Day 26 – Ride Across America for GTG, Marysville to Wooster, OH

[Our Junior High] has benefited immensely from our relationship with Park Nicollet Foundation’s Growing Through Grief program. For many years, we have been able to support students within the building who have experienced loss through weekly grief groups. In 2017-18, we experienced the unimaginable loss of three students. [GTG] partnered with us to support students, families and staff. They were present in our building for the majority of last spring, and [our GTG counselor] has continued to provide support for staff as we moved through the one year anniversary period of the deaths. We are so lucky to work with her and Park Nicollet Foundation’s Growing Through Grief program                                                                                              – GTG Junior High Principle

DONATE to Growing Through Grief

Weather continued to be impactful during our trip.  Our departure was delayed until 10:30 am due to thunderstorms with lightening moving through the area.  Rain was expected for much of the day with temps in the 70s. (Rain coats are not helpful – snug jackets don’t breath enough for the heat and sweat we generate.  Loose coats pick up wind resistance and slow us down.)  Fortunately, a good westerly wind dried off the roads within an hour – by 11:30 am -and the predicted afternoon rain didn’t materialize.  In fact, it turned out to be a gorgeous if challenging riding day.  Please see videos for pictures.  

Highlights of the ride included the lovely farmlands- especially after a rain shower.  See the video for the lovely colors of fields, contrasting building colors, the passing cloud effect alternating with sunlight on the fields and hillsides.  We saw 8 creeks – all without signage.  And much standing water in the low lying fields.  We saw signs for the Johnny Appleseed Trail and the Shawshank Redemption movie scenes shot on location.  We passed through several small towns displaying at least one old building from the mid – 1800s, old churches and cemeteries at the town’s outskirts and the expected collections of old farm machinery.  

Our leaders were excited for us to bike on the roads today.  Especially, Hwy 603!  It came at mile 68 and continued for 7 miles with 5 tall hills and two hills having 14 percent grade!  It was exhausting, but there were also many more hills before we reached Wooster, OH and our hotel.  One hill in particular offered a commanding view of the surrounding farmland for as far as one could see.  Wooster, an agricultural, business and college town, is also the county seat of Wayne county -See the video for the beautiful and artistic Wayne County building. For the day, we climbed 4500 feet and rode 103 miles.

Tomorrow, the destination is Warren Ohio.  

You can use the link to “view on Relive” in the lower Right hand of the video box – then you can enlarge the video to full-screen if you want.

Please check the link for MPR recording of my interview with Cathy Wurzer below the Relive video

 

For those interested, below is a link to the interview I had with Cathy Wurzer on MPR, first broadcast on April 26th. Thank you, Cathy, for the opportunity to talk about GTG and this life changing bike ride across America!. We had a long and wonderful conversation that was edited for time. https://www.mprnews.org/story/2019/04/26/retired-doctor-bikes-across-country-fundraiser-students-loss