by Gary Schenkel | Jul 6, 2015 | Active Living, Events, Food, Nature, Nonprofits, Tourism
I celebrated Independence Day morning with freelance writing work and an eight-mile solo run on the Simon Kenton Trail.
A tranquil scene by the Simon Kenton Trail, north of Urbana.
The run gave me time—lots of it since I’m not speedy—to think. For instance, about the direction of my freelance business-writing career. I want to narrow my focus to certain specialties and industries.
Plus I reflected on the gift of independence. Certainly, the freedoms we enjoy as Americans. And the freedom that freelancing offers in defining your career.
And the freedom of just running (or walking or bicycling) along a trail, free of motorized traffic—and developed and maintained by an independent group of citizens, the Simon Kenton Pathfinders. Be sure to make the trail a part of your summer, if you haven’t already. And sign up to support the Pathfinders and trail in the 16th annual fund-raiser bike ride to be held Sunday, September 13.
At the end of the run, I return to the Urbana Depot, my water stop.
I ran on the latest addition to the trail, which takes off from the restored Urbana Depot (home of the Depot Coffeehouse) and ends in Bellefontaine.
However, I turned around at the State Route 296 crossing. (I’m seriously considering running the full length, from Bellefontaine to the Depot this fall in lieu of registering for an organized half marathon. This has the makings for a good pictorial Champaign Uncorked! post.)
A bi-plane awaits passengers as people in the background gather for the Phil Dirt and the Dozers concert during the Fourth of July celebration at Grimes Field airport.
Later in the day, I drove out to Grimes Field, which I had run past on the trail, to enjoy Urbana’s traditional July 4 celebration, complete with the Urbana Rotary Club’s barbecue chicken, for which I worked up a good appetite.
Urbana Rotarians barbecue chicken at the Grimes Field Fourth of July celebration.
Watch for upcoming July events in the next Champaign Uncorked! post later this week.
What upcoming events do you recommend?
by Gary Schenkel | Oct 1, 2014 | Agriculture, Business, Events, Food, History, Music, Nature
I hope you enjoyed the first Champaign Uncorked! Bucket List in September.
More important, I hope you got out to experience the blessings of Champaign County — those I recommended or others you found on your own.
So, here goes … the Bucket List for October. Click here for your printable October Bucket List.
Get into the Spirit of October!
Painted pumpkins by Debbie Loffing one of many Oktoberfest traditions.
Oktoberfest, Sunday, October 5: A 42-year Champaign County tradition, this year’s Oktoberfest marks the 80th anniversary of the Champaign County Historical Society, the event host. Oktoberfest features arts, crafts and food for sale by 100 artisans and vendors on the grounds of the society’s museum, 809 East Lawn Ave., Urbana. While there, be sure to check out the artifacts on exhibit in the museum.
Other highlights: listen to the Gettysburg Address delivered at 1 p.m. on the museum steps by Abraham Lincoln actor Stan Wernz, pose for a photo in period costumes at the museum’s Springhills Jail exhibit, enter the hourly door prize drawing, and enjoy music by a German band and the Champaign County Dulcimer Club.
Hours: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Admission: $2 for adults and free for children 10 and under with paid adult.
Site of the State of the Plate Local Food Dinner, the Pretty Prairie Barn of Todd and Jill Michael, 4440 Prairie Rd., Urbana.
State of the Plate Local Food Dinner, Sunday, October 12: Discover the deliciousness and diversity of locally grown food at this professionally catered dinner, served in a restored 19th century barn that is on the National Register of Historic Places. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to enjoy locally grown food and meet some of the people who grow it. Call in your reservations by Friday, October 3 to the Champaign County Chamber of Commerce, 937-653-5764. Cost $15. Dinner will begin at 1 p.m., preceded by a social time and appetizers at 12:30 p.m.
Boo at the Bog, October 17 and 18: This non-scary, family-friendly celebration of Halloween will feature night walks and learning stations along the boardwalk of one of Champaign County’s natural treasures, the Cedar Bog Nature Preserve, 980 Woodburn Rd., Urbana, Also children’s activities, face painting, storytelling and food.
Admission: $6 for adults, $5 for children and free for children under 6. $1 discount for Ohio Historical Society and Cedar Bog Association members. Hours: 7-9 p.m. both days.
And plan a return trip in daylight to see this 450-acre natural wonder, formed thousands of years ago by retreating glaciers, and now home to rare and endangered species of plants and animals.
