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America's Bicycle Touring Classic
There are many rides, but only one is AmericaΉs bicycle touring classic - The Tour of the Scioto River Valley, better known by its acronym, TOSRV. Say TOSRV to bicycle riders around the nation, and theyll know you mean this event, which began as a father-and-son outing in 1962 before quickly growing into the nations largest bicycle touring weekend. In fact, TOSRV single-handedly raised the profile of the bicycle in American life and was the inspiration for many of the mass-participation cycling events so popular today across the country. TOSRV riders have come from across the country and have ranged in age from two to 93. This years TOSRV, scheduled for May 12-13, 2012, is expected to draw
about 3000 riders for the 51st edition of this classic event. TOSRV is organized
by Columbus Outdoor Pursuits
(COP), an organization with a full range of noncompetitive outdoor
activities. Three Ways to Ride TOSRV 2012
All three options will include the party at Tracy Park
in Portsmouth Costs
The traditional TOSRV starting and finishing point is the Ohio Statehouse in downtown Columbus. Tour Registration (packet pick-up) will be held at the Sheraton on Capitol Square at 75 E. State Street. Since the TOSRV route runs along the Scioto River Valley between Columbus and Portsmouth, our Saturday overnight location, it avoids the large hills of southern Ohio. The first 50 miles south of Columbus include some slight grades, and from mile 50 to mile 65 there are a series of short hills. The remaining miles to Portsmouth are relatively flat for a total of 105 miles (169 kilometers) for the day. The Tour returns to Columbus on Sunday along the same route. TOSRV is not for the casual cyclist. To enjoy TOSRV you should have ridden at least 400 miles during the two months prior to the Tour including at least one 75-mile day. In addition, you, your bicycle, and equipment must be in top shape. One-Way TOSRV This new option follows the traditional TOSRV route to Portsmouth on Saturday, gives riders time to shower, eat, and enjoy the party in Tracy Park, and then return them (with their bikes) to Columbus by bus. Note: this option is only available online and limited to 400 riders. Half TOSRV Route We also offer a Half TOSRV (or Tour of the lower Scioto River Valley). Riders choosing this option will start their ride on Saturday in Chillicothe, the halfway point on the full TOSRV route. They will bicycle to Portsmouth and return to Chillicothe on Sunday to finish their ride. Transportation between Columbus and Chillicothe is the responsibility of the Half TOSRV participant.
New this Year Parade / Mass Start This will be an option for those interested. You must be able to ride in formation at a constant speed of 15 mph. More details later in the instructions. One-Way TOSRV Start in Columbus and ride to Portsmouth. Enjoy the party at Tracy Park, get a shower, perhaps dinner, and then take a bus back to Columbus Saturday evening. Bikes will be transported back to Columbus by truck. One-Way TOSRV is limited to 400 riders. Registration for One-Way TOSRV is available only on-line. Registration for One-Way TOSRV closes April 15th or when we reach the ride limit, whichever comes first. More details on departure from Portsmouth Saturday later in the instructions. Expanded Entertainment In addition to the live music we have in Portsmouth Saturday and Chillicothe both days we will also have music at Lake White on Saturday and Circleville on Sunday. We are also looking into live entertainment at the start and finish in Columbus but have not reached a decision on that yet. New Ending in Columbus on Sunday Bicentennial Park is the new ending for TOSRV. The park is four blocks from the State Capital. In addition to check-in, there will be a band, and food and drinks will be available for purchase. The new ending will also mean a route change starting at Greenlawn Ave.
Rider Instructions You and Your Bike Prepare Your Bike The most common problems in previous Tours has been mechanical problems, not physical problems. Make sure your bike is in ideal mechanical condition. Be prepared to perform minor repairs on the road such as fixing a flat tire. Assemble a tool kit (including a tire pump, patch kit, and spare tube) and know how to use it. Flat tires are the most common mechanical problem encountered on TOSRV. Prepare Yourself Remember you are going on a 200-mile bicycle ride. Make sure you are in good shape. You should have ridden one or more 75-mile rides in the weeks preceding TOSRV. Safety Helmets are Required You must wear a CPSC-approved helmet. You should also wear bright clothing for general visibility and safety. All riding is to be done during daylight hours. Be safe, be seen. Bicycle Theft Bicycle theft has been an issue on TOSRV. Bring a good lock and keep a close eye on your bike, especially in the Columbus and Portsmouth areas.
