After my Chicago city escape last week, I was eager to hike a trail this weekend and see some of the fall colors surface. It’s amazing how my schedule starts to fill up on my non teaching days. I almost feel guilty if I take time for myself and I need to reconsider this. The joys of simple days in Phuket of nothingness I will never regret.
There is a lot of tension in the USA lately with the upcoming elections and my heart weighs heavy with the thoughts surrounding what this next month will bring. The death of an equal rights judge that has been an icon for us, RBG, as well as more black lives injustice also play into the vibrations we are feeling in our country. It’s very difficult to stay in my bubble, remain quiet about my feelings and play politics to those I disagree with. So to say the least I am struggling.
I get a ton of wisdom from my friend Rebecca and I tapped into her insight and learning as we hiked this trail together.
Already in counseling to work on past relationship trauma, I am uncovering a lot that needs to be looked at and reconsidered as I find the next path I am meant to walk down. Nature has always brought me peace and understanding of the balance and imbalances of life. I know tapping back into that will be a much needed source of wisdom in these upcoming months.
I heard about this trail in Indian Hill so we planned to head out Saturday am.
The leaves have already started to fall and cover the creek bed.
The trails were wide and well maintained. Just a straight shot with very little incline or challenges.
I was excited when I saw some of the warm colors in the leaves mixing in with the green.
Many trees had fallen, as this one and created a eroding of the trail above.
We came across this tree which was turned into a gnome village. Seems little kids, and possibly some adults, continue to add painted rocks and toys to the tree’s setting.
Inside the tree base you could see a small room set -up. It was adorable. Such innocence in the fun of this.
They even had toys sliding down the vine. Reminded me of Toy Story.
As we continued on, I noticed how dry everything was. We have not seen rain in weeks here.
Loved how the couple in front of us fell into the landscape perfectly.
Nature’s tangled decay.
Buddy came with us on this hike. We saw a lot of dogs along this walkway.
How beautifully unique those red leaves must feel alone in the greenery.
There were a few spots like this one that had the yellow and the red transitioning. Hoping to capture more possibly next week when I head down to Tennessee.
As we hit the end of the 1.5 mile trail this sign was at the opposite entryway announcing the sanctuary.
There were a ton of wildflowers along the way.
Always new fungi to admire. Each species unique adding it’s texture and color to the dead trees.
Rebecca and Buddy taking the lead.
Remembering to look up and give thanks to the natural canopy.
I love photos of empty walkways through wooded trees. Offers me hope in the unknown.
The perspective from above and looking out admiring how many trees live in harmony and find their place.
You can see here how the trail eroded naturally as it slid into the riverbed
Later this same day I headed to an outdoor birthday party at Fernbank Park for one of my friends. They brought their bicycles along so anyone could take a ride along the river. Was such a beautiful night. I can’t remember the last time I was on a bike!
I snapped this photo of Amy riding ahead of me. This would be a lovely place to watch the sunset over the river. I may have to travel back one day just to sit and do that.
Last month I reached out to my friend Julie who lives in Chicago and we marked this weekend on our calendars to hang out together. I know its still Covid and the weather is changing to cooler fall temperatures, but I honestly wouldn’t mind if we just stayed in her gorgeous flat and sipped cocktails with a view.
My friend Stephanie was able to road trip with me and offered to drive her sometimes temperamental mini -van, Bessy. Bessy just got some new tires so we put them to the test on the highways in true Thelma and Louise style.
While driving through Indiana, we were fascinated by the modern clean energy windmills that literally take over the landscape for a bit.
Hundreds of them line the farmer’s fields.
Captured this city view from the car window as we exited the toll roads in route to the Windy City.
We arrived to a spread of food awaiting our road trip bellies. The weather was perfect and we decided to walk outside for a drink. Literally in walking distance from her apartment, there are several restaurants with sidewalk dining in the West Loop. We lucked out and got a table under a heat lamp.
I saw this on the sidewalk and knew it was speaking to me. Always looking out for street art.
I believe this new bubble tent dining is going to be the only option in a couple months once winter hits.
