Shed Building Plans

So how do you like my beard? Ive been growing it all season and now is the time to get out and let her flow in the breeze!

Like most of North America weve been experiencing some wild swings of weather here in the Ohio valley.  After a string of hot summer like days and plenty of rain the temperature dropped like a rock Sunday night into Monday.  I planned on riding today because the forecast called for cloudy skies but it wasnt supposed to rain.  The temperature was a crisp 49 degrees F when I left the house this morning.

Its a little strange here it is June 1st and I have to gather up my winter tights, fleece jacket and wool hat with ear protection just to go for a bike ride.  With my gear packed I headed to Mt. Vernon, Ohio to catch the Heart of Ohio Trail which is a rail trail I discovered last fall and have only ridden once so far.

The roughly 15 mile run one way is the perfect sized trail for a mid day ride through the Scenic central Ohio countryside.  I discovered a few new interesting things on this ride I wanted to share on the blog.

   

No sooner had I got started down the trail I passed this giant smokestack I first photographed last year.  The big difference now is the curious spiral staircase under construction.  As I was standing there looking on an older gentleman pulled up on a recumbent trike so we struck up a conversation and I asked him about the project.  Being from the area he said he saw an artists rendition of the finished construction which will twist its way about three-quarters of the way to the top and end in a 360 degree observation deck.  The project is scheduled for completion by the 4th of July.  

   

I will most certainly be making a return trip later this summer to check that out!

I decided to ride the Titanium General Purpose Bike on this ride.  Ive been logging about 32 miles a week commuting on the Ti GP and loving it.  The recent improvements in the handlebar and seat department have breathed new life into the bike and I find myself reaching for it often.

The bike trail shares the river valley with a state route.  Along most of the passage the view of the highway is blocked by trees and vegetation.  Occasionally the trail and the roadway are close enough that properties adjacent the road become visible for a few short stretches.  From one of these openings I spotted this old tractor sitting at the front of a farm with for sale sign posted.

    

I love old fashioned stuff and history so of course I had to stop and check it out.  The Farmall Cub was the smallest tractor built by International Harvester between the years of 1947 and 1981.  During those years over 245,000 Cubs were made.  This one is unique in that it looks like it has the original mowing set-up complete with three-blade mower deck and turf tires. 

The Farmalls are my favorite of the antique tractors but I do love to look at them all.  I dont know much about the details and have no idea of this models age but it does look it came from the 1950s or 60s.  Oh yes one day I will have one of these of my own to tinker with.

Back on the trail I caught a glimpse of a structure through the woods off to my left away from the state route.  Right away I spotted text like old signage.  Suddenly like staring at a word search my mind connected the dots.  Although most of the elements are obscured by brush I realized I was looking at another old Mail Pouch Tobacco ad.  

In order to get a picture I had to park my bike and wade through wet chest high weeds to get close enough.  The structure is open on the other side and was probably used as a livestock shelter.  The building sits on the edge of a neglected pasture and now houses only some old tires and lumber.

To see my other photographs of Mail Pouch Barns click the label at the end of the post.

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At the end of the trail I arrived in the small town of Centerburg, Ohio which got the name as it lies at the geographic center of Ohio.  In its earliest days Centerburg was a stagecoach stop and later a railroad town.  Once a rural passenger stop of the Cleveland, Akron and Columbus railroad during the peak of passenger rail in early America now visitors roll into town using the same right of way but today theyre moved by pedal power and not steam.

Centerburg looks like many small sleepy towns that time seem to have left behind.

I like the old Frigidaire sign hanging proudly along main street.

This brick residential street is no trendy urban revitalization.  These pavers have probably been here for a hundred years.  It amazes me how long a brick paved avenue lasts with nothing more than slight cupping where the wheels pass.  Give a modern asphalt street about five years of freeze-thaw cycles and itll be reduced to a pot-holed mine field.  I think we should have never got away from brick for residential and downtown city center streets.

  

A quaint Christian church built in 1911.

No, that handsome gent at the opening of this post is not me.  Its General Daniel Harris Reynolds, C.S.A.

Ive said it before but it bears repeating, short of having an actual time machine I can think of nothing better than the bicycle and riding one off the beaten path to discover history right around the corner of the places we call home. 

Before stopping for a sandwich I rode a quick loop out into the country around Centerburg even finding a couple miles of gravel.  This was no problem for the Ti GP bike at all since its DNA is pure MTB even though I have it set up for smooth street riding.

Unfortunately the weather man was incorrect and it did begin to sprinkle on my way back to Mt. Vernon.  Luckily the rain was light and the trees shielded me from much of the drops.  Nearing Mt. Vernon I spotted the red coat of a whitetail deer in the trail up ahead.  I got stopped and took a photo but the doe and her fawn are pretty tiny.  

On the fourth of July My son and I went south to Centerburg, Ohio to ride the Heart of Ohio Trail.  The Last time I rode the HOOT I found out about this observation tower being built around an old smokestack.  I wanted to make a point to return for the opening event so I planned our ride putting the park at the midpoint of the journey.

The observation platform makes an excellent vantage point from which to look down on the newly constructed Ariel - Foundation Park located in Mount Vernon, Ohio and the surrounding Knox County. 

Being flatlanders it is always a big deal to have something tall to climb.  Up, up and around we went. Climbing the steel steps was a thrill.  Naturally when climbing steps one has to look down or eventually stumble.  Because the steps were nothing more than steel grates it was easy to see directly below perfectly negating the old saying "Dont look down!" 

If it were up to me these spiral stairs would wind their way to the very top of the smokestack but once we reached the top we found the views and vertigo satisfying enough.

