Yesterday was a beautiful day with mild temps, low humidity, and plenty of sunshine. So I set off on an afternoon of riding the C3, with no particular destination in mind.
I started my ride by slowly scooting down some winding back road twisties along a little creek about 3 miles from "the cottage-by-the-mall". This country lane is all but hidden from the darting eyes of frantic car drivers and manic moto mongrels who are always in a hurry as they traverse the landscape.
I never knew it was here myself until I became a slow scooter rider.
This is the main road down into the valley where I then traveled a back road into Milford:
Here along this creek bed I came upon a doe, who stood quietly on the side of the road and watched me glide by as I hit the kill switch on the bike and immersed myself in silence tinged by the sweet rush of the stream and birdsong:
I was not able to capture a photo of the doe as she turned and bounded off into the woods before I could pull out my camera. Such a beauty!
Not my pic, but I felt she deserved a tribute!
I then rode along on a main lower valley road after this which eventually led me into the village of Milford.
Here I stopped in a little Catholic cemetery to rest in the shade:
I rode around for a while in the old part of the village and then headed out SR 126 to seek out a popular small grocery that sits beside the Little Miami Bike trail.
Here I stopped to grab a bite to eat and to explore some of the new historical signage that they have added alongside the bike trail.
I parked the scoot near the picnic tables and went inside and came out with a mett and a Pomegranate-Berry Vitamin water and some peanut butter Ritz bits:
After a snack I headed a few miles down the road to the The School House Restaurant at Camp Dennison. The greenery in front of the restaurant was pretty overgrown, so I took some photos from the sides and back of the building:
The restaurant is actually the original two room school house from 1863 that served the children of Camp Dennison through 1952. More history and details about the school house and restaurant owners, the Millers, can be found on their website listed below.
Camp Dennison was a Union Civil War camp that bordered the rail road line that ran alongside the Little Miami River. This same rail path is now the Little Miami Bike rail trail.
Here at the Camp 1000s of Union and Confederate soldiers were stationed and Morgan's raiders invaded Ohio along the nearby rail tracks. Interestingly, President Lincoln's campaign train also traveled these same rail tracks at one time. It is one of the few designated Civil War sites in the state of Ohio.
There are lots of historical markers near here in a little Civil War memorial park and more historical detail can be found in the links below:
Here is the Waldschmidt House which served as the headquarters for Camp Commander:
I tried to capture the details of the school house signage, but it did not come out very well. You can see the photo of the school house as it looked in 1863, however:
In back of the school house sits a little general store. Next to this is a little area where geese, ducks, and frisky goats usually are romping about. Today there were no goats and only one lone goose:
Now I am wondering where my beloved goats are and there was no one around to ask, unfortunately, as the restaurant did not open until 4. I hope they return soon!
Some rustic art around the general store entrance:
I turned and saw a baby bunny!
She was hopping right beside the front entrance:
The restaurant serves up all their food "family style", meaning you sit at a table with a big "lazy susan" turn pad and they bring in your main course of fried chicken or country fried steak or whatever and then everyone at the table gets the same sides.
Usually these are mashed potatoes, gravy, yams, green beans, kernel corn, homemade cole slaw, tossed salad (with awesome house dressing!), and homemade dinner rolls.
The day's menu is drawn up on the school room black board and you are seated in the classroom while you eat!
The food is fabulous and a carry out bag lasts several days if you need to stop and go while on the run rather than dine in.
Their pies and cakes are extra special Nummy!
The restaurant is where I usually park when I bring my bike to the Little Miami Bike Trail as it runs behind the restaurant. At some point soon I will do a blog entry about the bike trail, which runs over 70 miles north from Milford.
After I left The School House Restaurant I scooted homeward and ended up at a classic car rally on the way. I will post pics and do a sequel blog on that whole experience and call it "part 2".
Related Links:
http://www.theschoolhousecincinnati.com
http://littlemiamibiketrail.com/">http://littlemiamibiketrail.com
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camp_Dennison
http://www.ohiohistorycentral.org/w/Welcome_To_Ohio_History_Central
http://www.cleveland.com/travel/index.ssf/2013/07/ohios_new_john_hunt_morgan_her.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ohio_in_the_American_Civil_War
God how I wish I was there. We just don't have things like that up here in Alaska. The roads out of town suck, huge frost heaves, and they're dangerous. We don't have the little country roads connecting one little town after another. That would be scooter heaven for me.
ReplyDeleteRobin-
DeleteI had no idea that Alaska was like that! Wow. I pictured you riding along the ocean there and up into the mountains.
It sounds like the perfect day to scoot. I love combining riding the back roads with seeing and learning some of our history.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing.
I have loved this location for years. I have wanted to scoot over to it and do a blog piece on it since we moved back here in 2012.
DeleteIt's just always a place I visited on my bike, so riding the scooter over felt weird, but nice.
Had I room for it I would have brought home supper on the scoot, but alas not enough space on the C3 with no rear carrier.
Their "take home" is huge-a big shopping bag with multiple containers equivalent to their table settings.
What a delightful scooter trip! Did you get Hoot a new seat cover? It is looking pretty awesome. Deb do you ride Stinky very much?
ReplyDeleteIt was a wonderful time!
DeleteThe seat cover is from Suzy at "Cheeky Seats". I think I may be the first C3 patron of her seat covers for scoots. I love the way it looks. I have one on my Psycho too!
Nuts about chillipeppers, I am!
Yes, I ride them both more or less equally. I had Hoot at the cottage and so hopped on her and took off, no planning!
BTW, the Cheeky Seats website link is to the left.
DeleteShe might do a motorcycle seat cover if you contact her and talk to her about it.
Putt. Putt. Putt. Ain't it grand! Time to see and find things like that road. Discovery on the slow. Love it.
ReplyDeleteYes! And if I were scooting by at 50mph+ I'd miss the whole experience!
DeleteLovin' to slow ride....
Slowly does it. Amazing what you can see on a lil' Ruckus. Thanks, Deb for showing me around a place I likely never get to visit.
ReplyDeleteActually it's a Yamaha C3, but it thinks it's a Honda Ruckus! LOL
ReplyDelete