All restaurants and bars close at 11pm due to new regulations. They also add on a 4% Covid fee to the bill. Not exactly sure how they rationalize that but I suppose it’s a way to survive when you are only allowed to seat at half the capacity and close early every night.
Sitting on Julie’s balcony, taking in the river and evening lights.
The next morning we started off right with a champagne toast.
We were ready to roll and see what the day may bring.
I love the above ground railway system. I listened to it rumble as I fell asleep each night.
Making our way to the river.
This was the view from the street as we were crossing the overpass to get to the main river walk.
Loving the angles.
This building has an alcove at its base creating a very cool illusion.
Can’t believe how many times I have been to Chicago and never done the river walk.
A new diversity mural was added. I thought the guy in the blue short sleeve shirt looked like RGB who passed away this same morning. She was on my mind. An amazing woman, she will be missed in the USA.
It was another gorgeous day with clear blue September skies. A lot of boats were moving up and down the river and docking at the local pubs and restaurants.
There were beer peddle boats. But they cheat with a motor truly pushing them along. Looked like something fun to do with a group.
I really wanted to go kayaking, but could not convince my friends. Maybe next time.
View of the Wrigley Building.
Can always appreciate the green spaces, offering shade and places to just sit and enjoy people watching.
We were about to get on one of the boats to take a tour that Julie reserved for us.
This city has a lot of history.
The river exits into Lake Michigan. I learned that the Great Lakes house 20% of the freshwater in the world. Who knew? Kevin our tour guide apparently. I did not fact check him.
The police were hanging out with their horses.
Getting on the boat. 6 feet social distancing and face masks on.
The view from the river looking up at the various architectural wonders.
These buildings the tour guide called ‘corn cobs’. I will never look at them the same way again. 🙂
We went under all the bridges which were quite low and very industrial.
Open bridge along the river.
Stephanie was pointing out all the reflections of the buildings on the mirrored windows. You can see the diversity mural along the bottom of this photo.
This pointed building balances out its structure using water at the top.
The red brick building is where Julie lives. Her location is literally perfect!!
As we drifted along the river, our tour guide taught us a lot about the history and how the buildings are engineered to sway with the wind
Many of the buildings have subtle curves that I would never have noticed before.
The center panel here is a map of the river and the red square represents us on the boat.
It was an awesome ride/tour and I would highly recommend if you haven’t taken this boat along the Chicago river. Put it on your bucket list if you ever visit.
Street art.
Inspired by Gaudi and nature, where there are no right angles.
When they turned the boat around I was able to take this photo of the infamous Sears tower.
Such a variety of architecture. All working perfectly together representing history and design.
This new building is the second Chicago skyscraper to be made from a woman architect.
I love how it adds curves and a feminine touch to the rigid neighboring buildings.
Seeing Chicago from the river gave me a totally new perspective.
After the tour we decided to grab a drink and snack before the sun went down. Julie knew of a place in the city that shut down the roads and allowed the businesses to put their tables out.
This was just one part of restaurant row that lined the street.
I was so happy with my stein of beer.
The three of us ended up finding an indoor pizza joint and parked our butts at the bar for the rest of the evening.
Our walk home was just as magnificent, with the skyscrapers now lit up reflecting on the river.
My neighbor and hiking comrade, Nancy, wanted to show me her walking route around our neighborhood. She warned me about some steep inclines but was so encouraging as I trailed behind her athletic pace. In true silly style, she had us wear headbands with fluff balls on them, just to entertain ourselves and others.
It’s interesting how in some neighborhoods there are walkers constantly on the streets from morning until night. You feel like a sloth if you don’t get out to do your exercise. But in our neighborhood, it is rare to see anyone out walking unless with a dog in tow. People sit on their porches and hang out in their front lawns, but rarely are participating in any form or exercise. I hope we are setting a new trend in Mt. Auburn.
Walking down Sycamore Hill, remembering everything that goes down must come back up.
Spotted these gorgeous wildflowers dripping over the fence. They were just the beginning of the botanical visuals along this urban landscape walk.
