Hocking Hills Winter Hike

Every year in January you can take a 6 mile winter hike at Hocking hills. The hike starts at the trail head for Old Man's Cave. From Old Man's cave you travel to Cedar Falls and end at Ash Cave. The park provides a shuttle back (Only on the Saturday of the Scheduled Winter Hike).



Every year I've gone it's been extremely cold - somewhere in the single digits, but always worth it. Pictured here is the falls at Old Man's Cave. Cedar Falls comes next and is well worth the walk.



About half way you can stop and enjoy some good ole beans and cornbread and hot chocolate.



The mountain of ice that forms at the bottom of Ash Cave is just amazing.





If your wondering just how cold the trek can be, just ask this guy!



While I wouldn't do it every year It is definitely worth a trip if you've never been.

Ohio Then and Now

While surfing the net I found this wonderful book "Ohio Then and Now" by Photographer Randall Scieber and Auther Robin Smith. Click the following link for a nostalgic look of scenes from Ohio's past compared to their present view. Ohio Then and Now

Graceland Cemetery (Winter)

While not the Famous Graceland it is still a pretty nice cemetery. The cemetery is located adjacent to the Big Four Railroad Bridge off of County Road 25A just outside of Sidney. I took these during a moment of insanity as I braved the cold to take some winter pictures.



A brief search on the Internet did not turn up much history. Hopefully I will have more on that in a future post.

Covered Bridge Tawawa Park (Winter)

The William Ross Covered Bridge in Tawawa Park in Sidney Ohio is one of my favorite subjects to photograph when I am in the park. The bridge was dedicated in 1971 and closely resembles several covered bridges constructed in Central Ohio by bridge designer, Rueben L. Partridge (1823-1900).

To get this picture I had to venture out in the cold, single digits no less. Surprisingly I was not the only lunatic out and about on such a cold morning. I ran into three people out walking their dogs. BURRRRRRR

Big Four Bridge in Winter (Sidney)

The Big Four concrete arch bridge located in Sidney Ohio, is one of the largest landmarks in the area. Simply known as the Big Four Bridge - so named after the four large railroads that ran the line (Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati and Indianapolis Railway's). Constructed in the 1920's it is still in use to this day. The railway is currently owned and operated by CSX Transportation.

While I played sandlot football at the base of the bridge, I never ventured upon it as a youth. My cousin and others have over the years, some of them leaving their mark with graffiti in the arches beneath the tracks.

This picture was taken just outside another landmark of sorts. I was standing at the top of the hill on Childrens Home Road at the foot of the steps of the old orphanage. The orphanage was still in operation when I was a very young lad. Now it stands deserted and abandoned.

I remember the area well because my dad would bring me here every year to watch the soapbox derby. The derby used the road that went up the hill next to the orphanage. Staring down the hill I couldn't help but imagine the cheering crowds lining the road and those Oh-So-Marvelous derby cars racing down the hill.

(still) First Alliance, Toledo

This is a historic inner-city church in Toledo, and at first glance, it appears to be a lovely old tabernacle with a Sunday school wing built on ...

Ahhhh, maybe not so much ...
Looks like there's maybe a bit too much skylight there ...

Way too much.

This church has housed the same congregation and denomination since its inception in 1887, before and since the building of this house of worship in 1923. On June 25th, 2009, something caused it to get a bit too warm in the sanctuary even by summer standards:

Man, that's ugly. Scary. Thank God there was no one in the place at the time.

I think that staircase might actually still be stable. It looks like there's some new framing at the edge of what used to be the balcony. And while most of the remaining old windows have crumbled, this one still glows with the sunlight ...

The congregation is using their fellowship hall, located across the street, for their services. They're determined to stay where they're at and make it good. These people are unstoppable. Hallelujah.