Little Miami Scenic Trail -- Day 1

One day last week I was reading a post by Larry Varney, Co-Editor of the excellent recumbent website "Bentrider Online".  In the post A Week On The Katy Trail Larry talks about long rides on bike paths.  While his post concentrated on the Katy Trail in Missouri Larry also mentioned the Little Miami Scenic Trail that is here in Ohio.  The LMST is a path I've wanted to check out for a couple years.  

Larry's post spurred me into motion and everything seemed to be lining up perfect to make a weekend of it.  I checked the availability of campsites at Caesar Creek State Park located at about the half way point of the 75 mile paved bike path that runs between Springfield and Cincinnati, Ohio.  There was a few tent site still open so I used satellite maps to reconnoiter the campground and made reservations for Friday and Saturday nights.  I spent the rest of the week preparing my gear and worrying about this and that.  I hate making plans and commitments but exploring a new place on my bike is just too big a draw for me and I will accept a little trouble.  

     

I had everything ready to roll except my cooler which I quickly filled when I got home from work.  I loaded the recumbent on the rack and hit the road.  If I'm leaving on a Friday afternoon I like to arrive with at least an hour of daylight left to set up camp and maybe cook a late dinner.  What should have been an easy two hour drive stretched to three when I spent an agonizing whole hour just getting through the Columbus, Ohio area.  A combination of rush hour and construction bottle necks had the flow stop and go for miles.  Instances like these remind me why I really don't care for big cities.

Eventually I did make it to the park as night was falling and my heightened state of irritability was ratcheted up a yet few more notches when I pulled up to my reserved campsite and found a couple already set up enjoying the evening by the campfire.  I couldn't believe it!  I parked my car and double checked that I was indeed looking at the correct site.  Putting on my happy mask I approached the couple and showed them my reservation and informed them that they were set up on my site.  I dislike confrontation and I always try to go out of my way to be a gentleman in cases like these.  They were apologetic and made an offer to quickly move but I asked them to sit tight and I would go back to the front gate and see if there was any other sites open.  An excuse was made that the little post at the front of the campsite had no "Reserved" note clipped to it.  If that was the case then the park operation screwed things up.  Explaining the situation at the check in desk the clerks apologized for the mix up and said they would have them removed from my site right away.  I told them that if they had another site still open I'd be happy to take a substitute.  I just needed a place to put down my tent. 

Lucky for everybody there was an open spot around the corner and finally I could set up my camp.  At least I had a partial moon shining down to make it a little better than operating in pitch blackness.  If I'm travelling solo I have a small dome tent that I've owned for twenty years.  I've set it up and taken it down so many times over the years that I can practically do it in the dark.  

By this time I was tired; my nerves frazzled by the long drive and I considered waiting until the next morning to cover the picnic table and unload my stove and cooking gear.  After a second thought I decided to get out my stove and warm a little water for some tea.  Evidently fate wasn't done with me yet and when I went to pump the piston to generate pressure in the Coleman stove's fuel take I found the plunger had no resistance and would build no pressure.  At this point my despair sunk to new lows.  The thought of getting back in the car now was out of the question.  I would have to go out in the morning and find a solution to my problem.  The one draw back with this scenario is that I don't like to do any problem solving until I've had my coffee and now I had no way to even heat some water.  Dejected and beat I went to bed.  Adversity builds character I kept telling myself.

     

I slept very good my first night which is a rarity waking first light in a much better mood.  Without too much trouble I found a Walmart and got a new piston for the stove for $10.  Now I really can't complain about my stove.  It has served me faithfully for twenty years without a single problem.  And good on Coleman for supporting a great design that's been around for a couple generations. My parents used Coleman stoves as did my grandparents who were campers way back in the day.  I love the fact that I could pick up a part in a local Walmart swap out the worn one and be cooking in just half a minute.  Once I compared the old and new pistons side by side I could see that the little dish shaped rubber gasket on the original stem had simple lost its ability to expand and create seal inside the cylinder.  