This mural is painted along the retaining wall with Christ Hospital represented in the center and the Cincinnati skyline etched in the background. An indicator, little did I know, for what was to come.
I stopped to admire this property’s landscaping, complete with 5 pink flamingos along the back wall. I think pink flamingos could be a great addition to our front yard.
The variety of flowers I saw along this walk were amazing! Colorful, unique, ones I doubt are native to this area. Made me wonder who sought them out and planted them. Where did they find these natural gems?
I think we need one of these in our backyard. Love how he is just part of the greenery.
This photo perfectly captures the flowers which were everywhere, adding color to the urban brownstone housing along the streets. I kept stopping and pointing out things, which Nancy has seen a thousand times, but all was new to me.
Check out this pirate ship treehouse! Walk the plank and get a wonderful view of the city. I wish it wasn’t private property or I would adventure up.
In between the houses I was able to snap a few photos capturing parts of downtown. All the houses here have a view. I started questioning how much these townhouses go for$. Such hidden secrets right around the corner from where I live. I doubt many people know about this rehabbed part of the neighborhood. I lived here over 15 years and never came down these streets which are so quiet. Barely a single car passing through.
I heard water trickling and peaked over the hedge to find her, the mermaid fountain.
The details in care and color coordinations of these homes were admirable.
Another peak through the trees. Another skyline view.
Nancy and her stairs! We walked up these to a dead end street housing a hand full of million dollar four-five story homes with amazing upper decks. Obviously incredible city views. It is rumored Emilio Estevez owns one of them.
This is a view once back down that staircase, looking up at the million $ properties.
After walking back up Sycamore hill, Nancy took me for a secret shortcut down another dead end road. How she knows about these paths is a mystery. I appreciate the gay pride flags hanging out from this street’s community garden .
She took me to what looked like someones backyard, certainly wasn’t looking like a public sidewalk. I asked her if she was planning to dump my body back here, but then we saw the sign for ‘NO DUMPING’ and both cracked up. So today I am safe.
As you can see she gave me the pink puff ball headband to match my face color after this walk 🙂
It was a thorough one hour workout which was rewarded by our Sunday beer tasting. I opted for the strawberry flavored, she took the mango and then my daughter joined us and dared to try the goetta inspired lager. Always fun to try new things, especially with friends.
Much like the gates of Phuket, (see blog dated May 18- Gates of Phuket) bridges are very symbolic here in Cincinnati. There are so many. Each with their own personality, history, and look. I don’t think I’ve ever paid any attention to them while living here previously. But now with eyes as a tourist in my own city, they are fascinating to me.
An easy map showing how the main downtown area of Cincinnati connects to Kentucky over the Ohio River.
I snapped this photo while in bumper to bumper traffic going over the river on I-75 South. I was fascinated with the clouds. They are so fluffy here! This is an old railway bridge, still functioning, but literally looks like a rusted out piece of metal. Named C&O and built in 1929.
Clay Wade Bailey Bridge. Named after a prominent Kentucky newspaper reporter. Built in 1974. Runs parallel to the railroad one.
Looking at the Brent Spence Bridge which carries a double layer across I-75. Built in 1963. In 2011, a chunk of the bridge fell damaging a car. There has been much debate about its stability ever since.
Today, more than 160,000 vehicles use thebridge – more than double its original intent. In 1998 the Federal Highway Administration deemed the bridge safe but “functionally obsolete,” meaning it’s use was no longer viable to the demand of traffic in the area.
The People Purple Bridge was built in 1872 originally as a railway bridge, 7 years after the Civil War. My kids used to love walking this bridge when they were younger. It’s converted into a connecting pedestrian bridge between Newport and Cincinnati’s parks.
The yellow bridge is the Daniel Carter Beard Bridge. Built in 1961. I travel this bridge weekly to buy my groceries since the grocery near my house is a mess.
It is named in honor of Daniel Carter Beard, the founder of the Sons of Daniel Boone and one of the founders of the Boy Scouts of America. It is also known as “The Big Mac Bridge” because its yellow arches are similar to the “Golden Arches” logo of McDonald’s restaurant.
