Dayton Hamvention

Log of our Second Trip 2004

Buck Creek State Park

Springfield, Ohio

Dayton Hamvention

and the Tall Timbers KOA Campground

Brookville, Ohio

Mileage Start 28,451 -- End 28,925
Attended:
Dad -- 21 years old
Gracie -- 3 years old

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

May 10, 11, 12

We started off at Buck Creek State Park. The weather was great. It was sunny and warm. Grace and I had a wonderful time reading, taking walks, and, for Grace, wading in the lake. This trip was accented by whole trees full of flowers. Click on the trees above to see the many flowers each had. The whole park was perfumed.

Most of the campsites are well leveled and any could be reserved with ease. Site 14, the one I'm on, is very level with water across from me. Even with that, I won't need the water and am glad I chose this site. A well-placed tree provides all the shade I need without having to deploy my awning.

May 12

We were able to get into the KOA early and have a nice spot in the front. Site 67 is really not long enough. The CJ is short enough to allow for our parking it on the site. We took a walk and found the campground as nice as it always has been. Gracie met some goats, a gyro on-the-hoof and some donkeys. She was not impressed that they didn't cower in fear on her approach.

Megan and Matt's dam they built MANY years ago, is still in place. I can still see my 1971 campsite!

The KOA is at 39.51.536 by 84.23.216.

We went for a car ride to Sycamore State Park. Sycamore State park would better be described as "Snake State Park" as there were an abundance of snakes along the paths. The park has GREAT groomed trails. Take Wellbaum south out of the KOA until it dead-ends. Turn left to the first stop sign. Turn right on Diamond Mill Road. Pass the park office and follow the sign to the picnic area (turn right onto Providence Road. Drive straight to the end and park. Walk toward the playground and you will see a trailhead that will take you as far as you care to walk. You will be taken by a lake that hosts a beaver lodge on the shore of the lake. We didn't stay too long as it was quite hot but I bet you'd see a beaver if you have some patience. Gracie took a cue from our grand-pug Persiphony and took numerous dips in the lake to cool down. Consider taking water as much of the trail has you in the sun.

Consider taking a GPS receiver with you. The coordinates for the parking lot are 39.47.992 by 84.22.533. There are many interesting side trails and finding your way back could be a challenge.

May 13

Gracie got tail slapped! A big old beaver swimming in a Sycamore State Park lake came about ten feet in toward shore where Gracie was two feet out in the water. He SLAPPPPPEED his tail hard at her. She just doesn't understand why these animals are not respecting her for what she is! It rained quite a bit and we got SOAKING wet when we tried to take the Jeep out (with the bikini cover on it).

A trip to Mendelsons brought the following booty:

Eight cans of contact cleaner
500 feet of 50 ohm RG-174-type coax
Five four inch fans
Five six inch fans

May 14

The first day of the Hamfest was GREAT. The booty:

A new Yaesu VX-7R handheld radio
Two rapid chargers
A wall wart for the other rapid charger
A BNC to SMA adapter
Some SMA and BNC plugs and jacks
Three six foot RG-142 N jumpers
20 test lead jumpers
A new battery for the VX-1R
Repeater directories
20 rolls of tape
Tweezers, hemostats, and scissors
probably a bunch of other stuff I don't remember!

We came back and had ourselves a long walk to meet the donkeys, visit friends (Tom, WD8EFF, and Heidi, WD8EFK), and we met two pugs.

May 15

It rained all day long! Phooey. But, all the stuff I needed was inside so other than being crowded, the objectives were still met. The booty:

More connectors and adapters
Antennas for the car -- big (BIG) and little
A collapsible 33 foot fiberglass mast
A telephone DTMF decoder kit

1500 hours and it has FINALLY stopped raining. Hooray! Poor Gracie needs a walk! I've been playing with all my toys, I best get back to attending to my poor puppy! The picture below is of the auditorium at Hara Arena.

May 16

On Sunday I stayed for the drawing but did not win anything. I picked up a couple of MFJ antennas. The antennas had magnificent engineering but on arriving home they didn't work worth a bean. Phooey!