Ohio Adventure Miscellany

Our shadows will remain
Even after we are gone

 ~ Joseph Arthur

Here are the bits and pieces that didn't really fit anywhere else:

I. Where did we stay?

Chillicothe was the largest town near the Hopewell earthworks, Highland Sanctuary, and the parks we thought we might investigate. We stayed at a hotel in Chillicothe for 4 nights and then moved to a suite at Highland. We were well taken care of at the hotel (Holiday Inn Express by Highway 23*). At first we wondered about the location - not necessarily the best part of town. But for travel, it was perfectly located on major roadways. The staff was terrific! The bed was great! So we were able to rest well after our busy days.

The stay at Highland Wildlife Sanctuary was beyond words really. Our suite in the trees/on the cliff is called the Eyrie Suite and is located on Cave Road.** It really does feel like you are staying in a tree house. The creek sounds lull you to sleep and the bird songs wake you in the morning. Fabulous!

Our last night was at the Holiday Inn Express near the airport. It was fine, but staying only one night did not allow us to bond with the staff. They did have bacon for breakfast so I had a "pig in the blanket" which made me happy as we prepared for the flights home.

II. Where did we eat?

We tried to avoid chain restaurants, but messed up first thing. We were hungry as we headed to Chillicothe from John Glenn International Airport in Columbus. Stopping in Circleville at the Pizza Cottage. The food was fine, but the service was terrible. Our waitress was more interested in talking to other customers. The other wait staff appeared to be much more "with it." We did take the leftovers with us and ate them later.

I wanted to eat at the CRISPIE CREME DONUT shop in Chillicothe, but there just wasn't time. I hear the breakfast and coffee are good.

R Kitchen on Paint in Chillicothe served crab cakes.*** So I took DH to try them. We actually went back two days later. Our first waiter, Josh, was probably the best I've ever seen. I was disappointed he didn't wait on us the second visit. [We also saw a family celebrating two birthdays. The celebration was nice - subdued, but happy.]

DH's crab cakes. I helped him with the broccoli.

We got smart and used an appetizer plate the second go-round.

I had meat loaf on our first visit. It was wonderful. I shared my peas (one of the few veggies he likes) with DH.

I tried the hamburger the next time. It was great!

Happy birthday twice! Mom takes the pictures.

We ate at the White Star Restaurant**** in Peebles, Ohio after we visited the Serpent Mound. This was the best in local diners - wonderful comfort food. The wait staff was on top of things and service was quick. I was ready for a nap after I finished my dinner. [I should note that I was surprised at how similar Ohio food is to what I consider "southern cooking."]

We both were so hungry we forgot and started eating before I got photos - hence crushed bun on this tenderloin sandwich that we would call a chicken fried steak sandwich.

I had pinto beans and cornbread, pickled beets, meatloaf, and scalloped potatoes. Everything was great! We both ate more than we should have, but I'd do it again.

For a fast lunch when we arrived early at Highland Wildlife Sanctuary, we followed a recommendation and went to eat at JR's General Store***** on route 41 out of Bainbridge. What a fabulous place. I cannot even start to say what all is available here. There was a crowd on Saturday so we got a couple of sandwiches made to order, macaroni salad and potato salad. We looked around, but decided to come back early on Monday to shop. We did shop a little (no room in the suitcases). DH purchased an Amish style hat with a large brim and I got dark blue hulled popcorn to share with friends. We also picked up a few things at the bakery. There is really little waiting at either store as this is the hardest working, no nonsense staff I have ever seen.

Whoopie Pies at the bakery. No, I did not get one.

In between hikes on Mothers' Day we went into town in Bainbridge so I could send some text messages and ate at Doc's Bainbridge Restaurant (JR's was closed on Sunday). DH ate a grilled ham and cheese sandwich and fries and I had a bacon cheeseburger. "All the way" is called "delux" at Doc's and it definitely was one great burger.

You can see how I would make him share a fry or two (or 10).

Just look at that burger.

We didn't eat out again until we were on our way back to Columbus. We had lunch in Circleville again. This time we ate at El Palomar. I knew that la paloma is dove in Spanish and so wasn't surprised that El Palomar means "dovecote." DH loved it. I found the food very bland - no spice at all. But this is how many Americans eat Mexican food. I would have appreciated some spicy picante or something!

DH had the cheese enchiladas in meat sauce. The meat sauce was VERY meaty - chunks of meat, not ground meat.

I had chicken enchiladas verdes. The meat was tender and juicy, just not seasoned. The guacamole was good.

After a 4 hour nap (!) once we shopped and then found our hotel in Columbus, DH took me out on the town - to the Frisch's  Big Boy next door to the hotel. The food was fine, but the service was hilarious and wonderful. Heather was our waitress and she was a pistol, a piece of work, a riot - I could go on and on. Regulars came in and were greeted. Heather helped you order, "get the grilled chicken on the salad, I think it is fresher" and so forth. I listened and had a grilled chicken salad. DH had a fried steak dinner I think. We didn't take pictures of the food. It is a chain. Go to the website. Instead we took pictures with the Big Boy outside.

Seriously - we were here!

 III. Hiking and visiting State Parks, State Forests, and NATURE PRESERVES

Costs and permits for entry into state run facilities depend. Sometimes there is a parking fee. Most have no entry fee or permit. Some facilities may be closed. Do your research!


MANY if not MOST NATURE PRESERVES REQUIRE A PERMIT. YOU MUST GET THE PERMIT by applying TWO WEEKS IN ADVANCE. YOU CANNOT JUST SHOW UP AND GET THE PERMIT. 

I am shouting the bit about NATURE PRESERVES because I didn't get the permit in advance even though I had been planning the trip early and had time. I just got sick and forgot all about it.

