Biking Team: Dave Miller, Rosie Miller
Date: September 30, 2023
We joined over 500 bicycle riders from 11 states on this Gran Fondo (big ride) throughout the southeastern Indiana farm country. We participated in the 30-mile ride although they also had 40 mile and 60-mile options. Miles three to six was a challenge for me as the country road gained over 1,200 feet in elevation winding up and down the hills. The course then mostly leveled off for the next 22 miles. We biked past a small Catholic Church in the middle of nowhere and later St. Mary’s Tavern, Indiana’s oldest bar built in 1852. Several farmhouses had Indiana historical markers indicating that the same family had lived there and farmed there for over 150 years. Rosie learned a photo contest was offered with prizes, so she took lots of photos to submit to the Cincinnati Bike Club who sponsored the event. The nearby Whitewater River, popular for kayaking, was a ghost river as water levels were very low due to the lack of rain.
After completing the bike tour, we enjoyed a hot meal (sausage, sauerkraut, potatoes, beans, salad, and pretzel knots) at Third Place Tavern. We ate and mingled with several bikers from the Cincy Bike Club. It was a challenging bike ride but a lot of fun.
