Top 10 OHventures of 2014

Out of any other year, I feel that 2014 put the most miles on my odometer. I drove to every corner of the state - Toledo to Athens to Geneva to Cincinnati visiting friends, attending weddings, working, and of course adventuring. In doing so, I definitely had a year full of unique experiences. As with every year (see 2012 and 2013), I give to you the Top 10 OHventures of 2014. There were many to choose from, but if you needed to see the best of the best, here they are (in no particular order)!

Use this list to start planning some awesome bucket list items to do in 2015.

1. The Lodge At Geneva-On-The-Lake: The romanticism of Ohio's Lake Erie shoreline is encapsulated to perfection at the upscale yet affordable Lodge at Geneva-on-the-Lake. I stayed here for a weekend in June and saw for myself all the fantastic pleasures that can be unearthed while staying at this hot vacation spot.

2. Mohican Tree House Cabins: Halfway between Cleveland and Columbus is an adventurer's paradise, an outdoorsman's dream, and one of the most unique attractions found in all of Ohio: The Mohican Treehouse Cabins. I stayed overnight in these AWESOME accommodations!

3. Bon Appetit Appalachia!: I had the privilege to witness a glimpse (and sample a taste) of this innovative farm-to-fork concept on a visit to Athens - the setting for a large number of these culinary destinations in the state. Follow me as I eat - and drink - my way through Appalachia!

4. Tree Frog Canopy Tours: Another year where a zipline locale makes the list! This time, we made our way BACK to Mohican Country for the tallest, fastest, and longest zip line in all of Ohio! Pictures say 1,000 words.

5. Tough Mudder Ohio: If you think that a 3-mile obstacle course like Warrior Dash is crazy, then you ain't seen nothing yet! The Tough Mudder was 12 miles of muddy mayhem in Mansfield, trumping anything I've ever done before! And how can I EVER forget the arctic enema and the electroshock therapy?! I must be a masochist.

6. Akron Birthday Bash Dash 5K: This was a very special 5K walk/run for me, because it was the first time ever that - instead of running the course -  I ran the ENTIRE event as the race director! The 5K in Stow was a TON of work, but proved to be a success, raising money for Muffins For Mammograms & celebrating the 100th "birthday" of the health system. 

7. Columbus Pedal Wagon: My family & friends hopped aboard this contraption that required us to use our man-power to wheel the wagon from bar to bar to bar in the streets of the Short North one football Saturday in October. Check it out in Cincinnati as well.

8. Kayak The Bay at PIB: Between drinking wine and barhopping on 4th of July weekend in Put-In-Bay, a group of college friends decided to get a workout in and kayak the beautiful waters of Lake Erie surrounding South Bass Island. 

9. Polar Plunge: A polar plunge (also known as a polar bear jump) is for the bravest of brave and the craziest of crazy! I participated in the Polar Plunge at Mosquito Lake State Park in Cortland on January 18 as a benefit for the Special Olympics of Ohio. Even the photos make me shiver.

10. Dragon Boat Festival at Portage Lakes: I competed with my friends Chelsie and Craig in the annual Dragon Boat Festival at Portage Lakes on July 12 in Summit County. We learned just how hard it is for 20 people to paddle in unison to power a dragon boat - but Team Morgan Stanley made it to the FINALS!

Kayak The Bay at PIB

Photos by OHventures

Kayak The Bay Ltd.
760 Bayview Avenue
Put-In-Bay, OH 43456
(419) 967-0796

Put-In-Bay Jet Ski & Boat Rental
South Bass Island State Park
1523 Catawba Road
Put-In-Bay, OH 43456
(419) 285-BOAT

While prevelant in the lively town of Put-In-Bay, wineries and bars are not the only atractions when visiting the island. In fact, there are many options for those seeking extreme thrills or an active lifestyle. Being that you are surrounded by miles and miles of seemingly endless waves while on South Bass Island, water activities are common! More specifically, kayaking the bay of PIB is one of the most fun things you can do on your visit, and there are a few options at your fingertips.

The bay at South Bass Island State Park

If you are not lucky enough to own your own kayak, you can rent one of these colorful vessels on either end of the island: Kayak The Bay Ltd. (by Oak Point State Park west of the Boardwalk), or Put-In-Bay Jet Ski & Boat Rental (found within South Bass Island State Park on the western portion of the island). Both are fantastic options, although the Put-In-Bay Jet Ski & Boat Rental is the cheaper option ($19/hour for single kayak, $30/hour for double kayak) compared to Kayak The Bay  ($20 for single kayak, $40 for double kayak, with $2 off coupon HERE).