After coffee and a big bowl of oatmeal I was feeling ready for some adventure and the stove episode had only cost about an extra hour of the day.  

I like reading accounts of bicycle touring.  It's always been something I've thought seems interesting but I'm just not crazy about about loading down my bike with racks or towing a trailer.  I like the comfort that comes along with car camping so I don't mind integrating the two by setting up near a trail or riding area then biking out a different direction each day of my mini-tour.  For that reason I chose Caesar Creek which is near the small village of Corwin which would be my staging area. 

  

Little Miami River south of Corwin, Ohio

I rolled out a little later than I had planned but still had plenty of time to cover as much of the southern end of the trail as possible.  The weather was picture perfect early fall; warm and sunny with a light breeze coming from the north east.

The LMST follows the grade of the Little Miami Railroad which was constructed during the years of 1837 to 1845.  The railway linked up the cities of Cincinnati, Xenia and Springfield to the north.  This railroad was one of the most successful and profitable in the U.S. carrying both passengers and freight. The line changed hands several times over the years and passenger service declined in the mid 1900's while freight service carried on until the line's abandonment in 1976.  A hundred and forty years the LMRR operated.  I think it is very cool that these old right of ways are preserved today as recreational paths.  I find it so interesting to cruise along the path and think of all the history and what it must have been like to travel by rail as a passenger or perhaps make a living working on the line.  If it wasn't for bike trails this early American infrastructure would slowly be reclaimed by nature and fade from memory leaving nothing but some old pictures and a few entries in the history books.

The southern leg of the trail hugs closer to the river because the valley is narrower.  The area is remote with lots of trees along both sides of the trail and the river peeking out once in a while along the route.  Below I took this picture of a horse ranch which was one of the few places where the tree cover gave way.  

Road crossings were also much farther apart than the trails I'm used to up in north central Ohio.  It seemed like four or five miles passed by between crossings at some points along the way. 

It's always a little awe inspiring to come across big bridges after traveling through wild areas and seeing nothing but woods and sky for a time.  This steel bridge carries Interstate 71 over the Little Miami Valley.  The steel construction is old and soon to be decommissioned.  The concrete center section is the new part and I'm assuming a second one will be constructed to handle the lanes traveling in the other direction.

Speaking of bridges I expected to see more old railroad iron but I only found two all weekend.  The first I crossed coming into the town of Morrow. 

Morrow is one of those quaint old towns whose main thoroughfare was the railroad.  The buildings are arranged in a crescent shape matching the curve of the railroad.  Now the town's center is a bike trail.  How cool is that?

As I rounded the bend and passed into town I came to Morrow Station.  Of course laid back on my recumbent I noticed a telegraph pole standing proudly beside the station.

Vintage Hemingrays Awesome!

I like the design of this station with its big overhang all around.  Even on a windy and rainy day a dry spot could be found while waiting for the train.

I took a short break here and checked out this old Pennsylvania Rail Road Caboose that was built in 1905.

As I continued south getting closer to Cincinnati I came into more populated areas but in the sheltered and wooded valley next to the river I couldn't tell.  Suddenly the trees gave way to this old industrial complex known as the Peters Cartridge Company.  I took a couple more photos of this unique looking place so I'll revisit in another post.  

Once past the factory it was back into the woods.  The dappled sunlight through the trees was delightful.  I actually got a suntan in October spending the day on the bike.  I love when I'm out on my bike away from the cars on a day like this everything is right with the world.

Here is a smaller yet picturesque arch bridge I thought I wouldn't be able to get a clear shot of through the woods.  Downstream a bit I did find a spot where I could get down to the water's edge for a better vantage point.

After a couple hours I pulled into the town of Loveland.  Here I found trendy shops and eateries along the trail. 

There was some festival going on called "Tastes of Loveland" or some such but I had already picked a spot I wanted to check out when I was researching the route on the computer.

