Day 3: July 24, 2004 A Little Variety

Prev Next

I won't claim that this is familiar ground but it is not entirely new to me. This is the section of Sixty-Two that first earned my notice back in May and my pleasant memories were quickly confirmed. Note how a variety of signs are used to identify this as a recreation area.

I stopped briefly to look over this canoe livery on the banks of the Allegheny. I passed on driving down the fairly steep gravel driveway but did walk down. At roadside, a member of a group getting ready for a float recognized my Hamilton County license plate. He lives near Cleveland but has been working near Cincinnati. The group reported that the river was up just a bit from normal.

Next I stopped at the Simpler Times Museum - not far from the livery and the first "find" of the day. By the time I got out of my car, Vern was walking up the driveway from his home across the road. A Mr. Zeigler started the museum about twelve years ago with an existing collection and has added to it considerably in that fairly short time. When I pulled out the camera, Vern told me that Mr. Zeigler didn't mind "scrapbook" pictures but really frowns on anything else. He repeated that a couple of times so, although I did get a couple of photos inside, I have little visual evidence of the visit. The museum includes four building plus a complete oil pumping shed. The main building has two (or was it three?) rooms filled with gasoline pumps. Most with glass tops, a few gravity fed, and several with unrecognized brand names. There is also a room filled with a dozen or so cars: Model Ts, a pair of mid-sixties Mustangs, and a variety of vehicles from the years in between. The walls of these room are almost covered with license plates and signs or shelves filled with cans, boxes, more signs, and other assorted stuff - most with an automotive or petroleum connection. A large back room holds quite a few large gasoline engines (Vern called them "hit & miss" engines.) and a bunch of smaller ones. The other buildings hold mostly tractors (one is exclusively John Deere) with a few other items, like a complete line of belt driven metal working bench tools, tossed in here and there. The $4 admission is an absolute bargain.

In Tidioute, I turned left at an "Overlook 1 1/2 mi." sign. It turned out to be one of the longest and most interesting "3 mile" detours I've ever taken. The overlook is indeed about a mile and a half off of US 62. A gentle trail runs in a loop from the parking lot and leads to two spots with great views of the Allegheny River valley. But the real highlight of this stop was Bob. He was eating breakfast ("Fourth egg. Really shouldn't eat any more.") when I pulled in and, before walking to the overlooks, I joined him at the table. Bob is 72 and single. His wife died a couple of years back and he now spends winter in an $11 a night hotel in the Yucatan ("She'd never spend more than two weeks in Mexico.") and summers at a Tidioute area camp he owns and a house near Pittsburgh. Both camp and house are for sell ("Better off without property."). I half expected Bob to say no to a picture but not so. He readily agreed then, just before I pressed the button, a thought and a smile hit him ("Maybe I ought to get my gun."). He is a traveler ("Every state except Alaska and Hawaii.") and let me know of a couple of places worth visiting. The nearest is in the next panel.

Hearts Content is a National Park area about fifteen miles from the Tidioute Overlook. All of those miles are paved but the surface of the last four enforced a sub-20 MPH speed limit for the Corvette. There are several trails available but the old growth that Bob had told me of is, thankfully, on one of the shortest and easiest. The 1.1 mile loop provides a view of some very old forest.

In Sharon, PA, I had a late lunch / early dinner at the Quaker Steak & Lube. LOTS of automotive memorabilia on walls and ceilings including an upside down 1977 Corvette. At least the license plate is readable. The Super Modified racer is displayed in a position that it probably saw several times during its racing career. I ate and updated this site on the patio.

To give the meal an interstate flavor, I stopped for pie at the Emerald Diner in Hubbard, OH. It seemed almost a requirement since it was closed when I came by in May.

Three more food joints in Alliance, OH. Doug's Classic Diner, Handel's Ice Cream & Yogurt, and the Waaa Daa Hot Dog Shoppe.

[Prev] [Site Home] [Home] [Next]