2009 Christmas Letter

For those of you not on my exclusive Christmas card list, I thought I would post my annual Christmas card letter for this year as well as provide an image of the Christmas photo card I sent with my letter. Stamps are expensive, so please don’t feel left out if you didn’t get a card [...]

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The Final Climb

This picture was provided by a fellow XOBAer showing a gimpy Mars Girl making one of her final climbs into the Lawrence County Fairgrounds in New Castle, PA. As you can see from the rest of the pictures in this set, some people chose to walk this hill. Mars Girl plugged intrepidly on, despite pained [...]

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XOBA in retrospect

It may not have come across well in my brief blog entries during the ride (since I only had limited space), but I have to say that this was singularly one of the best experiences of my life. I was presented a new challenge–ride one week, every day, rain or shine, from Indiana to Pennsylvania–and [...]

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XOBA 2009

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Day 8: Youngstown to New Castle, PA

My knee was a little ginger this morning but not too bad (about the same as it was when I started from Copley). I really careful and took all hills at really low gears which worked okay most of the day, except for a fast hill into a valley that immediately swooped back up. I [...]

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Day 7: Copley to Youngstown

Today was a real mental test of mind over pain. The knee problems mentioned in my last report worsened. The day started out in rain. What more could I ask for? As I began the ride, my knee felt a little stiff, but it was manageable. I was in home territory so I felt comfortable [...]

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6am Friday Morning

It started raining aroung 3am and it hasn’t stopped. No t-storms. Tent is dry for the most part. Haven’t dared to step out…. Another crappy day…

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Day 6: Loudenville to Copley

Today was not as painful as I anticipated. I actually got quite comfortable with the dull ache in my legs and worked with it. Up more hills. Yesterday’s hilly hell made today seem rather easy. Funny how a really hilly segment of a bike route can put everything in perspective. Today was much more pleasant [...]

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Day 5: Millersport to Loudenville

It all began with the sound of a single rain drop falling on the top of my tent. Splat. Then: splat, splat a minute later. Splat-splat. Splat-splat-splat. Splatsplatsplatsplatsplatsplatsplatsplatsplatsplat…. And the rain began. I figure I’m good; I’m in a tent. This tent survived a torential monsoon one time in Port Clinton. All is good. Wrong. [...]

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4am newsflash

Apparently my tent is not as structurally sound as it should be. The rains came and a lake formed in my tent. had to relocate all my stuff to the hall of the high school. Nice. Guess it’s time to retire hubby’s old tent… In retrospect, I should have brought my other one. It’s bigger [...]

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