One of the trail websites I was looking on had an advertisement for Paxton's Grill. I figured with this place selling itself right next to the bike trail I wouldn't be out of place walking in with my stretchy bike suit on.  

The place was packed but I scored an empty table by the window and enjoyed a couple brown ales from the tap while I waited on a cheeseburger.  

Yes there was a patty between that bun it was just hidden under that fresh green lettuce.

After a couple beers and the delicious burger and fries I wandered around the town for a while to let the food settle.  I visited the local bike shop where I purchased a new brass bell for my bike.  I also found the Loveland Station which now houses a runners equipment shop.  I stocked up on Cliff Bars and gel packs there.

I originally planned to ride south for around 36 miles to the town of Millford but the day was getting on and after loitering around in Loveland I decided to head back up the trail.  I wanted to have a little daylight left when I got back to camp and turning around in Loveland I'd still end up with a respectable 55.4 miles for the day.

Here's a couple great shots I got on the way back as the shadows were going long. 

The southbound run was a gradual downhill with a slight tailwind so I had to force myself to take it easy.  Riding back up the trail the uphill grade was more pronounced and my average speed dropped off a couple or three mph.

Once back to camp I got a hot shower and lounged around my campsite while I heated some spicy chili on the stove.  After my meal and dusk turned slowly to night I enjoyed a cup of strong Irish tea and listened to my portable short wave radio.  Not long after the content feeling of a full belly and satisfaction that comes only from a day on the bike I could feel the tired coming on.  I turned in for some well earned rest waking only late in the night to sounds of hoot owls and a pack of coyotes passing not too far off.

  

Insulator Post -- Vintage Hemingray Recovered

One day last month I was riding along my local rail trail from the north end to the south end as is usually my practice. When on the return leg I noticed one of two old telegraph poles I pass along the way was not sticking up vertical anymore but laying in broken pieces on the ground.  The poles are noteworthy to me because they make up the last few that are still standing along the old B & O spur route that once connected Mansfield and Butler Ohio.

A few years ago I happened to be looking up (Something I'm often doing while reclined comfortably on my recumbent bike) and noticed that the two weathered poles still had some old aqua colored glass insulators on the cross arms.  I even took a picture of this particular pole with its cross arms tilting haphazardly.  The ever present tug of gravity and crumbling decay of the wood eventually brought the pole down and this is how I found it.  I noticed right away as I pulled off the trail and looked down at the broken pieces that there was not a single insulator in sight.

Oh well I thought the pieces were already picked and I just wasn't in the right place at the right time.  I was about to head on my way but I decided to get off my bike and take a closer look anyway.  In the grass half hidden under the pole a small patch of blue caught my eye.  I kicked away the debris and found an insulator still screwed onto a rusty pin.  In my excitement I scanned around the surrounding area and found the second one a few feet away just barely visible in the scrub.  At some point after the pole was already on the ground someone had cut down the taller brush in this little section between the road and the bike trail and I think that provided some of the cover for these two insulators to remain hidden until I came along.    

As an antique insulator collector this was a monumental piece of luck for me.  All of the insulators in my collection I have purchased from other collectors, found at garage sales and at insulator shows.  I have spotted many old insulators still stuck on poles some even with telegraph wire but this is the first time in my four or five years as a collector actually picking some pieces from a pole.

Long ago the copper wires these insulators supported carried land line Morse code telegraphy probably B & O railroad business, news and personal messages of citizens living in the area.  These two Hemingray - 42s were probably made in the 1920's or 30's.  They are not worth much maybe a quarter dollar a piece or fifty cents but knowing exactly where they came from and being able to document their provenance here for the future is something valuable to me.

  

Sunlite Handlebar Basket

For years I've used a backpack to carry my stuff while commuting by bicycle.  A backpack does work well but it has many disadvantages. Wearing a bag on my back in warm weather quickly overheats my back and in the winter time it can be more than a minor irritation getting the straps comfortable over a thicker jacket.

