POST 586: 03/31/12: PIQUA - ST. MARYS, OHIO

Finding a place to park on SR 66 in Piqua, Ohio, was a major task this morning.

Doubled back into town and left SPIA in a closed cabinet factory - was only 7:30 am. - and walked north on SR 66, returning 4 hours later.

The high for the day was 42 F. The sky was non-existent, with thick fog lingering all day on the ground. I bundled up with two long sleeve T's, a zipper hoodie, my waterproof hoodie rain coat, and my reflective vest...topped off with a double knit cap with pig-tail ties.

Oh, yes, also thermal gloves...and wrap-around sun glasses, which I wore all day.

I was warm enough, but carrying all that weight while pushing at over 4 mph, I was very tired when we finally stopped for the day at 4:00 pm...took 1/2 hour out for a bite at a local IGA supermarket.

Would be very nice if I did not have to walk back to fetch SPIA at the end of each leg.


Piqua Water Works Dam.













Yes, the Dannon Yogurt Factory is in the town of Minster, Ohio.






Walked two 16-mile legs today.

Drove SPIA to St. Mary's, where we are parked for the night in the lot of Rite-Aid, next to Highway 33, which I will walk - sans SPIA - in the morning toward the Indiana border which is only 25 miles away.

Reaching Indiana, will switch over to Highway 124, which runs East-West clear across the state...will be quite easy to follow until reaching the border of the State of Illinois.

From today's images, one can see we are in farming area...99% Corn. Not much exciting to photograph for the moment. This far north, even the farmers are not yet out working their fields...too cold !

POST 585: 03/30/12: URBANA - PIQUA, OHIO

Yesterday evening, we walked from Urbana half way to St. Paris.

This morning, we drove from Urbana when still sun-down to St. Paris, parking at the IGA Supermarket...SPIA ,above, tucked into a corner .


Dressed for bitter cold and strong wind, walked for one hour BACK toward Urbana and returned to St. Paris.


It was still raining in St. Paris.




So, I stopped in at a small cafe to warm up.


Please say HELLO to Dave Faulkner (r.) and his friends.

Because my reflective vest has SENIORS WALKING AMERICA on the back, Dave stopped me to ask what that was all about. We chatted for a few minutes about my walk.

Then I was informed that Dave and his friends were celebrating his confirmation at having won the local election for County Commissioner.

Congratulations, Dave.

I joined the celebration by accepting a cup of hot coffee from Dave.

One of Dave's friends reminded me that in two weeks there will be an Air Show at the local airport, featuring at least twenty World War II B-25 Mitchell Bombers...the same plane flown by Jimmy Doolittle off the aircraft carrier WASP to attack Japan in early 1942...

One may see the B-25 and Doolittle's raid in the movie 30 SECONDS OVER TOKYO.




Please click click to enlarge the above newspaper article about Dave's confirmation.


Please note marque: 39 F. (and a stiff cold wind)...was Brrr.


When it rains, my Panasonic camera lens gets "gummy" and sticks partially open. Unless I check it before every shot, we get a black smudge or two around the edge...like above.

A drop of sewing machine oil takes care of it, but I don't carry it around, so my pics sometimes get ruined.


Leaving SPIA at IGA, I walked west on US 36 for another 10 miles toward the village of Piqua. It stopped raining, but there was a misty haze hanging in the heavy air...threatening, but the rain held off.

In fact, we received an hour or two of intermittent sun around noon.




US 36 is designated Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway.

Since I two separate times dodged Bed Check Charlie bombs... and survived one artillery shell - fired from North Korea - which impacted only 20 feet from where I was sitting on the stoop of our tent, but did not explode, I considered that I properly walked on "MY" Highway today.


Spring has come to Ohio.



This mama Angus had a week or two old calf. The calf wanted to come close to me, but mama moved between us and escorted the baby to the other side of the corral.


These somewhat ragged specimens started to come to me as I stood at their fence chatting to them...but, alas, they shied away...

...just not my day with the animals.


I have passed by a number of Red Cardinals, hit and killed by passing vehicles.



Returning to St. Paris, purchased an excellent lunch for $4.50 from the IGA Deli...then drove SPIA to Piqua, where we are parked for the night in WAL-MART once again.


Since it was still early...about 1:00 pm, walked BACK on US 36 for a couple hours...then continued into town, across the river bridge, and back to WAL-MART, returning at 4:00 pm.



Main street, Piqua, Ohio.

A strong weather front is forecast for this evening. Am glad to be secure in WAL-MART.

