Enjoying The Ride

 

 

 

 Our road trips are mostly weekend escapes but some are longer. We once started a road trip and ended up in Nevada. We had no plans to go that far but we enjoyed the ride. We especially enjoyed traveling in Utah and Colorado. The best food we ever ate on the road was in roadside bar & grill in Colorado. It was very rustic and western, had a friendly, pleasant atmosphere and the food was really good.

We mostly travel to out of the way places. It’s not about destinations, it’s about slowing the trip down and seeing new places and meeting new people. We have our own adventurous style of travel, I’m not saying it’s right, it’s ours and we are happy with it. Cell phones are silenced except if we need to use them. Getting away from phones, computers, traffic and noise far from the hustle and bustle of urban life is like medicine for the soul.

We’ve spent many years traveling together and have learned the art of traveling slowly. We keep a positive attitude and place a high value on forming relationships with local residents and others we meet. We’ve met many wonderful everyday men and women over the years, some have become lifelong friends. Stepping outside your comfort zone to talk to new people and try new things can be rewarding.  Embrace the unknown; you never know if you'll be in a particular place again and what you discover can be amazing.

The National Road Project

In 2018, we started the National Road Project - To explore and photograph the Ohio portion of the National Road and what remains of the original roadway, buildings and structures from the Pennsylvania border to the Indiana border. The National Road was nicknamed "The Main Street of America". There are historic stone bridges on the National Road that have their own stories to tell. The S Bridge, so named because of its design, stands 4 miles east of Old Washington, Ohio. Built in 1828 as part of the National Road, it is a single arch stone structure. It had deteriorated and was used only for pedestrian traffic but I believe it has now been restored. It’s a great adventure and there are many things to see from a bygone era. There’s also a “Y” bridge in Zanesville that was built in 1814 and spans the confluence of the Licking and Muskingum Rivers. The Route 40 project is finished. We explored what remains of the original National Road (Route 40) in Ohio. It was interesting and a lot of fun.

Artesian Well

An artesian well is a well that brings groundwater to the surface without pumping because it is under pressure within a body of rock or sediment known as an aquifer. Water runs from this well continually year round. There are many of these wells in Ohio. 

Wild Rose

Cryss took this photo of a wild rose growing near a forest path. They have a pleasant fragrance but not as strong as garden roses. Wild roses can be found in areas such as fence rows, woodland edges, and prairies. There are many wild flowers to be seen in Ohio’s woodlands.

Rusting Away

Abandoned barns and broken down farm equipment fascinate me. There are stories behind the abandoned machines. I sometimes look for clues to see if I can learn what happened and why it was abandoned and left to rust away. Discarded objects, an old shed, piles of junk can sometimes give clues. The truck in the photo is a 1960’s model. The amount of undisturbed dust in the barn tells us that it’s been sitting here for many years. This barn and a small shed are all that remain of a farm.

Lawn Mowers

Sheep keep this cemetery mowed. Sheep run on what they eat and don't emit carbon as they mow. Sheep eat most lawn weeds, as well as grass. Sheep don't require any sharpening or tuning before lawn mowing season starts. They don't throw rocks at windows. However, they do require care all year long, and carrying water to them all winter is a lot of work compared with tuning up a lawn mower. We have also seen goats in cemeteries. It's easy to distinguish between them, sheep tails hang down and goats tails usually point up.  

Wind In The Willows

Both the Ancient Egyptians and Hippocrates recommended using the bark of a willow tree for pain relief. But it was not until 1915 that drugs giant Bayer started selling it over the counter as aspirin. It is now the subject of between 700 and 1,000 clinical studies each year. 

I saw this beautiful willow tree growing at the edge of a field. The weeping willow originated in Northern China and was cultivated throughout Asia. Traded along the Silk Road, it eventually made its way to Europe. It was introduced to North America by early colonists. Often the first to leaf out in spring and the last to shed in fall, it is a wonderful shade tree. We had a willow tree in our back yard when I was a kid, it was a great climbing tree and a secret hiding place. There was often caterpillars on it during the summer. Sadly, it grew too big for our yard and had to be cut down. As their silvery leaves shimmer in the wind and if you listen closely, you might hear the elves and fairies whispering among themselves.

The Beauty Of Decay

Nature is reclaiming this barn. It was once new and no doubt the owners of this land once took great pride in their homestead.