Built in 1866, the John A Roebling Bridge. John was a German-American civil engineer.
In 1883 the Brooklyn Bridge was built in duplication to this.
Fun fact: When the Roebling Bridge was formally opened on January 1, 1867, the driver of a horse and buggy was charged a toll of 15 cents to cross; the toll for three horses and a carriage was 25 cents. Pedestrians were charged one cent.
A beautiful shot taken from the Kentucky side heading to Cincinnati.
This bridge connects the Cincinnati Banks, where the Bengals and Reds Stadiums are located, to the heart of Covington.
Last and ugliest is the Taylor Southgate Bridge. Less used than the others.
Some regard this bridge, which was a replacement for the Cincinnati-Newport Bridge built by Samuel Bigstaff, as a little too plain in its design for a major urban bridge, especially considering many cities today are opting for a more elegant design, such as a cable stayed bridge. Built in 1995, it seems rusty already and in need of a pretty paint job!
A truthful quote about letting go.
One thing I do know is when crossing bridges, burning bridges, or admiring them, you will always find new discoveries. My goal is to keep discovering. It keeps me filled with wonder and love of this earth through all the trials and hardships and offers me hope. Hope found in the hearts and encouragement of friends, family and everyday people whether urban or in nature. Beauty surrounds us, we just have to remember to look.
Getting out in nature really makes a difference with my emotional stability and faith in life. I know this and need to force myself back out whenever I start to sink into my rabbit hole of depression. When I saw Kathy’s name on my calendar for a Saturday afternoon walk, I asked if she would be game for a short road trip and a hiking trail instead our usual Hyde Park sidewalk/concrete loop.
In true adventure style, she picked me up and we google mapped our way to the west side and discovered a new forest trail. It was not marked by any indicators or paved parking areas. We drove right past it and had to turn around only to park with a handful of other cars in the gravel. We were unsure where to go after we parked, we followed a deaf couple across this dry creek bed.
One can only assume the trail would have to be in the woods across this rocky terrain.
This is what we were looking into after crossing the dry creek bed. A wonderfully shaded forest.
There were very few trail markers but the pathways were clear.
Then we stumbled across the map. Kathy tried her hand at guiding us around the 2 mile loop. She did great considering she warned me she relies on GPS for everything and her instincts don’t always lead her in the right direction when in the woods.
I had read beforehand that this was considered a moderate trail. It had a lot of inclines and rocky steps that led to a beautiful Ohio River view. Tough to capture the steep depth. We often had to remind ourselves to pause and just simply look and breathe it all in.
The leaves had just started to fall a bit and add a little warmth to the dominate green palette of Ohio.
There were a handful of benches in dedication to loved ones passed, offering a seat for a reflective break.
I love discovering all these new areas in my city. Had I known, or had time when the kids were younger, I may have made this a weekend must do in our lives.
We came across this rock pile and added our own to the collection.
cairn is a man-made pile (or stack) of stones. The word cairn comes from the Scottish Gaelic: càrn [ˈkʰaːrˠn̪ˠ] (plural càirn [ˈkʰaːrˠɲ]). Cairns have been and are used for a broad variety of purposes, from prehistoric times to the present.
Was perfect weather. Friendships forever cherished. Kathy has been a friend since 1995!
I’m very thankful that our National Parks have been established to reserve some natural retreats from being commercially taken over, as so much of the landscape has.
It was great having Kathy along as she spotted things I may have missed. Like this orange mushroom cluster. I texted a photo to Rebecca asking her to inquire from her mushroom committee friend for more info. It seems this breed is called “Chicken of the Woods” and is edible! You guessed it, it tastes like chicken! They are also used for their orange hue with dyeing wool or paper. Not sure I am adventurous enough to try eating them, but good to know in case I am lost in the woods one day.
Love how this fungi looks like a flower on the fallen branch.
Kathy noted her appreciation for acorns, as they look like men wearing hats. When I went in for a closer look, this one certainly almost had a face!
