April 2021 FCOHC Newsletter

This is the last day of March as I write these few thoughts. I have been a little - ok a lot - neglectful in putting together a formal newsletter. I’ve tried to keep everyone up to speed so to speak, but truthfully there just wasn’t much to talk about the past few months. In real plain language, February sucked and most of us did not venture far from home. Last year I never even put the snow plow on my atv. This year I dang near wore it out. I liked last year better. We are about to put March in the rear view mirror. March was not all bad. I gained a whole new level of respect for Buckeye Chuck and his early spring prediction compared to that doom and gloom Pa. Phil. Now, if we can just make it another few days without something stupid popping up in the weather forecast, we might be over the top and headed into spring.

Several have been out riding based on the pictures I have seen on facebook. Continue to post pictures as I love to see where everyone rides. Two weekends ago, June and I took our first ride for 2021. Last weekend we camped over night for the first time this year. Both trips were local to Hocking. Last weekend the weather was a little iffy, but by Friday evening the camp was pretty much full and on Saturday the day parking lot was packed. Appears everyone is tired of staying home and have the itch to get out.

Speaking of getting out, our first formal OHC organized ride is April 16-18 at Great Seal State Park in Chillicothe. You can come for the weekend or any portion of it you like. Some have ridden the trails and report they are in good shape. This is a pay to park area, thinking $17 to $20 a night. Our second ride of the year is May 7-9 at Caesar Creek State Park off I71 near Wilmington. Hope several of you can work these and other rides we sponsor into your plans.

On March 14th we had a work day at Hocking. Last year we had a goal of building 6 tie rails out on the equine trails at what have been commonly used rest stops. We ran out of time and money, so two of the tie rails got pushed into this year. At our first meeting of this year, Julie McGuire suggested she would like to see us build a few benches at these same rest areas. Thanks to a vary generous financial donation from one of our members, Charles Bolton, we were able to move forward with both of these projects. Two tie rails and one bench were built at the top of the red trail, west of the special use camp after you climb the hill from the creek. Check out the pictures! Nine member of our club volunteered their time for this project. Tom and I had moved all of the materials we needed to the work site on Friday evening. On Sunday morning, all jumped in and an one hour and a half later, project done. Thank you all!

Tom, Keith White, Bryan Black and I stayed around another hour and cut some down trees (thanks to the February ice) off the silver trail. There are a few trees down at this point, but most can be walked over or around. The main pile up is at the junction of the orange and white trail heading back to Chapel Cave and twin falls. We have notified the Forest manager of this issue as we feel it may be above out skill level. The other smaller problems I will try to correct in the next week.

I do hope to build a bench at Indian Head Rock as soon as we get a work day scheduled. We built a tie rail there last year. Last Saturday we rode by it and several were eating lunch, taking a break etc but no place to sit except on the ground. This looks like a perfect spot for a bench.

Pam Dean, our VP has been working with the Red Barn in Circleville to line up a list of shirts and sweat shirts that we can offer to our members. This is not a money making project for us, just a service. Along with this newsletter is an attachment of products and colors available. Each of the products will have our OHC emblem on the back. It’s a covered bridge with riders for those that have not seen it. We do not have a minimum order for any of these products so if interested, just notify Pam of your choices. We hope to complete the ordering process within the next couple weeks. The Red Barn has indicated it will take them about a week to 10 days to process the order and return the shirts to us.

As I wind down, I have one service announcement. Anita Hoon is looking to purchase a dead broke horse. In recent years she has ridden George Harden’s horse. Due to a serious injury, it had to be put down last fall. Anita has indicated her days of need for speed are behind her so it does not have to be a gaited horse but it can be. She does not want a project in the making or something about her age. Height and color up for discussion. If you know of any available, contact Anita direct.

Our next meeting is April 11th, 7 pm at Fat Cats Pizza. Hope to see a good turn out.

Chris.