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.