Today’s Date: July 21, 2024

Today’s Start Point: Columbus, Ohio

Today’s End Point: New Albany, Ohio

Today’s Mileage: 30.50 Miles

Cumulative Miles: 3,781.28 Miles

After I posted last night, I realized that I left my iPad 100 miles back in Milford, Ohio. I mentioned it to Paul and said I didn’t really need it since I have been drafting the blog on my phone and only use the iPad to watch Curb Your Enthusiasm. I told him NOT to go back and get it, I had talked to the hotel in Milford and they told me what to do to have the iPad shipped back to my house. Of course Paul woke up at 5:00 am and drove back to Milford to pick up the iPad. For the record, leaving the iPad was my fault and he did NOT need to go back. Understandably I felt like an idiot but am grateful for Paul’s efforts.

Not knowing Paul had left, I started a short ride that would take me from downtown Columbus to the eastern suburb of New Albany, Ohio. The route would only be 30 miles and like yesterday would be along bike trails going north and then east of the city. My Ohio cycling experience evidences that they have the best and most expansive cycling infrastructure-just amazing.

Since it was Sunday morning, the streets that were bustling with activity last night were quiet. The temperature was in the low 60’s and the air was still.

I only had less than a mile to get back on the Olentangy Trail and head north. The surface was good and I rolled along a mostly empty path. The trail followed the Olentangy River north, taking me past The Ohio State University and various city neighborhoods. I took it slow because Paul and I had agreed to meet in New Albany at 10:00 am so I had plenty of time. Every now and then the path would end but there was great signage telling me how to hop off and how to get right back on.

Bike paths are nice because you really don’t have to worry about anything but riding. It’s easier to look around and take in the sights and sounds of the trip.

Eventually I ended up ten miles north in Worthington, an affluent suburb. The short detours off the path took me by some lovely homes and gardens.

Once in Worthington, I finally left the path and headed east. Although I wasn’t riding on a bike path, the roadways east had good bike lanes. Once again I must comment that Ohio has outstanding cycling infrastructure.

About eight miles after leaving the trail, the route went through Inniswood Metro Gardens. It was a nice detour from the roadway and I stopped for some pictures.

After the Gardens, I was back on a bike path that went through Hoover Dam Park. Considering that there is another mammoth and better known dam called Hoover Dam, I am not sure why this dam, although impressive, tries to compete. The Hoover Dam Park path runs right on top of the dam, providing fabulous views of the resulting lake and surrounding hills.

After riding across the dam, it was a short ride to New Albany, Ohio, a booming little suburb that has new restaurants and hotels, all done in a very human scale. The trademark of the town are white fences and red brick buildings. Building code requirements keep most of the town’s architecture to these exacting standards.

I pulled into the parking lot of the hotel at 9:30 am to find Paul and discover his mad dash to retrieve my iPad. After I yelled at him for the trip, I thanked him for his kind endeavor.

I had reached out to my aunt and cousins about getting together for lunch at 1:00 pm. Assuming that the hotel would not check us in at 9:30 am, we left our luggage in downtown Columbus so that we could go back, shower and change, and then return to New Albany for my 1:00 pm rendezvous. Of course the hotel in New Albany could check us in at 9:30 am, so we inefficiently made the long trek back to the city to retrieve our gear and then came back.

Once back in New Albany, Paul left to go visit the Columbus Zoo, one of the best zoos in the country.

I arrived at a local brewpub in New Albany to see my Aunt Marcy, her sons and my cousins Thomie and Robby Timmons, Thomie’s wife Michele, and Robby’s daughter Brittany. I hadn’t seen them for a long time so it was great to catch up and reminisce about the family. My Aunt Marcy and my late Uncle Tom were always one of my favorites, both so warm and kind. In the end, we promised to try to stay in touch better and I hope we do, they are a nice group of people. Hard to believe that they are related to me.

Since Paul was leaving tomorrow, we went to nice restaurant for a steak and of course an Old Fashioned. Paul will be trailing me to Zanesville tomorrow but then heading back to the airport for his late afternoon flight. Paul has had to put in at least 700 miles driving over the last few days.