Hiking Trip- Turkey Run State Park

Hiking Trip and Get Together
Turkey Run State Park
Marshall, Indiana
June 25-27, 2010

I first read of Turkey Run State Park in National Geographic Adventure magazine. Ever since seeing pictures of the rugged and striking surroundings, I’ve wanted to visit. Several friends live within driving distance of the park so we planned a quick trip to meet up and take on the trails.

My middle sister Joanna and I embarked after work on Friday afternoon. We packed up her Jeep Wrangler, removed the windows and hit the highway, taking Interstate 76 West to I-71 South to I-70 West toward Indiana. We had quite a voyage, receiving no less than 4 honks from passing semi-truckers. As 30-something housewives, we felt pretty hot!

We arrived at the Staybridge Suites in Fishers, Indiana around 11:pm and got to bed shortly after. We planned to meet at Turkey Run State Park around 11:am on Saturday morning. When we pulled into the park ($7/out-of-state car), we were surprised by all the activities that are offered. A stately historic inn stood on the same grounds as miles of hiking trails, a huge swimming pool, picnic facilities, horse stables, camping and much more. Kayaking, canoeing and tubing can be enjoyed on the creek that snakes through the area. Our rendezvous spot was the Nature Center where Joanna and I met Liz & Ian from Chicago and Beth & Rob from Indianapolis. From there we jumped right into the hike, agreeing to take on one of the most difficult trails in the park, the 1.7 mile Trail 3 known as the Ladders Trail.

As soon as we crossed the suspension bridge over Sugar Creek, we were greeted by large rock formations. The trail wound along the Creek and then turned into a deep ravine and stream bed. After heavy rains earlier in the week, the stream had plenty of water to wade through or attempt to traverse by bouncing from stone to stone. Sometimes paths were cut along narrow ledges above the stream and other times there was nothing to do but just walk through the moving water. We climbed a series of ladders out of the creek bed and to the top of the ravine, walked up and down several flights of steps and into and out of deep valleys. After completing Trail 3 we decided to do the 1-mile Trail 2. Crossing under cliff edges, it is another of the more adventurous trails offered in Turkey Run. We then followed a portion of Trail 1 past a covered bridge and along Sugar Creek. The excursion was quite an adventure.

After a few hours of strenuous hiking, we were all pretty hungry. We brought our own sandwiches, a side dish to share and had a picnic. We enjoyed a delicious lunch with choices like zucchini orzo salad, beer bread, black-eyed pea salsa, a fruit platter and many other items. We’re all the sort of people who bring way too much to these types of events!

Horseback riding was next on the agenda ($16/pp). Jo was paired Gumbie, the biggest horse of them all and I was assigned Mary, a smaller blond horse that loved to lag behind. The bright side of this predicament was that she occasionally realized how slow she was going and would speed up to a fast trot to catch the rest of the group. It was quite fun!

We were exhausted by the end of the ride and after stopping by the Inn to see the interior and purchase some postcards, we headed back to the hotel to enjoy the lap pool and hot tub. That evening we ordered a half cheese/half pepperoni pizza, breadsticks and cinnamon dessert (about $20 + tip) from Wise Guys Pizza and spent the evening playing games and watching movies.


The next morning we packed up the Jeep and hit the road. We had one more stop planned on our way home and were excited to arrive at our destination. After seeing a billboard advertising the attraction, we counted down the miles to our exit. Right off exit 145 and Interstate 70, the huge candle was hard to miss! We had arrived at the Warm Glow Candle Outlet. So much more than a candle shop, this huge 11,000 square foot building houses all sorts of things for the home, from decor to food items. I set out to smell as many varieties of candles as I could and was thrilled when Jo pointed out a section of relishes, sauces and jams. I ended up leaving with 12 candles in flavors like Lemon Verbena, Nutmeg Chutney and Mandarin, an ornament and a jar of Basil Pesto Mustard.

Various reward programs made this trip very budget-friendly! I was thrilled to be able to cash in my very first Hotels.com Welcome Rewards free night. In addition, we purchased gas on the way using $3-off/gallon Fuel Perks from Giant Eagle/GetGo. We packed a cooler full of picnic foods, wine, fruit and water and ordered out only once. A huge buffet breakfast offering numerous hot and cold items was complementary at the hotel. All in all, it was a very economical jaunt.

Romantic Weekend Getaway- Hocking Hills, Ohio

Romantic Weekend Getaway- Hocking Hills State Park
Hocking Hills Region, Ohio
May 13-16, 2010

I enjoy packing as much activity as possible into a vacation. Josh loves vacations that include a whole lot of relaxing. Our conflicting travel styles can sometimes be a problem but we’ve managed to find a balance and choose destinations that can offer a little bit for both of us. The Hocking Hills Region in southeastern Ohio was the perfect spot for a long weekend getaway!

J and I stayed at the Hemlock Log Cabin in Rockbridge, Ohio. I had been there before on a girls’ getaway and love the secluded location and huge hot tub. We packed a cooler full of stuff to grill, snacks, beer, wine, bourbon and fixings to make s’mores. We left after work on Thursday evening, headed down Interstate 77 South to I-70W to OH-37 to US 33 and followed country roads to our cabin. After a long day, I thought we’d fall right to sleep. Instead we spent the evening having drinks, sitting on the huge front porch and relaxing in the hot tub.

The next morning we headed out to do some hiking. Our first stop was the Rock House, the only true cave in Hocking Hills State Park. We hiked down a short trail and were soon at the cave. We climbed in through one of the crevices and began exploring from one end of the cave to the other. The ceilings were high and it was very roomy. Inscriptions of visitors past dating back at least 150 years were carved into the cave walls. The beautiful coloring inside was breathtaking.

