Concrete Canvases | Articles | Ohio Magazine

The Ohio Scenic Byway, Route 52 in Ohio, is a beautiful road that follows the Ohio River and passes through so many historic little Villages and Towns. One of the interesting attractions in such towns are the Floodwall Murals. While put in place for obvious protective purposes, the floodwalls blocked the beautiful views of the river and stood as "concrete reminders" of past ravages created by the river. To quell the memories, several towns have turned the blank slates of the floodwalls into giant public art. From Point Pleasant (WV) to Covington (KY) to Portsmouth (OH), the walls provide a visible glimpse into the past commemorating the people, events and landmarks of the Ohio River. The "link" provided is a great article outlining the history and locations of such public works of art.  ENJOY!!

Concrete Canvases | Articles | Ohio Magazine

Singing Lawyers on the Ohio River....

We stopped down to New Richmond on the Ohio tonight and what did our wondering eyes did appear, but lawyers with guitars, smiling ear to ear......That's right we saw a band at the Green Kayak Market called "Out on Bond."  We learned that several of the band members are lawyers; how cool is that. We heard (don't know if it's true) that the owners husband is also a lawyer who plays/sings at the Kayak....If true--How cool is that! Gotta love the music available for free in New Richmond.

We also took a moment to check out the status of our favorite giant, painted log (aka "LogNess Monster). Despite the rapid rise of the river, the LogNess Monster remains on the shore of the Ohio River in New Richmond. While we heard reports that he had headed south, the reports were a bit exaggerated. LogNess did move south a few hundred feet and now sits closer to the Green Kayak. Here's a pic we found on the Green Kayak facebook page. If you look real close you can still see the head of the Logness amidst the river debris.

The National Weather Service is reporting that the Ohio River level (at Cincinnati) is falling. However, we have a long winter ahead and, as we posted recently, most of the bigger river events are in the early part of the calendar year.



 

Merry Christmas !!

Merry Christmas!! As we sit back tonight and watch the Ohio River rise, we can't help but wonder about the significance of the "rising"; the rising star that is. To some the rising star stands for Peace. The peace that a paddle down the river brings or the peace brought by sharing the holiday with family and friends. To others the "rising star" stands for Hope. The hope of another new year or the hope gained from sharing thoughts and prayers. But  most  of all, at least to us, the "rising star" stands for Love. Love of family, friends and the great outdoors. So please take the next few days to ponder about how each of us can make the world a little better; each in our own style.

Here at Ohio Kayak we will continue to focus on our mission to encourage folks to "Get Outside and Play." Whether its kayaking, sledding, running, walking or any of the other myriad activities, sharing activities in the great outdoors brings peace, hope and love to so many. So enjoy the season and keep checking with us for fun at, near and on the Ohio River

Don't forget to check out the link below to hear a great song of thankfulness and hope for all the troops away from home for Christmas. Please share the song to raise awareness.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_WzrLgGZzY

Here Comes the River....

So here we are days from celebrating Christmas and mother nature has been hitting us hard. The rains last night were torrential and lasting. The Ohio River is predicted to crest at near 50 feet (26 feet is pool) later in the week. This level will cause some flooding along the river, but nothing substantial.

December is an unusual time for the river to rise to these levels. The most significant risk of flooding is in the spring, coordinating with the spring thaw of the snows up north. However, we have been experiencing an unusual winter, with lots of early snow followed by this streak of warm weather.  Set out below is a list of the Historical Crests of the Ohio River, as set out on the National Weather Service website. Note that you have to go all the way down to #32 to find a December flood event. Moreover, most of the list predates the construction of the major dams. The placement of the dams has turned the Ohio River into what amounts to a series of "reservoirs."

Historical Crests for Ohio River at Cincinnati(1) 80.00 ft on 01/26/1937
(2) 71.10 ft on 02/14/1884
(3) 69.90 ft on 04/01/1913
(4) 69.20 ft on 03/07/1945
(5) 66.30 ft on 02/15/1883
(6) 66.20 ft on 03/11/1964
(7) 65.20 ft on 01/21/1907
(8) 64.80 ft on 04/18/1948
(9) 64.70 ft on 03/05/1997
(10) 63.60 ft on 03/21/1933
(11) 62.20 ft on 01/14/1913
(12) 62.10 ft on 03/18/1907
(13) 61.80 ft on 02/12/1918
(14) 61.40 ft on 03/29/1898
(15) 61.32 ft on 03/03/1962
(16) 61.27 ft on 03/01/1962
(17) 61.20 ft on 02/01/1918
(18) 61.20 ft on 02/26/1897
(19) 61.00 ft on 03/10/1955
(20) 60.80 ft on 01/04/1943
(21) 60.60 ft on 03/28/1936
(22) 60.04 ft on 04/24/1940
(23) 59.90 ft on 03/23/1943
(24) 59.80 ft on 03/11/1967
(25) 59.70 ft on 04/27/1901
(26) 59.40 ft on 03/10/1963
(27) 59.20 ft on 03/25/1890
(28) 59.10 ft on 01/27/1927
(29) 59.00 ft on 02/05/1950
(30) 58.60 ft on 03/01/1979
(31) 58.60 ft on 02/21/1882
(32) 58.40 ft on 12/12/1978
(33) 58.30 ft on 02/07/1939
(34) 58.10 ft on 04/19/1939
(35) 58.00 ft on 05/10/1958
(36) 57.40 ft on 03/08/1899
(37) 57.40 ft on 02/25/1891
(38) 57.30 ft on 01/24/1996
(39) 57.30 ft on 01/24/1862
(40) 56.90 ft on 03/01/1890
(41) 56.90 ft on 02/02/1952
(42) 56.90 ft on 01/03/1991
(43) 56.80 ft on 05/30/1968
(44) 56.66 ft on 01/11/2005
(45) 56.30 ft on 02/06/1887
(46) 56.20 ft on 03/07/1865
(47) 56.10 ft on 12/27/1921
(48) 56.10 ft on 03/17/1917
(49) 56.00 ft on 12/10/1950
(50) 55.90 ft on 02/07/1915

The "Titanic" of the Mississippi River.....

