Athens County Summary

Bob Williams, 11/5/2005

Over the past three years (excepting a sabbatical period when I was gone from OU for 9 months) I rode every mile of every road in Athens County via mountain bike. For most rides I drove to the start/finish point for the day. The Athens County Map (2001) says there are 1077 total miles of roads. There are 14 townships, each of about 36 square miles.

Summary:

· 85 rides

· 1641 total miles (lots of out & back repeats)

· 173 hours, 46 minutes total cycling time

And the biggie:

· 130,069 feet total elevation gain (climbs – up only). This is equivalent to climbing from sea level to the summit of Mt. Everest 4.5 times!

Athens County is stunningly beautiful in all seasons, in all townships. I roasted in the heat & humidity, froze in the snow & ice, and was nearly blown off my bike due to high winds. I saw old mines, old strip mines, old brick kilns, oil and gas wells, many neat farms, acres upon acres of beautiful woodlands, and a lot of evidence of poverty. I saw many beautiful churches and cemeteries. I followed many dead-ends that looked like private property even though they were township roads – the folks I met there looked at me as if I was lost or crazy. Many through township roads are nearly touched by old barns and farmhouses. I went through many small communities bespeaking a prosperous past in industries largely gone. I did not meet many people, though all I met were very friendly. Many said that they had never seen a bicycle on their particular rural road. Every ride I was plagued by dogs, many free to chase cyclists. I was bitten by a boxer who hadn’t had his rabies shots for 5 years. He was tied up and kept under observation and given a clean bill of health by a vet. There are many beautiful horses in the county plus many cats who always ran away, unlike their canine brethren. I guess it is obvious, but each ride required substantial climbing, up and down, from the mighty Hockhocking river level around 650 feet to just over 1000 feet at the highest points, with lots of up & down in between. I saw various wildlife, from the ubiquitous white-tailed deer, hawks, wild turkeys, turkey vultures, turtles, snakes, butterflies, heron, rabbits, fat whistle pigs, and even an elusive coyote way out near the border with Washington County.

The Vehicle

The Completed Map

What is left of the Traveling Map