Great Ohio Bicycle Adventure begins in Hillsboro
Lead Summary
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The 2012 Great Ohio Bicycle Adventure is set to begin in Hillsboro on Saturday, June 16.
GOBA is an annual one-week bicycle loop tour through Ohio, held each June. The adventure features a different part of Ohio each year, traveling through peaceful countryside and stopping at exciting tourist destinations. The weeklong adventure offers fun, Ohio hospitality, and a challenging and rewarding vacation.
GOBA's mission is to organize a yearly one-week bicycle vacation, in order to inspire independence and nurture personal growth; to learn about Ohio, its people, geography, and history; to provide inter-generational recreation; to enhance the image of bicycling in Ohio; and to raise funds for bicycle-related projects in Ohio.
Around 3,000 cyclists of all ages, from all across the country (and from outside the U.S.), participate each year, riding a 50-mile (average) route each day, through some of Ohio's most scenic areas.
GOBA is a tour, not a race; most riders find plenty of time during the day for sightseeing, snoozing on the grass, and enjoying food along the way.
GOBA lays out and marks all the routes, offers guidance to the host towns, and gives riders maps, commemorative items, and informational materials for the week. Delicious and reasonably priced food is provided by civic, social, and church groups along the route and in the overnight host towns.
GOBA is primarily a camping tour; overnight tent camping is included with the registration fee. Each rider brings a large bag containing their tent, sleeping bag, clothing, and other gear. Each morning, riders load their bags into waiting trucks, then start riding the day's route, leaving when they want and riding at their own pace.
Meanwhile, the baggage and support personnel travel by main highways to the next overnight host town, and begin to set up the next "GOBAville." As riders arrive, they locate their baggage and set up camp.
Different kinds of entertainment await the riders each night, including the Tour of Ohio, a criterium series race showcasing some of the top teams and racers in Ohio.
GOBA is a project of Columbus Outdoor Pursuits (COP), a volunteer-based participatory organization created to provide opportunities and education for outdoor recreation and activities.
While perhaps best known for its bicycle tours, the Tour of the Scioto River Valley (TOSRV) and GOBA, COP also features a comprehensive program of activities and education in bicycling and bicycling safety, leadership training, flat- and white-water boating, caving, backpacking, rock climbing, skiing, and other modes of outdoor recreation.
2012 GOBA Route Overview
THE ADVENTURE: Saturday, June 16 - Saturday, June 23, 2012, from Hillsboro to Chillicothe to Ashville to Washington Court House to Wilmington and back to Hillsboro.
• Terrain: rolling with some hills.
• Mileage for the week: minimum 245, maximum 404.
• Primitive tent camping at fairgrounds, schools, and parks.
• Opening day bicycle parade with costume contest.
Saturday, June 16: Hillsboro
Gather in our starting town, where Hillsboro = Hospitality. Discover the lore of Highland County, rooted in natural beauty, Native American earthworks, and more. Settle in at the Highland County Fairgrounds. Don't miss the annual Bicycle Parade and Launch Party.
Sunday, June 17: Hillsboro to Chillicothe
Follow the arrows to your adventure on a bicycle. Take a photo at the charming covered bridge. Warm your legs on the hills; feast your eyes on the scenery. Let the Adena Trail guide you to the mysteries of the Hopewell Mounds.
Save time for a visit to historic Adena Mansion, home of Thomas Worthington, "Father of Ohio Statehood." Camp in Chillicothe's tree-filled Yoctangee Park for the next two nights.
Monday, June 18: Chillicothe (layover day)
Explore your shady campgrounds and seek out the pool, the Railroad Museum, or the Pump House Center for the Arts. Exercise your options: ride a challenging loop of hills. Dig up the stories on the area's pre-historic earthworks.
Witness "Tecumseh!", the epic outdoor drama of the legendary Shawnee leader. Or take a bus trip to more distant locales, "Castles, Caves, and Chiefs."
Tuesday, June 19: Chillicothe to Ashville
Pedal out of town past the view that inspired the Great Seal of Ohio. Then, enjoy gently rolling terrain that leads you to the Tarlton Cross Mound. Coast into the friendly village of Ashville, occupying territory once inhabited by the Mound Builders. Stake your tent space at Teays Valley High School, then head out to Ohio's Small Town Museum and the famous traffic light.