Despite the higher prices, Kayak The Bay Ltd. offers guided tours (as long as you call in advance), and gives you a choice of :"sit inside" and "sit on top of"" kayak styles (while the other location offers the sit inside kayak style only). The location of Kayak The Bay - IN the harbor - also makes for a nice perk, as you can paddle by places like Gibraltor Island and Rattlesnake Island.

Our group in our life jackets ready to kayak the bay!

While visiting Put-In-Bay with my 7 college friends, we decided to go with the cheaper fare and rent from Put-In-Bay Jet Ski & Rental. Two people in my party took single kayaks while the remaining 6 of us paired up for double kayaks. My partner in crime for the day was my good pal Anna (who came all the way from Colorado for some OHventures). We all decided to only take the kayaks for one hour, so that our prices were not too high (we are all young professionals with limited incomes). Also, we were advised that we had to stay within sight of the launching docks, so we couldn't go too far.

One hour was long enough, because kayaking the bay was QUITE a workout! It required immense upper body strength, but also required a lot of communication with my boat-mate so that we paddled in sync and thus moved swiftly. A huge mistake we made was forgetting water to keep us hydrated. It was a hot, sunny day in Ohio, and we were expending a great deal of energy. This oversight hindered our ability to paddle too much. So, take it from us, and do NOT forget water!

With friend and fellow kayaker Joe!

Despite this mistake, we still enjoyed our kayak trip quite a bit. It was a great bonding experience and proved to be fantastic exercise. The view from the middle of the bay was also fantastic. Rowing approximately 20 minutes east (around gorgeous rock formations) allowed us to see the famous Benson Ford Shiphouse (as seen on HGTV's Most Unusual Homes). The only downfall of our kayaking excursion was seeing dead fish floating by, and a water snake swim by! Other than that, we loved our trip!

Be sure to take some time out of your busy wine and beer schedule and kayak while at Put-In-Bay. It's a MUST DO item on your Buckeye Bucket List.

Dragon Boat Festival at Portage Lakes

Photos by OHventures

When I was asked to compete in the annual Dragon Boat Festival at Portage Lakes on July 12 in Summit County, I blindly and excitedly agreed. I had no clue as to what I was getting myself into, but I knew that it would be a challenge I couldn't turn down! My good friend Chelsie was recruiting friends and family to join her corporate team, Morgan Stanley, in the competition. My fellow coworker Craig happens to be Chelsie's husband, and the two of us proudly joined Team Morgan Stanley.

What I soon learned was that the Dragon Boat Festival consisted of teams of twenty individuals (including at least 8 females in this particular event) who all sit facing forward in pairs within a single dragon boat, which is a long, sleek lightweight watercraft decorated with a dragon head and dragon tail. Team members each use a single oar on the side of the boat in which they are seated and paddle in unison in order to power the boat. 

One additional teammate sits at the head of the boat on a small chair and serves as the drummer, who keeps rowers in pace with one another by beating on it in a rhythmic fashion. There is a non-team member who stands at the back of the boat and steers the vessel when needed (for instance, when the team needs to make their way to the starting line).

A circle of breast cancer survivors gathering on Turkeyfoot Beach

This particular dragon boat race - officially dubbed the Dragons On The Lake Dragon Boat Festival - was for an amazing cause. The event is hosted by the Dragon Dream Team, Ohio's first all breast cancer survivor dragon boat team. Through paddling and other activities, the members embrace the motto of celebrating life after breast cancer. Through the Boatloads of Hope Community Outreach Program, the Dragon Dream Team delivers a silk pashmina, along with a powerful message of hope to other breast cancer survivors. This program currently exists in 7 area hospitals. 

There were 3 classifications of teams at the Dragon Boat Festival: survivor teams (made up completely of breast cancer survivors), community teams, and corporate teams.

With our Morgan Stanley Team Captain Chelsie

As a corporate team, we would be going up against 12 other corporate teams. Since not all of us actually work at Morgan Stanley, we had our first opportunity to meet our fellow rowers at our very first practice, which took place a couple of weeks before the actual event.

