We spent the 4th on the bike enjoying the beautiful weather and exploring some covered bridges in Ashtabula County Ohio. We have been to most of the bridges and once we have them all 17 checked off I will do a post with all of them.
Yesterday we stopped at Netcher Road Covered Bridge, Giddings Road Covered Bridge and South Denmark Covered Bridge. These three are close together and make for a nice day trip. All three are located in Jefferson, Oh and cross over Mill Creek. The total trip for us was around 140 miles. We stayed off the major highways and enjoyed the country roads.
First stop was Netcher Road Covered Bridge located at 1544 Netcher Rd, Jefferson, OH. The bridge is 110 feet long, 22 feet wide and 14 feet size inches tall, and was open to traffic in 1999.
On either side of the bridge there are small pull offs so that you can stop and check the bridge out a little closer, and if you’re like me snap some pictures.
Next up was Giddings Road Covered Bridge, just 3 miles from Netcher, located at 1399 Giddings Rd, Jefferson, OH. This bridge was built in 1995 and 107 feet long. There is only one small pull off, you may need to just park along the road if you’d like to stop and walk the bridge.
The last bridge of the day was South Denmark Covered Bridge. Located at 2670 S. Denmark Rd, Jefferson, OH is is about 8 miles from the Giddings Road bridge.
This bridge was built in 1890, but bypassed with a steel bridge in 1975. Access to the bridge is easy and can still be driven across by any vehicle under 4 tons.
The South Denmark Covered Bridge is 100 feet long with a span of 76 feet, 13.24 feet wide and 11 feet high.
After checking out the bridges we made our way to Jamestown, PA to try to find a bite to eat. Most places were closed for the 4th but the Jamestown Hunger Buster was open and serving great food and had a ton of options for your sweet tooth. They offer over 24 flavors of soft serve ice cream, just as many flavors of hard ice cream, shaved ice and so many more desserts. This little shop even has their own bakery.
There is some outside seating, but the only tables out of the sun are on the small porch. Another option is always to grab you food and head up to Pymatuning State Park just up the road and enjoy the lake view while eating.
We opted to split one of their wedges so we had room for ice cream. I’m glad be did because it was stacked with meat and cheese, and boy was it good. We tried three flavors of the hard ice cream, Brown Butter Bourbon Truffle, Midnight Carmel River and Carmel Cheesecake Cookie Monster. They were all delicious but the Brown Butter Bourbon Truffle was my favorite.
Bellies full, we headed back home for the day.
A couple tips when exploring the Ashtabula Covered Bridges:
Check out the area you are exploring for the day and plan ahead for somewhere to get something to eat and drink. Some of the bridges are off on their own so you may want to figure you dining options in ahead of time.
Second is related to the location of the bridges as well….restrooms. Most but not all of the bridges do not offer a restroom close, so again just be aware and plan before you head out.
Our latest bike ride took us through the countryside and included several local bar/restaurants. The total trip for use was just over 100 miles, and if you follow the same route we took it will include a short amount of time on some dirt roads, but not much.
Heading towards our first stop, we passed through Cochranton, PA and over French Creek. We took a few minutes to stop and walk along the water at a boat launch near the bridge. This area also had a couple picnic tables tucked under the trees along the creek. This would be a great spot to grab some food from the Country Fair gas station or Cochranton Marketplace, located just up the street and bring it back to enjoy while sitting by the creek.
According to the informational signage the Cochranton area has been inhabited since 1100 AD, and was chartered as a borough April 5, 1855. The creek itself played an important part in the French and Indian War as well as in the settlement of northwest Pennsylvania. It’s original name was Riviere aux Boeufs of the French, but was renamed in 1753 by George Washington to French Creek.
Next we made our way to J.I.’s Place overlooking Sugar Lake, previously name Sugar Lake Hotel. The road to J.I’s Place winds along the lake so make sure to drive cautiously and watch for the local wildlife.
If you are on a bike you will also want to be careful in the parking lot. It is on a hill and is gravel. Unfortunately we have seen many tip overs in this parking lot.
This has always been a popular spot for bikers and is often a stop on benefit rides. There is both inside and outside seating allowing you to enjoy the view of the lake on nice days. They will also have bands on the outside deck when the weather permits.
