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Epic Ride - Your Thoughts - New Route Idea


DerekClouser

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I've created a new route for the next ride.  It is about 135 miles.  Is this too much?  It also would start in McConnelsville which is about 2hours 20minutes for both NEO and Dayton to get there.

 

Is this too far for you guys??   Let me know. It encompasses two new roads to the Epic Ride that are phenomenal.  

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36 minutes ago, Tonik said:

 

Screw 78.  Nothing but a parade behind pickup trucks every damn time.

https://goo.gl/maps/EdsqWy1U3ax

 

What are you talking about Gramps?  The last couple times we came across 78 it was clean in both directions.  It is a fantastic road and newly paved, my vote is to keep it in the loop.  I will say that I am not a fan of 26, the road is shitty and always dirty.

Edited by Wolfman1
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I used to really enjoy 26. I ran across it a month or so ago however and they were chip and sealing it with lots of loose gravel. Hopefully all the loose gravel will be knocked off for the epic next year. I avoided it the last time I was down in Marietta, it may already be decent. 

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550 can seem "boring" especially from the Barlow to Sharpsburg section. It's similar to 78 but depending on the time of year, there will be lots of tractor traffic. May consider 676 as an alternative. Picks up outside of Marietta and goes all the way to 555 that you can either run into Barlow or into Chesterhill. This is mine and @JustinNck1 backyard. Our playground. If you need any scouting done, let us know. We'd be glad to do our part.

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Just now, thompsonian said:

550 can seem "boring" especially from the Barlow to Sharpsburg section. It's similar to 78 but depending on the time of year, there will be lots of tractor traffic. May consider 676 as an alternative. Picks up outside of Marietta and goes all the way to 555 that you can either run into Barlow or into Chesterhill. This is mine and @JustinNck1 backyard. Our playground. If you need any scouting done, let us know. We'd be glad to do our part.

I can agree with what you are saying, but with many different types of riders, I figured it would be a nice change of pace for just finishing 26/260.  Those two roads can be very taxing and it would be a little recovery and a bit more relaxing for those to catch their breath, but still entertaining enough to keep people interested. 

 

The route is clearly tentative and open to all kinds of suggestions.  


Another thing to consider is I'm also trying to keep the route fairly easy to follow so people don't get lost.  The Hocking route, for years, was very difficult to remember and groups were getting lost quite frequently.  The New Concord route was very easy and we didn't have that issue of groups missing turns, etc.   I liked that. 

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550 is also a route for State Troopers going from the Athens Station to the Marietta Station. Still a good road though. Sharpsburg hill is probably one of my favorite set of corners in SEO. 676 is definitely more technical and less forgiving for someone who does not know the road.

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I like it, nice and easy, good meet spot as well.

if there is concern about 26 being in bad shape + tricky  which is a genuine statement.

 

 I am biased to the newly paved section of 78 to glouster :)

I will also throw my hat in like tonic with this 100 mile loop, that way us far east movement guys can keep total miles below 500 :)

 

again I am okay with any loop :) and I give my two thumbs up for the meet location. We will have to figure out a bigger section to park > there is the river side area which might provide fantastic group photo back ground as well instead of the boring parking lot all the time :D

 

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/39.6509247,-81.8664723/39.4768951,-82.0587562/39.4254984,-81.4898704/39.5053441,-81.8562816/39.6450683,-81.891558/@39.4782532,-82.0688842,11z/data=!4m22!4m21!1m5!3m4!1m2!1d-82.0558113!2d39.4886!3s0x88480e3bee70c5f5:0x8f18fde5ab770779!1m0!1m10!3m4!1m2!1d-81.7912839!2d39.4805652!3s0x88483c637cfada17:0xf526f6ca8a5b1935!3m4!1m2!1d-81.8503788!2d39.4755244!3s0x88483d946c71044d:0xa3fc6edbd2fbacbe!1m0!1m0!3e0

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The meetspot I picked was literally just the city of McConnellsville.. No specific location has been chosen of course... this was just a quick tentative route.  I was trying to include 26/260, possibly 800, but 800 just doesn't seem feasible at keeping the meet spot as central as possible and not making the route too long. 

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I honestly don't ever remember riding 676. Might have to test it out before the year is out.  That will let me know how I feel about it for a group setting.   I just rode 26 with @dpgasser a few months back and it was okay, but if they are chip/sealing it, might be out of the question. 

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1 minute ago, DerekClouser said:

I honestly don't ever remember riding 676. Might have to test it out before the year is out.  That will let me know how I feel about it for a group setting.   I just rode 26 with @dpgasser a few months back and it was okay, but if they are chip/sealing it, might be out of the question. 

676 is a wonderfull road, paved with in the last two years. Some corners are tricky though need full focus on it. for eg there is one corner u go straight into a house lol unless u literally twist your neck to look through the corner

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1 minute ago, DerekClouser said:

I honestly don't ever remember riding 676. Might have to test it out before the year is out.  That will let me know how I feel about it for a group setting.   I just rode 26 with @dpgasser a few months back and it was okay, but if they are chip/sealing it, might be out of the question. 

We just rode this 2.5 weeks ago, it was chipped deal with a sealer over the surface.  No loose stone and grip was fine.  This was down 26 from 260 to Marietta.

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Just now, NinjaDoc said:

676 is a wonderfull road, paved with in the last two years. Some corners are tricky though need full focus on it. for eg there is one corner u go straight into a house lol unless u literally twist your neck to look through the corner

I don't care how technical a road is as long as it has 2 things - clean corners and well marked corner speed advisory signs

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8 minutes ago, DerekClouser said:

I don't care how technical a road is as long as it has 2 things - clean corners and well marked corner speed advisory signs

I remember so, I will let the local boys chime in. they prolly are riding through it to go home, right as we speak. Damn lucky punks :D

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There is a nice little roadside park there in McConnellsville that has a charcoal grill and shelter so if you wanted to have a grilled meal after. IF you wanted to consider something like that, there's plenty of spots/ideas.

 

@DerekClouser if you head down this way, or bring a group down, I'll gladly give you a sweep or show you some possible hidden gems.

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