Last week's bicycle ride in Holmes County reminded me of a yet-to-be-done story on ants.  That story will follow later this week.

In the process of doing the ant story on a marvelous day in early November we enjoyed not only the hike along an abandoned, railroad corridor (above) but also the scenes below, all within several miles of each other near the junction of Knox, Holmes and Coshocton Counties.

I was accompanied on this delightful outing by square dancing friends Mark and Nancy Meinzer, Roberta Karger and lady friend Sue Brooks pictured immediately above on the Bridge of Dreams, Ohio's longest covered bridge.  It spans the Mohican River in Brinkhaven and is, itself, the end of the Mohican Valley Trail, a combined bike and buggy trail that courses the four miles between Brinkhaven and Danville.

Mark is paying photographic attention to an Amish buggy clip-clopping eastbound on US Route 62 as viewed from the covered bridge.  Holmes County boasts the largest Amish population in the world.

From the covered bridge we drove those four miles along route 62 to Danville then another four miles or so south, crossed the intersection with SR 36, immediately crossed a bridge over the Kokosing River then headed east on the first township road to the Honey Run Park about a mile or so east of route 62.  From that park it is a very short hike to Knox County's only waterfall (below).

As you can imagine, local folks take considerable pride in the bounty of natural scenes glorifying our area of Ohio.  It was a special blessing when it could be shared with equally special friends on a warm and sunny November day.

A NOVEMBER BIKE RIDE--
Will December also be as kind?

A culvert under state route 83 near Holmesville, OH colorfully frames biking friends Nancy and Mark Meinzer as well as my lady Sue Brooks as we head north on the Holmes County Bike Trail from Millersburg to Fredericksburg.

Sue smiles (right) because the Village Car and Buggy Wash in the latter town serves another function as well.

Our ride that early and warm November day was a 20 mile round-trip on this dandy, multi-use trail where bicycles and Amish buggies share the right-of-way.  Buggies are confined to one side of the trail for obvious reasons.

Regardless, there often is gentle eye contact and a modest wave shared when "English" folks on their bicycles roll by our clip-clopping travel companions.

This trail now extends from Killbuck in Holmes County through Millersburg to Fredericksburg in Wayne Co., a distance of about 16 miles.  When finished it will extend from Killbuck through Glenmont to Brinkhaven where it will connect with the Mohican Valley Trail near Brinkhaven.

One day it will be a link in a continuous bike trail from Cincinnati to Cleveland.

Meanwhile it is unique as the first trail in the US to accommodate horse and buggies as well as more traditional trail users. That distinction happens here because Holmes County also is home to the largest Amish population in the country. 

The noise of highway traffic sometimes assaults the ears and makes Amish and English riders alike grateful for this travel route.

More often the trail is accompanied by the splashing of creeks which share its course through idyllic pastures and quiet woodlands.

My companions make a nicely timed passage on the trail (below, top left) as I compose the photo of a beaver dam which flooded a small tributary into an aquatic home for countless basking turtles who also were enjoying our sunny and warm fall day.

BUGGIES AND BICYCLES--

Cultures cooperate nicely on the Holmes County Bicycle Trail where Nancy Meinzer (above) and Sue Brooks (disappearing under the sign) head out on a 20 mile jaunt recently.  Please stop by Saturday for a story on our very enjoyable, late-in-the-season bike ride.

BOOK REPORTS--

Born in Africa by Martin Meredith

Sub-titled "The Quest for the Origins of Human Life" the book takes a peek at the seven million years that have passed since the precursors of humankind began to evolve in Africa; always in search of the oldest human ancestor.  The whole process however was marred by the intense rivalry, personal feuds and fierce controversies of the sciences and scientists involved.  The current agreement seems to point to Homo sapiens beginning about 60,000 years ago, generally in East Africa.  More or less.


It's All About the Bike by Robert Penn

The funniest line in this book was when the author described one design of a bicycle seat as like "riding on an irritable lobster."  Penn is in the middle of a life-long love affair with bicycles and in his mid 20's pedaled around the world.  In his book he travels internationally accumulating bicycle components from top of the line manufacturers with the hope of assembling a world-class, dream bicycle.


