Day 035 - Pleasant Grove to Hopewell OH

Temps ranged from the low 30's to the low 40's. with sunny skies and light winds. I was able to get by without taking my hurricane jacket for the first time in a couple weeks. Terrain continued to be rolling hills.

I walked thru Zanesville. My hometown Newark and Zanesville being county seats in adjoining counties have always been rivals in many things including sports. Back in the early 1800's both towns were lobbying desperately to have the National Road pass thru their town. Congress had directed that the road was to be as straight as possible without political influence which was amazingly true with a couple notable exceptions.

Newark lost to Zanesville when Wheeling was determined to be the Ohio River crossing. It was in line with Zanesville. Newarkites were hoping the river crossing would be further north in Steubenville. Newark did win out over Zanesville being located on the Ohio Canal due to it's proximity to Buckeye Lake.

One summer when I was home on leave from the Academy Joan's family was taking a weeks vacation at the Jersey Shore. She asked if I could come down. I told her I had no transportation. After a couple days my Mom told me that she was tired of seeing me moping around and threw me the car keys and told me to go see my girlfriend at the shore. I packed in five minutes and was gone before my Mom had time to reconsider. We only had one car both Mom and Dad worked and my sister was getting married in less than a month. The first pay phone I passed to call Joan's family to tell them that I was on the way was in Zanesville.

The Zanesville Y-Bridge is a historic Y-shaped bridge that spans the confluence of the Licking and Muskingum Rivers. It is the only bridge in the world you can cross and stay on the same side of the river you were on. It has been rebuilt numerous times since the 1850s. When being given directions, visitors are often struck by the statement "Drive to the MIDDLE of the bridge and turn left or right." The first Zanesville Y-Bridge was constructed in 1814. Several iterations (some of them wooden covered bridges) were washed away by serious floods.

Joan and I went to the Y-Bridge Overlook which is a park with a panoramic view of the bridge and the town. Just after crossing the Y-Bridge there was a field with 20 pedestals. 17 had individually painted 6 foot vases on them. There was nothing to indicate what they were.

Today's media thanks goes out to Susan Schneider for her tireless efforts to contact Columbus media, to Andres Schneider for coordinating the live interview with Mindy Dryer 7:40 AM Sunday on NBC 4. Also to Trevor Jones of the Zanesville Times Recorder for the taped interview and photographs and
Emily Madden for the interview for an article in the Newark Advocate.

I added a number of articles to the MEDIA section of the blog and added a new NATIONAL ROAD section

For persons interested in walking with me on Friday or Saturday here are the details:

Friday 9 AM - Jacksontown
US 40 & Ohio 13
Park across street from the Crossroads Restaurant

Saturday 8 AM - Etna
US 40 & Ohio 310
Small park on southeast corner short block south of US 40
Park on Columbus street

Today's trivia question.

I told you what I carry in my hoody pouch. What walk related items do I carry in my pockets?