First weeklong FJR trip w/wifey

[huron52]

Very nice ride report...... I just wish I could go somewhere

 

[Old Michael]

Louanne snuck one of me in there...

Louanne.

Don't do that.

(Wheatie, you're lookin' all fit and healthy. Well done. For a second there, I thought that was a pic of Justin Beaver, or whatever his name is ....

)

Thanks for giving us a look at that part of the world, old man.

 

[monkin]

Great report and pics. Thanks for taking us along.

 

[wheatonFJR]

Now we come to the last full day of the vacation...as the last just will just be a "get home day" for us across the flatlands.

July 21 - Saturday

Got up about 8am, which was fairly typical. Full of expectation of riding scenic curvy OH 78 west. A great road that traverses with ridges and views and a few twisty bits thrown in. After that, I had no idea...as the rest of the roads I had never ridden. I was given some suggestions, looked in the map for others...but mainly were were taking a wandering way to Millersburg, OH - in the heart of Amish country.

We left about 9:15am with a mostly cloudy sky, but some actual blue sky mixed in! :clapping:

78 was great as expected...

...our first stop was a stop at the "Big Bucket"...an ohio miner's memorial park which has the business end of the world's largest dragline ever built...Big Muskie. Louanne loved the stop...the Bucket, the views, the birds everywhere in the area that this dragline used to excavate.

Views from the memorial ridge, looking over the valley that the bucket used to excavate...

Stopping at another beautiful view...

Crossing the river at McConnelsville, OH

rural pond/reservoir

barns everywhere in Ohio (didn't see any darned concrete corncobs though)

One of my favorite stops on 78...

Someone's homestead

Somewhere, heading north (146?) on the way to Millersburg

Once we got off of 78, 93 north to Zanesville was pretty blah...but 146 north and west from Zanesville was good...thoug hbusy, but heading north and east on 79 north and 60 north was great. :yahoo: Really an unexpected pleasure. :clapping:

We got into Millersburg about 1:00pm fully expecting to hear the quaint clip clop sounds of horses pulling wagons. No such thing. Town looked like any other town. Kinda disappointed. Got some gas, got to our motel and asked touristy questions of the manager. Picked up some brochures and went to an amish type restaurant in Berlin...just 5 miles east. It was a huge operation...so much for quaint. Well my opinion changed after eating the food. I highly recommend The Farmstead...if you can handle a little wait.

The problem now was to actually find an Amish operation/farm in Amish country...well according to a map/handout we had, there was an Amish cultural center just a few blocks to the east so we head over there. That visit opened the whole afternoon for us. After we told the guy at the information desk what we were looking to do (visit farms, ride the back roads on our bike) he set us up real good...highlighting a detailed map for us of all the township roads we should hit (could there be gravel?).

So as we venture on our ride through the countryside on our satisfied stomachs, we see a sign for a Family Amish Home Tour. I double back and we head down the driveway to see what its all about.

Louanne spies a foal, so she just has to get a closer look.

As we enter a "gift shop" type building, there is a garden and aprons hanging out front.

We looked at the tour prices and Louanne wanted to do them all, the home tour, the barn tour, the school tour, and the buggy ride. We spent a couple hours at that place and could have spent more time...we really enjoyed the history and old timeyness that harkened back to older days...aaaand the animals.

Louanne cannot resist kittens

Loves the ducks...

So we took the Amish home tour...this home was built in the 1800s, and was active until the 1980s, but first things first...

bathroom

garden and canning jars

dinner bell and alarm bell (5 minutes of tolling = 911 from your neighbors)

home heating unit and ironing heat supply

Other interior conveniences...

home heating supply

So after buying some fresh homemade cookies, it was time for the barn tour (steady there Bust)

Thanksgiving dinner

Amish sheep

I don't think Louanne knows they raise the cute rabbits for food

Louanne wants to take this one home.

...don't think it will fit in the top box.

I would loved to have taken one home...pretty cute

So after the barn tour, we went to the one room school house, where a local amish teacher explained how she taught all the grades in one room, and what she taught. With my wife being a teacher, she asked lots of questions and found it very interesting. It kept my interest as well, as my mom was taught in a Nebraska one room school house.

After the school tour, we took a quick buggie ride on a track they had on the property for that purpose.

That horse moved along pretty fast!

So after a couple well spent and fulfilling hours, we said goodbye to the farm...

 

[wheatonFJR]

So we took our ride into the hinterlands of amish ohio on this our last evening of our vacation, the late shadows of the day and the lazy late afternoon light coloring all that it touches...

working animals enjoying some rest at the end of a day

hand stacked piles of hay

multiple family dwellings on one farm

The mode of transportation

a beautiful afternoon view that we soaked up...

Schoolhouse with outdoor plumbing

I knew there would be gravel! :lol:

uphill

downhill

After touring the amish countryside we got back to our beautiful room..