Wednesday, June 20: Ashville to Washington Court House
Start out on gentle roadways, "on the beaten path", then more rolling closer to your destination. Round the corner and check out the dam at Deer Creek State Park. End your journey at the beautiful Washington High School.
Find your way to the newly restored Courthouse and the town murals. Weave your dreams with plans for tomorrow's layover, a day of options.
Thursday, June 21: Washington Court House (layover day)
Cycling options abound! For the shorter loop, enjoy flat to rolling landscapes and Amish areas. For the Century ride, get ready for a hilly ride to Rocky Fork State Park. Or take it easy on the Tri-County Triangle Trail. Sightsee in town, take a nap, take a swim, catch a fish...or all of the above. You could sign up for a trip to The Beach Waterpark or try your hand at canoeing.
Friday, June 22: Washington Court House to Wilmington
Fill up on pancakes, then push hard on your pedals. A mixture of cornfields and woods beckons you on. Today's route is gentle on your muscles while introducing you to the best of small town Ohio. Enter the tunnel of trees of Wilmington's Luther Warren Peace Path, a serene gateway to your home for tonight. Take a look at the history and culture of the Quakers at the unique Quaker Heritage Center at Wilmington College. Walk the self-guided tour in Downtown Wilmington, on the National Register of Historic Places with the landmark Murphy Theatre. Warble in the shower truck to get ready for tonight's ever-popular Song Contest. Sleep peacefully in your tent-home at the Clinton County Fairgrounds.
Saturday, June 23: Wilmington to Hillsboro
Get up! Get ready to roll...literally! Visit a developing "Earthship" in progress, a fully sustainable house on a lavender farm. Save some steam for the last hills, and for your smile of achievement as Hillsboro welcomes you back.
Route details and mileages are approximate and subject to change.
Your registration will include tent camping. You buy all your own meals and snacks. Expect additional costs for other lodging, optional side trips and some activities. If you register online, you will receive a link in your acknowledgement to the sign-up forms for the Monday and Thursday bus trips. The link will also be in the confirmation letter mailed to all registrants. Details on other options will appear as soon as they are available.... watch for the March & May Newsletters (mailed to all registered riders).
For more information, go to www.goba.com.[[In-content Ad]]
GOBA is an annual one-week bicycle loop tour through Ohio, held each June. The adventure features a different part of Ohio each year, traveling through peaceful countryside and stopping at exciting tourist destinations. The weeklong adventure offers fun, Ohio hospitality, and a challenging and rewarding vacation.
GOBA's mission is to organize a yearly one-week bicycle vacation, in order to inspire independence and nurture personal growth; to learn about Ohio, its people, geography, and history; to provide inter-generational recreation; to enhance the image of bicycling in Ohio; and to raise funds for bicycle-related projects in Ohio.
Around 3,000 cyclists of all ages, from all across the country (and from outside the U.S.), participate each year, riding a 50-mile (average) route each day, through some of Ohio's most scenic areas.
GOBA is a tour, not a race; most riders find plenty of time during the day for sightseeing, snoozing on the grass, and enjoying food along the way.
GOBA lays out and marks all the routes, offers guidance to the host towns, and gives riders maps, commemorative items, and informational materials for the week. Delicious and reasonably priced food is provided by civic, social, and church groups along the route and in the overnight host towns.
GOBA is primarily a camping tour; overnight tent camping is included with the registration fee. Each rider brings a large bag containing their tent, sleeping bag, clothing, and other gear. Each morning, riders load their bags into waiting trucks, then start riding the day's route, leaving when they want and riding at their own pace.
Meanwhile, the baggage and support personnel travel by main highways to the next overnight host town, and begin to set up the next "GOBAville." As riders arrive, they locate their baggage and set up camp.
Different kinds of entertainment await the riders each night, including the Tour of Ohio, a criterium series race showcasing some of the top teams and racers in Ohio.
GOBA is a project of Columbus Outdoor Pursuits (COP), a volunteer-based participatory organization created to provide opportunities and education for outdoor recreation and activities.
While perhaps best known for its bicycle tours, the Tour of the Scioto River Valley (TOSRV) and GOBA, COP also features a comprehensive program of activities and education in bicycling and bicycling safety, leadership training, flat- and white-water boating, caving, backpacking, rock climbing, skiing, and other modes of outdoor recreation.
