A day of relief from bad weather. So it was time to roll out the Moto Guzzi V7 and get some helmet time. Destination? One of my favorite places for a ride, Caesar Creek Lake and State Park. The roads to and from are country, curvy and constant.
Caesar Creek Lake Visitor CenterBoat ramp on Caesar Creek Lake.Dam and spill way letting out quite a bit of water.Brent on the bridge over Caesar Creek below the dam. There is good hiking in the gorge.
BTW, last Friday, I learned my new Moto Guzzi would be at a truck terminal in town by end of day, and it should be at the dealer this week!!
When the temperatures are cool and the breeze soft, sitting on the patio with a beverage—hot or cold—can be a relaxing time. But when the sun is high and temperature hot, there is only one way to get some wind therapy. It’s not sitting on the patio.
Wind therapy on a county road near Wilmington, OH.
That’s when it is time to roll out a motorcycle. People ask, “Don’t you get hot?” No. A motorcycle is a vehicle where you can create your own breeze. Your own wind. Just a twist of the wrist and a few clicks on the shift lever, and away you go, reaching city speeds or out on the highway. The wind is relative to the speed of the motorcycle.
For some time, our weather people have been telling us we are in a drought. An extreme drought. It is hard to believe that our home in SW Ohio, along the Ohio River Valley, is experiencing drought.
But, my dry yard and browning grass, and the low Little Miami River nearby do not lie. It is dry. We need rain.
The Little Miami River access at the South Lebanon ramp is the lowest I have ever seen. Typically, one would see canoes and kayaks gliding down the river. Not today.
Morrow, Ohio, is this quaint small town with some historical character. It was laid out in 1845 and named after Ohio’s ninth governor, Jeremiah Morrow. The town was created when the Little Miami Railroad laid enough track alongside the Little Miami River to reach this spot.
Today, US 22/Ohio SR 3 passes through the town and intersects with Ohio SR 123. What was originally the rail line is now the Little Miami Recreation Trail, which starts near Cincinnati and ends in Springfield–74 miles of paved Rails to Trails.
The Morrow Depot, built circa 1852.
I have always found this piece of Morrow fascinating. Although the depot is in very good shape, it does not appear to be used on a regular basis. It has aged well since being built about 1852. Originally, there were two rail lines meeting at this spot. The Little Miami Railroad on one side, and the Pennsylvania Line on the other, giving the building its odd shape. Careful observation reveals the Pennsylvania Line route including abutments for brides that no longer exist–something easily discovered while motorcycling near and around Morrow.
Speaking of motorcycling, the depot is a great place for a photo op. And across the street is Miranda’s Ice Cream Shop. That’s worth a stop too.