Pre-Ride Information Registration Please bring your Acceptance Letter to claim your Registration Packet Any ordered merchandise such as a Jersey or T-shirt will be picked up at the same time. If you are unable to pick up your packet or merchandise during TOSRV, please send $4.00 for postage to TOSRV with your name, address, and rider number. Registration in Columbus The Sheraton Columbus Hotel at Capitol Square (formerly the Hyatt) at 75 E. State Street is the location of TOSRV registration. There are two periods to pickup registration packets:
We encourage all riders to pick up their registration packets Friday night to avoid the Saturday morning lines. Vendors will be present at the Sheraton Friday night and offer an assortment of bicycle equipment and clothing. Registration in Chillicothe Half TOSRV riders will pickup registration packets:
Packet Contents Your registration packet will contain a TOSRV route map, your rider number, which is your TOSRV identification number (to be pinned to your back), a baggage tag, which must be attached to your baggage (baggage trucks will not accept untagged baggage), a souvenir TOSRV patch, and a Portsmouth map, which has the locations of all assigned Saturday overnight accommodations and other important locations in Portsmouth. Your packet label will indicate what you ordered and the location of your overnight assignment. Half TOSRV Riders who wish to camp or have arranged personal accommodations If you want to minimize the distance you carry your baggage, you must pick up your registration packet Friday night in Columbus. Request a change in baggage tags and place your baggage on the appropriate truck on Saturday morning in Columbus before 8:30 a.m. Baggage needs to be placed in the same truck on Sunday to be returned to Columbus. You will still start and end your ride in Chillicothe.
Friday Night in Columbus Lodging Sheraton Columbus Hotel at Capitol Square at 75 E. State Street, is offering a special rate of $124 for TOSRV riders Friday night. The link is www.starwoodmeeting.com/Book/tosrv. The Sheraton is also offering a Pasta Buffet from 5:00-9:30 p.m. Friday for $20.95 and a Breakfast Buffet from 5:00-10:30 a.m. Saturday for $16.95. The downtown YMCA at 40 West Long Street, is offering sleeping bag space for $15.00. The doors open at 8:00 p.m. and close at 11:00 p.m. No reservation is required; you just have show up at the door. You are permitted to keep your bicycle with you. You must provide your own sleeping bag and pad. Parking Downtown Columbus The cheapest weekend parking rates begin after 6:00 p.m. Friday night at the Statehouse parking garage. The cost is $4 for the first 5 hours and $1 for every 4 hours afterward. Total weekend cost should be about $14 if you park Friday night after 6:00 p.m. Baggage return on Sunday is also at the Statehouse parking garage. Just remember to take your bikes off the roof of your car before entering parking garages. Parking Chillicothe Free parking is available at Bolmer Shelter in Yoctangee Park.
Baggage Shuttle Columbus The baggage trucks will leave Columbus at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday morning. The baggage trucks will be located on High Street in front of the Statehouse starting at 6:00 a.m. Your baggage must be tagged with the baggage tag that will be provided in your registration packet. Items carried in the baggage trucks will not be available to the riders until they reach their Saturday overnight destination. Riders may not combine baggage. You are limited to one 25 pound bag if not camping. If camping, you are limited to two bags whose total weight cannot exceed 40 pounds. Baggage trucks will carry riders baggage to their assigned sleeping locations in Portsmouth. One-Way TOSRV riders will have to carry their baggage on their laps on the way back to Columbus Saturday evening so it is suggested that they pack as lightly as possible. Chillicothe The baggage truck will leave Chillicothe at 12 noon on Saturday morning. The baggage truck will be located at the Bolmer shelter in Yoctangee Park from 9:30 a.m. to 12 noon. Same rules as above apply. Remember if you are camping you should have dropped your baggage off in Columbus Saturday morning or be prepared to lug it to the camping destination. We are not responsible for baggage that may be lost on TOSRV. While our loss rate is less than ½%, we recommend that you help discourage loss by leaving expensive and unnecessary equipment at home.
