Happy Holidays From OHventures

Photo by OHventures

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Happy New Year to all of my readers of OHventures! Thank you so much for your continued support in my quest to show everyone just how cool Ohio can be! May the next year bring you an endless thirst for adventure! See you in 2016!

Happy Holidays From OHventures

Photo by Green Elephant Photography

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Happy New Year to all of my readers of OHventures! Thank you so much for your continued support in my quest to show everyone just how cool Ohio can be! May the next year bring you an endless thirst for adventure! See you in 2015!

Candy Stick Photography

Photography is the only language that can be understood anywhere in the world.

Seeing Ohio (and the world) through adventuring over the years has been a wonderful journey. But it wouldn't be the same without having photos to document my travels and experiences. Oftentimes, photos are far more powerful than the written or spoken word. That's why I am a photo junkie, and I encourage everyone to bring a camera with them to capture memories, moments, and magic.

That said, I have enormous respect for those who have a passion for photography and make it their living. It's truly an artform that is essential in our lives. My friend Laurel is one of those artists, and she has established her own company, Candy Stick Photography, based out of the Akron-Canton area. Laurel's philosphy for taking great pictures is "less posing, more fun!" She loves taking pictures that show every day life and the love between family members and friends. 

 

Her and I went on a photo shoot for Candy Stick Photography, and while there were definitely some poses in the mix, she was able to capture the passion I have for adventure with one of my favorite spots - Portage Lakes - as the backdrop. Take some time to browse through these pics and be sure to check out Candy Stick Photography for yourself!

Stark County Mutt Strut

Photos by OHventures

Time for a proud dog-dad moment.

The Stark County Humane Society hosted the Mutt Strut, a 2-mile casual walk for dogs and their families, on Sunday, on September 28, 2014 at Schneider Community Park in Plain Township (Canton area).

Each dog could be entered for a cost of just $10 (plus any additional donation you’d like to give), as well as an item from the Humane Society’s “wish list”: dry dog food, plastic dish pans, pillow cases, liquid hand soap, bleach, cloth towels, toilet paper, leashes, etc.

Aside from the walk portion of the event, the Mutt Strut also encouraged both humans and their pups to dress up in costume and participate in any or all of the contests later that day: Best Owner/Pet Resemblance; Best Pet Costume; Waggiest Tail; Wackiest Pet Talent; Howlin' At The Moon; and Best Owner & Pet Costume Combo.

Naturally, I showed up to the Mutt Strut with the honorary OHventures mascot, Slider the Chihuahua! It was long overdue that he joined me on one of my adventures, and being that he himself is a rescue dog, it was only fitting. I am a huge supporter of animal shelters and the amazing work that they do (after all, there would be no Slider if it weren't for the Franklin County Animal Shelter). 

Volunteering time, donating money and items, and encouraging others to "adpot, not shop" when they are looking to add a furry friend to their home, are just some of the ways that you can be an animal advocate as well. Taking part in events such as the Mutt Strut is also a great way to show up and show your support.

Over 100 dogs were accompanied by their humans at Schneider Park on that sunny September afternoon. The walk kicked off a little after 2:00, and everything from rat terriers to huskys, yorkies to golden retrievers were struttin' their stuff on the dirt trails surrounding the picturesque ponds. There were two water stops along the way, which were crucial due to the heat beating down on the dogs (especially when some of them were costumed!).

After the walk, it was time for the contests! I entered Slider in three categories: Best Pet Costume,Wackiest Pet Talent, and Best Owner & Pet Costume Combo. 

The competition was stiff for the costume categories. Slider was dressed as Spider-Man, and I was dressed as Peter Parker turning into Spider-Man! While we looked pretty darn dapper, it didn't hold a candle to the gigantic dog dressed as a lion (looking EXACTLY like a lion), and a woman dressed as the Scarecrow and her greyhound dressed as Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz. 

However, the competition for the Wackiest Pet Talent was not so stiff, with only about 6 entries. Slider and I got on stage and he was to perform his talent that I like to refer to as the "prairie dog." This is when he sits up for a treat, but keeps his butt on the ground and balances like that for a very long time without falling. Much to our surprise, Slider WON for the best talent and we received a GIANT basket full of dog gifts (including treats, grooming tools, food, toys, and best of all, a pet carrier for an airplane). 

As silly as it may sound, I was pretty proud of my little dude for pulling off the big win! And I was really happy to see so many people in the community out supporting our four-legged friends in their fight for better lives.

Check this list of Ohio Animal Shelters to find a shelter near you that might have volunteer opportunities or community events like the Mutt Strut.

West Branch State Park

Photos by OHventures

West Branch State Park
5708 Esworthy Road
Ravenna, Ohio 44266

(330) 654-4989

"The contented person enjoys the scenery of a detour."