Left Behind

 Another scene of abandonment, where the passage of time is etched into the metal of farm equipment. The image captures the rusted remains of a baler,  its color faded and surface corroded, resting in a field. There is a somber beauty in the decay, a silent testament to the relentless march of time and the transient nature of human endeavor.

Marietta-Harmar Bridge

The Marietta-Harmar Bridge carried the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad over the Muskingum River between Marietta and Harmar, Ohio. The B&O abandoned the Harmar bridge in 1962. The non-profit Harmar Bridge Company was formed in the 1980s which fundraised money to add a pedestrian walkway alongside the railroad bridge. Due to deterioration and liability, the walkway was closed to pedestrians in February of 2020. We were there before it closed and walked the 900 foot bridge. 

Marietta is the oldest city in the state of Ohio. The city was established in 1788 by the 48 members of the Ohio Co. expedition. Known as the Riverboat Town, Marietta is also the first official American settlement north and west of the Ohio River.

1920's Farm

International Harvester Manure Spreader, 1920’s

Horse-drawn manure spreader. Animal manure was a very important product for sustainable farming through the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. Chemical fertilizers were just beginning to be made and sold, and they were expensive and had to be shipped in. Meanwhile, right on the farm was a constant source of fertilizer.

Yellow Butterfly

Grapes are grown in all forty-eight of the lower US states, including Ohio. Ohio has more wineries per square mile than any other region. The Yellow Butterfly Winery is situated on a farm and cattle ranch near Newcomerstown. The barn was built at the turn of the last century and is more than 125 years old. The winery has multi- leveled deck and a onsite kitchen. The Yellow Butterfly winery is in a beautiful country setting with alpacas to see.  We like traveling in wine country on road trips. Neither of us are fans of wine but there’s always beautiful scenery, small towns and sometimes locally owned restaurants that have really good food. We always stop if we find a winery. Wine country tends to have vineyards, orchards, breweries and sometimes cidreries. You don’t have to travel to Napa, California to do a wine country road trip. 

Cyprus Swamp

This Cyprus swamp is in Licking County. Cypress swamps are groups of trees dominated by bald cypress trees. Other plants growing in the understory of a cypress swamp, are swamp fern, spikerush and marsh fleabane. Growing on the trunks and branches of the cypress trees are air plants. Instead of having their roots in the soil they wrap around the cypress tree to stay in place. Air plants use photosynthesis to create their own food and obtain moisture from humidity, like fog and rain. The  woody vertical projections above the water level grow up from the tree roots and are called knees. Their purpose is unknown.

Ohio Barns

There are many barns in Ohio. They tell the story of hard work and tradition. Unfortunately, many barns like the one in the photo have been forgotten and may be telling their stories for the last time. Before they’re gone forever, take a look. 

Dietz Lantern

This Dietz lantern was hanging by the door of an old log cabin. Robert Edwin Dietz was born on January 5, 1818 in New York city. In 1840 Dietz used his savings to purchase a small oil lamp business in Brooklyn. The R. E. Dietz Company sold sperm oil, whale oil, camphene (distilled turpentine), glass lamps, candle sticks, and a few dead flame lanterns. Coal oil (kerosene) was first distilled in quantity from coal in 1856 and Robert Dietz had a ready market for a cheap, bright burning fuel. Dietz was awarded a patent for a burner specially designed to burn the new oil.

Fallow Ground

Fallow ground, or fallow soil, is ground which has been left unplanted for a period of time to rest and regenerate. A field, or several fields, are taken out of crop rotation for a specific period of time, usually one to five years, depending on crop. Fallowing has been used by farmers for centuries.

Sweetnighter

This photo was taken in Southern Ohio. We were traveling a narrow country back road and honey suckle was growing on both sides of the road and clinging to the trees almost forming a tunnel over the road. It’s a climbing vine and can quickly cover and shade out the trees. Honeysuckle smells sweet and always stirs up feelings of nostalgia and brings back memories of warm summer nights when I was growing up. It’s stronger at night. As kids, we would pinch off the flower end and suck the sweet nectar. We have it growing on our property but the scent is not as strong as the honeysuckle that grows in the south.  

The Back Yard Clothesline

I remember my mother hanging clothes outside on a clothesline when I was very young. Later, she got a clothes dryer and the clothesline was a thing of the past. I can remember the smell of fresh washed laundry and the wicker basket she used. The clothesline ran from the house to a willow tree in the backyard. Often hanging clothes would result in a conversation with neighbors. You rarely see clotheslines used now except in Amish County where it’s the only way they dry clothes.

