My month in Ohio

My take on Ohio

where I went this month in Ohio

This map shows pretty clearly that I missed a whole lot of Ohio.  I went all along Lake Erie, through part of the northeast, part of the southwest, and a big part of central Ohio, but that still leaves a lot of the state unexplored.

I was defeated by some pretty difficult weather (I thought it was supposed to be April showers that bring flowers, not May showers), and partly by some pretty difficult road surfaces (unusually, Ohio paves local roads first, state roads second, and interstates dead last, and none of them very often, apparently).  And there were times I was just plain tired.  I think I was anemic, but added to that is the undoubted fact that I've been doing a lot of moving around for well over a year now; mind over matter works for only just so long.

I liked Ohio, but I'm not sure Ohio liked me.  I kept running into setbacks, like half a month of rain and like lousy roads and lousy directions, and like nearly constant coughing and the anemia and the almost shoulder separation.  No reason to think any of that's Ohio's fault, but it all made my month here more difficult to enjoy.

Ohio's land
North and south Ohio look very different physically: the north is quite flat and oriented toward Lake Erie; the south is noticeably hilly and completely defined by the Ohio River.  In between are flat lands gradually changing to hills as you move from north to south, some beautiful forests, large rivers and waterfalls.  The change is gradual but comparing one end to the other shows the abrupt difference.

There are farms everywhere - at least, in the parts of the state where I went.

The cities were all begun with industries that are mostly not around any more (steel, for instance) and they're all grappling with the reinvention process, with varying degrees of success.  There seems to be a strong spirit, though, that sees these efforts as long-term but oable.  In 20 or so more years, these places will have come back to life - Cleveland, for instance, is already showing great progress.

Ohio's people
Ohioans are proud of being an old state - it was being settled early in the history of the US - and it's the 17th state to join the Union.  They're proud of being the home of 8 of our presidents, of being the home of the Wright Brothers.  Ohioans love their state's scenic beauties and productive farms.  But as far as I can tell, they're lackadaisical about taking care of these things - a sort of when-I-get-around-to-it attitude.

Ohioans seem to be very religious - there are churches in even the tiniest towns - and they are apparently very tolerant, given the strong presence of the Amish around the state.  But religion seems to be a background, a basis for behavior, rather than a cause to be  promoted, as I've found in other places.

Everyone I met told me they love where they live.  Everyone had some particular sight or another to recommend I go see.  Everyone was pleasant and friendly.

Ohio drivers
Ohio drivers are very polite and law-abiding.  I very rarely saw anyone talking on a cell phone while they were driving, so whatever program they have here (I saw no official signs about it) is working. 

Drivers tended to exceed the speed limit more when they were in the largest metropolitan areas, but on other roads they mostly abided by the speed limit, which isn't behavior I've met with in all states. 

I think I heard only 2 car horns this whole month, and one of them was mine (to stop someone from backing into me).  People aren't impatient at traffic lights.

What I missed that I wanted to see
Lots of things:

In eastern Ohio:

• I wanted to visit the National Road and Zane Grey Museum (they're combined).  
• Smucker Corporation is headquartered in Orrville, just like it says in the commercials with those 2 cute little boys impersonating the Smuckers brothers (not to be confused with the Smothers Brothers).
• I wanted to pay a sort of pilgrimage to Kent State University (everyone my age should know why without being told).
• In Marietta, the Rossi Pasta Company offers tours; I'm not a pasta fan but this sounded really interesting.
• In Rio Grande, the Bob Evans farm offers tours.  This is the original farm owned by Bob Evans who founded the nationwide chain of eateries with his name on them.  I was curious.
• Hocking Hills was suggested to me by multiple people.  Apparently in or near this state park there are caves and waterfalls and beautiful scenic wonders.  All by myself I found out online that there's also a pencil sharpener museum there (admit it, aren't you curious?).

In far southwestern Ohio:

• Harrison, on the Indiana border, is home to the American Watchmakers-Clockmakers Institute Museum, and I do love clocks.  I couldn't tell online if they really do have an actual museum or not; but what they're proud of is their school for aspiring clockmakers and watchmakers.  The strap on my watch is broken and I haven't been able to wear it since mid-April because I haven't had time to find a jeweler to fix it.  I really miss it and hoped maybe somebody there could fix it for me.  Now I have to find somebody else.
• In North Bend, which is too small to be on many maps, is the official memorial for Pres. William Henry Harrison.  It's where he's buried and they say they have lots of information about his presidency.
• Cincinnati is home to the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, the Harriet Beecher Stowe home and something called Carol Ann's Carousel, with carved animals that each depict something relevant to Cincinnati (but of course I'm just a sucker for carousels). 

In and around Dayton:

• In Dayton is a combined memorial to the Wright Brothers, which includes the garage where they developed their inventions, and Paul Lawrence Dunbar, born to parents who'd been enslaved and freed, an acclaimed writer best known for his poetry (which I read in college).
• Near Wilberforce there're two places I wanted to visit: the National African-American Museum and Cultural Center, and the Buffalo Soldiers Memorial.  Unfortunately, the latter seems to be closed because of lack of staff, which I find unacceptable.  Those men were a significant part of American history and should be honored.
• Northeast of Dayton is Campbell Hill, Ohio's highest point at a whopping 1,549' (little sarcasm there).

In central Ohio:

• In Marion, west of Mansfield where I visited the carousel (what else), the memorial to Pres. Harding is closed until 2020 for renovations, but there's also the Wyandot Popcorn Museum and I would very much have liked to visit it.
• In Marysville near Columbus, there's a Honda motorcycle plant that offers tours, and I'm sorry I missed it.
• In Fremont I missed the memorial to Pres. Hayes - mainly because they were charging $18 for entry so I put that lower on my priority list.  But his presidency sounds interesting and another time I'll go: his election was disputed even more than Bush v. Gore, if you can imagine; despite him being a staunch abolitionist, during his presidency we had the end of Reconstruction and the return of the KKK; he faced attempted impeachment over immigration; I suggest checking out this link for the compelling history of a one-term president.   en.wikipedia.org/Rutherford_B._Hayes

From this list you'd think I didn't see anything of Ohio at all, but there's a lot going on in this state.  Sometime I'd like to make a return trip and see some of these things.