I had a nice "detour" of sorts this past weekend when I took a random trip to West Branch State Park, located in Portage County, approximately 45 minutes from my home. In what seems like the winter that will NEVER end (even when it is not even winter anymore...come on, Spring, step it up!), I made it a point to get outside for a mini hike the moment the weather broke! Cloudy and overcast was far better than rainy or snowy in my book, so I trekked to West Branch State Park with my pup in tow (it is a dog friendly establishment - in fact, I saw a number of other hikers with dogs here today)!

Slider says "bring your pets!"

This park appealed to me because of its impressive 2,650-acre lake with its many forks, making it a popular spot for fishermen, boaters, and swimmers. Just looking at the layout of West Branch on the official park map (below) told me that! Since the lake would clearly be frozen over still (it's not THAT warm yet), I would certainly not be able to partake in any of these fine events, but I used this as an opportunity to scout out the place for a summertime visit!

I parked at the trailhead for the "Deer Run Trail," which was to be just a short 1-mile hike! I found out that the trail is appropriately named, because right when I got out of my car, I spotted a large white-tailed deer grazing in the field! I was luckily able to get rather close to take a picture before she sprinted off, but she wasn't the only deer I would see in my short visit! The trail itself was rather muddy due to the recent weather. And while I was not afraid to get a little dirty, it still was not the most ideal of conditions.

Despite the mud, there were still a lot of great things to see while at West Branch State Park. For instance, there are a large number of camping sites sprinkled along the lake, only a few of which were occupied at the time I visited. Most of the sites seemed to overlook the lake, and were situated by a cliff/hill that led down to a rocky shore. I managed to find a couple of steep paths down to the rocky beach to gaze out at the frozen & massive body of water, and for a quick photo op. I was able to see some of the 6 launching ramps for boating, and some of the docks that were available for rent. I could also see some of the gravel launch ramps available for fishing boats. as well as a 700-foot sand beach that is available for swimming (when the ice melts, of course).

My 1-mile hike was just a fraction of what is offered at West Branch State Park. There are 14 miles of hiking trails, 12 miles of mountain bike trails, and 20 miles of bridle trails. If this year pans out, I will be tackling some of those trails soon enough, and I hope that you can join me!

Top 10 OHventures of 2013

Another year has come and gone! It is hard to believe! Big life changes took place for me, as I moved from Columbus (after living there for a decade), to Akron/Canton to start the next phase of my career. Sandwiched in between friends' weddings, out-of-state vacations, and acclimating myself to my new surroundings, I made sure to cram in lots of adventures. I give to you the Top 10 OHventures of 2013. There were many to choose from, but if you needed to see the best of the best, here they are (in no particular order)!

1. Ziplining at Valley Zipline Tours: For my 28th birthday, I decided to take a day off of work and stare my fear of heights in the face by going ziplining at one of the newest facilities in Ohio, Valley Zipline Tours in Lancaster.

2. Fight For Air Stair Climb: Probably one of the most challenging physical activities I have ever participated in (and that's saying a lot) was climbing 880 stairs of the Rhodes Tower in Columbus to raise money for the American Lung Association. I was literally fighting for air during this intense event!

3. Open Air Safari at The Wilds: Seeing camels, giraffes, ostriches, and antelope within hands-reach was an experience I will never forget, thanks to my visit to The Wilds in Cumberland. Think of it as a zoo but 1,000 times cooler.

4. Paddleboarding with Project 908: My cousin Jake and my friends Matt and Jess joined me in my very own backyard (which happened to be a quarry) to try out paddleboarding with a Columbus-based company, Project 908. The pictures say 1,000 words.

5. Columbus Brew Adventures: Being driven around in a van and taken to various breweries throughout Columbus for grub, fun facts, and of course booze? Can't get much better than that!

6. Akron Marathon Relay: I ran many races this year (20 to be exact), but if I had to pick the most memorable of all, it would be the Akron Marathon. I was part of a relay team (Running For Donuts) for the first time, and was running through the city that I now call home - it was a great initiation to becoming an Akronite.

7. Horseback Riding at Faith Ranch: If I could go horseback riding every weekend, I would. The city boy in me became a little bit country when I ventured to the town of Jewett to embark on an hour-long horseback trail ride at Faith Ranch.

8. Monumental Workouts in Canton: The McKinley Monument in Canton is not only a massively historic landmark, serving as the resting place for President William McKinley, but it is also becoming a hotspot for fitness enthusiasts who run the stairs and attend boot camp classes here!

