ELLSTIGOSPEWHI, Saturday, August 15

Jim Schroeder led the club on a 57 mile adventure through Ellettsville, Stinesville, Gosport, Spencer, and Whitehall. (Have you figured out the name of the ride yet?) The route involved familiar bits from several different rides, somewhat reminiscent of the way the Ride Around Bloomington does. Perhaps the most interesting parts were the new roads that took us from Gosport northwest beyond McCormick's Creek State Park: Hollybrook Rd, Phillips Rd (part called Wesley Chapel), and, especially Rocky Hill Rd the last 6 miles down into Spencer. Here's a link to a copy of the map at mapmyride.com.

Here's Jim trying to get some of the 29 riders organized.

Klaus Rothe undertook a major task of documenting the day in photos. He met us at the park and then drove along the route, periodically stopping at strategic spots to take photos of club members during the ride. He has an album of 134 great images that can be accessed at Club Ride 8-15-09. I recommend the Carousel view.

Here's a view of our stop in Stinesville:

When we got into Spencer we were a bit undecided what to do in part because Jim had just said that there were lots of places to stop. My little group reconnoitered on Main Street. As we stood there, a fellow came along and commented how we must be having trouble deciding which way to go. All but one of us were pointing south. But Ron Brown was pointed north. We asked the man to take a photo of us:
Our group of eight decided not to go over to the Sunoco station. After a little drinking and eating on the street we just headed out of Spencer to attack the aptly named Cemetery Hill on the way toward Hwy 43 and Whitehall.

Altogether a fine day. We were happy to get back around 1 pm, given the heat of the summer day.