After the Day 5 post was written, we wholeheartedly planned on heading to Toft’s for some delicious ice cream.
We, regretfully, did not make it. The pizza from the Pizza Challenge was too much. There was just not room for any more food. Eventually we settled going back to the bar across from the hotel for some alcohol. We each only had a couple drinks. This certainly didn’t turn in to an Augusta trip.
We planned on leaving early the next day. In True Fujupz fashion we didn’t actually leave until about noon. Breakfast consisted of, for me, leftover pizza challenge pizza. The smell made me want to vomit, but to also eat at the same time. I ate a few and left the rest. The unopened bag of Doritos from the night of day one was left for the maid. Plonker really wanted to just rent a car, perhaps visit Cedar Point again. But I was insistent on finishing this trip via bicycle.
The original plan was to head south then east, as a different route from the first, for variety. After Day 1, we had concerns about the terrain. So I augmented the course to predominately follow the course we came in on through Downtown Cleveland. From there we would follow route 322 to Orwell, OH, where we could catch the Western Reserve Greenway for a while. I wanted to Ride the WRG because of it’s flatness. Actually, my original intent was to follow the lake until Ashtabula and take the WRG down. That should have been really flat, but it also would have added a shit ton of miles, so it was scrapped. The only hotels I could find, however were near Mayfield, about 72 miles into the trip. I would have liked to do the 80 again, but what can you do.
So off we go, following the route we came in on, and it seemed much easier than the first time. About 20 miles in we stop for lunch at Burger King, because, if nothing else, we make horrible decisions. A little after lunch, within a 10 mile stretch, I had a flat tire, Plonker had a leak in his valve stem, and then I got another flat tire. Our hand pumps don’t work that well on our new high pressure tires/tubes. They worked ok with the old tires, they didn’t need as much pressure. Gas station air pumps apparently don’t usually go to 100 psi. We really need to get those CO2 inflators.
Shortly thereafter, Plonker finds a hotel where he can use his Marriott points. It’s a little further south, but it has the advantage of being free rooms. So we set our course that way. Instead of 322, we’d follow 20, work our way to 87, head a little south to the hotel. It worked out well. At some point during this leg Plonker’s knee started to hurt. We think tendonitis. We pressed on.
Miraculously we retain appetite this time, a little late for the god damn pizza challenge when there was $100 on the line. We ate at Bahama Breeze, which was in walking distance of the hotel. It was pretty good, the mojitos were, it was the most we drank in one sitting during this trip.. still not that much though. Fail. It also didn’t numb the knee pain. Fail again.
Since we changed the route again, I needed to figure out how to proceed. We could head north to 322, where it should be flatter and catch the WRG, or go on 87 and catch the WRG. The quickest way to 322 took us basically to where we were going to stay originally. Right past that the elevation chart shows some massive hills. Following 87 to a point past the hills, then north to 322 took us though Newbury and Burton, which is where the massive hills from Day 1 were. Getting past those hills again then going north to 322 would only succeed in adding 10 miles to the route with no other real gains. In the end we decided to not go on 322 at all, just follow 87 to the WRG. We would see the hills from Day 1 again, but after that it should be flatter. Instead of entering Middlefield from the south we’d be leaving to the East.
Our bright and early start again came some time after 11, Plonker’s knee was still hurting him. Initially the ride wasn’t too bad… until the hills came. I was able to conquer them better than I was on Day 1, for Plonker it made things worse for his knee. After lunch (Burger King again.. yay bad decisions!), Plonker decided he’s walk the hills if need be. We also got him a knee support and ibuprofin, neither of which helped much.
Going through Middlefield Plonker noticed the Arby’s we intended on eating at Day 1, the one that was closed, was now open… of course.
The rest of the trip was pretty uneventful. Plonker questioned his life decisions. He was then chased by dogs 3 times. The weather held out amazingly – no rain on us on the return trip. It was a little colder than the other ride days. But all in all, we made it. Over 130 miles each way, 2 days to complete each way. Three tire tube changes. Tons of Gatorade (never drinking it again). Three separate hotels.
And 2 fat guys.