We stopped on a Sunday just after they opened so the staff was busy prepping for the day, but the ladies were very friendly and made time to chit chat with us while we sat at the bar.
When I was doing my normal research for new places to see a found a historic site that would fit into our route, so off we went to check it out. The historic site was the remnants of a tannery built in 1825 by the famous abolitionist John Brown, who lived at this location from 1825 to 1835. The tannery was a major stop on the Underground Railroad.
We made our way down the dirt road that leads to the historic site, but when we reached the location all we saw was the historic marker sign. The area was overgrown and appeared to be on private property. We did not want to take a chance on trespassing on someone’s land, so unfortunately this stop was a bust.
Next up was a stop at Woodcock Creek Lake. The lake is Operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and offers hiking, fishing, bird/butterfly watching areas, camping and many other recreational options. There are several areas of interest. The first is the Overlook Recreation Area, offering a panoramic view of the dam which provides flood protection for the French Creek system. There is also a picnic area and restrooms available here.
The Woodcock Creek Lake visitors center is just down the road from the overlook. This area provides visitors the opportunity to walk across the dam. Near the parking area just before you reach the dam you will find a butterfly garden. If you walk to the other side of the dam there is access to two hiking trails.
Across the road from the visitor center is the Bossar Nature Area Parking which offers a Nature Area and Center, restrooms and access to another hiking trail.
Last stop at Woodcock Creek Lake was the Overflow Recreational Area and Woodcock Creek Park. The area offers several picnic areas, restrooms, playground, disc golf, access to the hiking trail and a fishing area at the outflow of dam.
After stopping at the lake we were off to Saegertown, PA to check out Hitchy’s Tavern & Grill. We had never been to this place so I was very excited to check it out. Hitchy’s has both indoor and outdoor seating. The outdoor patio also has it’s own bar area. We opted to sit inside and grab a couple drinks and a little bite to eat.
The inside bar had a beautiful live edge bar top and the interior had an eclectic rustic feel. On the wall above where we sat there were several wall hangings related to the prohibition that made for an interesting read while we were there.
We tried the deep fried banana pepper rings and the Bourbon Siracha wings, and boy were they yummy. This will definitely be a repeat stop because they have an extensive menu and it all looked good, so we will need to go back to try their other offerings.
Up next, was Fatboy’s Saloon in Conneautville. This is a regular stop for us when we are in the area. Fatboy’s has a inside bar and small dining area, as well as an screened in dining area at the rear of the bar.
Inside you will find games of chance, shuffleboard table and more. Outside, under pavilion, they have cornhole boards setup and host tournaments. Fatboy’s is a another popular stop for biker’s and serves as a stop for many benefit rides.
Just a short ride from Fatboy’s was our final stop, Tavern 618 located in Conneaut Lake near the site of the historic Conneaut Lake Park. If you are familiar with the area, you may remember the location under the old name, The Palms.
Do not let the outside fool you. While the exterior may look plain jane the inside is beautiful and has many unique features, such as the live edge planks hanging down serving as a floating ceiling.
On this day we only stopped in for a quick drink before making our way home, but next time I would like to try out some items off their menu.
We were finally able to get the bike out for the first time this season, and it was a beautiful ride. It was a short little trip, between 130-150 miles, to see some local places that I hadn’t been to as well as some that I have.
First stop was a little shop with some unique finds, that also sells wine with even more unique labels and names. The wine, is actually what caught grabbed my attention and landed this location on my list of places to check out.
The Rustique Log Cabin is located south of Kittanning, and as the name applies carries rustic home decor. The store is small, but don’t let that fool you because they pack in a lot of merchandise into this small space. Even though there is a lot in this small store they layout and displays nice, and they have a wide array of themes
Now for what first drew me to this store…the wine. The store sell Black Dog Wine, and what makes it stand out from the crowd are it’s unique labels and names. I wanted to buy every bottle just because I loved the labels. I did resist the urge and only bought a few items, after all we were on the bike. Next time we may have to tack our luggage bag with us haha.