At practice (and the day of the race), we found that this was a rather technical and high-skill water sport that relies heavily on teamwork and synchronicity. Some tips we discovered were:

1. Keep your hips as close to the gully as possible. Do NOT lean out of the boat.
2. Keep your oar straight up and down, and close to the side of the boat when paddling.
3. Paddle in sync with the rest of your team. Do so by putting the oar in the water each time the drum strikes. Keep your eyes on the person up 2 and to the left.
4. Lean your body forward and dig your oar deep into the water.
5. Count out loud along with the rest of the team to keep together.

It is a lot easier than it looks or sounds! On race day, our team met for the very first time as a whole unit, which was a major disadvantage. But the team captain, Chelsie, was full of encouragement and enthusiasm that helped our morale. When we found our spot on Turkeyfoot Beach, we practiced counting and moving in sync while on land. 

Me and my teammate Craig taking a break with a game of cornhole.

Then, at 8:00 AM, the festival began and the first heat (out of three heats total) took place. The heats were made up of three boats (not necessarily all of the same category). We paddle to the "starting line" where we all have to reach alignment. Once alignment is achieved, the horn blows, and you fly out of the gates as fast as possible! Our first heat was less than stellar, as the front of the boat was way out of sync with the back of the boat. However, we still managed to get 2nd place out of the 3 teams and cross the finish buoys with a respectable time.

In each heat, we took what went wrong and remedied it so that we could do better in the next heat. Our three times were approximately 1 minute 15 seconds, 1 minute 13 seconds, and 1 minute 12 seconds. After much anticipation, it was revealed that these times were enough to take us to the FINALS!

Team Morgan Stanley ready to take on the competition!

The final round in the corporate division consisted of our team (Morgan Stanley) versus Vorys Legal Counsel and Merrill Lynch (who happened to be our friendly rivals the whole day!). The final round took place at 3:30 PM. We lined up and paddled our asses off! Unfortunately, Merrill Lynch smoked our boat. But we came neck and neck with Vorys. The final times were soon announced, and we sadly lost to Vorys by only 0.12 seconds! The good news is, we improved our time once again with a time of 1 minute 11 seconds. And, even though we took home the bronze, we were just happy to have made it as far as we did.

It was exhilerating to take part in such a different kind of race than I am used to, to meet lots of new people, and to help the fight against breast cancer.

Find a dragon boat festival near you: Columbus Dragon Boat Festival, Cleveland Dragon Boat Festival, Akron/Canton Dragon Boat Festival, Toledo Dragon Boat Festival, Cincinnati Dragon Fest at Paddle Fest,  MOV'n Dragons (Mid-Ohio Valley), 

Top 10 "Top 5" OHventures Lists

Need an idea of what to do to to spice things up in Ohio? Need to scratch some items off of your Buckeye Bucket List? How about 50 ideas? Here are the Top 10 "Top 5" Lists by OHventures to give you a couple of fun activities to choose from, whether it be sipping on some Ohio wine, riding on world class roller coasters, or dodging paintballs with friends.

1. 5 Great Ohio Bike Trails: The Backroads & Beaches Bike Route in Lorain County, Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail from Cleveland to New Philadelphia, Olentangy Greenway Trail in Columbus, Little Miami Scenie Trail in Clark County and Warren County, and the Ohio to Erie Trail.

2. 5 Unique Ohio Workouts: Boxing, Pure Barre, Boot Camps, Rock Climbing, and Trampolining

3. Top 5 Wineries in Ohio: Heineman's Winery & Crystal Cave in Put-In-Bay, Camelot Cellars in Columbus, Thorncreek Winery in Aurora, Gervasi Vineyard & Italian Bistro in Canton, Lakehouse Inn & Winery in Geneva.

4. 5 Ohio Museums That Won't Bore You: Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Center of Science & Industry in Columbus, National Air Force Museum in Dayton, Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, and the Motorcycle Hall of Fame & Musuem in Pickerington.

5. 5 Reasons to "Go South" in Ohio: Chillicothe, Lebanon, the Great Serpent Mound in Adams County, Marietta Brewing Company, and Shawnee State Park in Scioto County.

6. 5 Extreme Ohio Thrills: Cedar Point in Sandusky, King's Island in Mason, Splatter Paintball Park in Mount Gilead, Skydiving in Xenia, and Ozone Zipline Adventures in Lebanon

7. 5 Great Ohio Breweries: Rustbelt Brewing in Youngstown, Great Lakes Brewing Company in Cleveland, Columbus Brewing Company, Fat Head's Saloon in North Olmstead, and Elevator Brewery in Columbus.