Ride Information Age Requirement Under COP policy, children under 2 years of age cannot participate in TOSRV, either riding on a bike or being pulled in a trailer. A child must reach their second birthday by May 12, 2012 to participate. Emergency TOSRV Sag Wagon In short, do not count on any sag wagon service. Service is limited to justifiable needs. Flat tires, tired bodies, pain, and minor road rash are not justifiable needs. Irreparable bikes and broken bones are justifiable needs and will be sagged. TOSRV Sag Wagon service will only take you to the nearest food stop. With a little effort you can usually find a ride to that evening's destination. Remember to prepare your bike and your body for this ride and be able to make repairs to your bike if needed. Personal Sag Wagons Personal support vehicles should stay off the Tour route. Support vehicles on the route create a safety hazard for riders and can quickly make riders lives miserable. Most locals stay off the TOSRV route, so should your personal sag service. We offer a Sag Crew registration for $15. This gives Sag Crews access to the food stops. Meetings can be arranged at food stops. Personal vehicles must travel via State Route 23. Please refer to the Sag Wagon Map available on our website and at Registration. Safe Riding Practices Bicyclists must comply with all vehicle regulations. Please pay particular attention to the traffic signals in Chillicothe. We are asking all TOSRV riders to ride with extra caution and guide inexperienced riders. The potential for accidents is our greatest concern. Demonstrate basic courtesy to motorists and other cyclists when you ride TOSRV. If you are a slow rider, keep to the far right. Do not stop in the middle of a road; pull over to the side of the road before dismounting. If you are having trouble climbing a hill, keep to the right. If you need to dismount and walk, try to stay off the road as much as possible. Emergencies Central Ohio Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) vehicles will be stationed along the TOSRV route at two-mile intervals. If you see or are involved in an accident or serious problem, please report it immediately to a mobile unit. In case of an emergency at your home while you are riding, the ARES will attempt to contact you. Leave the TOSRV Emergency Number (614) 461-6648 at home with your family and friends. This number will only be in service as the Emergency Contact during TOSRV weekend and it is to be used only in the case of a serious emergency. Weather We cannot emphasize enough the long history of unpredictable weather and temperature extremes on TOSRV. TOSRV has had it all, even snow. We have had temperatures change over 40 degrees in a single day. High winds, headwinds, tailwinds, rain, lightning, blazing hot sun, rain, and flooding, (did we mention rain?) are not unusual on TOSRV. Please be prepared for any weather condition. Repairs Baer Wheels (Columbus), Breakaway Bikes (Delaware), and Century Cycles (Medina, Peninsula, and Rocky River) will provide mobile repair services to TOSRV riders at minimal cost. Repair vehicles generally congregate in the area of the greatest number of riders, such as food stops. Special thanks go to these good people. Ride Starting Time and Location TOSRV starts on High Street in front the Statehouse. There is no set departure time; you may start at any time between 6:10 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. on Saturday. Parade Starts on Saturday For those experienced riders who would like a group start we will be offering two parade starts at 6:30 a.m. and 7:30 a.m. Parade riders will be grouped by their average riding speed. The fastest riders will be in the front, the slowest in the rear. Parade riders will ride at a constant speed of 15 mph with police escort until they reach the edge of town, where they can then ride at their own pace. While in the parade, riders must be able to ride formation (2 abreast and be spaced two bike lengths apart). Parade participants will not move forward or backward in the group once the parade begins. Parade riders understand that they will risk expulsion from TOSRV if they violate parade rules. The parade will end around the 6-mile mark, where the parade will become a mass start. It is hoped that the fastest riders will be at the front of the pack and the slowest riders will be at the back. The goal of grouping riders by their riding speed is to minimize passing which should significantly increase rider safety in the mass start. Food Stops The registration fee includes food on both Saturday and Sunday at stops located on the TOSRV route, spaced at approximately 25-mile intervals. The first food stop is located in Circleville at Ted Lewis Park, 25 miles south of Columbus. The other food stops are located in Chillicothe, the halfway point; and near Waverly, about 75 miles south of Columbus. The lunch provided at Chillicothe Yoctangee Park will be the main lunch for the Half Tour rider.