The lady at the store was very friendly and helpful. She even made suggestions mixing some of the wines to get whole new flavor option. As we talked I found out that the actual Black Dog Winery is located in Oakdale, PA…looks like I’ll be planning another ride to check out their wine a little more.
Next we headed back north on US-422 to stop at a The Cadet Restaurant who has a unique mascot, “Sam”. Sam is the reason this restaurant was added to my list. He is a 30-foot-tall cowboy statue holding a giant hamburger. This iconic statue was even featured in book “Roadside Giants“. According to the restaurants website this larger than life cowboy got his name from an officer that used to patrol the parking lot to keep an eye out for trouble. For more about the restaurant, and Sam’s history check out the Cadet Restaurant website.
The restaurant itself has an old time diner feel, and serves comfort style food. When we stopped we indulged in dessert. I had the coconut pie and coffee, and the BF had the peanut butter cheesecake and a chocolate milkshake. I would like to stop back when we have more of an appetite and try their “Famous Poor Boy”…I mean if that’s what their famous for how could I not go back and try it.
After leaving the restaurant we headed into Kittanning and stopped at the Riverfront Park so I could get a couple shots of the bridge. On the day we were there the fence at the top of the outdoor amphitheater was lined with American flags and the names of veterans. I’m not sure if this was for Memorial Day or if this display is there all the time but it was a beautiful and is a reminder of how thankful we should be to those who have served and are currently serve for life we get to enjoy.
We decided to go off the beaten path and take a different way back into Butler. If you don’t mind some bumps along the way this is a nice option because it travels along the river and winds amongst the railroad tracks…hence the bumps haha. You can find a Roadtrippers trip I made for this excursion here.
Last stop of the day was at Rock Ann Haven Bar and Grille located in Butler, PA. This is somewhere we often stop when we are in the area on the bike, and the staff is always friendly and attentive. On this day we only stopped for a quick drink, then we were on our way. The next time we stop in for a bite to eat I’ll include more about this this location.
It was a beautiful day and we got some much needed wind therapy, plus seen some new sites along the way.
Recently we took a road trip to Sugarcreek, Ohio and some of the surrounding businesses. Sugarcreek is known as the Little Switzerland of Ohio and is most famous for having the World’s Biggest Cuckoo Clock. This, of coarse, was the reason it landed on my travel bucket list.
Let’s start with a brief history of the town…
The early settlers of Sugar Creek valley were Amish families, then German and Swiss families. It is said that the German and Swiss settlers chose the area because the climate and beautiful countryside reminded them of the where they originated from. The Swiss families had deep roots in cheese production and began producing cheese in what is now Sugarcreek using the milk from the local Amish families. Cheese productions is still a big part of the community today, and you can see traces of the cheese production history throughout the community. During our visit I saw several cheese vats on display at various location such as in front of the Cuckoo Clock and at the Broad Run store.
To promote the cheese produced in the area and to draw visitors to the town, Sugarcreek held the first Swiss festival in 1953. The festival was such a success they continued doing it annually and the popularity continued to grow. Seeing how successful the festival was and how many tourists it brought into the town the local business owners began turning Sugarcreek into a Swiss Village. By the 1970’s tourist-oriented business began opening in the town.
We began the day by stopping at Broad Run Cheesehouse. When you walk in you are met with some eclectic items that seem to serve as decorations for the shop, but most are also for sale.
The main area has a deli and assorted packaged cheeses. According to their website they have over 30 varieties of cheese to choose from.
The rest of this building, including a second floor, is a gift shop and boutique. There is a wide range of items including everything from wine and food items, clothing jewelry, home decor and many more unique items.
Next stop was breakfast at Dutch Valley Restaurant. The restaurant offers Amish inspired food in a beautiful dining room. For breakfast they have a full menu to choose from or a buffet, we opted for the latter. I can never turn down a buffet because it allows me to sample more of what the restaurant has to offer. Something unique about the setup of this buffet that I had not seen at others is they have a place built into the buffet were the plates are kept that keeps the them warm. I love this idea! No more cold plate chilling your food before you can get it back to the table to eat.
