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.