Vacation update...

OK. We made it safely to Dayton last night, which means the Hocking Hills leg of vacation is over. It was so nice having some family alone time! Just a quick rundown.

Monday: We went to see "Tecumseh," the outdoor drama by Allen Eckert that tells the story of the great Shawnee chief. It was a perfect evening, though it was a touch cool and we had to dodge a few raindrops before the show started. It is always dangerous going back to places you love from your childhood. They are rarely as good as you remember. Antonina and I enjoyed the play as much today as I remember from years ago!







Tuesday: Perhaps the highlight of vacation so far was a 2 hour family nap! After driving from Circleville to Lancaster where we enjoyed a couple big, fat buritos at Chipotle, we arrived in Logan where we stayed at some good friends' cabin. Antonina unpacked us and I went to Kroger to get some supplies. When I got home we took a 2 hour nap, all three of us, and it was simply divine!

When we got up we did a little sight seeing. First we went to Cedar Falls. It was named for the many cedar trees around the creek, but really there are no cedars at all. We loved the hike and the beautiful waterfall. Then we settled in at a picninc table and had sandwiches and chips, fed Pax, watched to baby squirrels frolic on a nearby tree, and drove on to Ashe Cave. This is a fairly short walk and the trail is paved most of the way. The cave is very sandy and red. The waterfall is a long way up, but not much water flowed. We took the steps up to the top and walked along the rim for a while. With dusk coming soon, we headed back to the car and explored some of the back roads on our way back to the cabin.

Wednesday: our final day in the Hocking Hills, but by far the most exhausting. We began our adventure at Conkel's Hollow. The Hollow trail makes it way along the valley floor to the water fall at the upper end. It too is a very nice trail and is paved most of the way. It was fun to explore the cave and the waterfall as the path followed Big Pine Creek.



Then we took the coutless steps up from the hollow floor to the rim trail - a rugged 2.5 mile loop that is exactly what it claims, the rim of the cliff. Along the trail you are just one missed step from plummitting 200+ feet to the bottom. A very exhillerating (and nerve wracking) experience for two brand new parents carrying a newborn! While hiking the trail we encountered many breathtaking views, and also a lone doe munching on the shrubs, seemingly unconcerned about us as we watched her grazing.



After lunch, it was off to the repelling and rockclimbing area to explore more rocks and seek better views, but after about half and hour of this we decided it was a bit much for us with Pax, so we got back in the car and explored more back roads as we made our way back to the cabin.

After a short rest, a light snack, a thorough cleaning and packing the car, we said goodbye to our brief home and headed to Dayton. On our way however we had one last stop in the Hocking Hills: Rockbridge.



What is there to say. I think the pictures say it all. If words are needed, perhaps Antonina's words, as we drove west, say it best, "I never knew Ohio had anything like this." Or perhaps the words of the psalmist resonate, "worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness."

Well there it is - the Hocking Hills. Now its off to Dayton for friends, the Air Force Museum, the Reds, the Aquarium, and much more! Bye Bye!