8. 5 Doggy OHventures: Grater's Ice Cream, Wineries, Dog Parks, Hiking Trails, and Doggy 5Ks.

9. 5 Great Running Events in Ohio: Air Force Marathon in Dayton, Canton Marathon, Capital City Half Marathon, Warrior Dash Ohio, and Cleveland Urbanobstacle.

10. 5 Ways to Cool Off in Ohio: Boating, Parasailing, Canoeing, Kayaking, and Paddleboating.

RiverScape MetroPark

Photos by OHventures

 

 

RiverScape MetroPark

111 East Monument Avenue

Dayton, OH 45402

(937) 274-0126

 

On a recent Daytrip to Dayton, my friends and I overindulged in a hefty brunch at Olive: An Urban Dive, mid-afternoon ice cream bars and samples at the PNC 2nd Street Market, and platefuls of fried foods at Blind Bob's in the Oregon District. In other words, we felt like major fatties and decided that we (along with our food babies) needed to get some fresh air and incorporate some physical activities into our agenda!

 

Thankfully, in the hub of downtown Dayton along the beautiful Miami River was the convenient and peaceful RiverScape MetroPark. Here, we took advantage of the scenic walkway along the river (hence the name RiverScape) amongst the landscape gardens, flowering pots, hanging baskets and reflecting pools. There were also large swinging benches perfect for people watching and winding down from our long day of eating! Nearby was also a large sound stage, which we found out has many free concerts and events throughout the summer. The night we were there featured a festive salsa band!

 

On Saturdays in the summer (which is when we were there), RiverScape MetroParks offers kayak rentals for as low as $12. Additionally (and more up our alley since we did not have a change of clothes on hand to kayak in) the park allows you to rent bicycles until 4 PM. Rentals are available until 4PM. In the winter, there is an area for ice skating. And, if we didn't already eat a truck load of food that day, there is also a concession stand that sells shaved ice.

 

RiverScape MetroPark, with its beautiful interactive fountains and wonderful amenities, is a spot I would most certainly recommend to anyone taking a Dayton daytrip!

 

 

 

5 Ways To Cool Off In Ohio

Photo by OHventures

It's June and I can feel the temperatures rising! Ohio has been having an exceptionally HOT summer this year...and it's not even summer! The mercury has creeped into the mid-90s already and who knows what else is in store for the hotter days that are to come. But fear not! The Buckeye State has a more than a few outlets for you to cool off by the water. Just be sure to apply your sunscreen and load up on your H2O before embarking on these waterlogged outdoor adventures!

1. Canoeing: Canoeing is a very strenuous activity which requires a lot of upper body strength and coordination & communication with your canoeing partner. It is essential for the 2 of you to synchronize your strokes in order to stay straight or turn when desired. You can canoe in a lake for a more relaxing ride, or downstream for a bit more of a challenge. Either way, add a pack of Miller High Life and you got yourself a "caBREWing" excursion that everyone will be on board for!

2. Kayaking: Once you've mastered the skill of canoeing, you can take on the task of kayaking, which kicks things up a notch. Single and double kayaks exist, so you don't necessarily have to go at it alone. Most everywhere that canoeing is offered or permitted, you will find that kayaking is also offered and permitted. Anywhere from Put-In-Bay to Alum Creek State Park to the Cuyahoga River are some of the many outlets for a great kayaking OHventure.

3. Paddleboating: Introducing the perfect combo of biking and boating: PADDLEBOATING! Also referred to as pedal boating, this activity is perfect for young and old alike, and surprisingly enough does not require a great deal of athletic ability. It is much more relaxing and care free than other waterborne transport such as canoeing or kayaking. Two great benefits of paddleboating is that your hands are free and the boat has a very small chance of tipping. Paddleboating is not an activity that would likely take place on a river, but rather on a small pond or lake.

4. Parasailing: Parasailing: It's the happy medium between the ultra-extreme skydiving and the ultra-lowkey sailing. It's getting towed behind a motorboat while attached to a long cord and hanging from a specialized parachute. It's really an exhilerating activity that's both low risk and relatively low cost. Not only will you get a nice splash from the water to cool off, you will also get the wind whisking against your face! There are two locations to parasail in Ohio: Put-In-Bay and Sandusky. Both of which are worth the price and the drive.

