October 2020 – WELCOME to Creeping along the Blue Blazes!

October 19, 2020November 13, 2020

Medina, sections 21 – 24 (10/17/20)

Wendy was working so April and I took a hike where I have never been- Hinckley State park, famous for its buzzards! We had to plan a loop hike to get back to the car so we could only walk half the park- still, was a beautiful sunny fall day so we included the bridle trail for half the hike. Once again the popular spots seemed busy but where we trail hiked was pretty quiet. Got lost around Whips Ledges, but that was fun and very interesting- who knew that was there! There were even a few groups of rock climbers doing their thing. Too many kids running around for my comfort, but was distracted by soaring rock formations. Looking forward to going back.

Related Images:

October 15, 2020November 13, 2020

Bowerston, sections 2-9 (10/10/20)

We all agree that ride to starting point getting too long (> 90 min!) and we need a change of plans in our approach to doing these distant sections. On top of that our phones don’t work down here so it is hard to contact Wendy when we first try to meet up at a specific starting point- dropping pins on section points is not that accurate- gets you close but then you just have to drive around a little to find each other. We will figure it out, hopefully sooner than later. Another beautiful day to hike! Started on back roads, and I mean middle-of-nowhere back roads, some not even paved, and finished with a nice hike through the woods. In beginning, road was testament to MANY baby snakes that did not make it across safely. We did run across one that was actively crossing and just missed being stepped on by April. Also a day of multiple Woolly bear caterpillars crossing the roads- they seemed to have a better success rate judging by road kill. Lots of ups and downs today also, so a good workout. Just when our feet were aching from road we entered the woods, and immediately could smell the damp fall leaves and evergreens- was refreshing! A lot of trail maintenance going on here, as many trees seemed to have fallen on trail and needed to be cleared away. Thumbs up to whomever did it! Finished up along a tranquil lake. By the end it was actually beginning to get darker as dusk was approaching, and being in the woods did not help. I would rate this as one of our best road section hikes.

Related Images:

October 8, 2020November 13, 2020

Massillon, section 24 – Bowerston, section 2 (10/3/20)

This was a day to just watch the clouds- very dramatic! Even though it was an all road hike, they were mostly back roads with little traffic. Robin joined us again and we were all encouraged to see some Biden signs out in rural Ohio, where Trump support is always strong. On that note, we were all perplexed by one sign on a telephone poll as to it being pro/anti-Trump (see photos)? A couple of hills along the way improved our workout. Passed a nice barn-turned-wedding venue in the beginning which seemed ideal to us, with lots of places to relax and wander. Also ran into a prickly man who came by in a truck and did not appreciate my being on his ‘private property’ just off the road looking across his field- geez! All other folks were friendly, so was quite a surprise. Anyway, another beautiful day for a hike, but getting farther from home so pretty soon we will have to begin camping along the way!

Related Images:

October 1, 2020October 1, 2020

Massillon, sections 19-24 (9/26/20)

After much discussion about whether to hike or bike the BT down in the sections around Massillon, mostly because we have been hiking so much towpath recently, we settled on trying to hike these sections because they seemed more woodsy on Guthooks…it was the right choice! Although it was still mostly towpath, it was not the typical 6+ ft wide, asphalt or crushed limestone roadway. Rather, much was a dirt trail a couple feet wide that variably widened or shrunk along the way. Also much less trail traffic, making for a very peaceful hike on a beautiful fall-ish day. The canal itself was largely absent of water or not even present. We stopped at Fort Laurens in Bolivar for a prolonged lunch break, the site of a Revolutionary war fort with a lot of history to read about on scattered info boards around the grounds. The BT immediately south had a surprising abundance of canal locks , again with many info boards- and I read them all because I find it fascinating to imagine canal life back in the day. It was also mentioned about how the Zoarites really helped to build the canal down here to give them an outlet for their farm products- smart! We pushed through to the end of our longest hike of 12+ miles (what were we thinking?) but still had enough energy and interest to tour the historic recreated town of Zoar afterwards to complete a pretty perfect day…except for the noticeable ache coming from my feet.