We were fortunate that the permit for Miller Nature Preserve came with the rental of our suite at Highlands Wildlife Sanctuary and so we were able to visit and hike in that wonderful place.

Trekking poles make all the changes in elevation much easier...I'm now a believer!

IV. Shopping

We didn't shop much, really. We got a couple of T-shirts at shops on-site at the Hopewell Culture Park and the Great Serpent Mound. I bought blue hulled popcorn for gifts and DH got a straw hat at JR's. There is a great history shop (called The History Store - what else?) in Chillicothe on Park Street. They had everything from miniature soldiers to creche figures to famous people "bobble heads." I kinda wanted the pope, but really had no room in the suitcase. DH got a book.

We stopped to kill time in Circleville at an antique shop called, Two Broads and a Geezer. Had we been in a car I would have cleared the place out. There were mid-century modern chairs I would own (I am still thinking about them) and all kinds of marvelous things with excellent prices. DH found glasses like some his parents had gotten him when he was about 10. I had to figure out how to pack them safely IN MY LUGGAGE (all three glasses arrived safely!).

DH making a "what me?" motion at the antique store's sign.

Early Russell Wright (American Modern). It's interesting, but not my china.

Finally, I always try to locate at least one surplus store on each trip we take. DH just loves surplus stores. There happened to be one near our hotel in Columbus - Surplus World, Inc.  which we visited on our last night in Ohio. Of course DH found a few things. I forget what, but at least I didn't have to figure out how I was going to fit them in my luggage, he stuffed them into his.

I just re-read this. DH did all the shopping. Just wait until next year. I will get those fabulous turquoise plastic chairs (guess you would have to see them to know how fabulous they are).

V. Airport

I love these taxi-way overpasses!

 We traveled in and out of the John Glenn Columbus International Airport. I know I compared airports in Columbus and Cincinnati. I think Columbus had slightly better schedules and I knew the airport was pretty easy to navigate, having been there in 2005 or 2006. We got lucky and were able to upgrade one leg of the trip home. It was the ride in the "puddle jumper" to Charlotte. Those planes are so small that it was well worth just a few more dollars (really, it wasn't expensive) to get more leg room.

So, what do you get special in first class, you ask. Actually, you probably don't ask because you have flown first class before. Well, this was my first time. Yes, I was a first class virgin and so I paid attention. First thing - they call you priority. It is written on your boarding pass and on a bright tag they put on your checked luggage. You are served a drink and snack before take-off. I think you might get a free alcoholic drink, but we just had our usual (DH is a Diet Coke man. I have Bloody Mary mix. Alcohol doesn't mix well with motion sickness meds.). The leg room was heaven.

No vodka in that "Mary."

VI. WILDFLOWERS

Since the trip was for wildflowers and the Serpent Mound, I will repeat the wildflower report. The wildflowers were not their best. They were past their peak. In places they were pretty sad. The time to see wildflowers in Ohio is the end of April and the first week in May at the latest. Still we saw a few things we had not seen before LIKE THIS:

Pink Lady Slipper Orchid

AND THIS

Eastern Shooting Star

AND THIS

Red Columbine

  

AND THIS

Jack-in-the-Pulpit

VII. FINALLY - DRIVING!!!

Speed limits in Ohio are slow. I think the fastest we saw was 65 on a highway that was so full of potholes and other damage you couldn't really drive that fast safely. County roads are winding and there are many blind hills and blind turns.

And you may encounter farm equipment or the horses and carts/buggies of the Amish and Mennonites.

So, be prepared for all travel to take some time. And SLOW DOWN!

Enormous farm cart - taking hanging baskets to market.

In the distance you can see a young fellow sitting on the bank of the stream.

NOTES:

*https://www.ihg.com/holidayinnexpress/hotels/us/en/chillicothe/chloh/hoteldetail/hotel-reviews#scmisc=nav_hotel-reviews_ex

**http://arcofappalachia.org/eyrie-suite/

***After the pizza - which was really decent food, but a chain nevertheless - I said, "We are just going to eat crap in Ohio." DH responded, "We're going to eat crab?" I meant fast food - certainly not crab, but found crab cakes here: http://www.rkitchenonpaint.com/

This is just as good a place as any for a couple of other jokes from the trip:

     At breakfast one morning there were two guys in work clothes sitting at the
     elevated table. The shorter, heavier guy said to the other fellow: "So I says 
     to my wife, imagine if I ate right and exercised, just how sexy I'd get. It's
     not gonna happen, but just imagine."

     And then there was this:

     Heather, the waitress at the Columbus Big Boy said to another nearby
     customer pointing out how she and her family endure: "... New house, 
     seven kids, we're doin' it."

     DH comments to me sotto voce: "Apparently so."

****https://www.facebook.com/White-Star-Restaurant-639148172835528/

*****https://www.facebook.com/pages/JRs-General-Store-Farm-Market/200130306673785

******https://www.facebook.com/Docs-Bainbridge-Restaurant-1528928317333943/

*******https://www.frischs.com/


Final Note: 

How far did we walk? Not really that far:

8th    1.7 miles, 2 floors (travel day)
9th    3.2 miles, 1 floor
10th  4.4 miles, 23 floors
11th  5.9 miles, 9 floors
12th  2.4 miles, 7 floors (travel day)
13th  5.1 miles, 14 floors
14th  1.4 miles, 0 floors (travel day)
15th  1.2 miles, 0 floors (travel day)

We saw this disaster in Bainbridge. We have no idea what happened, but it looks like a building fell on these cars. But there is no building there.

FINAL WARNING ---> WEAR YOUR INSECT REPELLENT! 

[I had to remove two ticks! YUCK!}