5. Boating: Motor boats allow you to add water skiing, parasailing, and inner tubing in the mix if you have the right equipment. But even without those things, you can still enjoy the wind blowing, the sun shining and the water splashing. Pontoon boats are also great, for things like fishing, swimming, picnicking, and just relaxing! One of my favorite yearly traditions was started 3 years ago with some great friends of mine that live on Portage Lakes in Summit County.

Put-In-Bay Getaway!

 

Photos by OHventures

Why bother planning a Spring Break trip or a summertime vacation to far off places like Florida or Mexico, when you can take a getaway to Ohio's own Put-In-Bay? Put-In-Bay is an extremely popular tourist destination in Ohio that thrives during the months of April-October, which is prime season for outdoor activities like fishing, kayaking and swimming. It is located on South Bass Island in Western Lake Erie, and is a part of Ottawa County. The island is 12 miles from the Ohio mainland, and is the third largest Ohio island. Only about 150 people actually live on the small island, but many tens of thousands visit annually!

I recommend booking a hotel and staying at least one night so you can fully enjoy the nightlife and the true Put-In-Bay experience! Below is a list of 10 Things to do on a Put-In-Bay Getaway!

1. Ride The Ferry!: This is sort of a given! Since you cannot drive directly to Put-In-Bay, you will have to plan ahead and park your car on shore (or pay to have delivered on the ferry). The Jet Express Ferry leaves from both Sandusky and Port Clinton and is always a memorable ride! I have been to Put-In-Bay numerous times, and the ferry ride is always a highlight! However, the real fun begins when you arrive!

2. Rent a Golf Cart!: Renting a golf cart is the easiest, most fun and most popular way to get around the island. Odds are you did not pay to have your car delivered on the ferry, and that’s OK! Island goers (adults and children alike) are encouraged to travel by golf cart on Put in Bay. Not only do they get you from place-to-place, but you get to enjoy a different sort of transportation that is fun for everyone you’re with!



3. Climb Perry's Victory & International Peace Memorial: Perry's Memorial was erected in 1936 to commemorate one of the most significant events in the War of 1812, the Battle of Lake Erie. It is named after Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry who led the victory of the battle. This enormous memorial is a column stretching 352 feet into the sky, making it the tallest "Doric" column in the entire world, and fourth tallest monument in the United States. As of April 30, renovations will be completed and visitors will once again be able to climb to the top of the observation deck!

4. Taste Some Wine: The Heineman Winery at Put-In-Bay has got to be my favorite winery I have been to in Ohio. The fantastic wine offerings are due to Put-In-Bay's rich island soil that helps grow some of the highest quality grapes in the state. Daily tours are offered 11AM - 5PM in which you get complimentary samples of wine. The Pink Catawba is one of the most popular wines. I suggest you get a bottle of that and some of the others to stock up on, since getting to Put-In-Bay is not the easiest of trips.

5. Explore Crystal Cave: As its name suggests, it is a cave full of "crystals" (really, a blueish mineral called celestite) and is the largest geode (a rock cavity with crystals inside) in the WORLD. Most geodes you cannot even put your hand inside, yet this one you can WALK inside. You can get tours of this while also touring the Heineman Winery. This is truly one of the most unique attractions in the whole state!

Ohio's Tallest Bridge

Photo by OHventures

With over 43,000 bridges, Ohio is second only to Texas in states with the highest number of bridges. That's a pretty remarkable factoid! I recently had the opportunity to visit the tallest bridge of those 43,000 in all of Ohio. That bridge is the Jeremiah Morrow Bridge located on Interstate 71 in Lebanon, Warren County. It reaches heights of 239 feet - that's taller than the Magnum roller coaster at Cedar Point - and spans 2,300 feet across the Little Miami River below.

The Jeremiah Morrow Bridge (named after Ohio's 9th Governor) was erected in the 1960s and is a truss style bridge that has two lanes northbound and two lanes southbound. In 2010, a groundbreaking event took place to begin work on the erection of a brand new bridge to replace the current infrastructure. This project, likely to be completed in 2014, will make the bridge three lanes in each direction and also add shoulders to the road. It is a road project of great magnitude and will surely improve the aesthetics, safety, and function of our roadways in Ohio.