5/31/2025 Norwalk pt9 to Wakeman Elevator
What originally was me and Krista became a shared event with many - Polly, Erin, Katie joined as well, Kim joined for lunch and dinner. Wakeman Elevator was very welcoming to hikers and we spoke with the owner a bit, she showed us her back area for camping and very excited to have us there.
8.11mi + 6.72mi
Total 14.83mi
Bt sections complete 14
Loveland, Ceasar Creek, Troy, Williamsburg, St. Marys, Delphos, West Union, Sinking Spring, Shawnee, Scioto Trail, Old Man's Cave, New Straitsville, Defiance, Pemberville
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 + 61.2mi + 52.5mi +60.6mi + 59.9mi + 56.09= 754.99mi
Bt total this year 64.64mi + 14.83mi = 79.47mi
NCT non concurrent this year 0mi
NCT total this year 20.86mi + 9.96mi = 30.82mi
APT this year 21.82mi + 14.83mi = 36.66mi
Adding APT since sorta exploring this a bit now still not gonna say it's a real trail.
ADT non concurrent this year 64.54mi + 10.02mi = 74.56mi
ADT total this year 82.19mi + 10.02mi = 92.21mi
Florida Trail Total this year = 0mi
Total for year 138.35mi + 14.83mi= 153.18mi
Today is day 151 of year, on track for 365
First Hike before lunch
Hike 2 after lunch
Where I parked for the first hike
I love these trailheads along the trail for parking. Its great to see local sponsors.
View of the trail we will come back this way on our second hike.
This will be the end of the first hike.
All these grain Elevators getting a second life
Pt9 our start point for first hike
I think this is a railroad marker
Nice little local info along the trail
Great decoration. Why have a boring fence or wall when it can look like this
Coming into town
I was really surprised how the bike path continues on roads here. I was expecting just rail trail.
Back side of the coffee house
Nice iron marked from Toledo, from a time when craftsmanship mattered
Love these little town visits. Front of coffee shop.
The other way there is a library and a few other shops.
This blue really caught my eye.
Headed down infront of the church
Local tattoo shop
Welcome to Norwalk
Nice pizza shop
Church/Chapel in the back here.
Gravel bike track
It was such a beautiful day
Here we go. Firelands association sign they support this piece
Nice blue blaze and canopy here. Good shade most of today.
A sign for bikeway 30 along the NCIT
How awesome is that?
Just great shade and trail.
A few benches make the day a little easier.
I'm not gonna try and track these but it's nice to have local trail mile markers. We see this on the BT on a few places - LMSP, GMRRT for example
Well marked road crossing
It was about here we knew we were close
I'm not sure if that is the Elevator to the left here
A Mill Stone i think
This place is awesome inside and out.
Wakeman Elevator.
Trying to capture more of the craziness on this fence/false wall.
Great sign out front and looks like it's 2 companies.
Such love of the trail here.
That is the trail town sign.
This is the actual entrance
See the BT sticker here on the door
All over the bathrooms the signage is just wow
So much
Wow more
Had a berry beer.
I could not capture it all.
Food we all agreed was great
Food truck out back
Another sign in bathroom
They allow camping in the back area
Really nice back here behind the storage
Old trucks just hanging out here
Old truck and railroad sign
A blue tractor there too.
Another railroad sign
The old tractor now part of the garden
Sign for NCIT on the road here
Country roads
Totally by itself a 4x4 with a blue blaze
Flowers seen on trail
Old farms
Cows
More farms
A wishing well
An old equipment dealer
Walking the road no traffic
Horses
Back to gravel
Nice to have a bit of shade
At least they recognize the trail here.
A mileage marker
After the hikes, we were invited to Kim's.
I took the scenic route through Norwalk.
Found a cool statue for Paul Brown.
He was born here.
Historical marker for Paul Brown.
Nice mural in the Park in Norwalk
Even the trash can was decorated
View at Kim's
Dinner we went to the steakhouse on Lake Erie
The bread with cherry butter
My dinner was the perch sandwich
