The True Story 200K is an out-and back ride from Indianapolis, the capitol city of Indiana, to the small town of Story in Brown County.
The ride begins at the Major Taylor Velodrome, which is at the heart the Indianapolis cycling community. The velodrome is named after Major Taylor, an African American professional cyclist who was born in Indianapolis in 1878 and began his illustrious career here. Marian University, which manages the Velodrome, and is directly across the street from it, has for some time been a powerhouse in collegiate bicycle racing.
The first part of the ride hugs the east bank of the White River on Indianapolis’s growing system of trails. We turn onto West Street at the J. W. Marriott Hotel, a tall building with a blue glass façade.
West Street leads to Bluff Road, a rough, urban road that is scheduled to be repaved with a bike lane; we will all be thankful when that improvement occurs. From Bluff Road, we take an oblique left turn onto Morgantown road, which leads us from suburbia to the countryside. The Citgo station, on the left at about mile 20.4, provides the last services on the route for about 24 miles, when we arrive at the control in Bean Blossom.
After we turn left off of Morgantown Road, we skirt the edge of Bargersville; there are services slightly off the route here, including Tax Man, an excellent brewpub with Belgian-style bears. We then navigate a number of county roads, with a few steep descents and climbs out of creek beds, and eventually come to Spearsville Road, which takes us into Brown County. Beginning with the Fall 2023, we will take Bean Blossom Road into Nashville. This is a quiet and scenic ride, with a two challenging hills, and some good downhill runs. The second control will be at the very pleasant Farm Hosue Cafe. We then continue onto Grassy Creek Road, and from there to Main Street in Nashville. We pass directly in front of Big Woods at Hard Truth Hills, a brewpub that is a very pleasant place for lunch with ample outdoor seating; it is on your left soon after you turn onto Main Street. After a short stretch on Highway 46, which has a mercifully wide shoulder, we take Highway 135 along the eastern border of Brown County State Park, the largest and most visited state park in Indiana.
After some climbing and some twisty roads, we come to Story, the turn-around point. Story was a village founded in the late 19th-century that declined after World War II and was abandoned in the 1970s. In the 1990s, it was redeveloped as a hotel and resort. There is a fairly good sit-down restaurant in the hotel, which is moderately priced, but might take too much time for those who are in a hurry (I usually allow an hour when I eat there.) In the summer, there is faster and cheaper outdoor dining on the patio.
From Story, we turn around, and do it all over again. However, instead of taking Bean Blossom Road, we will instead continue on Grassy Creek Road, which will give us the pelasure of climbing Grassy Creek Hill. The fourth Control is at the Dollar General Store in Bean Blossom. Bill Monroe, the father of modern bluegrass music, established his annual festival in Bean Blossom in 1951, and that festival and several others have continued there since Monroe died in 1996. You will see the festival grounds on the left as you approach the control.
And, after some climbing and some twisty roads, we come to Story, the turn-around point. Story was a village founded in the late 19th-century that declined after World War II and was abandoned in the 1970s. In the 1990s, it was redeveloped as a hotel and resort. There is a fairly good sit-down restaurant in the hotel, which is moderately priced, but might take too much time for those who are in a hurry (I usually allow an hour when I eat there.) In the summer, there is faster and cheaper outdoor dining on the patio.
From Story, we turn around, and do it all over again.