Portsmouth Party Make Tracy Park at the corner of Chillicothe and 9th Street your first stop in Portsmouth to enjoy the band, the food, and the refreshments. Food TOSRV does not provide supper on Saturday night, but there a number of modestly-priced options, which will all be listed on the Portsmouth map in your rider packet. Saturday Night Shelter The TOSRV Saturday overnight assignments are located in several buildings near downtown Portsmouth. Dry, indoor floor sleeping spaces will be provided for all riders who have requested accommodations. You must provide your own sleeping bag and pad. We have made provisions for both separate and co-ed overnight facilities. Showers are available at all overnight locations; riders must provide their own soap and towels. Camping The Portsmouth Stadium is the site for riders who have chosen the camping option. A shower trailer will be provided. There will also be parking space available for self-contained camping vehicles, but no hook-ups. Portsmouth Hotels Any hotel or motel expenses are a riders responsibility, and separate from the registration fees. At the present time, all Portsmouth hotel and motels rooms are reserved for Saturday night. The independent-rider baggage truck will be at Tracy Park. Please return your baggage by 9:00 a.m. on Sunday to the truck at Tracy Park. Flood Wall Murals Check out the murals on the floodwall near the SR 104 entrance to town, including the wonderful double mural depicting TOSRV. One-Way TOSRV We will provide showers in Portsmouth. School buses will leave starting at 6:00 p.m. and the last one will depart at 6:30 p.m. The buses will be located at Portsmouth High School. We will start packing bikes starting at 4:00 p.m. We recommend that your bike be packed in the trucks as soon as you can so we do not have departure delays. Please note that it is your responsibility to get to the buses before they depart. You will need to have your bike number attached to your bicycle. When we unload your bicycle in Columbus you will present your matching rider number to get your bicycle. Bicycles without numbers will be handed out last in Columbus. The buses and trucks will unload in Columbus near the Statehouse. Baggage The baggage trucks will depart from Portsmouth promptly at 9:00 a.m. on Sunday. Sunday Morning Food Crispie Creme Donut Shop will start serving riders hot chocolate and donuts at 5:00 a.m. Abandoning TOSRV in Portsmouth If you registered for Classic or Half TOSRV, we will not transport you back from Portsmouth. The only commercial passenger service between Portsmouth and Columbus is a taxi cab. If you are unwilling to pay for a taxi, you will need to beg for a ride. Your last resort will probably be at the Crispie Creme Donut Shop on Sunday morning.
Sunday Check-In Columbus Upon completion of the Full TOSRV, please check in with the TOSRV Registrar located in Bicentennial Park. You will receive a certificate of participation, and if you rode the entire 210 miles, a gold seal will be affixed. Showers are available at the YMCA until 8:00 p.m. for $3; bring your own towel and soap. Chillicothe Half TOSRV riders will check in at Bolmer Shelter and receive a certificate of participation.
Refunds TOSRV registrations cannot be reassigned. If you are unable to attend TOSRV, you may request a refund. All refund requests must be postmarked by April 10th and sent by certified mail. Refund requests are subject to a $10.00 processing fee.
Questions If you have questions about any aspect of TOSRV, check our website: www.tosrv.org. For emergency situations/problems before the Saturday start you may e-mail or call the TOSRV Hot Line at (614) 461-6648 between 5:30 p.m. and 10:00 p.m.
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