Beggars’ Night, October 30: Get your costumes and candy bowls ready, because October isn’t complete without trick-or-treating. The Champaign County Mayors’ Association has set Beggars’ Night for 6-8 p.m. Thursday, October 30 countywide.
Shops in Urbana’s Monument Square District, like my Old Ohio House, are getting in the fall spirit.
Decorate for the Season!
Downtown Urbana has taken on the colors of fall as merchants have decorated their businesses. I offer you a couple of suggestions for finding your own seasonal decor:
Circle & Sons Farm, 5001 Wallace Rd., St. Paris; 937-857-9616
Mon.-Sat., 10 a.m. to dark, and Sun., 1 p.m. to dark
Natural fall decorations: pumpkins, gourds, squash, Indian corn, straw, corn shocks and mums.
Mad River Farm Market, 7538 U.S. Highway 68, West Liberty; 937-465-2030
Sun., 10 a.m.-10 p.m.; Mon.-Thurs., 9 a.m.-10 p.m.; Fri. & Sat., 9 a.m.-12 a.m.
A wide range of fall decorations and…
Sip & Paint Craft Pumpkin Center Piece class, 6 p.m., Tuesday, October 7. Make a fall centerpiece. All supplies and glass of wine, $25. Reservation required.
Also check out the Mad River Farm Market Corn Maze, open daily through October 26, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Savor the Pumpkin Spice!
Get a taste of the season at these Champaign County establishments:
The Depot Coffeehouse, 644 Miami St., Urbana — Pumpkin spice latte and two pumpkin house specials — the Harvest Blend, a combination of pumpkin, vanilla and caramel, and Autumn Leaves, featuring pumpkin, vanilla and a hint of cinnamon. And the Depot invites customers to come up with their own concoctions. “We’ve seen pumpkin mochas, pumpkin steamers (steamed milk with pumpkin pie sauce) and even something closely resembling a pumpkin smoothie.”
Hemisphere Coffee Roasters, 22 S. Main St., Mechanicsburg — Pumpkin chai, pumpkin spice lattes and Hemisphere’s flavored coffee, pumpkin pie spice.
Madison’s Downtown Market & Cafe, 117 Scioto St., Urbana — Pumpkin spice chai latte, pumpkin pie, pumpkin cookies and pumpkin scones.
Spotted Cow Coffeehouse, 927 N. Main St., Urbana — Pumpkin spice smoothies and lattes.
Urbana Dairy Queen, 1047 N. Main St., Urbana — Pumpkin pie shakes, Blizzards and MooLattes.
What’s on your agenda for celebrating October in Champaign County?
Please share in the comments below.
by Gary Schenkel | Sep 14, 2014 | Active Living, Agriculture, Business, Events, Food, Music, Nature, Tourism
Welcome to the first monthly edition of the Champaign Uncorked! Bucket List.
Each Bucket List will feature my recommendations of what to taste, see, hear and experience that month in Champaign County – and a printable Bucket List to check off as you go.
We’re halfway through September already, but there’s still plenty to recommend.
Get outdoors!
Serenity on Kiser Lake.
Fall is in the air, the perfect time to enjoy the wonders of nature around us. Here are a few nature loving opportunities we are blessed with in Champaign County:
Kiser Lake State Park: The center of attraction here is the 2.5-mile long lake, with 5.3 miles of shoreline. What to do? Rent a paddle boat, rowboat or kayak at the marina (enjoy the peace – no motor boats allowed). Fish for largemouth bass, sunfish, crappie, perch, carp and catfish. Picnic or camp — 118 campsites available. Hike and check out the Kiser Lake Wetlands State Nature Preserve. Camping and boat rentals will be available at least through the first weekend of October — longer if weather allows. Call the marina/camp store to be sure, 937-362-3565. For camping reservations, call 866-644-6727 or go online.
For the warmer months, there’s a beach. And this winter, keep the park in mind for cross-country skiing, ice fishing or skating.
Bicyclists ride through Melvin Miller Park on the Simon Kenton Trail.
Simon Kenton Trail: Here’s one of my personal favorites. More than 18 miles long now, this trail – built and maintained by volunteers for bicyclists, skaters, runners, walkers, dogs on leashes and babies in strollers – extends from the Champaign Family YMCA on Urbana’s east side and heads south at the restored Urbana Station Depot, at 644 Miami St., Urbana, to Springfield. It links with the Little Miami Trail, ending near Cincinnati.
