North of the Mason-Dixon Line - Revisiting Ohio

[BuckeyeDoug]

Just got back from 11 days in Eastern Ohio.  Mom was having a basement waterproofing company come in to do their magic, so I went up with a truckload of tools to get some other repairs done while "supervising" the basement work.  And I didn't want to just have the pressure washer on the utility trailer.  So I strapped up the Street Glide too!  Made the trailer tow a lot better.....and all work and no play makes Doug a dull boy.
My hometown St. Clairsville is the Belmont County seat, and the courthouse was built in 1886.  Had 2 traffic lights back in the day, now there are 3.  Progress.

[BuckeyeDoug]

I haven't been able to do much riding on these roads that I cut my teeth on thru the 80's, and the past 30 years sure did fly by.  In the 70's/80's, coal was a major blue-collar employer in the area, both in strip mining and underground.  The coal had a high sulfur content, and the industry was pretty much decimated by the EPA.  The technology to scrub the sulfur out of the emissions was in its infancy and very expensive.  Which had a ripple effect on steel mills and power plants in the Ohio Valley area.  Only a few mining companies still survive today in Ohio. 

[BuckeyeDoug]

As you can see, I couldn't figure out how to do this in one post.  My apologies....

The Oil & Gas boom has hit the area in the past 10 years, which means many of the great county roads were widened and repaved to support the semi-trucks.  And that's a good thing, not only for the local workforce and landowners, but also for motorcyclists!  The Amish communities have grown too.  And they not only are fine woodcrafters and grow crops, but they also have some amazing baked goods.  Unbelievable how much they can accomplish without utilizing electricity and the internal combustion engine.  I found this farm during my wanderings, and ended up visiting again for some more blackberry pie!

[BuckeyeDoug]

Speaking of food, we have to eat an occasional hearty meal, right?  One watering hole we found featured the "burnout burger", which presented you with a fried cheddar cheese skirt over the burger.  I was too full to take a pic of the motorcycle outside.

[BuckeyeDoug]

We completely filled a 20-yd roll-off dumpster with 50+ years of couches and junk from the basement, and I never got to clean out attic.  I let the younger friends (only 50) do the heavy work.  These were their reward for helping me.  The smallest Cowboy Cut ribeye was 2.3 lbs.  Yes, 2.3 LBS!!!!  Unanimous decision that these were the best steaks we ever had, and done on a Traeger pellet grill.  I need one.

[BuckeyeDoug]

I hadn't been past this covered bridge in 40+ years.  It has been restored, but was originally built in 1891.  The road was closed on the far side of the covered bridge, with this sign.  Salt Fork State Park is about 30 miles away, where the annual Bigfoot society convention is held.  Crazy stories abound too.

[BuckeyeDoug]

And here is a first for me, at a rural gas station.

I enjoyed my time up there with Mom, and she welcomed the company since Dad passed in May.  I still have some house repairs to do.  So I'm looking at riding up again in September for a few days (no tools required so no trailer), then loop down to western South Carolina to meet my Florida buddies for our fall ride.  Stay tuned.

[klaviator]

Nice report Doug.  It's always interesting to go back to the place we grew up.  I'm planning on heading back to Ohio next June and doing some more riding there while I can.  My parents are thinking of moving down here next fall so I doubt I would go back there if they aren't there anymore. 

[Guidedawg]

You got to combine riding, revisiting old haunts, and some excellent dining while accomplishing productive work for family.  That's a win of a trip!