Ocho

The approximate number of miles I rode before I came upon this deal.

Many will recognize that as Deadman's Curve, the double turn double overpass hazard on Raymond.

Two summers ago the pavement and intersection on the south side was completely redone.

Last summer they completed a major sewage project on the north side that included all new pavement (with bike lanes).

This year there isn't anything left to do but this.

The road is closed.

But actually the whole purpose of posts titled "ocho" and "cinco" is as an homage to the great Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver, Chad Johnson.

Mr. Johnson was talented and confident, brash and full of himself.  He, as many professional athletes do, began shortly after arriving in the league to refer to himself in the third person.  Then he made up a nickname for himself and began referring to himself in all interviews with his new moniker.  His number was 85 and he began to say things like "8 5 made a great play on that one."  Only he wasn't saying "eight five".  He referred to himself as "ocho cinco."

Eventually his fondness for ochocinco led him to want to use his nickname as his name on the back of his jersey.  The NFL had already been alerted to the dangers of allowing nicknames by Rod Smart of the WFL Las Vegas Outlaws.  That league allowed players to use whatever words they wished on the their jerseys and Mr. Smart debuted in the league with "HE HATE ME" on the back of his shirt.

Not wishing to travel that road the NFL disallowed Mr. Johnson's request to use "OCHOCINCO".   He was informed that he could only use his actual surname.  In a brilliant sidestep Mr. Johnson went into civil court and had his name legally changed from Johnson to Ochocinco.  He finished his career under that name and with that name on his jersey.

After finally leaving the game behind he changed his name back to Johnson.

All hail Chad Ochocinco.

Here's something you don't see very often, a detour apparently only for pedestrians and bicyclists.

Except oddly enough, when you follow that detour, as I did, you come to this.

Not only is the road closed, clearly no bicycle passage, but the sidewalk is also closed, no pedestrian passage.

However, if you hunt around enough there is a sidewalk down there on the other side of the street that is open.  That is, however, the only available passage through there and I don't ride on sidewalks.

The last couple of miles were pretty hard again today but maybe just a teensy tiny bit not quite as hard.