Bjet and I wanted to get in some solid training for Mohican, some endurance miles plus climbing. We heading out to Shawnee Forest for some gravel (we just got rain the day before in Cincinnati, so I figured my original idea of hitting Versailles for a long ride was a literal wash).
Learning from past experiences, there is the Shawnee State Forest area then there is the actual park area with designated fire roads. The area includes a lot of homes, some very impoverished people with very angry and hungry dogs looking at my legs like there were hunks of ham. But if you park at the Lodge area along Turkey Creek lake, you are dead center in the middle of all the fire roads. Tons of epic riding to the North and South!
There were a few 400-500 ft climbs, where Cincinnati's climbs are typically 200-300 ft. Once on top, you get some pretty epic views of some rolling Ohio hills. We rode one ridge line that was just incredible.
We got off to a late start because Bridget had a work meeting. Plus we bought some post ride groceries. I originally planned to start riding about 1:30, but it ended up being 3:15ish! Uh oh. After getting lost a couple times we were starting to get scared if we would make it back before dark. Fortunately, I was a Boy Scout, and I was wise enough to bring a tail light and a head light. We were racing against nightfall and we finally got back to our car just as we ran out of dusk! It's not cool to not know where you are PLUS being stuck in the dark in a place where some of the locals don't take kindly to lycra.
I think we might go back in a few weeks!
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