New SW Ohio Adventure Scooting Group Forming

For over 8 years I have been riding the back roads of southern Ohio on scooters.

Alone, just me and the breeze!

Not once did I ever experience seeing another scooter rider out on the back roads, just tooling along, stopping to eat or take photos, then blogging about it later or just telling the neighbors and family who likely rolled their eyes in amusement.

I have seen plenty of motorcycles, and most of them in a big, big hurry if they are "weekend warriors". Every once in a while I might run into a biker just out cruising the countryside, and those were the most contented souls on two wheels.

For me, this is how and why I ride: to get out into nature, to slow down my pace of life, to explore historical places and places of natural beauty, and to just experience the freedom of the ride.

Don't get me wrong-I also scoot to the grocery, to the library, to the coffee shop and so forth.

But the most joy I get out of riding a scooter is scooting the back roads out in the rural areas.

I call it "adventure scooting" and I wonder why more people don't do it more often.

It would be SO COOL to offer a group for like-minded riders to be able to connect with!

So that is what I am trying to offer. A way for us to connect.

This blog is one and I am planning to set up a Facebook page, group, and Meetup group.

Once I get those up and running I will post links here and then you can connect via Facebook and Meetup.com.

You can also follow this blog and sign up for membership.

I live in Clermont County near Eastgate but rides can happen anywhere that members want them to.

Ride reports with photos and text can be emailed to me and I will gladly post them here on this blog for all members to enjoy.

I have already posted some of mine from my scooting blog, "Ruckus Scooter Love", which is linked to the left.

I will also gladly link anyone's scooting-related blog, website, Meetup, or Facebook pages on this blog. Just email or post the link in comments.

Who knows? If only a few of us ride together occasionally and exchange phone numbers it could be an enrichening experience of scooter riding and fellowship!

Old Is New: Stonelick Bridge

Last spring if you rode up the Stonelick-Williams Corner Road in Clermont County, Ohio, this is what you encountered:

The old 1878 Stonelick Covered bridge, the last surviving covered bridge in Clermont County, Ohio, had collapsed during renovation efforts in February, after being closed since 2010.

This is the old structure before its collapse:

(Photo courtesy of Wikepedia.)


Today I rode my scooter up to the recently re-opened and freshly renovated "new" old Stonelick bridge and it is a beauty!

Riding through its shadowed tunnel, tires gliding over smooth sweet smelling lumber was a "scooter high"!

Afterward I enjoyed a few hours of further adventure scooting through some of the county's lush green back roads in Stonelick Township.



Read more about Stonelick Bridge: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stonelick_Covered_Bridge

Clermont County - Harsha Dam Ride

It was the first dry, sunny, and pleasant day we have had in weeks. So I set out on the Elite to the East Fork Lake Region. I had my sights specifically set on exploring the Harsha Dam area of the park in Clermont County.

Jingles was sporting her new "Cheeky Seats" chilipepper seat cover and her new Saddlemen tail pack. She had to strike a pose in the parking lot before we departed.

We set off down Tealtown Road and hit the back roads into Batavia, the county seat. There were a lot of motorcycles out and we cheerily exchanged the "biker wave" as we met out along the way.

At Batavia I hit the United Dairy Farmers for a restroom break and jug of Glacier Cherry Gatorade and Ritz cheese crackers. These were consumed while I took a rest under a shade tree in the local cemetery, one of my favorite spots.

Along the village streets I admired the new promenade.

I eventually made my way onto Route 222, also known as "Riverside Drive" and headed out toward East Fork Lake and the Harsha Dam entrance.

As I turned onto the access road, I came upon Sherry's Lake bait shop, offering a deli, bait, camping, fishing, and groceries.

There was a pretty little fresh spring lake with people enjoying fishing and even a few tents pitched alongside.

Leaving here I wound down onto a flood plain then up a hill and curved to the right as the road became the top of the dam.

They are hard to see, but there were motor boats, pontoon boats, and fishing boats dotting the lake's surface.

I dismounted to get a good view.

After I crossed the top of the dam I came upon the visitor's center and a scenic overlook.

The overlook just looked out over tree tops to the lake way off in the distance, so I did not get a photo and there were people hanging around which made exploration difficult.

So I headed to the visitor's center and I was the only one inside, free to explore the exhibits.

Things found on the forest floor:

Different kinds of fish species:

A taxidermist had evidently been brought in to enhance the exhibit. Seeing this little fox like this bothered me, but I felt he earned a right to be included in the tour:

I left the visitor's center and returned to my scoot, saddled up and headed back across the dam. Here is the view opposite the lake:

Then I rode back out the main entrance past Sherry's Lake and out onto Route 222 toward Batavia.

It was a peaceful few hours of adventure scooting on the back roads around East Fork Lake and Harsha Dam. I covered about 38 miles round trip. The scooter ran quietly and was I was comfortable in the saddle on the ride.

Read more about Harsha Dam here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Fork_State_Park