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A Ride to the Ohio River

A riverfront development in New Richmond, Ohio, has had my attention. The $13.4M project expands the use of this small town’s waterfront and will have a 300-foot marine with 30 boat slips. It should be a great asset to the community when completed.

Unfortunately, the day I decided to visit New Richmond, the village was in the middle of a two-day sewer project in the downtown. However, it didn’t stop the locals from gathering at the corner tavern to enjoy some brews and sunshine.

People who live along the Ohio River know about the Great Flood of 1937. It was devastating to communities up and down the Ohio. New Richmond commemorates the flood with a river gauge along the wall. The very top of the gauge marks the river flood level at 80′. That’s a little more than 20′ above ground level. Water levels were up to the second floor windows on main street.

After visiting New Richmond, I found an alternate route home.

See you on the highway.

Brent

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Exploring Shiloh Cemetery

I have ridden or driven past this sign on McHenry Road near Goshen many times. I’ve always wanted to stop and explore a cemetery that sits back in the woods like a long lost reminder of the past with history laying in the ground.

If you didn’t catch that sign driving past, you would never know it’s there. I parked the bike and prepared for a little hike.

A path passes next to the adjoining property traverses a small ravine, and then turns uphill. It’s a short walk that opens up on the cemetery, a serene spot on top of the hill. Surprisingly, the cemetery looks like it is being taken care of. No weeds or overgrowth. Grass trimmed.

This pioneer cemetery is not a large one, maybe an acre. No clear date when it was established, but believed to be in the mid 1800s. It was associated with the unincorporated village of Shiloh. Tombstones reveal mostly births and deaths in the 1800s. The latest one I could find was a burial in 1903.

I found one Civil War grave. There may be others, but I did not find any. The grave is marked with a Grand Army of the Republic badge, G.A.R 1861-1865, serving in the 2nd Ohio Cavalry.

It’s a peaceful experience to stroll through an old cemetery. To read the headstones that are still readable and wonder what their lives were like in the 1800s. What contributions did they do to serve others and community. So many stories to tell.

I walked back to the bike, pulled out on the road and turned towards home.

See you on the highway.

Brent

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Scooting through the countryside

My wife asked, “Where did you ride to?”

I answered, “Waynesville, but I was zigging and zagging to get there and back.” You know, the long way around.

As I was zigging and zagging on those country roads, I noticed the gliders soaring above. There is an active soaring club in our area, the Caesar Creek Soaring Club. It’s on one of those country roads that I often ride down. So, I stopped to observe. They were getting ready for a launch.

In my opinion, there is some shared euphoria in flying and motorcycling. It’s the unbound freedom that one feels.

My flying days may be over, but not my motorcycling.

See you on the highway.

Brent