9-27-2025 Blue Blaze Festival

9-27-2025 Blue Blaze Festival 

Joined by Elizabeth and many others

The event begins on Friday night and this year they had some presenters in the theater. Met up with Elizabeth in town. We stayed out in Lancaster and that is about 45 minutes drive to Shawnee. We were later informed there are some additional options a bit closer. They offer runs and a hike option on Saturday. We both were doing the 10 mile hike. After the hike we went to the black diamond tavern for some lunch.

Total 10.45mi

Bt sections complete 16

Loveland, Ceasar Creek, Troy, Williamsburg, St. Marys, Delphos, West Union, Sinking Spring, Shawnee, Scioto Trail, Old Man's Cave, New Straitsville, Defiance, Pemberville, Norwalk, Medina

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 + 56.09mi +52.0mi +55.8mi = 862.79mi

Bt total this year 250.43mi + 10.45mi = 260.88mi

NCT non concurrent this year 0mi

NCT total this year 65.92mi + 10.45mi = 76.37mi

APT this year 127.76mi + 11.85mi = 139.61mi

Adding APT since sorta exploring this a bit now still not gonna say it's a real trail.

ADT non concurrent this year 114.10mi + 14.92mi = 129.02mi

ADT total this year 170.85mi + 10.45mi = 181.30mi

Florida Trail Total this year = 0mi

Total for year 387.50mi + 10.45mi= 397.95mi

Today is day 270 of year,  on track for 365

The miles

BTA Office

Cool to see the blue blazes to the door

Registration in front of the office

Apparently I only got a good pic of the back of the Historical marker 

The start finish line

Trailhead at the lake

The lake

Nice signage for the event

On the Buckeye Trail

I enjoyed these trails before and they are just awesome back here.

Wildflowers 

Intersection marked with trails

Odd things you see sometimes

An aid station 

These are mostly for runners but we all are allowed.

Has all these trails and the BT as well

Nice cluster of mushroom

I think this is at another aid station just after and looking back

On the BT here as well

You can see the group of women I hiked with today.

Was happy to be in the forest and cool and not dying from the sun

Nice trail not too hilly just enough to be interesting 

Huge leaf

Another lake

Some of the signage around the lake

More signage

Back at the trail intersection 

Great signage for the hike run

More examples

We only had one spot we got semi turned around

Almost back. This is Tecumseh Lake

Trailhead now in the sun a few hours later.

Picnic area sign

This is the Wayne 

Walking back to Shawnee

A train

Historic Shawnee

Our group

On the door at the office

A nice Pic with our patches.

9-21-2025 Caesar Creek Pt12 to Pt7

9-21-2025 Caesar Creek Pt12 to Pt7

Joined by Polly, Jess, and Katie

ORC September Hike we met at the beach Pt7 and shuttled to further in the Wildlife Area at Pt12.  We then walked back for a fully off road and mostly shady hike.  I brought the extra melon and drinks from the day before for a treat after.

Total 9.25mi

Bt sections complete 16
Loveland, Ceasar Creek, Troy, Williamsburg, St. Marys, Delphos, West Union, Sinking Spring, Shawnee, Scioto Trail, Old Man's Cave, New Straitsville, Defiance, Pemberville, Norwalk, Medina
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 + 56.09mi +52.0mi +55.8mi = 862.79mi

Bt total this year 241.18mi + 9.25mi = 250.43mi
NCT non concurrent this year 0mi
NCT total this year 61.92mi + 4mi = 65.92mi
APT this year 127.76mi + 11.85mi = 139.61mi
Adding APT since sorta exploring this a bit now still not gonna say it's a real trail.
ADT non concurrent this year 114.10mi + 14.92mi = 129.02mi
ADT total this year 155.93mi + 14.92mi = 170.85mi
Florida Trail Total this year = 0mi
Total for year 378.25mi + 9.25mi= 387.50mi
Today is day 264 of year,  on track for 365

The miles

We take off from the parking lot to a side trail that accesses the main trail.

This is the main trail and a view behind where that side trail met the main trail.  Basically where we will again be walking next time.

The trail was in good shape

Many meadows along the path

Always nice to not be shot

Wooded views and good canopy most of today

Nice mushroom 🍄 

More of what I expected.

The ground was all dry but the mud holes still there semi soft

A turn

Another meadow

Almost 2 track through this field

Everyone is making it

The famed mud holes

This bridge not sure where it is really

Maybe some parking down here

Where we came out to the road

This is where the cemetery is

Back on the Buckeye Trail 

Great views of the edge of the lake 

Nicely shaded in here and the trail is a bit nicer.

Small hill

A meadow

Trail cut along side of the meadow

Its there a bit hard to see but there's a blaze

I love when the trail is like a tunnel and the canopy covers

Dirt trail and looks to open up ahead.

View at lake

View along the saddle dam

These are the horse trail names

Another horse trail

Nice spot here to the side.

There is a picnic table and good view

Almost sandy here

The dam continues now we are walking it

Dam ends we continue to cross the road

I was baking in the sun and was thankful to reach the end.

Our reward and nice non horse trail here

Good cover from sun

I did not remember this sign here

The reverse of the sign and it is quite nice

A few of these at the park

Boat ramp

Many ski doos 

The trail between beach and boat ramp

This often gets flooded

Back to the beach

Beach sidewalks the cars are just ahead

A few picnic tables were we had some melon and cooled down.

Another BT sign