A natural arch. Such God given inspiration surrounded us.
View of the river and Kentucky across the way.
So many fallen trees. Now I understand that philosophical question about a tree falling.
“If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?” is a philosophical thought experiment that raises questions regarding observation and perception.
Check out the size of this root of a huge tree that decided it was time to part ways with the earth.
I realized also that I appreciate nature, but not necessarily the bugs, birds and animals in nature. It was something I didn’t realize about myself until Kathy started pointing out cicadas, spiders and caterpillars and I had no interest. Although I do love my local groundhog that treks across my driveway daily. (maybe because he is fat and looks cuddly)
This reminded me of Phuket a bit. The berries have a tropical style.
Then out of nowhere, we came across this old cemetery on top of the hill.
Tombstones dated back to the 1800s. Totally cool.
Heading back . Bender trail is a loop with several paths cutting across if one desired a shorter route.
I bet during the spring this creek is roaring a bit more, but mostly dry now.
Another stacked rock in the creek bed. I enjoy that people take the time to partake in nature.
After our hike, we headed back to Kathy’s where she had this beautiful table set out under a tree in her backyard. She had invited me over for a brunch with another friend. It was a wonderful day filled with friends, fresh fruits, lemon cookies and some afternoon cocktails. What more could a girl ask for in life??
This is the dog I pet sit ,along with the table we sat at for brunch. I asked if I could take the flowers home 🙂 They were picked out of her English garden. We each had our own bouquet. Such a beautiful touch.
My daughter Zoe and I both had Thursday off work, so we decided to be productive and clean up the condo a bit. We reorganized to allow more room for storage, scrubbed down the inside of the microwave, combined the spice rack, ya know fun stuff like that. I literally spent 5 hours in my small kitchen and then had to call it quits. I opted to avoid a peak into the two junk drawers. That’s a day project in itself. All the random things we think we will use/need.
After our back breaking chores, Zoe agreed to hit one of the rooftop bars that was on my bucket list. We headed over to Kentucky to check it out.
I-75 South has a lot of construction going on right across the river, so we avoided it by taking this local bridge. It runs parallel to a railroad bridge.
To get to the roof, we had to walk in between what looked like houses to locate the back deck steps up.
It was an adorably decorated deck with live plant walls and comfy swinging chairs.
The weather has been outstanding and I am breathing it in best I can before winter hits and changes our ability to socialize outdoors. I wonder if restaurants will invest in blankets like they do in Germany or outdoor heating lamps in attempt to stay open.
Zoe snapped this photo of me. Was a decent one! I’ll have to remember to use it should I ever go back to online dating 🙂
We tested the watermelon man, ruby lafoon and country thyme cocktails. All were refreshing and unique.
We also tried the red bean hummus and animal fries. The food at this place is top notch and locally sourced. This deck sits on top of the Commonwealth restaurant which I did not realize. Pre covid, Zoe and I had a luncheon at that rabbit hole in February this year.
How in the world can you describe these fries? So many flavors going on.
Was great to get out with ZoZo.
I walked to the edge of the roof deck and snapped this quaint photo of Covington’s Main street view.
After our appetizers and drinks I was confident we could find our way home without the use of GPS. In true Tonya tracking style, I missed the street to the highway and we started climbing an incline due to all the one way streets. We just kept wandering further until we ended up at Devou Park. We parked and got out to soak in Cincinnati at sunset.
Devou Park has the best city views. This one showing Covington to the right of the Ohio River.I truly do live in a beautiful city. And this wrong turn, like many, landed me in a place I needed to be.
Road trip!! My neighbor Nancy and I have been trying to organize a hike but opt for Sunday beers together in the backyard tea-house instead. We have been testing out new beers each week, just as an excuse to catch up on our weekly lives.
Last tea-house meeting we planned a road trip to Red River Gorge which is approximately 2 hours away from our house. She researched and planned which trail to hike and I was along for the ride!
This was the trail Nancy researched and we were planning to hike. Getting there was a challenge. There were some detours along the way due to road closures which only added to our adventures and distrust of the lady from google maps.
