An Evening at Maize Valley Winery

An Evening at Maize Valley Winery
Hartville, Ohio
October 8, 2010

Autumn in Ohio is a special time. The weather is beautiful, the colors are vibrant and everyone is trying to fit in as much outdoor time as they can before winter sets in. Many area farms contribute to all the fun by designing corn mazes, holding hayrides and hosting pick-your-own apple and pumpkin excursions. Maize Valley Farm in Hartville, Ohio is one of my favorite fall-time destinations. While I’d partaken in all of the fall fun Maize Valley had to offer in the past, this visit was planned around another one of my favorite pastimes- drinking wine at the Maize Valley Winery!
After a busy summer season, my friends and I were eager to get out for a fun night of wine tasting and good food. The tasting room of the Maize Valley Winery is gorgeously set up in the restored barn with hand-hewn beams and hand-quarried sandstone walls. Although there is plenty of seating, we were happy we arrived early. When we met up that evening, we were pleasantly surprised to find a live musician setting up to entertain the growing crowd. After tasting a variety of wines and choosing our favorites, we ordered an assortment of appetizers and enjoyed the music.
Another fun aspect of the Maize Valley Winery is the market which includes a deli, bakery and local farmers’ fresh harvest. I never miss a shopopportunity and loved walking around the market, checking out the cheese assortment, mustard varieties and wine-centric items. I do adore drinking and shopping.Before leaving, we made sure to make the most of the photo-ops and took silly pictures with cut-out costumes and behind hay bails. That’s one of the things I love the most about my group of friends- we sure know how to party!

Weekend in Hocking Hills- Hiking, Zip-Lining and Camping

Weekend in Hocking Hills- Hiking, Zip-Lining and Camping
September 11-12, 2010I’ve met many friendly people that share a mutual love of hiking and enjoying the outdoors by joining the Northeast Ohio Hiking Club though Meetup.com. I meet someone new and interesting at every event. I’ve also had the pleasure of reconnecting with someone from high school and getting to know her as an adult. It has been such an enriching experience! I was very excited when the Northeast Ohio Hiking Club planned an overnight camping trip to Hocking Hills. It is one of my favorite getaway destinations.

The group met for a delicious lunch at Millstone BBQ in Logan, Ohio, then made our way to Old Man’s Cave Campground. Our group campsite was one of only four in the area and down the road a little so we were fairly secluded from other campers. I’d helped my husband put up the tent many times but was still thrilled when we girls managed to get it up without needing any help!

Next, we headed to Hocking Hills Canopy Tours for a little adrenalin rush. While many in the group decided on the traditional tour (which I reviewed in a previous blog entry), a fellow camper and I decided to try the SuperZip ($50, 3 rides), a quarter-mile long trip getting up to speeds around 50 mph! Even though I’d zipped before and didn’t think I’d be too scared, I admit that I did let out a scream as the canopy opened up and we flew out over the Hocking River. We SuperZipped once in a seated position and two times laying in Super Man position- I could easily sense how much speed was gained when I pulled myself into a tight flying position. What an exhilarating feeling!

After zipping, we wrapped up our afternoon by exploring Cantwell Cliffs, known for its tight crevices and towering cliffs. That night we enjoyed our dinner by campfire, roasting hot dogs and marshmallows, munching on a variety of potluck choices and drinking wine. My two tent mates and I fell asleep to the sound of acorns hitting the roof of our tent.

The next morning I woke early and walked down to Rose Lake, sat on a rock and looked out over the still water. Calming moments don’t come around often- I like to take advantage of them when they do. When everyone was packed up we headed to the Visitor’s Center near Old Man’s Cave to start our hike. From Old Man’s Cave we followed the Gorge Overlook Trail three miles across the Rose Lake dam, over the A-frame bridge and to the bottom of Cedar Falls. After relaxing for a bit, we took another trail that looped back to Old Man’s Cave. The entire walk was full of breathtaking scenery- huge rock formations, hemlock groves, waterfalls and unique shapes eroded into the sandstone. I had been on the Gorge overlook trail before but hadn’t hiked the alternate return route and enjoyed the trail that hugged the rock wall and weaved through giant boulders that had fallen from above.

After completing the hike, we all split up and headed home. I stopped at Millstone to pick up some BBQ for J and happened upon a classic car show. I wandering around and gawked at all the beautifully restored automobiles while waiting for the take-out order. From there I headed home, enjoying every moment of the quiet Sunday drive through the countryside on an early fall afternoon.