7HR Thursday Billy Goat Ride - 6:15pm
Grant Szabo
I hope everyone had a great holiday. Let’s celebrate the New Year by getting on our Goat and hitting some of the best hills that the East Side has to offer. I’ll send an email out by 4PM tomorrow if the ride is going to be cancelled – Rain or Snow will cancel. There will probably be some snow coming but it won’t be until later in the night so we should be clear to ride. We’ll stay warm by climbing 23 hills, singing ridiculous melodies, and generally acting like a bunch of fools on bikes. It’s a great time not to be missed.
Grant ‘ZZZZ’ Szabo
7HR Thursday Billy Goat Ride
Departure: 6:15PM Corner of Wilmer and Airport Rd. in the parking lot in front of Lunken Airport Terminal
Total Distance: About 26 miles with 3200 feet of climb
Return Time: 8PM - 8:30PM
Required Equipment: Lights and reflective clothing. It will be dark when we get done.
Visual Route: http://www.mapmyride.com/route/us/oh/cincinnati/726880541881
* Most Important Rule -- When you get to the top of a climb, loop back down to the last rider and ride back to the top with them. You should not be seen waiting at the top of a climb for other riders unless you are gassed.
* Generally speaking, we don't move on to the next climb until all riders have crested the current climb. There will be between 15 and 22 significant climbs during the ride. Again, stronger riders should be looping back down to bring up the rear. If you are cresting climbs too quickly, try pushing a bigger gear to slow yourself down.
* This is a training ride structured to build power, stamina, and test your limits of endurance. This is not a hill race; please don't try to push the pace.
* The second half of the ride is all "close in" to the starting point, so if you need to cry "uncle", you can bail out at any time. Just let someone know you are bailing so that we aren't left wondering if we left you behind or had a mechanical that nobody noticed, etc. and then go back looking for you.
* Have FUN. This is a really hard ride, but it’s a blast sharing the experience with other committed riders.
1. Right on Wilmer out of Parking Lot
2. Right on Eastern Ave.
3. Right on Collins (Climb #1) ** NO HILL REPEATS DUE TO TRAFFIC - WAIT AT TOP **
4. Left on Taft (Climb #2) ** NO HILL REPEATS DUE TO TRAFFIC - WAIT AT WOODBURN AVE. **
5. Left on Victory Parkway, turns into Eden Park Drive
6. Left on Art Museum Drive, becomes Ida St. (Climb #3) ** Easy Hill, Gear up and take it fast **
7. Left on Paradrome St.
** REGROUP HERE BEFORE HEADING DOWN WAREHEM **
8. Right on Wareham Dr.
9. Right on Elisnore St.
10. Left on Van Meter St.
11. Left on Warehem Dr. all the way to top (Climb #4)
12. Right on Paradrome St.
13. Right on Martin Dr. ** Pedal hard to gain momentum for Hill St. **
14. Right on Hill St. (Climb #5)
** THIS IS A VERY HARD CLIMB, REGROUP AT TOP BEFORE TURNING ONTO CELESTIAL **
15. Right on Celestial (Climb #6) Continue turning right as Celestial intersects Ida
16. Right on St. Gregory St.
17. Left on Pavilion St. turns left into Carney St., take to bottom where ends at Parkside
18. Right on Parkside Pl.
19. Left on Martin Dr. (Climb #7)
20. Bear Right onto Cliff St. (Climb #8)
** REGROUP AT TOP, ENJOY THE VIEWS!! **
21. As Cliff St. Ends, bear left onto St. James Ave. and go one block to Nassau St.
22. Right on Nassau St., go under bridge (That’s Eden Park Dr. above you)
23. Left on Francis Lane (Climb #9), climb cliff face up to Eden Park Dr.
24. Right on Eden Park Dr. for 1 block
25. Right on Cypress (Climb #10) take 2 blocks until ends at Upland Pl. ** SPRINT UP THIS HILL **
26. Left on Upland Pl.
27. Left on Woodburn Ave.
28. Right Taft for 2 blocks
29. Left on Hackberry (Climb #11) ** SPRINT UP THIS HILL **
30. Right on Madison at “Whities Car Care”. No jokes please. Take through O’Bryonville. ** PULL HARD, 21 - 25 MPH **
31. Right onto Grandin Road ** PULL HARD, 21 - 25 MPH **
32. Sharp Left onto Edwards Road. Go to first street on right which is Lower Grandin Rd.
33. Right on Lower Grandin Road, look for “No Outlet Sign” and turn left
34. Left on Grandin Ridge Dr. (Climb #12) until ends at Alpine Terrace
35. Left on Alpine Terrace (Climb #13)
** REGROUP HERE AT BOTTOM OF ALPINE **
36. Right on Delta
37. Left on Kroger (Climb #14) ** PAIN AND SUFFERING **
38. Right on Stanley Ave
39. Right on Grandin Rd. until it ends in cul-de-sac
40. Left on Athens Ave.
41. Slight Right on Hoge Ave.
42. Left on Handman Ave. (Climb #15)
43. Right on Stanley Ave. to bottom of hill, U-Turn and climb to top (Climb #16) ** LOOOONG CLIMB, PAIN AND SUFFERING **
44. Right on Vinyard Pl.
45. Right on Tusculum Ave., slow as get towards bottom, look for Seacham on left
46. Right on Sachem (Climb #17), climb to top, then U-Turn back down ** STEEP AND PAINFUL **
47. Right on Tusculum (Climb #18)
48. Right into Alms Park, climb up and go around loop counterclockwise direction (Climb #19)
** REGROUP BY LUNKEN OVERLOOK, SWAP STORIES OF PAIN AND TRIUMPH **
49. Right on Tusculum Ave. (Climb #20) back to top, stay on Tusculum until turns into Grandin Rd., then bear slight left onto Grandin Beech Ln until you come to stop at Linwood Ave.
50. Left on Linwood (CAUTION, can be highly trafficked by cars) then immediate HARD RIGHT after ON-Ramp to take you down to Eastern Ave. underneath Columbia Pkwy.
51. Left on Eastern Ave.
52. Left on Heeken (Climb #21) ** IT'S OK TO CURSE LOUDLY NOW IF YOU MUST **
53. Left on Principio Ave.
54. Left on Herschel Ave.
55. Right onto Hardisty Ave.
56. Left on Delta Ave. ** PREPARE YOURSELF MENTALLY FOR SPRINT **
57. Right on Alpine (Climb #22) ** SPRINT UP THE FINAL HILL LIKE A MANIAC! **
** REGROUP AT PAXTON, THE HILLS ARE OVER AND MANY PEOPLE WILL PEEL OFF FOR HOME **
To get back to Lunken:
58. Right on Paxton
59. Right on Linwood
60. Right on Delta
61. Left on Eastern ** SPRINT FINISH TO AIRPORT ROAD!! **
62. Right on Airport (watch the tracks)
63. Right back into the parking lot at Lunken ** BRAG LOUDLY **
All are welcome at this ride, but you ride with the group at your own risk and understand cycling is an inherently dangerous activity, taking place on traffic-maintained roads, that may cause injury or death. By participating, you specifically release and indemnify 7HR, its members, sponsors, friends and leadership from any responsibility for any incident resulting from your actions, or the actions of others, or behavior before, during, or following the ride. You warrant you will wear an ANSI-approved helmet, and that you maintain valid health insurance. If you are under age 18, you warrant you have parent or guardian permission to do this ride, and that the person that granted you permission understands the risks.