We spent the rest of the evening, swimming...hot tubbing...and eating that Amish cookie.

What a wonderfully good day that was! I loved this trip...an FJR is a great way for a couple to travel.

This trip was not like my typical trip...but I declare it good. More importantly, so does Louanne.

-fin

 

[Niehart]

:thumbsupsmileyanim:

 

[0Face]

Awesome!!

 

[Top_Speed1]

Great detailed pics/trip info. Looks like you had pretty good weather which sure helps

 

[Geezer]

Nice trip and, as usual, an excellent report.

 

[El Toro Joe]

Great report Mark...maybe I can talk my wife into a weekend getaway to Millersburg, it's only about an hour south of home. I've been through that area quite a few times, but never really stopped to smell the roses.

 

[wheatonFJR]

Great detailed pics/trip info. Looks like you had pretty good weather which sure helps

There was threat of rain and rain everyday.

However, it usually didn't rain long...and the overcast skies kept the temps down.

It wasn't blue skies and puffy white clouds and 77 degrees by any means. However this was a good test of Louanne's venture into marginal weather touring...she still likes it...just loves blue skies and fair weather, like we all do.

 

[wheatonFJR]

Awesome!!

Now that she's lived through a longer trip...I think I'll let her peek at your trip report there Marty! :blink: :lol:

 

[wheatonFJR]

Great report Mark...maybe I can talk my wife into a weekend getaway to Millersburg, it's only about an hour south of home. I've been through that area quite a few times, but never really stopped to smell the roses.

It is a nice little area...60 and 79 were great roads if you venture that way. You might be smelling something...and it might not be roses.

 

[Goodman4]

.

This trip was not like my typical trip...but I declare it good. More importantly, so does Louanne.

That was the ending I was hoping for. Thanks for sharing!

 

[wheatonFJR]

I asked Louanne to write up some feedback from this trip. Here's what she had to say:

I just read through Mark's ride report. He says it's the last one he'll write, but he does such a good job, he'll have to keep it up. We did have a wonderful trip. Mark adjusted the ride for me really well. Also, the changes to the bike were good.The floor boards were much nicer than the foot pegs, both for getting on and for riding. The seat was also comfortable, even on the longer days. I did like the days where riding wasn't the only activity. I mainly did the trip so I could enter 'Mark's world' of riding, but I've come to appreciate the journey as well as the destination. On the long highway days, I did enjoy my book on tape from the library. The scenery was beautiful and the hills and curves were a lot of fun. I would definitely do it again.

 

[rogdeb]

I asked Louanne to write up some feedback from this trip. Here's what she had to say:

I just readthrough Mark’s ride report. He says it’s the last one he’ll write, but he doessuch a good job, he’ll have to keep it up. We did have a wonderful trip. Markadjusted the ride for me really well. Also, the changes to the bike were good.The floor boards were much nicer than the foot pegs, both for getting on andfor riding. The seat was also comfortable, even on the longer days. I did likethe days where riding wasn’t the only activity. I mainly did the trip so Icould enter ‘Mark’s world’ of riding, but I’ve come to appreciate the journeyas well as the destination. On the long highway days, I did enjoy my book ontape from the library. The scenery was beautiful and the hills and curves werea lot of fun. I would definitely do it again.

I like your feedback Louanne Deb loves the scenery shots as she can relate to the "speedy foliage" effect in them

Enjoyable RR you guys :clapping:

 

[OldandSlow]

I wish I had known you guys were at Cumberland Falls. I only 45 minutes from there. The lady and I would have loved to meet a fellow inmate and, theres nice riding in that area as well. Enjoy your time in my world !

 

[wheatonFJR]

Just a footnote on Breaks...from one of my previous posts:

Just a note on Breaks, we discovered that there was no wifi, as promised on their website, when we got to our room in our lodge. I specifically made sure they had it spelled out on their website...they did. We called up from our room...and they said it was down...they were "in between suppliers". I don't require it on most trips, but with this trip with wifey, I wanted wifi for a weather check, and a pool at each place we were at. I was very disappointed in this issue, as "pop up" thunderstorms were happening every day, and affected our daily planning. I have tried to get some sort of satisfaction regarding this, but have not yet had a return phone call from Breaks. So although I love the nature around the park...this issue riled me up as I paid extra money to stay at Breaks and it's water park as opposed to staying in a chain motel. In retrospect, I would stay in a chain motel, and make a day trip to the park.

We just had a check arrive from Breaks with a note explaining some of the issues that they are dealing with and apologized for the situation. The check reimbursed us for one day of the two days that we were there...so we feel that they dealt very equitable with us on that matter..

 

[Mihalis fjr]

Just now i see your post..

Great report and realy beautiful pictures!!!What a nice country!!!

Thanks for sharing!!