So my partner and I wanted to do something outdoorsy-ish since the weather was cooperative (67F and sunny!). In addition to a visit to the Cuyahoga Valley National Park (CVNP), today was the first day we could put the top down on the convertible which made us happy campers :-)

 

Off we go!

 

Unfortunately, we have to pass through suburban dreck on our way from urban beauty to natural beauty:

 

Just what a region with a stagnant population needs - MORE auto-centric retail! :roll:

 

Ah well, we're getting closer...

 

Okay - anyone who sits in the right lane going 60mph; 80mph; 60mph; 75mph; 55mph... gets an @sshat!  :roll:

 

We decided to stop in Hudson for lunch... we pass one of the more posh neighborhoods cul-de-sacs, Chadds Ford. Normally I take the time to photoshop out reflections but I figure why bother in this case:

 

But as we get closer to the historic area close to downtown, things improve:

 

With the notable exception of St. Marys:

 

Anyhoo, two gorgeous Italianates:

 

And we arrive at First and Main, a micro-lifestyle center that manages to conform to the existing historic district. For what it is, it's not terrible and certainly the townhomes on the right are preferable to the McMansionlands that have encircled Hudson:

 

At our lunch destination, Alladins - faytoush salad and Dortmunder - can't go wrong there!

 

One last peek at First and Main's "green" (yes, I walked across the grass) and retail strip:

 

On our way to CVNP, this church serves as a nice landmark at Route 303 and Boston Mills Road:

 

About 10 minutes later we arrive:

 

That's not where we want to go (been there, done that):

 

Since this was next to a car repair/gas station, I'm guessing it's a fuel of some sort? Thought it was amusing:

 

Boston Mills Ski Resort - about the only place where snow is in abundance now that it's FINALLY warmed up:

 

We decided to go on the Stanford Trail - appropriately located near the Stanford Hostel!

 

As my partner said, it'll look MUCH better once the trees get some green on them!

 

BUT, there were a few spots of color to be found here and there:

 

Neither here nor there:

 

Props to my partner for spotting this fun guy... get it - FUNGI?!?  :laugh:

 

Love these trees:

 

Wha??? We aren't even there yet?!?  :x

 

Okay, the falls are waaay down there:

 

Unfortunately, the lower deck was closed so we couldn't get too close:

 

Who knew?

 

To get an idea of their size (comparable to Chagrin Falls, minus the Starbucks next to it):

 

 

I thought it was weird that someone carved an eye into the tree, then I realized it was for knot... get it? A knot?!? :laugh:

 

We went to the other side and found a bench so we took a breather:

 

The Stanford trail has quite an elevation change, so we were debating on a different route when this incredibly knowledgeable and helpful gal said "oh, this way is less muddy and flatter" - thank you helpful gal!!! (That's her in the distance but I didn't want to be a COMPLETE dork and ask to take her pic. Sorry):

 

Turns out the way ended up being a closed road - so this little guy decided to sun himself:

 

Yep, MUCH less muddy!

 

We realized we were on Stanford Road - and duh - it's the Stanford Hostel again!

 

Back on the Towpath Trail, we saw a deer or two:

 

Hard to believe THIS was largely responsible for Cleveland's growth back in the day:

 

Back to our starting point, the Boston Store:

 

One of MyTwoSense's first ad campaigns :lol:

 

Our 4.5 mile journey:

 

Time to head home up I-77:

 

One of these days, I'll get an in-focus shot! :whip:

 

Ahh, that's more like it!

 

Hope you enjoyed!

 

 

Nice hike & photos!

Very nice

as a fungus enthusiast, I thank you for these shots

Nice job!

 

Hi all,

 

As usual Mayday great pictures. As for the PURE sign, that was the PURE OIL COMPANY. According to WIKIPEDIA it merged with

UNION OIL that later became UNOCAL 76. After a few more mergeres it became a part Chevron. Warm nuzzles and bear hugz to all.

 

Jim S.

 

 

 

Darn purdy shots! I see you also walked for a portion on the former Lake Erie & Eastern Railroad line, abandoned in 1970. It was one of seven railroad/interurban lines that headed southeast from Cleveland. I also took a road trip today -- met a nice girl from Pittsburgh in Youngstown. We went to the Youngstown Historical Center of Industry and Labor (she's a history buff like me, see http://omp.ohiolink.edu/OMP/YourScrapbook;jsessionid=BD309598B853B8FC6389CA21B119EE94?user=null&scrapid=2458 ) and we ate Italian food afterwards.

Great pics, MayDay!! I especially like this one...

 

 

 

Nice shots, though it seems odd that Cuyahoga Valley would be a National Park as it looks like most other woods and parks I've been to in SW Ohio.

^How many woods and parks in sw Ohio go on for 17 miles?

 

The park has a lot of history, trails, canals, etc. It is a great asset for Cleveland.

