Waypoints: Tour of the Scioto River Valley (TOSRV) 50th Anniversary

One of the country's most popular long-distance bike tours, the Tour of the Scioto River Valley (TOSRV), was first ridden by a father and son - Charles and Greg Siple - way back in 1962. I hadn't ridden the tour in years, but as a former two-time participant, I had to return for the 50th anniversary edition, May 7-8, along with about 3,000 other riders. Starting in Columbus, Ohio, and ending due south and some 105 miles later in Portsmouth, Ohio, with a return trip to Columbus the next day, TOSRV is an endurance test with few hills, but notoriously challenging weather. The weather gave us a break this year, and we were able to roll through both days at a brisk pace. GPS technology gives us the opportunity to record the route in detail, and I've posted the Portsmouth-to-Columbus leg on Garmin Connect. Give TOSRV a try next year if you want to tackle a challenging distance with a few thousand friends. Image © TOSRV