For quite a long while I have been searching for an alternative way to portage my lunchbox and other personal items on the bike.  Recently I found this Sunlite Lift-off Handlebar Basket and for $20 I decided to take a chance.  

$20 really? I am a natural skeptic but judging by the 240 reviews on Amazon; most of them very favorable, I ordered the basket.  In the meantime I continued with the backpacking thing and did a little research on the Sunlite Company which seems to have a large selection of what appears to be quality bike stuff. 

A few days later I returned home to find a big box waiting for me.  Right away when I pulled the powder coated steel basket from the cardboard I was impressed with its sturdy feeling and quality construction.  Obviously this carrier isn't made for hauling 40 pounds of bricks but for my lunchbox, coffee cup and jacket once it warms up the Sunlite works perfect.

This basket is a lift-off system.  Very much like a shopping basket two handles lift up and release the basket from the bracket which attaches to the bike.  One thing I learned from reading the reviews is that a bump in the road can cause the handles to fly up and then the basket can dislodge from the bike.  The upper interface between the basket handles and the bracket has just a small amount of slop allowing the whole thing to shake and vibrate while underway.  I despise any kind of rattle or squeaks on my bike so I fixed all these minor issues by cinching the handles down tight to the bracket with a couple solid cable ties.  I don't plan on taking the basket off so I am happy to leave it in this semi-permanent condition.

The lower part of the bracket attaches with a hook and loop strap which insulates the curved part of steel rod that rests against the bike's head tube.  This set up could present a wear issue to a painted frame but my tubes are bare titanium and I have no head tube badge to interfere with the bracket as it rotates with the handlebars.  

   

Installation could be as quick as five minutes but it took me a little longer.  Things like head tube angle and stem length can have an effect on how the bracket hangs on the bike.  With my first attempt to attach the bracket on my bike I found the top of the basket was nowhere near level and hung down nearly touching the front fender.  Another problem I found was that the lower end of the bracket could not reach the head tube without seriously smashing the brake and shifter cables.

Although I was hoping to just pop the basket on and go I anticipated some minor adjustments might need to be made.  Luckily the bottom end of the bracket is connected with a couple big rivets that with some time on the bench grinder I was able to remove.  I swapped out the rivets with some nylon spacers and stainless steel screws and lock nuts from the local hardware store.  This modification solved both problems by leveling out the basket and positioning the whole assembly forward making room for the control cable routing.

I wanted to use the set up a couple weeks before writing about it to get a good idea of the basket's function.  I do like some of the integrated handle bar baskets that are manufactured as one piece but these are pricey and also would have probably required reworking of the cable and jackets for the brakes and shifter.  So as a simple experiment to see if I would even like a handlebar basket and a modest $20 investment I am a happy commuter.  Riding without the backpack is very liberating.  I am so glad to be leaving that thing at home in the closet.  I like being able to keep an eye on my cargo and  find that with a little weight in the basket the whole thing imparts a bit of damping to the steering.  I actually like the way my bike rides now.  The bike seems to track straighter and less twitchy than without the basket.

Heritage Days Festival at Malabar Farm

 Whoo-Hoo Black Powder!

If I'm not burning some off myself second best is watching others do it!  Today Wyatt and I attended the Ohio Heritage Days Festival held annually at Malabar Farm State Park located in north central Ohio.  Malabar Farm is an interesting place to visit in and of itself being an actual working farm managed by the Ohio State Parks.  Once the home and passion of noted author, conservationist and World War One Veteran Louis Bromfield Malabar Farm comes alive once a year with the sights and sounds of history.

These reenactors are demonstrating colonial era firearms. The long gun would commonly rest on the mantle above the fireplace in a colonist's cabin and be called upon regularly to provide food and in times of war serve equally well.

Heritage Days does not concentrate on any one time period but encompasses all of Ohio's past.  Two civil war artillery units were set up firing off these big bruisers every couple hours through the weekend.  Sorry no pictures of the smoke because I had both my hands busy covering my ears.

