by Cheryl Splain, KnoxPages.com reporter
MOUNT VERNON — When the peloton sets out from Mansfield on Sunday on the Great Ohio Bicycle Adventure, the mass of riders will include veteran rider Susan Kahrl. 2014 marks the 26th year cyclists have toured Ohio’s rural back roads and small towns; Kahrl, a Mount Vernon resident, has participated in nearly 20 GOBAs.
“The first GOBA that I did was GOBA 3,” said Kahrl. “I took off a few years and then went back to it. It’s a really wonderful experience to not only ride your bike and see beautiful, beautiful scenery, but also experience the camaraderie with other bicyclists. They are a wholesome, earth-loving group of people who care about the environment and don’t leave much trace of their existence. Being together in a positive, healthy way is wonderful.”
Each year, riders tour a different part of Ohio and stay overnight in five or six small towns along the way. This year the towns include Mansfield, Orrville, Coshocton, Mount Vernon and Bucyrus. The small-town welcome riders receive is a highlight for Kahrl.
“It’s always been a real sense of the community gathering together to welcome the riders and making the community open to riders, whether it’s to take a rest on their front porch or do other activities,” she said. “Years ago when it was new, people lined the streets like it was a parade, but you don’t see that much anymore. The towns most often traveled to, like Mount Vernon, are the towns that give the warmest and best receptions to the riders. Mount Vernon is a bike-friendly town.”
Kahrl encourages even casual cyclists who are moderately physically fit to participate in GOBA. “It’s not a race,” she said. “Most people who cycle will stop and rest. It’s not about getting there fast; it’s about seeing the farms, the cows, taking pictures, visiting museums. That’s the most delightful aspect of GOBA, the small-town flavor.”
Columbus resident Kathy Wolfe is an experienced rider with 12 GOBAs under her belt.
“My husband, Matt, got me into cycling when I met him,” said Wolfe. “He rode a bike and I ran, so as a way to spend more time together while we were dating, I started riding a bike. Matt’s whole family was involved with GOBA it seemed. So in 2003, I joined him and his family on the week-long vacation. It became a tradition.
“I like visiting the small towns that I might not otherwise ever see up close,” she continued. “When all you have is a bike, or feet, to get around a town, you tend to see more small details than you would by driving to or through the town. Most towns are very welcoming. I like seeing the effort that small towns put into making GOBA feel at home. The small signs with various messages about food, entertainment and so forth leading into the town along the route make me excited to get there. And then getting into town and seeing gas stations, restaurants and shops showing support for GOBA on their signs, it makes you feel good. It’s an awesome feeling when everyone has been expecting your arrival.”
Mount Vernon has hosted GOBA four times, most recently in 2008. “I think it’s great Mount Vernon is hosting again,” said Kahrl. “People enjoy coming to Mount Vernon; we have a lot of interesting things to see.”
Kahrl said riders have visited attractions such as Sips, the library and Mound View Cemetery and remarked to her about their visit. “You never know what will strike people’s fancy,” she said. “[This year], with the new CA&C Depot, I think what they are going to be doing there, opening it up and movies on the lawn are really, really awesome things.”
Wolfe rode the 2008 GOBA and recalls the layover in Mount Vernon. “Someone in our family group visited the R&M Southside Diner and came back talking about it in camp, and then the next day a whole group of us went there for dinner,” she said. “That’s usually how it works on GOBA. Someone finds something good and brings back info to the camp and everyone has to go there.
“In 2008, I was focused on building my running mileage up to eventually one day sign up for a 100 miler, so I needed to keep running even during GOBA week,” she continued. “Since the bike trail was easy to get to, I used the non-riding layover day to run from Mount Vernon to Gambier and back. It is one of my most memorable times exploring trails on foot by myself.”
Cyclists arrive from Coshocton to Mount Vernon on Wednesday, and have a layover day on Thursday. Layover days are an opportunity for riders to get in extra miles, explore the town or enjoy the activities Mount Vernon has in store.On Wednesday evening, Kahrl will switch out of her cycling gear and play host at one of those activities, Knox Squares; Kahrl will portray the late comedienne Erma Bombeck. She hopes Mount Vernon residents will give a warm reception to the 2014 GOBA riders.
“I encourage the community to come out and enjoy the spirit of a small town and welcome them to the community,” she said. “It’s more fun for everybody if the people in the town come out and participate.”
Wolfe, who is usually on the road by 5:30 a.m. because she likes to see the sunrise while riding on country roads, will be among the first arrivals in Mount Vernon. She plans to cycle in between 10:30 a.m. and 11 a.m., taking pictures enroute.
“I look forward to exploring the small towns up close,” she said. “I tend to ride early and get to the host towns and begin scoping things out to find things to do. Other riders may linger on the route and see the sites of the route getting to the host town. Everyone has their own way to experience GOBA.”
Regarding this year’s lineup of events, Wolfe said, “I noticed there is a bookstore where some activities are planned. I might check that out. I’d also be interested in the historical society museum. I have researched a local gym just a 0.6-mile walk from the high school that offers a seven-day free gym pass.”
Almost 3,000 cyclists will leave Mansfield on Sunday and head to Orrville. While in Mount Vernon, riders will camp at Mount Vernon High School; they will head for Bucyrus Friday morning and return to Mansfield on Saturday.
