12/26/2023 Shawnee pt23 to campsite toward pt22.

12/26/2023 Shawnee pt23 to campsite toward pt22.

After the earlier hike in Sinking Spring section. Staged Krista in Peebles for an additional piece in Sinking Spring from Shoemaker nature preserve back to Peebles. I went down to finish an extremely small piece in Shawnee from pt23 down toward but not to pt22. I had gone through pt22 on biggest day hike 2023 and I turned around here. Another day I came out and did some trail maintenance from pt22 going up toward pt23 but did not get to the campsite or atleast had not noticed the campsite. So I parked at the edge of the cliff at pt23 intersection of Sunshine Ridge and Blue Creek rd. Note as well there is also parking on sunshine ridge just up this intersection. I then walked to campsite and then walked to first turn and confirmed via GPS that I overlapped. This was out and back.

1.9 mi total 

Bt sections complete- completed Shawnee

Loveland, Ceasar Creek, Troy, Williamsburg, St. Marys, Delphos, West Union, Sinking Spring, Shawnee.

Bt miles 1 way based on complete sections

45.9mi + 55.1mi + 51.9mi + 51.7mi + 45.5mi + 46.5mi + 58.5mi + 53.9mi + 55.7mi = 464.7mi

nct total this year 272.46mi + 1.9mi = 274.36 mi

Total for year 312.84 mi + 1.9mi= 314.74 mi

500/365 = 1.37 x day of year = 493.2

Today is day 360 of year, not on track for 500

This hike

Prior hike

Overall between pt23 and pt22 and my position showing me on the curve and where I turned around and went back to car.

Not an official spot.  But hey we in the country and there are many pull offs.

The turn to go off road is seen to the left there is a carsonite and clearly marked turn on the tree.

Such a nice and clean path

I believe this is from a recent work party in Shawnee.  Thank you.  This looks like it would have been difficult in this spot.

The campsite is just off the trail and up on hill.

The view from trail of the hill and campsite area.

The end of my hike today and where I turned around.

The campsite

Back to the car view down sunshine ridge. 

12/26/2023 Sinking Spring pt8 to pt5

12/26/2023 Sinking Spring pt8 to pt5

Met Krista at pt5 Sinking Spring pt5 is a entrance to a gated road and there is parking in the turnaround in the grass/mud. Pt8 is a end of a road after a number of amish houses. There are some large dogs there. Thankfully we did not have to walk past them. Ellie the hiking dog came with and enjoyed the walk. Heavy ticks for all. This hike completed Sinking Spring for myself.

6.0mi total 

Bt sections complete- completed Sinking Spring 

Loveland, Ceasar Creek, Troy, Williamsburg, St. Marys, Delphos, West Union, Sinking Spring.

Bt miles 1 way based on complete sections

45.9mi + 55.1mi + 51.9mi + 51.7mi + 45.5mi + 46.5mi + 58.5mi + 53.9mi + 55.7mi = 464.7mi

nct total this year 266.46mi + 6mi = 272.46 mi

Total for year 306.84 mi + 6mi= 312.84 mi

500/365 = 1.37 x day of year = 493.2

Today is day 360 of year, not on track for 500

This hike miles walked. 1 way.

Car parked past pt8 at trailhead.  We did not have to walk toward dogs.

View of road turner hill rd.  Opposite of way we drove in from drybone. And the road dead ends to then go into woods.

Entering to woods from turner hill rd.

The spots in the woods you feel like you are completely away from everything.  It's quite nice.

Just some nice view on the trail.  It's well marked.

Krista and Ellie making there way through the woods.

View coming out of the woods at gate pt7

Road ahead is lapperell rd.

Parking is good at pt7

View from rt124 there is a few horses there.

View on road school bus here. There is a school near but not sure this is that.  I think this is after turn rt 124 to get on shoemaker and View down the road.

Back into the woods at pt 6

The trail continues through multiple switchbacks and while avoiding the blow downs it's nice.  Going up but it's not terrible hill.

Coming out of the woods to road and the gate, you need to leave at the gate where old road is since there is a gully to the right of gate in this picture.

View down the road toward pt 5.

12/23/2023 Sinking Spring pt1 to pt5

12/23/2023 Sinking Spring pt1 to pt5

Met Krista at pt1 Sinking Spring at pike lake state park. The original plan was pt1 to pt8 with rain in forecast we decided to go to pt5 and then evaluate the remaining 5 miles to finish. We decided to stop after pt 5 and it started raining shortly after.

5.68mi + 1.6mi forgot to start app= 7.28mi total 

Bt sections complete- no change

Loveland, Ceasar Creek, Troy, Williamsburg, St. Marys, Delphos, West Union.

Bt miles 1 way based on complete sections

45.9mi + 55.1mi + 51.9mi + 51.7mi + 45.5mi + 46.5 + 58.5 = 35 5.1mi

nct total this year 259.18mi + 7.28mi = 266.46 mi

Total for year 296.56 mi + 7.28 mi= 306.84 mi

500/365 = 1.37 x day of year = 489.09

Today is day 357 of year, not on track for 500

Plus 1.6 since I spaced and started my app late.

Where we met and where we ended.

Campground store closed for season 

I think this area down here is true trailhead parking.  The points are a bit messy if you look on FarOut the pt1 is down here and the other section ends at the lake side.  In truth these points are rather close and not a big deal but I don't like it.  The wording of map tells us a bit more, hopefully they fix this.

This is the trail at about 1.6 when I realized I'm not just walking but should start my app and take pictures.  It was an amazing day out.

This is another trailhead. Firetower pull off

We joined a road here

Another view of the same pull off

More pictures of this pull off

View down the road.  We encountered a few dogs down this road before the turn.

Krista and Ellie the hiking dog after the turn.

This intersection is pt4.  I am standing on the other road.

This is another turn toward the offroad section of Jim Sprague portion of trail.

A view in the other direction from above the turn is steep.

You can see the offroad section it is not far after this turn and is a bit hard to make out the way on FarOut.

The sign here. I like how the words look to be painted in bt sweeping blue

A better view of sign for Jim Sprague. 

And the signs are at both ends of the trail.

Trail was not bad and looks to have been maintained well.

You can see here we are on white and blue blaze trail.  Some parts of this might be a route I see mentioned by others.

Still going up, it's a steep hill and many switchbacks.

The other end of the Jim Sprague section of bt.

This is near pt3 in this direction.

Another view of the sign.

Picture of Krista and Ellie.

I wanted to get these blazes on the road at pt3

The other side and the many markers.

This is the view at the top of the hill and it's very pretty.  And seems to be almost 2 track through here but might be horse path.

A better shot of the view.  Looks like fall not 12/23

Another view of the trail.  Heavy leaves sorta deep.

This is the view back into pt2 from road.

Pt2 where we hit the road and turning back toward pt1 at the office from here.

And the end is just down the road here. That's the state park sign.

There is an amish bakery out here I wanted to checkout.  It is cash only and I was not prepared. It will not happen again - next time I will have some donuts.

Another view of the bakery.

I stopped in hillsboro on my way back.  Ponderosa is a rare treat and I don't pass it up.