A new 1.25-mile trail branch takes off north from the depot. It currently dead ends behind Grimes Field airport. However, the “trail ends” sign will soon be taken down, as a 16-mile extension north through West Liberty and on to Bellefontaine is under construction. (Patience, please. I’ll let you know on Champaign Uncorked! when the extension is open for use. Riding on the new trail before work is complete will damage the surface.)
Melvin Miller Park: The Simon Kenton Trail goes through this beautiful, well-maintained park. Besides ball diamonds and soccer fields, you’ll find tennis courts, a skate park, picnic shelters, a pond for fishing, dog park and a disc golf course, featured previously by Champaign Uncorked!
Savor the season!
Plan a family trip to a local apple orchard for a fun taste of fall:
Louden Family Farm, 576 N. St. Rt. 560, Urbana; 937-653-4558
Mon.-Fri., 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m.; Sat., 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
28 varieties (check the link above for approximate dates varieties will be ready); apple cider made Mon., Wed. and Fri.
Remerowski Orchards, 4035 Idle Rd., Urbana
Will be open Saturdays and Sundays depending on apple availability; call ahead – 937-362-3924.
Stevens Bakery & Orchard, 7344 Thackery Rd., Springfield; 937-788-2873
Honeycrisp, Cortland, McIntosh and Jonathon now ready for picking.
Plus, fresh-baked pies – apple and many other varieties.
Mon.-Sat., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sun., noon-4 p.m.; u-pick and wagon rides on designated fall weekends.
Also check out local shops for apple treats:
Braden’s Café & Sweets, 115 W. Main St,, Saint Paris – fudge-dipped apples, later this month.
Dairy Corner, 1472 E. U.S. 36, Urbana – cinnamon cider smoothies, caramel apple wedges and caramel apple sundaes.
Dairy Queen, 1047 N. Main St., Urbana – Apple Pie Blizzard.
Madison’s Downtown Market & Café, 117 Scioto St., Urbana – caramel apple latte, apple cinnamon scones and autumn apple salad with red wine vinaigrette and caramel sauce.
Celebrate fall!
The next two weekends offer fun festivals for the whole family:
Featured attraction at the Ohio Fish & Shrimp Festival: grilled, locally-grown shrimp.
Ohio Fish & Shrimp Festival, Sept. 19-21: Not the typical Ohio harvest festival, this outdoor event celebrates fresh, delicious, locally-grown fish and shrimp, along with three days of music performed live by some of the region’s best entertainers.
The host is Freshwater Farms of Ohio, Ohio’s largest indoor fish hatchery, at 2624 North US Hwy. 68, one mile north of Urbana. Besides music and seafood, the 13th annual festival offers many other food choices, regional craft beers, Ohio wines, a shrimp peeling and eating contest (at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 20), children’s activities, the farm’s sturgeon petting zoo, trout feeding, and displays of other fish and native animals. And don’t forget to visit Fluffy the alligator.
Festival hours: Friday, Sept. 19, 4-9 p.m. (music extended to 10 p.m.); Saturday, Sept. 20, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. (music extended to 8:30 p.m.); and Sunday, Sept. 21, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
General Admission: $4; ages 3-12, $2; and 2 and under, free. Admission good all weekend. Parking is free.
Simon Kenton Chili Cook-off and Hoopla Parade, Sept. 27: The Chili Cook-off, in downtown Urbana, has been attracting a growing number of contestants since its beginning eight years ago. That means a lot more varieties of chili – from mild to hot – for the public to sample, beginning at 2 p.m. Check here for the full event schedule.
The always popular Hoopla parade goes through the downtown beginning at noon and other features include live music, a salsa contest, corn hole tournament, beer garden, a pepper eating contest, children’s activities, and the intriguingly named “Suck, Chew and Blow” contest. The cook-off and parade are planned by the downtown business organization, Monument Square District.
What do you have planned for the rest of September?
For your printable September Bucket List, click here.
by Gary Schenkel | Apr 23, 2014 | Active Living, Nature, Tourism
My family enjoyed traditional Easter observances Sunday – a sunrise service and breakfast led by the youth of the Urbana United Methodist Church, followed by contemporary and traditional worship celebrations, a big, delicious family dinner at Kay’s mom’s house, and the egg and candy hunt in her back yard.
Alex watches as Andy makes his approach.
Then we veered off course. That would be to the new 18-hole Urbana Hilltop Disc Golf Course at Urbana’s Melvin Miller Park.