9. Arnold Fitness Classic: I have been attending the Arnold Fitness Classic for many years now. It is my favorite festival of all, and we are lucky to have it right here in Ohio. You can watch athletes from all over the world compete in dozens of sports, visit the expo for loads of protein, supplements, and other goodies, or participate in the Arnold Pump & Run!

10. 1 Year Sliderversary at Zoom Room: May 23, 2013 marked the 1-year anniversary since I rescuue the honorary OHventures mascot, Slider (my chihuahua). We celebrated in a BIG way!

Happy Holidays From OHventures

Photo by Green Elephant Photography

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Happy New Year to all of my readers of OHventures! Thank you so much for your continued support in my quest to show everyone just how cool Ohio can be! See you in 2014!

Avon Lake Dirty Dog 5K Recap

Photos by OHventures and Earth Fare Cleveland

By now, you should know that I am the proud owner of a nine pound pup named Slider, whom I take on various doggy 5Ks, such as the Run With The Pack 5K and the Defend Your Friend 5K in Columbus. We've become nicely acquainted with one another's running style and we seem to work well together now (I am not tripping over his leash or running too fast like I was in the early stages).

On July 21, 2013, I thought it was about time to step it up a notch or two. Slider and I traveled to Lorain County to the town of Avon Lake to take part in the Avon Lake United Church of Christ Dirty Dog Run, Walk, and Wash! There were torrential downpours the night before and the morning of the race. Things were NOT looking good for us! My friends who were planning to run that morning took one look at the dark gray storm clouds and decided to back out. I, however, am pretty crazy! So, I went ahead to the church to prepare for the run.

But because of the friends deciding not to participate, I wound up running with ANOTHER dog in addition to Slider! Our running mate was my friend's 5 pound chihuahua, Max, who was only pushing seven months old on his inaugural 5K run! I was very skeptical for how this race was going to go. The pouring rain and the added canine were not going to make it easy. Thankfully, by the time I arrived on site, the rain cleared up! Not a single droplet fell on me or the dogs for the rest of the day! Praise the Lord!

Walking around with Slider and Max surely attracted a great deal of attention. So many people kept stopping me and asking me about the little dynamic duo, and many people vocalized their disbelief that I was going to RUN the 5K with both of these little guys, especially since a 1-mile walk was an available option. Depite all of the doubt cast by onlookers, I went for it! The horn sounded and the three of us were off and running!

Much to my surprise, running with these two dogs was not as awkward or as difficult as I had thought. I just had to pay extra attention so that they would not cross over in front of me and so that the leashes didn't get all tangeld up! The crisp post-rain air actually made things a bit more bearable, as we did not have to run in 90 degree weather as I have had to in the past.

The course was through a small residential area in Avon Lake, which was a nice added bonus. The pups would occasionally stop to pee and -ahem- other things, which slowed us down a bit. But other than that, they kept up pretty well! Max set the pace, which was very surprising, but makes sense since he is such a young puppy full of endless amounts of energy. He would bark at many of the other dogs though, which was kind of funny.

Soon enough, the course wrapped up and we charged through the finish line in full force! We completed the race with a time of 32:40, which was better than any other dog 5K I had ever done before! This was remarkable, given that their were TWO dogs with me! I owe it to Max, who was the fastest of us all! My time helped land me a prize! I was the 2nd Place Finishing Male in my age group, which meant I got a "trophy"! It was so exciting!

Even though it was not raining, it HAD rained all day and the night before, so the dogs were kicking up a ton of water onto their undersides. Good thing that the "Dirty Dog" also offered FREE dog washes to all those in attendance! We stood in line for a little bit and the pups got all shampoo'ed and scrubbed clean! It was a great amenity and a genius idea (all dog 5Ks should offer this at the end of the race)!

Food, live music, and dog friendly companies were all present after the run. Earth Fare Cleveland was kind enough to give Slider and Max some treats, and snap some great pics of them (below).

This was a fantastic event and a great challenge for me, despite the odds. It was also for a great purpose: the Dog Wash and Dirty Dog 5K are fundraisers for the Youth Ministry programs at Avon Lake U.C.C. Specifically the proceeds from this event are used to help fund the various mission trips that Jr. High youth and High School youth from the church attend each summer.

FLIP Darby Creek Trail Run Photo Blog

Who: Team OHventures, FLIP Now, and over 250 other runners and walkers

What: The FLIP Now Darby Creek Trail 5K/10K!

When: July 13, 2013

Where: Battelle Darby Creek Metro Park, Galloway

Why: To explore Ohio, get in shape, and raise funds to fight cancer

How: By joining a team through FLIP Now!

Photos by OHventures and FLIP Now. More photos available here.

