08.17.2023 - leaving columbus

i spent four days in columbus with ana not really doing much except recharging.  eating, drinkin, resting. and it was quality time with my daughter.  it's rare, in fact i don't think it's ever happened, that we are alone together for an extended time, with no agenda, no where to be, nothing to get done.  once i got over my initial adjustment, it was very nice to be with her, in her environment, seeing the woman she's grown into.  ana is the one daughter that doesn't cook much, so we went out to dinner each night and had lots of time to talk.

but come thursday, it was time to hit the road again and complete the trip.  a little over 200 miles, three days of riding, to pittsburgh.  rain forecast for thursday evening only, otherwise all sunny, but no where specific to camp along the way, no warmshoowers, no campgrounds.  i would have to trust to finding spots along the trails. and most of it would be trails except for a couple of 10-20 mile breaks.

so out on the road and up the trail, erie to ohio trail, one i know pretty well.  i stopped for breakfast at the sunbury grill on the town square, a place i discovered on my first ride through on the etot.  a classic diner.  had a good talk with the waitress who showed proper enthusiasm for my accomplishments.

then, on up the kokosing gap  trail.

past the ariel foundation park outside mount vernon.  i' m not sure what the foundation is, but they've taken an old industrial site and saved some of the 'ruins', created a covered event center in an old factory shell and a smaller eating venue, then built a series of landscape follies.  adjacent is a large park and lake.  really an amazing thing to stumble upon in the middle of a depressed ohio area.

on the other side of mt. vernon, i picked up the kokosing gap trail, past kenyon college and on up to danville.

in danville, i went to don leo's market and bought a fresh made sandwhich for less than $4 from a young amish woman dressed in blue.  

i took the sandwhich and headed 4 miles up the road to the bridge of dreams, outside brinkhaven. i was made aware of the fact that this was now amish country as the trail was spotted with horse shit and the asphalt scarred from horseshoe cleats.

the rain was still a couple of hours away, but you could see the clouds coming.  and 55 miles was a good first day back on the road.  there was a parking area, a covered pavilion with picnic tables, and a port-o-toilet.  a few hours later, as the rain poured down and thunder rumbled, i was patting myself on the back for making a wise decision.  i'm not known for leaning to the side of precaution.  

in the early evening, every now and then an amish buggy, horse drawn, came clopping down the trail.