In the Morning, will drive SPIA to SR (State Road) 66, on the north side of Piqua, find a spot to park SPIA, and walk north toward the town of St. Marys.

We should enter the State of Indiana on Monday, April 02, 2012, exactly one month after resuming our saga from OBX...the Outer Banks of North Carolina.

POST 584; 03/29/12: LONDON - URBANA, OHIO

Please say HELLO to Teresa.

I met Teresa in the late afternoon today, so her photograph is chronologically out of order.

Teresa expressed such excitement at having her picture on our blog, that I felt it only proper that she receive prominent position by being placed first.

...and your pooches did not even think to bite me...


At 6:45 dark this morning, moved SPIA from WAL-MART back to Highway 56, where we parked in the empty bowling alley lot...then, I began my 4-hour walk to start out our day.


Felt it might be a rather boring day, so started out taking somewhat mundane photos.


Ole' Sol quickly changed that by lighting up the panorama.

It was particularly cold this morning with a stiff northwest wind.


Did not take pics of the police buildings...across the highway was a rather large prison, which I also did not take photographs...was previously discouraged from doing so.


...so, I settled on a rather picturesque farm scene.


...and my shadow reaching out into the fallow corn patch.


Passing through Summerford at the intersection of Highway 56 and US 40.

A place so small, the Ohio map does not even mention it's existence.


Summerford did have a couple interesting buildings, however.




A mile further on, appeared the Underpass for I-70 (Interstate 70).

I have driven over that overpass at least 25 times during my lifetime of crossing and recrossing the USA...never even thinking that one day I walk under it.


...makes one wonder what in the world am I doing here...



An old-timer Silo...completely hand made in the same manner as building a barrel.

Click click for up close look at the details.


An old-time "honey bucket" (we saw one in action a couple days ago!) on display in a farmer's front yard.


Our ultimate destination for today was the town of Urbana.


Things became more interesting as the day went along...

...here, an advertising sign being installed. Always wondered how they did that.


Please say HELLO to David.

David walked over to chat with me for a bit...seems the crew was making some repairs to the entire structure...removing the sign made it easier to reach the repairs...I came upon the scene as the advertising panel was being re-installed.

Thank you, David.


As will soon be evident, the town of Urbana is quite a surprise...from the standpoint of architecture and town history.




We have all seen the bundles of "hay" lying about the farmer's fields as Fall approaches.

Thought it interesting to see the early growth of that "hay". The above plants are known as "alfalfa", the primary plants used across the entire USA for top quality "hay".

Alfalfa is also often put up in huge rolls of hay, valued at many hundreds of dollars for one roll.


Early growth alfalfa up close.

Click click for an even better look.








The reconstructed ticket office for the New York Central Railroad in Urbana.

I popped in for a look see. It is exquisite inside, offering a full compliment of drinks to rival any coffee bar.

I purchased an Irish Creme Mocha - HOT - which I enjoyed sitting in an overstuffed sofa watching an old flick on a wide screen TV...a break I thoroughly enjoyed.





A view of some Urbana homes ... could be said to be on the wrong side of the tracks.



This farmer stopped his exquisite tractor for me to take this picture.


The West end of an East-bound tractor.




...and here is our friend, Teresa...

get out, Teresa, and shake a few bushes!!


...and Please say HELLO to Ed.

Ed was sitting in that chair a couple hours ago as I walked west out of Urbana. Being still there, Ed agreed to my taking his photograph for our blog.

Thank you, Ed.


...and Ed's next door neighbor, who gathered up his buddies to be included, too.


And now, for a few photographs of some of the most elegant buildings to be found on my entire walk...























To say the least, I did not expect to find these homes in the middle of Ohio...

Hat is off to Urbana, Ohio.


My dear (new) friend, Karen Estey, let me know that Wendy's had a special of baked potato with chili and cheese. On my way back to SPIA, I stopped in at the local Wendy and purchased it.

Far better than it looks. A complete meal for $2.25.

Returned to SPIA in time to have her serviced - oil changed, filters checked, differential looked at and drive shaft fittings greased. Feel much better now that SPIA has received her checkup.

In the morning, will drive before sunup to the village of St. Paris - 12 miles west of Urbana -, where we will begin it all over again.

This afternoon, I walked 10 of those 12 miles, so must make up the missing 2 miles when we get to St. Paris.

Little sister, Carol, tells me we are 375 miles from her in De Kalb, Illinois. We should arrive in
De Kalb about April 20, 2012.

We shall see.