All but our sons, Andy and Alex, were new to the sport. They started playing in college, Andy at Ohio Northern University and Alex at Mount Vernon Nazarene University.
Another Ohio Northern alum, Tyler Bumbalough, Urbana’s city engineer, oversaw development of the course last year – his project while enrolled in the Champaign County Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Champaign County program.
The Urbana Hilltop Disc Golf Course offered fun, quality family time.
A Community Project
Bumbalough, however, never played disc golf until this project. He’s more of an ultimate Frisbee aficionado. Disc golfer Keith Smith of Urbana, tired of having to go out of town for his sport, initially brought the idea for the course to city officials. He and Gene Newcomer assisted Bumbalough.
Construction, with the help of volunteers, started last spring and was mostly complete in the fall. Local businesses and individuals have sponsored the course. They are credited on signs at each of the disc golf tees.
No. 1 Tee sign at Urbana Hilltop Course.
The first tee is downhill from the shelter house on the east end of Melvin Miller Park. A welcome sign will soon be erected there. Other improvements are planned as well.
Disc golf diehards, though, have had no trouble finding the course. You can find details about the par 59, 5,185-foot layout online at DG Course Review.
Library Loans Discs
This card shows the contents of the disc golf sets that can be borrowed from the Champaign County Library.
To help you try out the new course, the Champaign County Library recently purchased two sets of discs. With a library card you can check out a set for two weeks. To give more people a chance to borrow them, the library is not permitting renewals.
Each set includes seven discs, enough for two people to share around the course.
Since Andy and Alex were the only ones with their own discs, we borrowed a set from the library. As luck would have it, one of the discs got stuck high up in a tree. Much of the course is hilly and wooded.
Disc-eating tree on Fairway 8. Two-by-four overshot the target on this rescue attempt.
But thanks to Alex, and to the relief of his mother, who works at the library, we returned home with all seven discs. After several throws, Alex dislodged the disc with a piece of two-by-four found in the woods off the fairway.
Give ’er a Try
Anyway, a fun time was had by all on a beautiful Easter afternoon, on a well-designed and challenging disc golf course – a fantastic addition to a beautiful municipal park that already offers a wealth of recreational opportunities.
My nephew Evan Hall goes for the basket.
My mother-in-law, Sue Markley, tees off.
Try it out and report back.
by Gary Schenkel | Jan 21, 2011 | Nature
Soon after my previous post about Cedar Bog Nature Preserve’s early harbinger of spring — the snow-defying skunk cabbage — I learned of a new blog that invites Champaign County, Ohio, residents to share signs of spring that they observe. Called Hot or Cold — a change in the Weather, the blog is a collaboration of Champaign Land Preservation, the Champaign County OSU Extension Office and Urbana University.
It’s part of a bigger project, which includes community programs and workshops on nature and observations of climate change on a personal, nonpolitical level:
- “Writing about Nature,” a free workshop on Saturday, Feb. 19 from 10 a.m. to noon at the Champaign County Library.
- A couple of nature walks to be scheduled sometime in March, one of them at Davey Woods Nature Preserve and the other at a yet to be determined location.
- A series of events at Urbana University and elsewhere in the community on Tuesday, April 12, featuring ecologist Amy Siedl, author of Early Spring, who will talk about weather changes she has observed in nature and while tending her garden in Vermont, and USDA agronomist Jerry Hatfield, who will talk about weather changes that have been observed in relation to corn.
Molly takes a break from tracking down spring.
Follow the Hot or Cold blog for more information on these and other programs like one to be held this Saturday at Cedar Bog. The blog organizers* hope that as you follow the blog you’ll contribute your weather memories, weather sayings and poems, and your sightings of the signs of spring, like the first robin or budding trees.
With that in mind, I and my trusty running companion, Molly, went out for a 45-minute slog through the snow Thursday evening, she eagerly pulling me along like Sergeant Preston. But after all that time, we were hard pressed to find signs of pavement, let alone any hint of spring. But, as it always does, running lifted me from the winter blues, cutting through the snow like skunk cabbage.
*Janet Ward of Champaign Land Preservation; Christina Bruun-Horrigan, director of university relations at Urbana University; UU Library Director Julie McDaniel; Clark State Community College board of trustees member Heather Tiefenthaler; and director of the county’s OSU Extension Office, Harold Watters are leading the project.
Funding and resources for Hot or Cold are provided by Pioneer Electric, Champaign Bank, Urbana University, Champaign County OSU Extension Office and Champaign Land Preservation
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