TOSRV

Each Mother's Day weekend, for the past 51 years,

 thousands of bicyclists climb aboard their bicycles in Columbus Ohio.

They pedal south 105 miles to my little town, which sits at the mouth of the Scioto River. 

The event is aptly called the Tour of the Scioto River Valley.

They get up the following morning and make the return trip to Columbus, well most of them.

My brother and I traveled north out of town to photograph the cyclists as they made their way south.

It was a beautiful day for a bike ride. 

Here the cyclists are close to finishing the first 105 miles of their trip.

Almost there!

A welcoming party is held in the downtown park.

Hundreds of people and their bicycles gather there to celebrate, listen to music,

have a bit to eat and a cold drink.

My sister in law has coordinated this end of the tour for years.

There are mature cyclists.

There are patient girlfriends, apparently waiting for someone named Joseph.

There are tired cyclists.

There are cyclists re-connecting with their electronica.

There are tiny little partygoers, probably not a cyclist yet.

There are lemonade stands and gracious cyclists who stopped for a refreshing drink.

There are space-age bicycles,

And rather ordinary bicycles.  These three were playing ring around the rosey.

There were shirts that would rival the finest jockey silks.

There were young bicyclists.

At the end of the day,

there were those who decided to return to Columbus the easy way.

And, there were those who camped in tents, slept on gym floors,

stayed with local families and filled all local hotels to the rafters.

What a very nice way to spend a May weekend.

See you next year!