FLIP Darby Creek Trail Run Recap

Photos by Team OHventures

Last month on July 13, OHventures had the opportunity to partner with a local Columbus-based organization, FLIP Now, for its annual Darby Creek Trail Run 5K/10K. It was a perfect fit, as both OHventures and FLIP are devoted to promoting a healthy and active lifestyle, and both are advocates for exploring the great outdoors in the state of Ohio. Additionally, FLIP encourages others to Fight, Live, Inspire, and Prevent (FLIP...get it?) cancer through special events, including races!

So when Carl Seiley from FLIP Now was interested in having a "Team OHventures" take part in its staple "inspire" event, the Darby Creek Trail Run, we were incredibly excited. This was the first opportunity to gather OHventures readers together to fight for a cause, get a cardiovascular workout through walking and running, and see a part of the state that none of us had been to before!

The best thing about the Flip Now Darby Creek Trail Run was that it offered a number of options to accommodate the different skill levels and interests of participants! The 10K and 5K courses were each completely separate from one another (aside from the start/finish line) and 5K participants had the option of being "walkers." On top of that, dogs were permitted in the race as well! Team OHventures had people participating in every option possible!

Me and My Family at the Darby Creek Trail Run!

Team OHventures (I love the sound of that) consisted of: Myself, My Mom (Kim), My Dad (Mark), my Aunt Patty, and my friends Matt, Ryan K., Ryan H., Emily, Beth, Rachel, Spenser, and Katie (Katie's husband Matt also came to take photos and give moral support). Those who did the 5K walk were: Mom, Dad, Patty, and Katie (with her dog Lilly); those who did the 5K run were: Matt, Ryan K. (with his dog Franklin), Ryan H., and Emily; and those who did the 10K run were Myself, Spenser and Rachel (with her dog Hunter). I was thrilled to have such a great turnout of folks who came to support the fight against cancer through FLIP, and to help support the blog as well!

The Batelle Darby Creek Metro Park is located in western Franklin County in the city of Galloway. The race began bright and early at 9:00 AM. We were all amped, as it was an absolutely gorgeous day, if not a little too hot. The gun sounded and we shot through the starting gate, splitting off almost immediately. Since I ran the 10K, I can only give a firsthand account of that course. However, I do know that the 5K course was mostly paved, and looped around a bison preserve. Unfortunately, I had reports that there were no bison to be seen on the morning of the race (save for on the photo on the fence)! The other runners and walkers did, however, let me know that it was a very pleasant and picturesque course on wide, flat terrain.

Rachel & Hunter

The 10K course, on the other hand, was not so flat and wide. It mostly weaved through a thick wooded area, and had gargantuan hills that were incredibly steep and incredibly long. They were so difficult that I decided to walk up the hills as not to "run out of gas" trying to slowly jog up the hill. Because it was so hot, I was extremely sweaty and extremely thirsty. I only wish there were more than just two water stops during the 6.2 mile course. I also wished there were mile markers so we could see how far we went. That kind of made it so we had to do it the old fashioned way and keep on running until you didn't have to anymore (which was kind of cool in a way).

Crossing that finish line, I was filled with lots of euphoria, as everyone from Team OHventures was there cheering me on, as well as Carl and others from FLIP Now. It was truly a fantastic experience.

Race results for our team were as follows:

5K Results:
Emily: 30:09.3
Ryan K.: 30:49.8
Matt C.: 31:23.2
Beth: 31:52.0
Ryan H.: 36:25.9
Katie: 47:21.6
Patty: 48:13.0
Mark: 48:15.7
Kim: 48:16.1

10K Results:
Spenser: 50:28.0
Mike: 1:03:37.3
Rachel: 1:09:56.8 

Everyone had AWESOME times. And, let's not forget the great performances by Lilly (with Katie), Franklin (with Ryan), and especially Hunter (with Rachel)! Running that far for those pups is the most impressive of all (Slider says congrats!)!

I was dripping with sweat but didn't have a care in the world! I learned that despite all of the excruciating hills, I absolutely LOVE trail runs. They beat running on shut-down city streets any day!

Most all of us headed to Bob Evans for breakfast (hey, it's an Ohio based company after all!) and then me and my family attend the official FLIP Now After Party located in Grandview at Fifth Avenue King. There, I saw my old pal Andrea, and more importantly, I discovered that Team OHventures won the prize for the LARGEST TEAM to participate. That is pretty awesome. We won a party for up to 50 friends at the new event space in Brewery District called "The Vue." The party can take place sometime between October and March. We will have an OHventures party and you'll all be invited!

Me & Andrea at the After Party

It was great to have all of us together doing something positive to help fight cancer and also to explore Ohio.

We had beautiful weather and great scenery, even though there were really tough hills on the 10K course and there were no bison to be seen on the 5K course!

Many thanks again to all participants!