Ziplining Photo Blog

Who: You and any number of friends, no matter age or athletic ability
What: Ziplining!
When: Spring through Fall
Where: O-Zone Zipline Adventures, The Wilds Zipline Safari, Hocking Hills Canopy Tours
Why: Zoom through the foliage up close and personal!
How: Save up about $80 and ignore that fear of heights - you'll be safe!

Middle West Spirits

Photos by OHventures

Middle West Spirits

1230 Courtland Ave.
Columbus, OH 43215

First there were wineries, then there were breweries, and now the next big thing in the imbibing world is the recent crop up of distilleries. In Columbus, we are lucky to have a couple of great new distilleries, but I must say, respectfully, that Middle West Spirits outshines the competition.

Middle West Spirits first and foremost won me over with its customer service. I knew that I wanted to have an event at a distillery as part of a mini bachelor party-like tour of the city for one of my out-of-town friends. Middle West Spirits answered the call - literally - when other places would not. It was fantastic to talk to someone right away and to hear how enthusiastic they were about having their distillery as part of our "Guy's Day."

The distillery currently holds tours open to the public on Wednesday evenings. However, if like me, you have a special occasion on a different day (mine being Saturday), you are welcome to call ahead and reserve that day/time. What I wanted was a private tour & tasting and that is exactly what they set up for us. The cost was $10 with a minimum of 10 participants. We had 11 people, so that was no biggie. $50 needs to be paid in advance. Very reasonable!

Zippity Doo Dah

Want the perfect way to experience the fall foliage up close and personal? You could rake up a bunch of fallen leaves and jump into a huge pile over and over - OR - you could zoom through the multicolored treetops high above the ground by going ziplining!

Ziplining consists of a series of heavy duty wires suspended in the air, typically connected to a tree or manmade platform at either end. A harnass straps the daring rider in and a pulley system allows the rider to hang from the wire and glide - or "zip" - across from one end to the other! This extreme activity offers thrills on a multitude of levels. The speed and height of the zipline varies throughout each "course" and beautiful views of Ohio's lush flora are consistent through and through!

We are fortunate here in Ohio to have some pretty badass ziplining facilities right at our fingertips! There is Ozone Zipline Adventures located in Lebanon in Warren County (Southwest Ohio), which was built in 2009. It consists of 10 ziplines that lasts for about 4 hours. Some hiking is involved in this adventure, and a brave soul is required to tackle the heights that reach 200 feet above the valley. Amazing views of the Little Miami River as well as an educational aspect involving the surrounding nature make it even more enjoyable!

Warrior Dash Photo Blog

Who: You and 10,000 fellow runners
What: The craziest frickin' day of your life (AKA Warrior Dash)
When: Various dates across the country. The next in Ohio is June 2012.
Where: Carrollton, OH
Why: To challenge yourself physically and mentally to run through crazy obstacles and get dirty!
How: Visit the official Web site to find out more!

Apple Picking Photo Blog

Who: You and any number of friends
What: Apple Picking

When: September - November
Where: Various apple farms across Ohio
Why: To escape city life, relive childhood, get outdoors, and get sustenance!

Apple Picking!

It's almost autumn, and with it comes a whole new set of OHventures.

Every now and then, a person needs to take a break and flee from the hustle and bustle of everyday big city life. A sea of apples and a maze of corn lie just minutes away, in every nook & cranny of Ohio, providing a perfect escape for anyone wishing to relive their childhood.

For those in Central Ohio, Lynd Fruit Farm, located on the corner of state Route 310 and Morse Road in Pataskala, provides a bounty of fall activities for the young at heart throughout September, October and November.

During the average year, 12 million apples will be hand picked, one at a time, and harvested at Lynd Fruit Farm. Although most of these apples are picked by migrant laborers, many are picked by ordinary people who come to walk up and down the countless rows of trees in search of the perfect piece of fruit.