2012 GOBA Route Overview
THE ADVENTURE: Saturday, June 16 - Saturday, June 23, 2012, from Hillsboro to Chillicothe to Ashville to Washington Court House to Wilmington and back to Hillsboro.
• Terrain: rolling with some hills.
• Mileage for the week: minimum 245, maximum 404.
• Primitive tent camping at fairgrounds, schools, and parks.
• Opening day bicycle parade with costume contest.
Saturday, June 16: Hillsboro
Gather in our starting town, where Hillsboro = Hospitality. Discover the lore of Highland County, rooted in natural beauty, Native American earthworks, and more. Settle in at the Highland County Fairgrounds. Don't miss the annual Bicycle Parade and Launch Party.
Sunday, June 17: Hillsboro to Chillicothe
Follow the arrows to your adventure on a bicycle. Take a photo at the charming covered bridge. Warm your legs on the hills; feast your eyes on the scenery. Let the Adena Trail guide you to the mysteries of the Hopewell Mounds.
Save time for a visit to historic Adena Mansion, home of Thomas Worthington, "Father of Ohio Statehood." Camp in Chillicothe's tree-filled Yoctangee Park for the next two nights.
Monday, June 18: Chillicothe (layover day)
Explore your shady campgrounds and seek out the pool, the Railroad Museum, or the Pump House Center for the Arts. Exercise your options: ride a challenging loop of hills. Dig up the stories on the area's pre-historic earthworks.
Witness "Tecumseh!", the epic outdoor drama of the legendary Shawnee leader. Or take a bus trip to more distant locales, "Castles, Caves, and Chiefs."
Tuesday, June 19: Chillicothe to Ashville
Pedal out of town past the view that inspired the Great Seal of Ohio. Then, enjoy gently rolling terrain that leads you to the Tarlton Cross Mound. Coast into the friendly village of Ashville, occupying territory once inhabited by the Mound Builders. Stake your tent space at Teays Valley High School, then head out to Ohio's Small Town Museum and the famous traffic light.
Wednesday, June 20: Ashville to Washington Court House
Start out on gentle roadways, "on the beaten path", then more rolling closer to your destination. Round the corner and check out the dam at Deer Creek State Park. End your journey at the beautiful Washington High School.
Find your way to the newly restored Courthouse and the town murals. Weave your dreams with plans for tomorrow's layover, a day of options.
Thursday, June 21: Washington Court House (layover day)
Cycling options abound! For the shorter loop, enjoy flat to rolling landscapes and Amish areas. For the Century ride, get ready for a hilly ride to Rocky Fork State Park. Or take it easy on the Tri-County Triangle Trail. Sightsee in town, take a nap, take a swim, catch a fish...or all of the above. You could sign up for a trip to The Beach Waterpark or try your hand at canoeing.
Friday, June 22: Washington Court House to Wilmington
Fill up on pancakes, then push hard on your pedals. A mixture of cornfields and woods beckons you on. Today's route is gentle on your muscles while introducing you to the best of small town Ohio. Enter the tunnel of trees of Wilmington's Luther Warren Peace Path, a serene gateway to your home for tonight. Take a look at the history and culture of the Quakers at the unique Quaker Heritage Center at Wilmington College. Walk the self-guided tour in Downtown Wilmington, on the National Register of Historic Places with the landmark Murphy Theatre. Warble in the shower truck to get ready for tonight's ever-popular Song Contest. Sleep peacefully in your tent-home at the Clinton County Fairgrounds.
Saturday, June 23: Wilmington to Hillsboro
Get up! Get ready to roll...literally! Visit a developing "Earthship" in progress, a fully sustainable house on a lavender farm. Save some steam for the last hills, and for your smile of achievement as Hillsboro welcomes you back.
Route details and mileages are approximate and subject to change.
Your registration will include tent camping. You buy all your own meals and snacks. Expect additional costs for other lodging, optional side trips and some activities. If you register online, you will receive a link in your acknowledgement to the sign-up forms for the Monday and Thursday bus trips. The link will also be in the confirmation letter mailed to all registrants. Details on other options will appear as soon as they are available.... watch for the March & May Newsletters (mailed to all registered riders).
For more information, go to www.goba.com.[[In-content Ad]]