Biking, Day 30: August 17, 2009

Day 30: Outside Columbus, OH to Wheeling, WV
Distance: 110 miles
Route: 40 E/National Road
Lodging: Super 8, $70, smoking room, yuck

I got back on the saddle today after the weekend with my parents. I hadn't taken any days off, so having the weekend off was almost strange. I don't think my body knew what to do with the lack of sweating, gluttony, and excessive sunscreen. It was great to see my parents, and my grandparents, who came up from Tiffin, OH to Columbus.

I started my ride around 8am after my parents drove me outside Columbus to avoid the highways. Despite the 2 days off, parts of my body were still sore and tired. The one part of my body that felt very healed was the seat region.

It was a hot day. I rode about 25 miles and stopped in New Concord, OH for a break. For the first time during this trip, I went into a gas station convenience store and was told they didn't have a public restroom. I was sort of pissed. I told her it was the first time in 2,800 miles that there wasn't a public restroom. She directed me to the City Hall. City Hall! I decided to go to the next town, 8 miles away. For the record, the Circle K in New Concord, OH does NOT have a public restroom.

I went on to Cambridge, OH and stopped at a gas station. Again, no public restrooms! She directed me across the street to the Rite Aid. Since when does a rite aid have a public restroom, but a gas station doesn't. Is this some weird Ohio thing? I went to the Rite Aid, then I had a coffee at the gas station. I felt like I shouldn't give them business since they didn't give *me* a bathroom, but I wanted coffee. In retrospect,maybe it is an Ohio thing - my first bathroom stop, there was a sign on the bathroom door that said 'out of order'. When I walked in, the guy asked me what I needed and I said the restroom. he pointed at the door. I said 'isn't it out of order?' and he replied "no". So, the lack of bathroom or the out of order sign on the bathroom is the lazy man's way of running a gas station. I don't know whether to be offended or to commend the cost cutting.

I forged on. I took another break in St. Clair, OH. There, I tried to get a reservation for the night. I wanted to go a bit beyond Wheeling, so I checked a few places. Wheeling and beyond was shockingly expensive. I decided to check out a motel in Triadelphia, about 7 miles east of Wheeling.

I got on the bike and started riding. Heading into Wheeling was beautiful. It's really a gorgeous city. I've always loved the area. My parents took me and my brother to Oglbey Park one year. We also went to Salt Fork, a nearby state park. Also, when I've driven to and from Columbus from DC, I always go through Wheeling and am shocked at how beautiful it is.

I got to the motel and decided to stay. There was no internet, but I figured I could do stuff on my phone. I went to the room and realized I had no cell service in there. I told the guy that I couldn't stay because of that. He got mad at me. No, really. He was mad because he now had to 'clean the room' because I walked in there. It was ridiculous. anyway, he left me no choice but to go to another motel.

I rode over to the Super 8 and got a room. I got my dinner and went into my smoking room.

In other news, i love the TV show 'Shark Tank' and i have decided I cannot comment on the Healthcare Bill until i read it, all 1000 pages of it. I'm on page 105.

I started planning my day for tomorrow. Only like 300 miles left!