Great Lakes - Amish Country

Last weekend my wife and I rode the Holmes County trail that runs from Fredericksburg to Killbuck. One lane of the trail is asphalt for bikes and walkers and the other is chip and seal for the horses and buggies. It was an interesting ride, we saw more variations of the bicycle than any one place I've been so far. Everything from road bikes, new and old, MTBs, mup cruisers, a recumbent trike, a tandem trike, and a regular old tandem. There was also a nice rest stop/ ice cream shop/ bike shop with public restrooms at about the halfway point in Holmsville. The ice cream stand and bike shop were closed since it was Sunday and they roll up the sidewalks and close everything in some small towns on Sunday. It was nice to see so many people enjoying their afternoon ride.

Sounds neat. What's the reaction of those good folks to people taking pictures in the area?

John, If it's done on the sly, your alright but don't let them see ya point a camera at them! That is a no, but people do it anyway. The old order is partiularly harsh about this.

Dan, Me and my wife do road rides all around that area a couple times a year, it is such a great place to ride. The roads are rough due to the buggies, but it is worth it for the scenery. A great place to go is Rebecca's gourmet bistro in Walnut Creek, the ambiance is just outstanding. It's an old log cabin with a 1900's addition off one side.

Never been to Rebecca's. We have gone to Der Dutchman in Walnut Creek. We haven't been there in years.

We don't like to impose on the Amish with cameras, but what can they do about it, ther're Amish. If you wave to them I think its Amish law that they wave back:)

Dan they seem to enjoy the bike riders a lot, I have even had them come round and ask about our riding.

BTW, rebecca's is almost directly across the street from der dutchmen, it's a very unassuming little place but the food is amazing!!

We'll have to check it out sometime.

There was a bunch of Amish riding the path. One group of about a dozen of so were stopped to flat on one bike.

That whole area seems to be so much more shut down on Sundays than it was 15-20 years ago. There are very few places open to eat on Sundays. One really crummy "Dutch" style restaurant, and a Burger King near Millersburg. You can't even get Sunday dinner at the Inn at Honey Run. With the limited amount of services between Mt. Vernon and Wooster, it is probably the ideal place to go for a Sunday ride or drive - if you pack your own food.

I like Wooster, nice clean little city. Never rode there. I have worked there alot.

Not really as nice or as clean since Rubber Maid moved out. Really sad. So many cities in Ohio existing on pensions of retired factory workers and associated healthcare services. When those people pass on, there is really not much left. Forbes online edition just listed Canton, Youngstown and Dayton as three of the most rapidly declining cities in the country.

Maybe the Amish have had it right all along.

It did wonders for our tourist industry in Canton.

Not really as nice or as clean since Rubber Maid moved out. Really sad. So many cities in Ohio existing on pensions of retired factory workers and associated healthcare services. When those people pass on, there is really not much left. Forbes online edition just listed Canton, Youngstown and Dayton as three of the most rapidly declining cities in the country.

Maybe the Amish have had it right all along.

Even the Amish enjoy skating at the ice rink old Alice left the city of Wooster.