First Road Trip of the Season

Today we loaded up the minivan (Old Bessy) and headed out for Chillicothe, Ohio.  We took St Rt 32 so we could stop at a little Amish place and Serpent Mound on the way.  The first stop was great fun as there are all these great play sets; a pirate ship, airplane and fort with slides and swings so of course we turned instantly into our 10 year old selves, climbing and screaming "You will never defeat me with my impenetrable fortress!"

Inside the main building you can find anything from furniture to jelly and apple butter, candles to home baked goods.  Saturday mornings you can find families packed inside the store for fresh homemade donuts, then heading outside to sit in the beautifully handcrafted gazebos for breakfast...yum!

Second stop for our little car group was a beautiful and historical experience at Serpent Mound.  I love this place as it has a personal draw for me, my family is from this area and my great grandmother is buried not too far from here.  Her people lived here and were Cherokee Native American.  The people that built this mound were the ancient Adena.  It really is a great place to visit and I'm very happy that is was preserved for us to see.

There are many interpretations of the meaning of this mound and what it represented to the people that built it.  However, they didn't have a written record so it remains mostly a mystery.

Great shot by Rozena of my son Jaden. We climbed the tower to see up high.  Just look at your feet not at the ground when climbing the stairs and you'll make it up.  It seems a bit rickety but it is quite safe.  Ugh...still freaked me out.

These are a couple more views from Serpent Mounds' trail.  Just wait for summer or fall when the colors are even more vibrant!  If you are hitting the Appalachian Highway, make sure to stop off here.  The drive is beautiful.

(There is also a small fossil and rock shop at the turn to St Rt 73 that is also a fantastic little stop on the way.)