The beginning of the hike looked like any other. Great trails and beautifully shaded pathways.
Looking forward to watching the greenery turn to warm tones of autumn in the upcoming months.
We started coming across some interesting rock formations with natural caves.
I wish I understood a little more about geology at this point.
Symbolically I was appreciating this rock that dared to stand its ground as everyone simply made a path around it.
This landscape is why I adore nature’s palette.
I mean check out the rock next to the foliage. Stunning. I wondered how many other hikers caught the angles like I did.
Me catching Nancy catching me.
I was fascinated by all the rock formations which added such interest to this hike.
When we got to the top we could see for miles.
Nancy loved to get super close to the edge. Nothing scared her.
But because she gravitated toward the edge, she caught sight of this adorable lone tree, daring to grow in the rock.
We were heading toward Courthouse Rock.
I swear this looks like man placed landscaping. The plants coming out of the crevices are perfection.
At this point I was thinking about how fun it would be to camp here. In general. Just hike and camp. The forest was huge and there were not very many people around. Could be fun to spend the night in a simple tent.
Me with that crazy thought in my head.
Cool thing was, I am pretty sure Nancy would join me if I decided to be so crazy. We are way too much alike.
Finally reached the end of our road and the final rock.
We decided to hit the double arch which was 2 miles away. No clue what to expect, but we were here, and it was an unbelievable day, so why not?!
Nancy thinking she was going to read a map. Mind you, she warned me as we entered the woods that she doesn’t have much of a sense of direction. It was a fair warning.
Many of my photos showed the sunbeams peeking through the canopy from above.
I know at this point, it just looks like a bunch of rocks. But I assure you, every mound and formation is unique and creates an awe inspiring moment.
If you can see Nancy up ahead you will get a feel for the size of these mountains.
Never forgetting to look up. Unfortunately I have been suffering from vertigo, so taking this shot also took a bit of recovery time for me.
Our total route.
Huge trees were uprooted.
Some fresh trees were literally splintered from what I have to believe was part of hurricane Laura.
I mean how does this happen?
As we walked on we came across this babbling brook which I could have sat and listened to for hours.
Something about the sound of moving water over rocks is the epitome of calm.
In route to the Double Arch.
I just kept reiterating what a fantastic trail this was. Although my legs were trying to tell me differently.
Occasionally Nancy would stop to admire and pet the moss.
This tree growing on top of the rock made me think how nature overcomes.
Staircases intimated my calves. I was hoping the potassium was kicking in and I was still many years away from a mid climb cramp.
Reaching the top of the Double Arch was worth it. A natural wonder.
I posted this shot on Instagram. We walked through the arch and hung out on the backside for some time just admiring the view.
This was to the left of us.
Just miles of nature. No building in sight. No pollution. No noise.
Nancy captured me here just breathing it all in.
Showing off my new sneakers Ms. Deb bought for me. They are being put to use. The rock across the way is where we came from. This was definitely a journey for the books.
I was trying to capture a downward view but was a bit too far from the edge. Depth is tough to truly see through the iphone, but is so intimidating when looking over into the abyss.
A natural shot of admiration.
I loved all the little pinecone branches that added texture to the landscape.
We were almost back. I had to stop a few times while going up steep inclines. More for my cardio. My heart was in my ears.
At one point I felt like I was walking in a fairytale. It just seemed unreal.
They had some signs trying to keep people safely on track.
Nancy assured me that once we climbed these stairs it would level off at the top. She was wrong 🙂 I had to stop at the top and take a photo of the staircase that nearly crushed my aching legs after this 4 hour hike.
Once we did hit flat ground we were welcomed into an aroma of fresh weed being smoked by travelers ahead and flat gravel roads. Wildflowers also lined the final walk to the car.
It was a fantastic day! Weather, views, and company wise. Nancy informed me she could keep going for another 4 or more miles. I was pretty sure my body wanted this to end. It’s one of those hikes that pushed me and I loved every minute of it. Good reminder to keep in shape if I want to continue exploring.