 I love old engines of all kinds.  On display was a couple engines from the early 1900's.  I would have loved to take some video of these old machines chugging away but I didn't have a video camera along.  About every 5 seconds the cylinder would fire keeping the flywheel spinning.  The metal hose sticking out and bent around the bottom of the photograph is the exhaust pipe.

This is an amazing engine built in Columbus, Ohio. I enjoy just standing beside these old relics and listening to the mechanical music of early single cylinder internal combustion.

As a tool guy and gadget man I found this display very interesting. What an incredible collection of vintage monkey wrenches dating back to the mid 1800's.

The tools that built a nation.

There was lots of other stuff going on around the farm that I didn't get photographs of.  Plenty of crafts and antiques were up for sale. The big house was open and the main barn was housing a large display of  ancient artifacts found in Ohio -arrowheads, spear points, axes and celts. Thousands of primitive weapons and tools from Ohio's prehistoric past.  Also in attendance was RoadQueen's Horseman's Club operating pony rides for the kids.

Although I've visited the farm on numerous occasions I've never been during the Heritage Days Festival. It was very cool and I look forward to checking it out again next year.

County Line Trail -- Creston To Rittman

 This weekend I got up to the RoadQueen's neck of the woods in Wayne County Ohio.  It's been a goal of mine for a long time to explore different rail trails around my state.  On Sunday we got to do just that when we took our bicycles to the aptly named County Line Trail; A seven mile paved multi-use trail, which runs between Creston and Rittman, Ohio along the northern edge of Wayne County.  The RoadQueen had never been on this path but she knew about it through her Horseman's club which was involved in the planning and construction a few years ago.  Exploring by bicycle is great fun and this ride gave us an opportunity to go somewhere together neither of us had even been. 

One thing I like about rail trails is they usually always follow old railroad right of ways.  Railroad infrastructure from bygone eras can be found easily enough if one takes the time to look around.  I spotted this old iron signal tower slowly rusting away but still standing proud and tall. 

Another characteristic of rail trails is their inherent flatness.  Railroad grades were engineered and routes chosen following the flattest contours of the country.  Rail lines often wind along river valleys using the paths of least resistance provided by nature so locomotives could pull the tremendous weight of heavily loaded train cars.  Sure riding a long straight path can get monotonous but the previous day the RoadQueen and I rode a 17 mile loop around the hilly countryside near her home so the effortless spin along the flats on this ride were welcome!

Our first stop was about mid point along the trail at a small village called Sterling.  Pictured above is the Sterling Depot.  This building was a B & O freight depot that was purchased and renovated by the Wayne County rails to trails group.

Continuing on we shortly arrived at the eastern terminus of the trail in the town of Rittman.

The Rittman Depot was converted into a restaurant.

One of this little town's claims to fame is the Rittman facility of the Morton Salt Company.  In business for over 100 years this salt processing operation employs 200 people and produces a wide variety of culinary and water softening salts.

While I'm sure this facility has undergone many changes and upgrades over the years early 20th century brickwork and masonry is plainly visible.  In the following picture pallets of water softener salt are neatly stacked outside of a large brick warehouse.  In the background the Morton Salt logo is visible painted on another building.

Here's an interesting link about the the history of the "Morton Salt Umbrella Girl".

Since we had only been on our bikes a short time we decided to meander around Rittman and see what else we could discover and maybe find a little place for some lunch.  Rounding a corner we came upon an American Legion post and this iconic piece of American military heavy metal.

The M4 Sherman was the main battle tank built by the United States for armored combat in World War Two.  This particular model was built in 1947.  I parked the Ti General Purpose bike beside for a sense of scale. 

Next we saw a small sign showing the way to the Rittman Pioneer Memorial Cemetery.  There was no way we could consider our visit complete without checking that out!  At the top of a small hill we found this beautiful old restored home that now houses the Rittman Historical Society.  In the foreground is an old bell over a granite millstone.