On our way to the next natural wonder we stopped at Grandma Faye’s Grocery, located on State Route 664 South. We browsed the general store that has a little bit of everything, purchased a few necessities and then drove on to Ash Cave. From the parking lot, the path to Ash Cave is only about a ¼ mile, paved and wheelchair accessible. The astounding sight at the end of the trail is well worth the small amount of effort it takes to get there. We’d heard that Ash Cave is one of the most spectacular sights in the whole park but we were still amazed by the view. The huge rock shelter rises above a vast, open area into which a waterfall is pouring from above. We hiked along the formation, behind the waterfall, up some steps and around the top to the ridge of the cave. Although Josh is definitely not a hiker, he said these short hikes had some high pay-offs offering stunning views with only a small amount of physical exertion.

From Ash Cave we drove down Route 56 to Etta’s Lunchbox Cafe’, a restaurant and lunch box museum. This quirky destination offers casual menu items, a small store and a collection of more than 800 lunchboxes. We ordered a medium pizza, half cheese/half pepperoni (about $15 with drinks) and explored the museum while we waited, finding our first lunchboxes in the huge collection while the curator recited his own unique commentary on the history of lunch pails. After enjoying a delicious lunch, we followed Route 56 to Route 278 into Nelsonville.

Nelsonville used to thrive on clay, making the distinctive Star Bricks which line its sidewalks today. The old crumbling kilns of Nelsonville Brick still stand near town. Nelsonville now thrives as a local Appalachian arts community. In the heart of the town is the Nelsonville Historic Square Arts District. The square has local galleries, shops and other artistic establishments. We walked around the area, spoke with some of the locals and made a few purchases. I’d love to return to Nelsonville with a better shopping partner!

Next we headed to Logan, Ohio, another Ohio Appalachian community that offers homegrown art. We stopped at the Logan Art Gallery and bought a small clay heart ornament. The Logan Art Gallery happened to be moving across the street to the Emporium so we visited there as well. More a gift shop than a gallery, the Emporium offered a wide-range of items but lacked the homemade quality that we were looking for. I did find a small handmade clay pot and was quite pleased my purchase.

After essentially making a huge circle around the area, Josh and I headed back to the cabin to relax and enjoy the evening. Josh grilled up bratwurst, peppers and onions, built a fire; we roasted marshmallows and enjoyed s'mores. I became transfixed by the flames. Not one to spend too much time just sitting, relaxing by the warm blaze while watching it dance in the darkness was quite marvelous.

The next day we enjoyed what was by far the highlight of our trip- a zip line adventure with Hocking Hills Canopy Tours. We loved every minute of it! I have always been a little scared of heights but as soon as I stepped into the harness, I felt safe and secure. It wasn’t at all scary walking off the platform and zipping along, sailing through the tree tops, over rivers and in between rocky ledges. Our guides Leifken and Jake engaged us in interesting and humorous conversation. The tour, which included a ride on an all-terrain vehicle, 10 zip lines, 5 sky bridges and 1 repel, was worth every penny. After completing the course, Josh declared that he’d like to travel around doing other canopy tours and zip line challenges. We can’t wait to return!

On Leifken’s and another zip liner’s recommendation we decided to try the Millstone BBQ Restaurant, located off Route 664, for lunch. It defiantly lived up to its reputation. Our waitress was spacey but took great care of us. Josh is a huge cornbread fan, I usually don’t like it- we both loved their cornbread. The house salads come with a choice of dressings- regular ranch or spicy chipotle. I ordered the Texas Trio, a combination of three mini sandwiches- a cheeseburger, pulled pork and beef brisket and a side of mac & cheese. Josh chose the Millstone Combo with pulled pork and smoked turkey with sweet potato fries. Our dishes arrived with both sweet and spicy bbq sauces. Before leaving, our waitress brought us a huge basket full of cornbread to take home. Completely stuffed, we’d enjoyed a great meal and the leftovers we took home sure hit the spot later that night!

We spent our last evening at the cabin by the fire, relaxing in the hot tub, playing pool and sitting on the front porch, as we’d done every night before. It was nice to be able to relax after an exciting day. Reflecting on the trip, we both agreed that it would be nice to return with friends to take on a group adventure. We spent one last quiet morning in the cabin, then packed up and drove home on Sunday.

Our weekend trip to Hocking Hills was just what we wanted- a quick get-away that didn’t include a lot of travel time but did include great activities and relaxation. We found everything we were looking for and more.

More Photographs:

Ohio Day Trip- Hartville Marketplace

Ohio Day Trip- Hartville Marketplace
Hartville, Ohio
May 8, 2010

Although I had visited the Hartville Flea Market many times as a child, I hadn’t been to the market since they built the indoor Hartville Marketplace. I had driven past it many times on my way to another Hartville destination, Quail Hollow State Park, for hiking or cross-country skiing and had always thought about visiting. When I started my quest to visit a variety of Ohio destinations, the Hartville Marketplace was near the top of my list. My friend Diana and I decided to visit the market on a cold and rainy day in early May.

The market holds a variety of items ranging from clothing, religious objects, jewelry and glassware to cheese, meat and specialty food products. It is definitely the type of place where you can find a unique gift for the hard-to-buy-for family member. After browsing the indoor market, we headed outside. Because of the adverse weather conditions, there weren’t many people in the outdoor market but a handful of hearty fellows sold their produce, plants and baked goods. At the end of our excursion, Di had found a few decorative crosses for her home and I had bought a couple paperbacks and a jar of hot chili pepper jelly.

I hope to visit the market again sometime during the summer when the outdoor flea market is flourishing and the variety of products is even better. Still, the Hartville Marketplace is a great place to browse a wide variety of products in a nice, indoor setting.