OLA: Taking Me Home, Country Roads, WV

the tallest capitol dome in the US is in Charlesto, West Virginia

We kept on humming John Denver’s  ‘West Virginia, my old momma, Take me home, country roads’  while we drove to Charleston (3 hours one-way) from our campground in Wilmington, Ohio. We had decided not to take our RV there but take the most direct route to Florida (our home this winter) instead: through Kentucky, Tennessee, and Georgia. After all gas prices are still up and at 20,000 pounds, M’A guzzles gas at 8 miles to a gallon. Besides the Thousand Trails System where we are a member has no campground there.

the Mothman Statue

the Silver Memorial Bridge built in 1969
to replace the one that collapsed in 1967, killing 46

At the border of Ohio and West Virginia we crossed the shining Silver Memorial Bridge on the Ohio River to the little town of Point Pleasant. Paul, a new friend we met at the Wilmington Resort (he owns a Newmar Mountain Aire 1997 exactly like ours!) lent us a DVD of the 2002 movie, Mothman Prophecies starring Richard Gere, Debra Messing and Laura Linney, which was based on a book by John Keel about the town’s legend. We also met Robert, caretaker of the Mothman Souvenir Shop, who was a great story-teller.

town memorial of the bridge collapse
that killed 46 during the rush hour on 12/15/1967

Paranormal enthusiasts flock to the town in search of Mothman, a large creature with 10-foot wing spans and red glowing eyes, said to inhabit an abandoned TNT factory from WWII. It is believed to be a harbinger of imminent disaster, now being seen around the globe before great tragedies. The legendary creature was reportedly seen from November 15, 1966, to December 15, 1967, when the Silver Bridge, anI-bar chain suspension bridge built in 1928 and named for the color of its aluminum paint, collapsed during rush hour. All reports of sightings mysteriously stopped after that day when 46 people met their tragic deaths.

the small town amphitheater by the Ohio River
with the railroad trestle at the background 

                                                                               For a town with a current population of 4,600, 46 deaths meant that almost every household was affected. A marker was erected on the site and the new Memorial Bridge was built in 1969 a few miles away. And Point Pleasant eventually recovered. Looking out to the old railroad trestle above the Ohio River is the amphitheater which the residents use for community events. The wall separating the little park from downtown is painted with many murals of the town’s history.   

Such is the charm of country roads and captivating legends.

Renaissance Village

Charleston, on the other hand, looks very much a charming metropolis (population, 350,000). From the campus of the University of Charleston across the river, the dome of the state capitol, the nation’s tallest, is elegantly crafted with 24-carat gold leaf and strikes a grand shimmering pose among the verdant trees,. The statues of Stonewall Jackson on its side and Abraham Lincoln at its front guard this magnificent building, underlining the fact that the state was formed in 1861 out of Confederate Virginia as a symbol of the Union’s victory early in the Civil War.

colorful bridge shops

Even the town market, The Capitol Market, is like a little Granville of Vancouver, British Columbia in Canada. The upscale shopping district on a tree-lined street is called the Renaissance Village. And from the central town bridge, up on the hills where the rich live, pretty colorful Bridge Shops abound.

But we did not get to the parts of the state on its really scenic routes, extensions of John Denver’s ‘Almost heaven West Virginia, Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoah River’. Sometime in the future, we will get another chance. In the meantime we are content with our little magnet for our collection from the souvenir shop. It reads, ‘Dreaming of heaven, West Virginia’. Anyway, the small town atmosphere of Point Pleasant and the distinctive sights in Charleston were enough to fill another wonderful day in our wanderings in the meantime.

Next Post: Riding on Kentucky's Unbridled Spirit 

OLA: Digging into Ohio's History

Santa Maria, the ship Columbus sailed from Spain in 1492 to land on American shores

Staying three weeks in one place affords us some time to get to know it. We could have gone on to visit many historical sites but we also had to take care as Bill was just recuperating from his arthroscopic surgery. So we did a little digging (not the archaeological kind) of the state's history, especially about the two historical contests she has found herself in.

