'Keeping it cool' ride recap

[Ed note: Special thanks to July's ride leader and special guest blog contributor Kathleen O'Dowd!]

It can be"hot in the city", but we knew how to keep our cool and find ways to stay cool! With around 70 cyclists in tow, we headed out from Whole Foods with confidence that relief from the heat was in sight.

Our first stop was the Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center, where we learned that Ohio State is a major player in this field of research. Thanks to Geoff Dipre, PhD student at the center, who helped coordinate our tour. We learned about the ecological stories that ice cores tell, and were very tempted to sneak into the room-sized freezers to cool off! Many of us plan to make a return visit for a more extended tour of the facility, and to see the ice cores first hand. After sharing their research efforts, Geoff and a fellow climate researcher joined in the rest of the Year of Yay ride!

7 miles later, it was time to refresh with a dose of Graeter's Ice Cream. Cyclists were invited to take a self-guided mini-tour, to learn about the Graeter's process for creating their Strawberry Chocolate Chip ice cream, or whatever flavor they care about. . . but who cares about anything but Strawberry Chocolate Chip. . . shrug! Mostof the group chose to simply indulge in some creamy goodness. Thanks to the crew there who stepped up to serve us.

Next stop was Zauber Brewing Co., and a tour with brewer and fellow cyclist Geoff Towne. (Is this the cycling tour of the Geoffs?) Initially opened as a small alley-side growler fill station in 2012, it expanded into a beautiful bar. Bike friendly, there was plenty of room for the almost 70 bikes that invaded the Grandview patio space. We even "lost" a few cyclists at the brewery, after they decided to relax there for a few.

The rest of the Year of Yay crew returned to Whole Foods. We gathered over pizza and Zauber beer on tap, brought to you by Year of Yay! A fun time. . . well, a fun time was had by all. Oh, and we stayed cool!