time.

I figure I/we will get in to Athens late afternoon/early evening and will probably do the Hocking Hills area before I get there as a treat after most of the day on the flat roads.

Depending on whether there are any other out-of-towners, we can maybe catch dinner together.

Saturday morning bright and early, we will ride. We usually meet at about 8:30am to let people catch breakfast on their own before that and let locals have some time to ride to the motel.

All day riding on Saturday - with stops every couple hours or less. If things go like last year, lunch will be at the Bob Evans in New Martinsville, WV on the Ohio River somewhere at the eastern end of our ride. We will probably stop at the Miners Bucket at the afternoon stop. If people are still itchin to ride after we get back to Athens, we can take a loop west through Hocking Hills and the Thompson Ridge Road.

Dinner and beers/pop/soda after we get back and kick back. :yahoo: (No beers during the ride, thank-you)

Soon I will be selecting the hotel I will be staying at and the date. In case of bad weather/extreme rain, the following weekend will be the backup date.

Oh yeah, closer to that time, I will need locals to scout the route for road conditions... :clapping:

 

[luvtoride]

So, this why we won't see you in Kentucky?

 

[wheatonFJR]

So, this why we won't see you in Kentucky?

Nope...as much as I would like to do the Kentucky ride...I won't be doing it. Nothing personal...everybody in that group looks like they would be great to ride with and get to know. You guys will have a blast I'm sure. I will be doing Kentucky sometime...I've got my Gazetteer ready to go. The timing just does not work out for me.

Yer invited to this gig as well...but I can't imagine the riding would be better than the Kentucky ride. This is alot more informal as well...I ain't fixin eggs or pancakes fer nobody, nohow.

 

[wheatonFJR]

I'm in. Last year was a blast. :clapping:

Great! Looking forward to riding with you again! :clapping:

I hope to make it this year. I'll be watching this thread. Thanks Wheatie.

Greg, it would be great if you could make it!

 

[tstaff]

Hi Mark,

I would really like to make it this year, unfortunately my weekend schedules are booked from April 19th through May 11th except for the April 26/27th weekend, hint............hint................hint

I’m sure a few of us will be scouting a couple of those roads for you as soon as the weather breaks. :yahoo:

Tom

 

[wheatonFJR]

Hi Mark,I would really like to make it this year, unfortunately my weekend schedules are booked from April 19th through May 11th except for the April 26/27th weekend, hint............hint................hint

I’m sure a few of us will be scouting a couple of those roads for you as soon as the weather breaks. :yahoo:

Tom

Thanks for the hint...I'll keep that in mind. It would be great to ride with you this time. I also have some timing issues as well. I want to have two consecutive weekends laid out so a rainout weekend can be commenced the following weekend if neccessary.

 

[tstaff]

Thanks for the hint...I'll keep that in mind. It would be great to ride with you this time. I also have some timing issues as well. I want to have two consecutive weekends laid out so a rainout weekend can be commenced the following weekend if neccessary.

Don't worry about me; I've already got a nice 400+ mile SE Ohio loop loaded in the GPS waiting for the first nice Saturday. Hopefully I can make your ride as well.

 

[wheatonFJR]

Don't worry about me; I've already got a nice 400+ mile SE Ohio loop loaded in the GPS waiting for the first nice Saturday. Hopefully I can make your ride as well.

Show off!

Hey, my route was just a beginning...griff and I did some Hocking Hills riding after that loop last year just cuz it didn't feel right stopping the good riding so early in the day. :lol:

 

[Murph]

Very interested.....but will it fall on the weekend for me? :dntknw:

 

[wheatonFJR]

Date selected for this SE Ohio ride...

...[SIZE=14pt]Saturday April 19th[/SIZE]............... :clapping:

I will get in town Friday April 18th, we will ride Saturday :yahoo:

...head for home on Sunday.

...backup raindate of Saturday April 26th.

First post will be updated

 

[thompsonian]

That is SUPPOSED to be my weekend off from work, so I'll try to make it. I will be living right off of 821 outside of Marietta if your route includes that road. If not, I can meet you all somwhere close to that spot near the Marietta area.