August 14-20, 1989

Mileage Start 48,757 Home 49,417

 

Attended:

Dad

Meg 6.9

Matt 5

 

Click any of the images for a higher resolution picture (about 1 meg each)

A state park tour.

8/14

Good packet access.  Lake White is an ideal stopover/overnight type campground but it has little to offer in the way of fun.  Lots of walking--that's nice, but little else and right on 104 and 551.  Phooey.  We had fun swimming, though.  Stone bottom beach--ouch!

8/15

Pike Lake--Good packet access.  Big long wrong way up into Bainbridge--the signs are VERY poor!  However, once there the drive is up and down, left and right, a bit of a hassle, but once there-good times!  Very secluded and quiet.  Super biking, beach, trails, a very nice park!  But two problems, enough that we will re-rate our original rating:  (1) Bugs that don't care if you have been sprayed with off or not and, (2) yahoos, lots of home-folk--greasy, dirty, foul mouthed people.  They have a nice nature center with a deer, skunks, snakes, etc.  The naturalist was at the Ohio State Fair.  Matt got caught up about 35 feet up a cliff.  Up was easer than down before up got as hard as down.  Matt also can read a map!

8/16

Rocky Fork surprised us!  Big.  Some with electricity.  A really nice park.  Two playgrounds quite away from the sites and the beach is a bit of a ride.  But very nice.  A bit warm coming back up the hill from the beach  but nice.  Excellent packet path.

8/18

Stonelick.  Well we are at Stonelick.  It is about 1.5 miles to the beach, if we make it ... it is pouring!  Cleared up nicely and 80 degrees.  Took a nice two mile bike ride to the beach.  Nice beach ... a younger ranger told the guard we had to take our bikes off the beach.  We normally do not put them there when crowded.  As there were about six people total ... well, it was annoying.  We went on a nature walk and are now going on a hike.  We also went on a nature talk.  Tomorrow--East Fork.  Trails at Stonelick are NOT well marked.

<the days are no longer marked>

Very poor packet path.  Finding East Fork State Park is worth it.  It is a really nice park!  There are NO signs.  It is a huge park.  A lot like Salt Fork.  The beach is down a long, steep hill ... too much for a bike (we could walk back).  There is a lot of room.  Matt went down by the playground and four other boys, older, told him he was not to use the path.  He cam back to the motorhome in a complete tizzy.  Absolutely, terribly upset and wanting to go to war.  He went down again, there was some screaming, some crying ... and now they are the best of friends.  Wow. I came busting out of the motorhome but stopped short (luckily).  Megan has not yet make a friend.  Soon I hope.  Yapp, yapp, yapp.  Rats, new Matt isn't in his club anymore.  Now he is--jeesh!  After a couple of hours I laid down the law.  As with when Megan has friends and Matt must be allowed to play, Matt is to let Megan play.  Matt went stomping back to the playground, announced same, and then Megan decided she did had no intention of playing!  Jeesh!  Megan found out I set it up and she was allowed to join the club.  Matt laid down innumerable restrictions.  No screaming.  No saying, "shut up".  etc.  We went to a naturalist talk about edible wild foods.  Meg liked it!  It poured on the way back and we sat and watched TV for a change.  Tomorrow to Paint Creek as it is to be still cool ... maybe not ... 84 degrees.  I dunno ... if it hot enough to swim I am going to get heck about Paint Creek ... a long way to the beach.

Warning!  Bring a map to get to East Fork!

Paint Creek--nice but .. I dunno.  Megan is keeping track of how many more state parks we have to go to.  39 done, 17 to go.  We just got back from a six mile (!) hike.  If there is another 5 and 6 year old that can take this hike, let them come forward!  I challenge them!  I dare them!  Very poorly marked through fields of meadows that were twice as tall as us.  Whew!  We almost bit off more than we could chew!  Nice place for Sassy and I to walk the paths but is very overgrown in places and easy to get lost.  Not a super idea with a five year old.  Take lots of pop.  We took three and it was not enough!  They had enough energy to go playing when we got back!  We had dinners and showers early.  Got the bikes up and ready for bed!  movies at the amphitheater first though!  Next time fall or spring before the many spiders!

Gosh it seems like we have been gone forever.  I don't even remember what going to work is like!  Don't know if I will be able to swing more summer vacations but I know I should try.  The naturalist at East Fork said it was a very busy June and July but everything died in August until Labor Day--their last busy day.  The VIPs sponsored two magic shows, one Saturday we missed and another tomorrow we will be at.  Also movies!  The movie was about white water rafting and both were fascinated by it for about 28 minutes.  We then started a fire and sat around and talked.  In Megan's case she talked and talked and talked and talked and talked and talked.  About 11 PM, after a sufficient quantity of marshmallows, we doused the fire and went to bed.

Magic show at 10 AM.  It is getting more difficult planning trips ... too many variables ... not enough swimming!

For up-to-date park maps and information, check the Ohio State Park website