Seven-year-old Nate Wideman, of Darlington, S.C., never saw a firefly until he came to southeast Ohio.
"One crawled on my arm yesterday," he said.
The boy is riding on a tandem bike with his dad, Rich Wideman, 39, in the Great Ohio Bicycle Adventure.
The 2,450 cyclists who are participating in the ride rolled into Marietta Monday, and the campus of Marietta College was turned into a temporary campground, with tents covering much of the college's green space.
For many of the riders, the event is a tradition. But it's Rich Wideman's first time participating, and it's his first time in this region of the state.
"It's been good so far," he said. "I love cycling, I love the camaraderie you get with cycling, and I love the time I get to spend with my son."
For some people, like siblings Jan Mathis and Bill Brokaw, the ride is a family affair. While Mathis, 61, now lives in Arizona and Brokaw, 66, hails from Lancaster, both of them graduated from Marietta College. In total, there are seven people from their family participating in the ride.
Bill Brokaw said this is his 17th year participating in GOBA.
"This is one of the best family rides in the country," he said. "This is the best escape vacation I've ever found."
He said this year's route is the hilliest he's ever experienced in a GOBA ride, and it's also been hot. Still, he said it's been enjoyable.
"You make all sorts of friends," he said.
Nicholas Wuebker, 22, of Dayton, said, "It's hot, but it's a lot of fun."
The Hocking College alumnus said this year is his sixth participating in the ride. He said his parents are riding with him.
"You get to meet a lot of great people out here," he said.
Karen Carter, 54, of Denver who has never been to the area, is pulling her 3-year-old great-niece in a burley behind her bicycle.
She said the toddler has actually done quite well, and has even been singing along the way.
"She's been getting me up the hard hills," she said.
Carter went on to say that the ride has been "wonderful", as well as the cyclists participating in the ride.
"I love my home state, but (this) is the friendliest tour I've ever been in," she said.
