Mark,the road I was suggesting was 329...it comes off of 13 at Trimble and goes to 550 at Amesville,about 2 to 3 miles east of 690.329 isn't a good curvy road, but it's quicker and less congested than that section of 13 and 550.It also has some long straight sections if we want to pass any slow moving traffic.
Cutting out the upper section of 555?That's up to you...I just wish they would pave it!I don't know if you noticed but two miles south of Ringgold to Ringgold is new pavement.I like that section and always imagine how fun the rest of that area would be with good pavement.
If you do want to cut it out...one option would be to go south at McConnelsville on 376 to266W to 792S to 676W to 555N to Chesterhill and run 377 north back to 78.
I gotcha, so we do that loop south of McConnelsville and back to 78 via 377, so we'd still get 377 in. Then head west on 78, take 13 south to 329. Once on 329, we would take that all the way down to 144, skipping that boring section of US50.
I think that works pretty good. 13 and 50, were just roads to get you back and forth from Athens, which we don't need to do if we aren't basing the ride out of there. Plus we avoid that section of gravelly/dirty 555 which can be difficult for a rider who has never run that section before. We can reroute that section in after they repave it.
Have you run 329 south to 144 before? And the roads in that loop southwest of McConnelsville? If not, I may want to run them in the spring scouting trip before leading a group down them...just in case there are any bad curves or unknown bad things lurking.
Thanks Denny, if I understood you correctly, I think that works pretty good.
Edit: Shoot, I could really spend 3 long riding days here...
One day going from Amish country in Coshocton and Millersburg down to the Hocking Hills area-like in the 2005 Ramble, the next day ride this 300 mile loop, and the last day ride this loop the other direction...and maybe have you tell me about a few of your other nuggets to expand my "good roads list:.
I think I'm gonna do that next year...maybe as part of a "scouting trip"