Saturday my calendar said “rest day”, but I couldn’t resist when Rebecca texted to see if I would be up for a walk. I’ve been meaning to head over to Mt. Airy on the west side of town, and was told to not go there alone. I guess it’s bordering some bad neighborhoods and is subject to some illegal activity.
I did not witness any of that. A couple barefoot hippies that may have been stoned, but were friendly nonetheless, families with small kids and dogs in tow and other friend groups. This park was an excellent hike with well maintained trails and views of the forest.
According to Rebecca’s tracker, we managed to walk 5.2 miles in and out of this red trail area. We definitely crossed over into some of the less travelled paths through the center of the mapped out region.
We parked near the treehouse with this natural entrance.
The treehouse was adorable and I’m sure home to many late night teenage rendezvous.
Really a great feature of this park.
Hiking down these steps was our first introduction to the trails that await.
Rebecca kept pointing out all the different fungi along the way.
I guess there is an Ohio mushroom club that her friend is part of?
These looked like decorative scallops on a fallen tree.
Looking up and admiring the thickness of this tree’s bark which seemed to be shedding.
We vowed to come back in the fall. I’m sure the changing of the leaves here would be magnificent.
There were several wooden bridges connecting the trails across riverbeds and ravines.
Two peas in a pod sharing our troubles and advise along the way as honest hearted good friends do.
I love this plaque. Instead of touting the name of the rich person who funded it, instead it boasted a proper quote from the man who created and set up protection for the US national parks.
After becoming president in 1901, Roosevelt used his authority to establish 150 national forests, 51 federal bird reserves, four national game preserves, five national parks and 18 national monuments on over 230 million acres of public land. Today, the legacy of Theodore Roosevelt is found across the country.
I loved how some of the trails had laid bark as a walkway.
While others were filled with challenging roots.
Tree victim to couples pledging their forever love.
Looking up in the woods.
One thing I always remember is what goes down must eventually come back up. I am definitely feeling these stairs tonight!
A perfect night; summer breeze, great company, white wine sangrias with a roof top view. Nothing could have been better than this Thursday night at the Renaissance. I took it in like a tourist. Appreciating this city I am now living in, again. Trying to see the alluring possibilities and experience it in ways I haven’t before.
Sat at a ledge overlooking the yellow, aka Ronald Mcdonald bridge which takes you to Newport, KY. Up on the hill to the left is Mt. Adams which I blogged about on a previous walk.
This is the Procter & Gamble buildings downtown, aka Dolly Parton. Also viewing the I-71 highway glancing back toward the mount I live on.
I captured this river boat cruise gliding under the People Purple Bridge. Cincinnati was very well known for its riverboats back in the 1800s.
Long before the days of planes, trains, and automobiles steamboats were the heart of American trade and transportation. Cincinnati was once the chief port city along the Ohio River. So vital was the city to the nations transit that it earned itself the name “Queen City of the West.” In fact, even before steamboats were invented in the 1780’s the river was the primary way to get to Cincinnati. With no roads to speak of and hills surrounding the city keel boats, barges, and canoes traversed the Ohio to bring communications, goods, and new settlers to the growing river town in those early days.
Landmark now along the Ohio River.
Check out this Marathon Oil barge going under the historic John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge. These are always fun to watch, they are soooooo long!
Steamboats made transportation so efficient that by 1820 the trip that once took one hundred days now took only twenty-four. From Cincinnati to Newport and then on to New Orleans took only eight days. The return trip was another sixteen. Prior to the birth of the railroads Cincinnati claimed eight thousand landings at the peak of its trade in 1852.
A great view of the two bridges together as the sun starts to set. In front view is a new hotel called the Lytle Park Hotel. It is quite swanky and has a competing rooftop bar.
A wonderful acoustic trio, The Foles, were providing excellent background music to the conversations.
As the sun fell I walked around to snap a few other views. This one shows the US Bank arena where concerts used to be held and was host to the Cyclones hockey games. The building to the right is the Cincinnati Reds Stadium. It’s so strange not seeing crowds of Reds fans walking downtown on the weekends.
