The two-day bicycle Tour of the Scioto River Valley is better known by its acronym, TOSRV. It began as a father-and-son outing in 1962 before quickly growing into (at one time) the nation’s largest bicycle touring weekend. It is non-competitive and is held annually on Mother's Day

Mother's Day

Mother's Day is a celebration honoring mothers and celebrating motherhood, maternal bonds, and the influence of mothers in society. It is celebrated on various days in many parts of the world, yet most commonly in March, April, or May...

 weekend.

May 7 and 8, 2011 will be the 50th annual tour with around 3000 cyclists expected to ride the 210 mile weekend (105 miles Saturday and 105 miles Sunday). The tour starts in Columbus, Ohio

Columbus, Ohio

Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...

 on Saturday and the riders spend the night in Portsmouth on the Ohio River

Ohio River

The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...

and return on Sunday to Columbus.

TOSRV is organized by Columbus Outdoor Pursuits (COP), an organization with a full range of noncompetitive outdoor activities. The tour has become known as America’s Bicycle Touring Classic.

Since the TOSRV route runs along the Scioto River valley, 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, steep 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 along the same route.

TOSRV is not for the casual cyclist. To enjoy TOSRV riders should have ridden at least 400 miles during the two months prior to the Tour including at least one 75-mile day. The riders, their bicycles, and equipment must be in top shape. In the 1970s and 1980's, there were around 6000 to 7000 riders who participated in TOSRV.

History

The tour began as a father-son ride in 1962 and grew from there to become one of the largest bicycling tours in America, having 2,672 riders in 2010. The most riders the tour ever hosted was in 1989 with 6,650 riders. A staggered start was necessary in 1973 since the tour reached 2,500 cyclists. People come from all over the nation and Canada to ride TOSRV. Charlie Pace was named director of the tour in 1967 and will retire after the 50th anniversary ride in 2011. The tour is now an important part of the culture in Portsmouth, which is known as the city of murals for the colorful depictions of its history on the flood walls. One of the murals is a depiction of the tour.

Support Team

Sag services are provided for registered riders. Every two miles there is a support team vehicle on the side of the road in case of emergencies such as serious bicycle damage, or injury all day until 9 o’clock at night when the tour ends.

In front of the state building Saturday morning there is a truck to put baggage, sleeping bags and any other materials riders don’t want to carry with them on the ride to Portsmouth. Food is provided at the three stops, Circleville, Chillicothe, and Waverly spaced about 25 miles apart.

Half TOSRV

Less experienced riders or riders who do not like the idea of spending a whole day on a bike can opt for the half TOSRV which only goes to Chillicothe Saturday then back to Columbus on Sunday. The half TOSRV riders still receive full support.

Overnight Accommodations

TOSRV registration and hotel accommodations are at the Hyatt on Capital Square in downtown Columbus. The Hyatt allows participants to keep their bikes in their rooms and has discounted rates for the weekend.

Once in Portsmouth Saturday night, there are many overnight options. Included in the entry fee is overnight stay in Spartan Stadium camping. An alternative option is the YMCA for $17. All hotels and motels in the area fill up rather quickly around January.

Safety

In 2008 a man, William Crowley, was killed on Route 23 during the tour. According to State Highway Patrol he was struck from behind by a sport-utility vehicle. The director of the tour said that this is not the designated route, but that some cyclists chose to take it to save some time. However Route 23 is not as safe as Route 104, the designated route. This was the first fatality of the tour in its almost 50-year history. After the incident TOSRV cautioned riders from riding outside the designated route. All participants are required to where a helmet.

Riders of the tour consider the ride to be a safe one. The radio stations in central Ohio and along the tour in Circleville, Chillicothe, Waverly, and Portsmouth all broadcast messages letting drivers know to be alert and courteous of bikers during the weekend.

Route

The cyclists share the road with drivers for the day. Most of the route is on two-lane country roads. The route is marked with spray paint on the road and with signs at crucial turns.

The 2010 tour included an extra 8 miles each way due to a detour since a bridge was closed for repairs. The detour was between the Chillicothe and Waverly stops, which is the longest and hilliest part of the ride.