The Rise and Fall of the Bible by Timothy Beal

The author, a professor of religion at Case Western Reserve University "...takes us back to early Christianity to ask how a box of handwritten scrolls became the Bible, and forward to see how the multibillion-dollar business that has brought us Biblezines and manga Bibles is selling down the Bible's sacred capital."  Scholars will find the book challenging.  The faithful likely will find the book unsettling.


The Statues that Walked by Terry Hunt/Carl Lipo

Sub-titled "Unraveling the Mystery of Easter Island" the authors harness the power of modern science to unravel the mysteries surrounding this extremely remote Pacific island.  Why were the island statues created and how were they moved?  Where did the native population go?  After some plodding through the abstractions of sociological theroy they arrive at horrofic and evidence-supported conclusions.

The Opera House is the grand ole lady of Main Street in Hayesville, Ohio.  She is sandwiched quietly as the second floor neighbor of the town's post office in the commercial block east of the village stop light.

She has been there since 1886 presenting stage acts, musicals, movies, graduation ceremonies and more than a few minstrel shows.

She may not be as glamorous as she once was but, she has hosted silent movies, then the ones that actually could talk.  She has outlived eight tracks, and dial telephones and carriages that were replaced with automobiles and their fancy new running boards.

And, she still is going strong.

In the top photo you can see the little valves that once controlled the gas that was burned to illuminate the entryway.  Today modern spiral bulbs reside in the antique fixtures.
 
Backstage in the smaller photo (top right) Dave Roepke tells Mark and Nancy Meinzer and Sue Brooks about the colorful, original stage sets hanging in the picture.  Six of them were painted in Chicago in 1886.  Four remain.

He also points out a gentle slope to the stage.  That was designed to help audience visibility since there was not room in the building to slope the seating floor.  That technique also gave rise to the theatrical phrases "Up Stage" and "Down Stage."
  
Dave still is going strong too.  He conducts the tours and sells the tickets and mans the concession stand and runs the projector.  Popcorn sells for a buck and bottled pop is 75 cents--quite a pleasant surprise if you are accustomed to the prices of those products in the modern cinema.

Tickets for this day's movie were 3 bucks a head.

A change of film reels results in a brief intermission which lasts as long as it takes for the last person to return from the restroom.

The opera house has struggled over the years as community awareness of her true value has waxed and waned.  After sitting idle for more than 30 years a group of 600 people from Ashland and surrounding counties formed a restoration committee in preparation for the 1976 bicentennial.

They raised more than $2000 for new wiring and interior decorating.  That same year the opera house became the first Ashland County building to be named to the National Register of Historic Places.

Restoration efforts slowed until 1994 when local folks launched another series of fund-raising efforts.  They replaced air conditioning, installed restrooms and, most recently in 2009, refurbished the wooden seating.

If you glance below the seats ahead of you, you will see a circular wire object.  They are the original holders for patron's hats.

Attendance ranges from what turned out to be our private screening of the movie "Contagion" to well over 100 folks at a recent musical event.

Here sits one of life's delightful bargains just a few miles and a phone call away.  Do yourself a favor.  
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Click here for a nice recent article on the Opera House by Courtney Albon of the Ashland Times-Gazette.
For a current schedule, call Dave at 567-203-3231.

BRRRRR-GRRRRR!

Icycles cling to a stray branch after overnight temperatures in the mid-20s constructed this wintry tapestry beside the pond's spill pipe.  Splashing water is frozen into the crystal stalactites while little bubbles float merrily by.

Since my pond is part of the Mississippi River drainage basin this water soon will be passing by palm trees in the Louisiana bayous--actually, a very sensible thought this time of year.

For you photography buffs, this picture was done with a 100mm Canon, f/2.8 macro lens.  In this case it performed the role of a modest telephoto lens allowing me to enjoy a fairly close view while clinging to the creek's bank.

The camera was a Canon Rebel T3i digital, single lens reflex.  This model has a fully articulated viewing screen which allowed me the comfort of swinging the screen so its was visible as I held the camera near water level while I remained high and dry and composed the photo.

LIVING HISTORY ON MAIN ST--

Hayesville, Ohio

Buffalo-Bill Cody signed the backstage wall of the opera house during his "one night" performance there on October 28, 1888.  The signature has been abused and cleaned over the ensuing 123 years.  (Remember, you can click on blog images to examine a larger view).

Please stop by Saturday when Fogeyisms will take you inside this marvelous trophy of local history for a peek at what we enjoyed during our recent visit.