Tuesday, September 24, 2019
Medina, OH to Malabar Farm State Park
63.1 miles and a 3585' elevation gain
Elizabeth Blake McDowell provided shelter for escaped slaves via the Underground Railroad in this house and in the barn on this property in Medina, Ohio. The home is a private residence and tours can be arranged by appointment. We just walked by and looked at the outside.
We left Medina after a delicious breakfast at our B&B. https://spitzer.house/ We rode past the original factory where Amos Ives Root made his candles. He famously was visited by a swarm of bees at his jewelry store, quit the jewerly business and began a business making and selling beekeeping equipment. He published a newspaper about beekeeping. He then began making beeswax candles for the local churches. His great great grandson runs his business today. I encourage you to read about Amos Ives Root. He is a character.
We rode through miles and miles of nice flat beautiful farmland. We passed by at least four very pretty Amish schoolhouses and many many loads of laundry flapping in the wind.
At one point we came upon a closed road which we decided to walk through. It was closed due to a sinkhole. But it seemed safe enough for bicycles.
At the top of the hill we met a young Amish man who was very interested in our travels.
After taking a look at my map, he warned us that the countryside ahead was about to get much hillier. Thirty-five miles into the day's ride, the steep and rollling hills began and didn't stop. By the time we arrived at Malabar Farm State Park we were exhausted. We walked up the final hill to the campground which was empty except for us.
We set up the tent, made some tortellini soup and collapsed into bed. There were a million stars and a tiny sliver of moon in the very dark sky. Both Tom and I awoke many times that night and heard at least seven owls calling out in the blackness. I was thinking of those frightened nighttime travellers of long ago and hoping maybe they had been comforted by the hooting of the owls as they covered such long distances on their own without knowing exactly where to go or whom to trust.
Medina, OH to Malabar Farm State Park
63.1 miles and a 3585' elevation gain
Elizabeth Blake McDowell provided shelter for escaped slaves via the Underground Railroad in this house and in the barn on this property in Medina, Ohio. The home is a private residence and tours can be arranged by appointment. We just walked by and looked at the outside.
We left Medina after a delicious breakfast at our B&B. https://spitzer.house/ We rode past the original factory where Amos Ives Root made his candles. He famously was visited by a swarm of bees at his jewelry store, quit the jewerly business and began a business making and selling beekeeping equipment. He published a newspaper about beekeeping. He then began making beeswax candles for the local churches. His great great grandson runs his business today. I encourage you to read about Amos Ives Root. He is a character.
 |
He called himself Prof. Root and spoke on many topics |
We rode through miles and miles of nice flat beautiful farmland. We passed by at least four very pretty Amish schoolhouses and many many loads of laundry flapping in the wind.
 |
It is a good drying day. |
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There are enough Amish families here to have four schools in 30 miles. |
At one point we came upon a closed road which we decided to walk through. It was closed due to a sinkhole. But it seemed safe enough for bicycles.
 |
| We ate lunch here and then walked through the closure. |
At the top of the hill we met a young Amish man who was very interested in our travels.
 |
| This Amish guy was also giving away all the tomatoes that were left in his field. He said the road closure made it very difficult for him to get them to market. He told me his sign means "just take the tomatoes." |
After taking a look at my map, he warned us that the countryside ahead was about to get much hillier. Thirty-five miles into the day's ride, the steep and rollling hills began and didn't stop. By the time we arrived at Malabar Farm State Park we were exhausted. We walked up the final hill to the campground which was empty except for us.
We set up the tent, made some tortellini soup and collapsed into bed. There were a million stars and a tiny sliver of moon in the very dark sky. Both Tom and I awoke many times that night and heard at least seven owls calling out in the blackness. I was thinking of those frightened nighttime travellers of long ago and hoping maybe they had been comforted by the hooting of the owls as they covered such long distances on their own without knowing exactly where to go or whom to trust.
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