Spring Is Coming

It’s a cool, windy March evening, the winter has passed quickly. I’m working on my laptop, doing some research for road trips this year. Our road trip season begins about the middle of May. We don’t make detailed plans or map routes. We start with a general area in mind and see where the roads take us. Occasionally we have a specific destination that we’ve learned about. Some of our most interesting discoveries were made while we were wandering aimlessly. The journey can be its own adventure. There’s a lot to be discovered on the road and in-between places. We’ve seen and experienced some really incredible places over the years. Scenic drives have been with us for as long as we’ve had vehicles and there’s something alluring about the idea of hitting the road to explore.

Some beautiful paths can’t be discovered without getting lost.

Seasons

Ohio summers are hot with thunderstorms and rains. In July, the thermometer rises to 90 °F. It is often cloudy during the day. It rains mostly in the afternoon. Tornadoes are likely in August.

April is the wettest month of the year, with the most rainfall. During the day, the weather can change dramatically.

Ohio winters are cold. Ohio is a predominantly flat state. The winds blow right through it and bring cold and humid air from the great lakes. Cold masses invade from the north, finding no natural barriers. Dense fog often comes from the side of Lake Erie and there are often blizzards. It's colder in the northern part of the state. There are few tourists in Ohio in winter. 

Back Roads

Mountain Back Roads

Photo by SR Journeys

Driving the mountain back roads on a hot August day. The heat makes the trees and plants release their scent. It’s not just a smell, it’s a feeling, a zing of euphoria. Where do the roads go ?  

Family Farm

Photo by SR Journeys

A picturesque overcast day in Jackson County. You see many farms like this in Southern Ohio. The tradition of the family farm is strong here and many farms have been passed down for generations. Some generations were farmers during their entire lifetimes. 

 Jackson County is the location of the Leo Petroglyph, a sandstone petroglyph containing 37 images of humans and other animals as well as footprints of each. The petroglyph is located near the small village of Leo, Ohio in Jackson County and is thought to have been created by the Fort Ancient peoples (possibly AD 1000–1650). The area in which the sandstone petroglyph was found is on the edge of an unglaciated Mississippian sandstone cliff 20–65 feet high. A 20 by 16 feet slab containing the 37 carvings is protected by a wooden shelter, a Works Progress Administration project. The meanings of the drawings are unknown. On November 10, 1970, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

What Is It ?

Photo by SR Journeys

Photo by SR Journeys

We have sometimes discovered mysteries in the woods like this one. It’s a man-made stone structure that has vertical chambers. Maybe an old furnace or kiln. I don’t believe there were any iron furnaces in Ohio where this is located. There are no other structures in the area. What could it have been used for…. 

Happy Place

It's just getting dark and no one's here yet, someone built a fire and everything's ready. There's no beaches nearby but we don't miss them. We stayed here many years ago when my wife and I were first married. The Tiki Bar wasn't here then. We visit here at least once a year. Everyone should have a happy place.

Sailing

Photo by SR Journeys

Not Greece or the Virgin Islands, it's Fairport Harbor on Lake Erie. There are a lot of sailboats to be seen around the shores and islands of Lake Erie. Many charters offer day trips if you want to sail the waters. Sailing is not our type of adventure, we’re happier cruising mountain back roads or hiking forest trails.

Abandoned Orchard

Photo by SR Journeys

There’s no wagon rides in this apple orchard, it has been abandoned for years. I believe cows sometimes graze here but we didn’t see any when we walked the orchard. The old orchards didn’t need irrigation, as the trees could fend for themselves. Full-size apple trees have deep root systems that survive wind, snow, dry summers and neglect for decades and if times get tough, you’ll still have apples.

Summer Is Coming

Photo by SR Journeys

It’s technically winter but the sunlight is gaining day by day, so I can’t help but feel anticipation for the upcoming gardening season. 2024’s garden season was a success for farmers. We enjoyed the bounty during the summer and also stored canned and frozen vegetables to have during the winter. We’ve tried several times to grow our own vegetables but have not been very successful. Our property is shaded by lots of trees and plants don’t get direct sunlight. The trees and shade is nice but is not good for gardening. There’s no need to remove corn from the cob, we shuck and remove the silk from corn, put it in freezer bags and freeze it on the cob. Boiled for six to seven minutes, it tastes tender and sweet, like it was just picked.