P&G at sunset.
And then lit up at as night fell.
The city was so calm and beautifully reflective looking at the Ohio River.
We went up to the second level before heading home. This group was doing their best to capture a photo with the Great American Tower behind them.
Meeting half- way. My childhood friend Debbie and I decided this was the best way to meet up as summertime was dwindling. She has to go back to work for the school systems in September.
I worry about America opening up all the schools but also understand life must go on and we have to try to continue educating our youth. Some schools are offering options for the parents to decide which path is best, others are rotating classrooms to keep children in pods of security. All in all they seem to be guinea pigs testing a trial, guesswork system, in hopes of not falling further behind.
Sidney, Ohio is about 1.5 hours north from where I live, and 1.25 hours south from Debbie. I honestly have never been there before. No reason to. I often drive by the billboards stating “Sidney is a great place to live” and I heard there are many factory job opportunities there. (or at least were)
I loved my day there. As I drove through downtown and on some of the neighboring streets in route to the park, I took some photos from my car window to capture the essence of this city.
The courthouse stood in the middle of the square.
In every small town in Ohio you will find churches. That is one thing I missed in Thailand were church bells.
A typical farm community grain mill.
The municipal building.
A pure Americana typical downtown.
Adorable historic theatre being rehabbed during Covid.
Came across this mansion complete with gargoyles.
Historic homes are so fascinating. I love the turret.
I downloaded a few trail options from my Alltrails app and let Debbie pick the location for us to hike. We met there at 11am and arrived within minutes of each other. Love my prompt friends!
This park had a swimming pool, unfilled I imagine due to Covid. It also offered soccer fields, hiking trails, tons of picnic and secluded areas, at least 8 different playgrounds and many streams. I was so glad she picked this location to meet up at. I had no idea it would this grand.
We started our hike along a pond where there were many turtles swimming and soaking in the sun.
I couldn’t resist getting on the swings. Debbie also joined me and we reminisced about my childhood swing set in my backyard. We used to swing so high the posts would rock out of the ground. Then we would jump off and see who could land the furthest in the grass. We had a good laugh picturing us trying to jump off now in our 50s and getting our arms tangled in the chains and being dragged to the ground.
Ohio is known for its covered bridges and we just happened to stumble across this one! Can you see Debbie posing in the corner?
A view from the inside out.
Selfie on the bridge.
This trail was a trap. Looks like a well kept pathway that offered natural sightseeing, but it ended up next to a rusty barb wire fence that Debbie and I then had to detour across a river to escape. The stream was quite shallow but our feet were now squishing as we walked.
This tree was planted in honor of the death of a grandchild of a friend of Debbie’s. Such a wonderful idea to keep her memory alive. It was planted appropriately right by a playground.
The beauty of the fallen.
Throughout this park were picnic areas, very spread apart and private. Then these seated lookout decks. It was a wonderful park experience. Such a great haven for their city.
Looking up at the blue skies. It was an amazing zero humidity day!
The trails were fun, but also where we got lost and turned around. You know when you are walking and the google gps doesn’t quite follow you accurately? We had to walk for a bit to figure out if we were headed in the right direction or not, several times. 🙂
A peak through the trees at a new bridge they are constructing.
Debbie showing the magnitude of this rock we stumbled across.
I was determined to get to the top of the rock and I handed my phone to Debbie so she could take a photo of my accomplishment once conquered. Little did I know she was video taping me the entire time. Let’s just say, it wasn’t a pretty sight 🙂 But I got there!
My dramatic victory.
Zen momment
Leaving the park, I took this photo of the entrance sign.
Debbie sent me a snap shot from her Apple watch showing the route we took on the trails. Looks like we may have been drinking a bit 🙂 Okay, so we got a little lost. Isn’t that the fun of the adventure? We accomplished 5 miles of walking.
When driving home the whispy clouds were like a painting in the sky. The transformation of the clouds is always amazing to me.
Tonya Takes Thailand 