The park grounds look a little shabby but the weather has not been the greatest for growing new grass.  Im sure it be much greener in a year or two.  Ariel - Foundation Park lies on an old industrial complex that was home to the Pittsburgh Plate Glass Works #11 which operated from 1907 to 1976.  The factory produced a host of glass products from bottles to architectural plate to automotive glass in later years. 

Rather than bulldoze the area flat removing all trace of the industry that once flourished here the park planners wisely incorporated materials and structures from the glass works into the park to serve as sort of a memorial.  I think it was a great idea and naturally I appreciate the designs being a fan of history.

  

Long term readers of this blog will know I have a soft spot for the blue shiny stuff.  I saw this pile from a mile away. 

 We found this graphic in the visitor center that shows what the plant looked like in the 1950- 60s and which structures remain today shaded in blue.

My son and I had fun strolling around the new park on its opening day but to me its also bittersweet.  Id almost rather see a factory at work putting out a product; fueling the economy and providing jobs for local people.  But parks are nice too and this one is a great example of good land stewardship not only providing public green space for a community to enjoy but at the same time providing a historical perspective of the importance of industry to our country.

On our way back we stopped at a pretty place along Dry Creek where a waterfall of sorts splashed over the edge of the bedrock of the creek bed.  While not a cataract of Niagra proportions the sound of rushing water was peaceful and oh so cool on hot feet just liberated from cycling shoes.  
  

Last week a reader named Dave from Columbus mentioned that he had recently been riding on the Heart of Ohio Trail that runs from Centerburg, northeast to Mt. Vernon.  I know a trail that runs into Mt. Vernon but its on the other side and it has a different name.  Ive been riding the Kokosing Gap Trail for a few years and it is one of my favorites.  

 I had no idea there was another rail trail in the Mt. Vernon area.  Thanks Dave!  As much as I love the Kokosing its only 13 miles long end to end. I always start at Mt. Vernon and ride to the far end then back for a total of 26 miles.  While always a relaxing and scenic ride at 26 miles its just a little more than a warm up when riding my recumbent bike so often Im hesitant to make the hour long trip by car to get to the trail head.  

It seems that with every passing year I am growing less and less fond of sharing the roads with ever increasing car traffic and their inattentive drivers.  So in order to find solace and safety on the rail trail Im willing to accept a bit of four-wheeled purgatory to get there.  Now with the discovery of a second trail radiating out from Mt. Vernon the thought of combining the two resulting in a 50 mile day makes the drive much more worth it. 

Yesterday I decided to give it go and motored to the small town of Danville that is the eastern terminus of the Kokosing Gap Trail.  From there Id ride west to Mt. Vernon covering trail Id been up and down many times for a warm up before going into adventure mode once I located the beginning of the HOOT trail.

I used the map on my smart phone to help navigate a couple miles of suburban streets across the southern end of Mt. Vernon and shortly I found the trail.  The map showed the trail starting right where I was but new looking trail pavement headed east back towards the center of Mt. Vernon so I decided I would explore that way on the return trip. 

As it shows in the opening picture I only had to pedal about a hundred feet and I was back in the shady peacefulness of the trees starting my first journey on the Heart of Ohio Trail.  I love exploring new trails where Ive never been.  Its fun to see whats along the way.  After a mile or two the trees opened up and I saw this 1/4 mile drag strip. 

The HOOT trail follows a portion of the Cleveland, Mt. Vernon & Columbus Railroad and a few examples of its old iron is all that is left besides the grade itself. 

These bridges cross Dry Creek several times Although it didnt look particularly dry when I passed over.

This one had an active hornets nest attached so I didnt hang around too long.

Before I got on down the trail I did notice this plant growing on the railing with its interesting spiny seedpods.  Not sure what it is.

The HOOT trail shot straight as an arrow for long stretches sharing the valley with State Route 36 and passed picturesque small farms and woodlands.

Another clue that a railroad once existed; glass telegraph insulators.  There was quite a few rotting poles along the trail but the pins were all bare except for this one which Im sure is the one Dave mentioned in his comment.

 Eventually I pulled into Centerburg and the end of the paved trail.  Centerburg has its name because it actually is the geographic center of the state.  

On longer rides I carry a small snack to refuel at the half way point.  Some salty pretzels and a little can of Coke hit the spot.  One of the greatest things about cycling is how good food seems to taste both during and afterwords. I relaxed and finished my snack under the shade of a tree in a park before saddling up for the return trip.

When I was still a few miles out from Mt. Vernon while checking for traffic at a cross road I noticed this old brick building mostly obscured by trees.  I hadnt noticed it on the way out so I turned around and pedaled up to investigate.


  

Structural damage and decay is happening to several sections of the building.

At the rear of the house is this huge chimney which must have vented an incinerator or the steam boiler.  On the northwest corner of the structure I found a marble plaque with the date of construction and the county officials behind the project.

Im glad I happened upon the place and was able to have a look around and take a few pictures. Like so much of Ohios earlier architecture I think this places existence is drawing to a close.

I rolled back towards Mt. Vernon and passed the point where I started on the HOOT and kept riding east.  This section of the trail was very new having been just recently paved.  I passed by an old industrial area where a large factory complex once stood. All that was left was a couple smaller building frames and this huge smokestack.

The trail eventually came to an end where it intersected an active train track running perpendicular to the old line.  Across the tracks I spotted the Mt. Vernon Station.  The trail section in my photo ends at State Route 13 just before the old iron bridge in the background.  Eventually the trail will continue on and link up with the Kokosing Gap Trail.