Behind the house we parked our bikes and found the Pioneer Cemetery with some very old graves.

What an idyllic and peaceful place for a cemetery.

 Martin Fritz 1750- 1844 

First permanent white settler in Milton Twp 1814

Veteran of 1776

Wow! A veteran of 1776. You don't see that very often. 

Bicycles are many things to different people;  A mode of simple transportation, A toy, fitness equipment, passion and art.  Another thing I like to add to the list is "time machine". I love to use my bike to explore the history of places around my home state.  And better than any textbook, TV program or Internet search a bicycle can transport you to the actual history and rub your nose right in it.

News From W8MDE

I don't do a lot of amateur radio operating over the summer months with the exception of Field Day or the occasional Straight Key Sprint.  At some point in the early summer before Field Day I like to set up my portable station and do a shakedown operating session to make sure everything is working properly with my gear.

In past years I have set up at my father's place up on the shores of Lake Erie or even simply out in my backyard.  This year I drug my station to the RoadQueen's house and we threw up a wire antenna to a big tree in the yard. I set up the transceiver and telegraph key on her coffee table. 

That weekend a special event called the Museum Ships Weekend Event was going on and I hoped to log a contact with one or more stations participating.  I enjoy WW2 history and this event is full of it.  As a history buff and radio enthusiast I find it a very unique experience to communicate with other amateur operators aboard these old naval vessels sometimes even using the ship's original radio equipment.  

My first contact was WW2IND.  Unfortunately the U.S.S. Indianapolis was sunk during the war so the club operating the event was set up near the ship's memorial in the town the ship was named after.  It took a while to receive the QSL card in the mail that confirmed our radio contact but eventually it showed up as a pleasant surprise in my mail box.    

How the second contact came about was a real thrill.  After searching around the band a while listening for ship stations to call and not finding any I settled on a clear frequency to call CQ myself hoping to make contact with any ham station.  After my first call I was promptly answered by a loud and clear signal with the call sign WW2DEM.  Holy Cow! A World War Two destroyer had just answered my CQ call!

Maybe the operator Stan had been calling earlier on the frequency and was taking a break or something and then heard my call coming across the receiver.  As is proper procedure I had listened for a couple minutes when I first arrived on 7.114 MHz to make sure the frequency was not in use so I was surprised when the ship station answered my call so suddenly. 

One-Room School House -- Whetstone Township

Last month I was sad to see an old schoolhouse I've ridden by many times over the years finally give up the ghost.  I took some pictures of the rubble and posted them here.  Shortly after and not far from that location I discovered another schoolhouse I had no idea existed while out on a bike ride.
 

WHETSTONE TP.
SUB. DIST. NO. 7
A.D. 1882

Although this one has seen better days it does have a good roof and the brick work looks sound so I think it will be around awhile yet.  The building sits just 20 feet off the road and is the corner of someones front yard.  As with other schoolhouses the front was opened up at some point and this building was probably used for storage for many years.

I still find it amazing how bright it is inside the building with nothing but the eight tall windows to let in the light.

Schoolhouse #7 is along my new Parcher Road Loop which has turned into one of my favorite local rides so I'll be able to enjoy this cheerful little bit of Ohio history regularly.

Cool Bicycle Art

Here's some cool bicycle art on an old tobacco tin from the 1890's.  L.A.W. stands for the League of American Wheelmen.  This was probably the very first cycling advocacy group formed in America and still survives to this day as The League of American Bicyclists.  

At the tail end of the 19th century the L.A.W. had a lot of political power and championed the cause which they called "Good Roads".  At that time the bicycle was undergoing a surge of popularity and roadways were rutted dusty paths at best and virtually impassible quagmires if they were wet.  Today it is a little known fact that bicyclists were responsible for the push to pave roads making travel easier, not the automobile.

The Petition That Paved America