First, there have only been 44 presidents in the US and 8 came from Ohio! William Henry Harrison, his grandson Benjamin Harrison, Ulysses S. Grant, Rutherford B. Hayes, James Garfield, William McKinley, William Howard Taft, and Warren Harding all made Ohio their home or were born there. We enjoy visiting presidents’ homes. Walking where great men walked is one thing; to be where they lived is quite another! So we visited both the Harrison homes.

home of William Howard Taft on Auburn Hill

It also happens that the home of William Howard Taft is right in front of The Christ Hospital.  Taft was the first Governor-General of the Philippines, laying the foundation of the country’s public systems and infrastructure. With a background that is deep into the US judicial system, this gave him the administrative experience for the presidency. And his strong judicial background gave him the unique opportunity to be the only president who later served as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.

home of Benjamin Harrison in Indiana

But it is a different state which is dubbed the “Mother of Presidents’. 8 US presidents, most of them soon after the 1776 Revolution, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, James Monroe, William Henry Harrison, John Tyler, Zachary Taylor, and Woodrow Wilson, either made Virginia their home or were born there. Two years ago, we visited Washington’s Mt. Vernon, Jefferson’s Monticello and Poplar Forest (his summer home), Madison’s Montpelier, and Monroe’s Ash Lawn-Highland.

William Henry Harrison's Tomb in Ohio

Thus the title that is given Ohio is ‘The Mother of Modern Presidents’. It is interesting to point out that William Henry Harrison is in both lists. He moved to Ohio from Virginia (his grandson Benjamin moved later to Indiana) and his grand tomb rests there. He served the shortest presidential term ever, dying of pneumonia just a month after his inauguration.

Second, Dayton, Ohio is the birthplace of Orville and Wilbur Wright but it was in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina where the brothers succeeded in first flying a plane (a glider).  Thus North Carolina is called ‘The Birthplace of Aviation’. Ohio, on the other hand, carries the title, ‘The Birthplace of Aviation Pioneers’ and it is well deserved! Huffman Field, where the Wright Brothers tested and launched the first practical plane, is called the First Airport in the World.   And John Glenn and Neil Armstrong, pioneer astronauts, were born in Ohio!

Huffman Field, World's First Airport, where the Wright Brothers launched the first practical plane

Ohio's Pride!!!

Because of the tremendous contribution of the Wright Brothers to aviation, the outstanding National Air Force Museum is in Dayton, Ohio, the best flight museum in the country. It boasts of the most comprehensive exhibit of military aircraft (about 300 planes) used in all the wars the US has been involved, from WWI to the Cold War. I was especially moved by the early dirigible, the bomber Bockscar which delivered the 2nd atom bomb dropped on Nagasaki (Enola Gay that bombed Hiroshima is in the Smithsonian), and the collection of missile heads. Bill loved the bombers, fighter jets, and stealths.

Lucius Quinctus Cincinnatus with Big Mac Bridge behind

Third, this is the uncontested part! Ohio has inspired many great works of men (for a time, the state had the highest inventions per capita) and many great men have also inspired the state! Cincinnati is proud to be named after the Roman general, Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus. He was forced to work on his own small farm after his son was convicted in absentia and condemned to death. In 458 BC, Rome called on him to quell an invasion by rival tribes as its dictator, an office he immediately resigned after achieving victory.

This has been an oft-cited model (Washington’s?) of outstanding leadership, service to the greater good, civic virtue, and modesty. But Cincinnati is not the capital of Ohio. It is Columbus and there we found the most authentic replica of the Santa Maria, the ship Columbus sailed from Spain in August of 1492, arriving on American soil two months after, changing the world forever. A giant statue of him stands in front of the City Hall, a gift from Genoa, Italy, the town from whence he came.

Voice of America Relay Station

Fourth, this is the coolest part! Taft was not the only connection to the Philippines. En route to the Cincinnati Tennis Open we also chanced upon the National Voice of America Museum in West Church, Ohio. It was the relay station of the significant radio of the WWII.  VOA became quite prominent in the Philippines even after the war because it became the country’s most reliable source of foreign news. These little connections to Philippine history were particularly heartwarming for me.