All of the food was delicious but my two favorites were dishes that I had never tried before…their bread pudding and a frozen pineapple dish. I know, I know…frozen pineapple?!? It seemed weird but boy was it good. I asked the waitress about it and while she couldn’t remember what all was in it it she did know it contained bananas, orange juice and of coarse crushed pineapple. The combination, at least to me, worked very well together.
In addition to the dining room there is also a bakery and coffee shop attached. They have prepackaged items as well as a bakery counter service. The coffee looked so good, but we had eaten so much already there just wasn’t room to try any. I guess that leave me something to look forward to trying next trip.
In between the restaurant and bakery there was a small gift shop with a wide variety of items, including many locally made items. I especially loved the squirrel section…it rang so true to what I deal with everyday at my house lol.
Where the restaurant is located there is also a hotel, theater, gift shop and market. The Dutch Valley Hospitality website has information on all that they offer and other locations. We wondered around and explored the market and gift shop and worked off some of our breakfast. The market offered frozen food, deli good, dry and canned good and so much more.
The gift shop was absolutely beautiful. Made up of three floors brimming with home decor, outdoor decorations, kitchen items, clothing, toys and so much more. What made the shop so beautiful was more than just the building itself, it was how they displayed the merchandise.
We finished up and made our way into downtown Sugarcreek. The first thing will notice is the Swiss-styles storefronts and the murals throughout the town. A local artist, Tom Miller, painted the murals and also designed the storefronts.
Make sure you to stop and look at the mural on the Huntington Bank in particular. A train emerges from one mountain tunnel and then enters into another tunnel, it’s easy to miss if you are not looking for it.
Sitting as the centerpiece of the town is the World’s Largest Cuckoo Clock. The clock is over 23 feet tall and 24 feet wide. In 1977 the clock was featured on the cover of the Guinness Book of World Records.
The clock began it’s life in the 1970’s as part of the Alpine Alpa restaurant in Wilmont, Ohio. After the closing of the restaurant in 2009 the clock was purchased and restored as part of the “Save-a-Landmark” program and found it’s new home in downtown Sugarcreek in May 2012.
During the spring, summer and fall seasons you can see the full operation of the clock every half hour from 9am to 9pm. The cuckoo bird will pop out and the Swiss polka music will being as the band emerges and a couple dances. Please check out my Intragram for videos.
Across the street from the Cuckoo Clock is a brick wall containing 13 sculpted brick panels that depict the story of Sugarcreek and the surrounding area. The panels were designed and sculpted by a local artist, Sherry Crilow.
Next up the up, the Alpine Hills Museum which takes you back in time with three floors of displays relating to the early days of the town’s Swiss and Amish Heritage. Some of the displays even have audio and video presentations.
On the main floor you’ll see displays of a traditional Amish kitchen, a 1890’s cheese house, woodworking shop, printing press, vintage clothing and many other items.
The second floor has displays that depict the everyday life of those living in the Sugarcreek area, a music display complete with Swiss Alp Horns and other remnants from the rich history of the area.
The lower level was probably my favorite. This area contains a display and audio presentation of 1895 fire equipment, modes of early transportation, and tools of the trade from the past.
After taking in the main attractions we explored several of the stores. One quirky store stands out from the rest because it is just as much of an attraction as it is a store. Unfortunately I cannot tell you the store’s name because there was no signage outside to tell me but it is located on the main drag.
Within the store you will find a variety of antiques and oddities for sale, these items alone are interesting to just walk around and check out.
One display in particular I found fascinating was the replica horror movie houses on the top shelf as you walk into the store. I have never seen anything like these.
In addition to the items for sale in the store, they offer a Sci-Fi – Horror movie “Museum” made up of Halloween props, horror movie memorabilia and random horror/sci-fi items.
While this store felt out of place from the town and other shops, me being the Halloween and horror movie fan that I am, I loved it.
Walking around Sugarcreek, listening the the Swiss music, make sure to take your time and notice all the little extra touches that have been added. There are many interesting things to be seen.
We finished out our day by exploring a few other shops around the area including in Millersburg and Walnut Creek, but did not have time to take in everything. This just means I will need to plan another trip to the area, maybe more than one…I still need to check out the wineries too.
CKay Lens View 