Nice shots, though it seems odd that Cuyahoga Valley would be a National Park as it looks like most other woods and parks I've been to in SW Ohio.

 

Every one of these pictures is also of Cuyahoga Valley National Park (linked to Google Image result to be copyright safe):

 

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.ersemiconductor.com/cuy4.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.ersemiconductor.com/about.htm&h=519&w=1210&sz=671&hl=en&start=5&um=1&tbnid=VqMnD1mtvXmUeM:&tbnh=64&tbnw=150&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dcuyahoga%2Bvalley%2Bnational%2Bpark%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DG

 

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.gowaterfalling.com/waterfalls/images/full/vbrandywine1.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.gowaterfalling.com/waterfalls/brandywine.shtml&h=800&w=600&sz=91&hl=en&start=7&um=1&tbnid=hVhWKg1284AshM:&tbnh=143&tbnw=107&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dcuyahoga%2Bvalley%2Bnational%2Bpark%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DG

 

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://upress.kent.edu/books/images/covers/o_r/Platt3-hr.jpg&imgrefurl=http://upress.kent.edu/books/Platt3.htm&h=343&w=395&sz=25&hl=en&start=8&um=1&tbnid=VUoPGfyI2C1_9M:&tbnh=108&tbnw=124&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dcuyahoga%2Bvalley%2Bnational%2Bpark%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DG

 

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://image02.webshots.com/2/9/63/37/52496337kLRfYC_fs.jpg&imgrefurl=http://travel.webshots.com/photo/1052496337036463967kLRfYC&h=1200&w=1600&sz=404&hl=en&start=1&um=1&tbnid=1NEqNryILrpt1M:&tbnh=113&tbnw=150&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dcuyahoga%2Bvalley%2Bnational%2Bpark%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DG

 

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.cuyahoga.valley.national-park.com/images/waterfall.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.cuyahoga.valley.national-park.com/jobs.htm&h=421&w=561&sz=215&hl=en&start=14&um=1&tbnid=jef1TL0qJLzgPM:&tbnh=100&tbnw=133&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dcuyahoga%2Bvalley%2Bnational%2Bpark%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DG

 

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://homepage.mac.com/patholleran/ParkVision/CuyahogaValley/cv-088.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.shannontech.com/ParkVision/General/Rivers.html&h=341&w=512&sz=72&hl=en&start=19&um=1&tbnid=vPQGlx-UTDTowM:&tbnh=87&tbnw=131&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dcuyahoga%2Bvalley%2Bnational%2Bpark%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DG

 

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://images.jupiterimages.com/common/detail/65/85/22668565.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.jupiterimages.com/itemDetail.aspx%3FitemID%3D22668565&h=250&w=165&sz=26&hl=en&start=21&um=1&tbnid=wUck-Lo9llvIyM:&tbnh=111&tbnw=73&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dcuyahoga%2Bvalley%2Bnational%2Bpark%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DG

 

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://neooc.home.att.net/AMeet/cliff.jpg&imgrefurl=http://neooc.home.att.net/AMeet/index.html&h=384&w=512&sz=32&hl=en&start=16&um=1&tbnid=nNd33CCxTeSHXM:&tbnh=98&tbnw=131&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dcuyahoga%2Bvalley%2Bnational%2Bpark%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DG

Nice shots!  The Towpath is one of my favorite places in Cleveland.

 

That being said, here are some photos from last Sunday.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

^How many woods and parks in sw Ohio go on for 17 miles?

 

The park has a lot of history, trails, canals, etc. It is a great asset for Cleveland.

 

No doubt it's beautiful, as these pictures show, but compared to Yellowstone, Yosemite, Acadia, Smoky Mountain, etc. you see how it seems odd for it to be a National Park.  The Loveland Bike Trail goes from Yellow Springs to Newtown (close to the Ohio River), way more than 17 miles, and also has a beautiful river, history, woodlands, etc.  Sharon Woods, part of the Hamilton County Park District, has many waterfalls and has a lot of history too, but it is not a NP, and rightly so.  I'm just curious as to why this absolutely nice park is a National Park, as opposed to a State Park like Hocking Hills.

^How many woods and parks in sw Ohio go on for 17 miles?

 

The park has a lot of history, trails, canals, etc. It is a great asset for Cleveland.

 

To be fair, the Fort Ancient Valley stretches for about 18ish miles between the I-71 bridge to around Spring Valley and it's nothing but woods, forests, "nature preserves" and valleys (though it lies just east of Cincinnati and Dayton).  And I'm not even going to mention Shawnee State Park and etc.  But it is quite unique having a seemingly "SW Ohio landscape" between two cities such as Cleveland and Akron and I believe the Cuyahoga Valley has some sort of historical recognition due to the canal (?).  That's probably why it has that distinction.  It is a beautiful valley, no doubt.

 

Though to be honest, the only "worthy" national park this state should have is the Hocking Hills region as it is quite underrated and beautiful (Old Man's Cave is a national treasure).