Next Stop: Flying to Las Vegas 

Getting My 'Fixes' Around Cincy.....OLA

Ohio Barn Quilt

I am a tennis fan-addict! Bill cannot quite understand why I passionately stay awake up to the wee hours of the morning to watch the rounds of the majors. Finally in Cincy (cute nickname of Cincinnati, Ohio) I got the chance to go to my very first live ATP Masters tennis tournament: The Western and Southern Open. It is part of the US Open Series prior to the US Open which just started today in Flushing Meadows, New York. The Cincy tourney has been running since 1899 and is the only one still playing in its original city. The Lindner Family and Tennis Center in Mason, a suburb of Cincy, is one of the country’s major tennis centers.

Blake-Baghdatis encounter on Opening Night

You cannot imagine my excitement as I waited in line for the gates to open, toured the many exhibits and kiosks, gobbled up many souvenir items (for our grandchildren and myself!), took countless photos, and watched #1 woman player Caroline Wozniacki and #2 men’s player Rafa Nadal practice at the side courts! I was frozen many times while watching even just the early rounds. My eyes followed the living ball whizz to and fro during the Blake-Baghdatis, Harrison-Chela, and Roddick-Kohlschreiber matches. Now, watching at least one of the four majors is a definite addition to our bucket list!

a section of Highway 127 in Ohio

Just like any other female, I am also a shopping fan-addict! But, retired and without the income I had before, it has evolved to become more of treasure hunting. Last year I was just reading about the World’s Longest Yard Sale in a travel magazine. It’s all of 625 miles along Highway 127, from Gadsden, Alabama to Hudson, Michigan on the first weekend of August. I ran into It when I took to bring Bill home from his surgery. On its last day, I dragged Bill, still in crutches, to get my ‘finds’: ‘Hot Wheels’ for my other grandson, Kenji who lives in Seattle, some bake ware, and other bargains! 

 

the Great American Ball Park

I am also a fan of Paul McCartney who chose Cincy as one of the venues for his 8-city ‘On the Run’ tour. It was a sell-out crowd of 41,500 at the Great American Ball Park. Unfortunately, we were not one able to go because of Bill’s surgery. Later we were able to go to the famous home of the Cincinnati Reds (although they may not be playing well nowadays)! I thought…wow they indeed got the best name for a ball park even if it is not ranked as one of the top 3 (Yankee Stadium, home of the New York Yankees, Wrigley’s Field of the Chicago Cubs, and Fenway Park of the Boston Red Sox)!

the family with Bill, catching a small one

Admittedly, another addiction of mine is to entertain! The Wilmington RV Resort had a family centers basketball/volleyball/tennis courts, indoor pool and spa, mini-golf, horseshoe pits and shuffleboards, and 3 fishing ponds! Former I/ACT colleague Lea, husband Jimmy and children, Miles, Patrick, and Mathew visited us there during our first weekend. Matthew had long wanted to inspect RV living up close and personal. So in our Chicago reunion, Lea decided to visit us in this Ohio campground, just 30 minutes away from her home. I had a lot of fun watching the family catch three fish in just thirty minutes, enjoy the ‘ride’ on the RV slide-out going out, and take a nap on the dinette turned bed!

how can I bring home this chair???

And the biggest addiction of mine…the color yellow…got fed as we explored the farms around Clinton County. There we found more barn quilts (56) than the collection in Houston County, Minnesota! Wilmington is also the home of the first banana split in the world and the site of the annual Banana Split Festival in mid-June. But the most special find of all is the biggest chair I have ever seen, probably about 10 feet tall…and it’s all in yellow! 

We are having a lot of fun but soon I have to fly to Vegas for a mini-reunion with gal pals Jingjing and Ann and a visit to my friend Angie and cousin, Ate Tesing. Finally, Bill might be able to have time for his own ‘fixes’…sans moi!