Why do you ask that we reference the Mississippi River when we purposefully focus on the Ohio River? It's not because, from a hydrological perspective, the Ohio River is larger at its confluence with the Mississippi thereby making the Mississippi its tributary and no one seems to care. It's not because we've run out of history tied to the Ohio River because the river is flowing with stories. Instead, it's because one the greatest maritime disasters in US maritime history involves a vessel born along the shores of the Ohio River in Ohio.

 

The SS Sultana exploded, burned and sank in April 1865 on the Mississippi River. However, the Sultana was constructed and began its maritime life in 1863 in Cincinnati, Ohio; a major city on the shores of the Ohio River. The Sultana was a beautiful ship, created by the John Litherbury Shipyard, and was used extensively on the lower Mississippi to transport a variety of items, including Civil War troops. It  was its role as a troop transporter that ultimately led to its fiery demise.

 

from svmshippingblog.wordpress.com
 

In early April 1865, the Sultana prepared to leave New Orleans but encountered boiler problems shortly into the trip. The steamer stopped in Vicksburg for hasty repair. As fate would have it, scores of Union soldiers released from Confederate prisons were in Vicksburg trying to find a way home. Many were from Ohio. The steamer, with a capacity of just over 350, ultimately left the port stuffed to the brim with approximately 2000 people aboard. So when the poorly maintained boiler exploded shortly into the trip up the Mississippi, the resulting casualties were huge. Between the explosion, fire and icy waters, the chances of survival were grim and it is estimated that 1800 people died, with hundreds of others surviving with significant injuries.

 

The official cause of the tragedy was the poorly maintained boiler. However, years later a Confederate sympathizer suggested, just prior to his death, that he had planted a "coal torpedo" (a funky device invented by the Confederacy to disable and/or sink Union ships). There does not appear to be many who believe this allegation and the most widely accepted version of the tragedy relates to the overcrowding and poorly maintained boiler.

 

This era in the United States played out significantly on the Ohio River and surrounding area. While visiting the many Villages, Towns and Hamlets along the Ohio River, we encourage you to take the time to "live" the history. 

Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let The River Rise.....

The last few days has seen a whirlwind of winter along the shores of the Ohio River. From Kentucky to Pennsylvania and all in between, mother nature has dumped piles of beautiful snow. Winter is here!

With the snow and rain also comes the rising of the mighty Ohio River. The base level of the river at Cincinnati is approximately 26 feet. The river now stands at well over 40 feet. The National Weather Service has reported that the river has leveled off and will fall again over the next week or so. However, as the river rose, the folks in New Richmond stand nervous that their wondrous "Logness Monster" would escape down river.

For those not familiar with the Logness Monster, this is a beautiful painted "driftwood art" that ventured onto the shoreline of the Ohio River at New Richmond on the Ohio. This piece of nature's art has brought many a smile to the visitors and residents of the Village, as well as served  as a unique "photo op" location.

Despite the rising river, it appears good ole Logness is holding tight. While she may hiding under the raging river, she's still staying home. We will be stopping down to the Village this weekend  to check on the river status and the good ole "Logness Monster." Hope to see you there!!

And so the river rises....

We are awaiting a big winter storm. The news outlets are flooding the airwaves with warnings about the impending "white death" and people are reacting. But it's not lost  on us the beauty of  a lasting snowfall....... Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!



We saw on the Green Kayak Facebook page that  the colorful, fun-filled "LogNess Monster" may whisk away as the river rises. Projections have the Ohio Rivet rising over 20 feet to over 46 feet. We loved thus unique form of "natures art" that brought so many smiles to children and adults alike. The folks in this little Village of New Richmond on the Ohio exhibit a creative streak that will continue to bring people to the Village and result in economic success. We suggest you get in on the growth of this Village now while the prices are still good......

Great Weekend in New Richmond on the Ohio.....

We've been missing for awhile, but not back in action. We went down to New Richmond on the Ohio this past holiday weekend. Fun was had by all!!

From GreenKayak Facebook page
 

On Friday night we stopped by the Green Kayak and it was PACKED. The Old Lodge Stage was packed with musicians playing a wide variety of exciting music. We stayed for hours and the music simply never stopped. What a cool place.....

The Kayak has changed since our last visit. In addition to the holiday decorations, they added an old-school fireplace mantel, cool looking whiskey barrels and the Market side is set up with several vintage harvest farm tables. This place is so unique and flat-out fun!

We ventured down the street for a bit to the Front Street Café and they too had music. The Café was also decorated for the holidays and full of people. The Café and Kayak really compliment each other and offer a bit of variety when visiting the Village.

From Front Street Facebook Page

We heard that the Village is hosting a Christmas festival the weekend of December 13 and 14. The Kayak will have painting lessons on Friday and the Village has a new Community Theater that will be hosting a show. We will let you know what it is once we learn more. We're sure to visit the Village of New Richmond on the Ohio for the holiday festival and hope you do too!

Veterans Day on the River

First and foremost, thank you to all the veterans who have served to establish and protect our freedoms. This is such an important day for reflection.

We heard (albeit rather late) about the Veterans Day Parade that was to be held in New Richmond so we went down. We got there early and were disappointed at the early turnout and ashamed that enough folks would not weather the iffy weather to show thanks at the parade. However, as we have come to expect from this quaint river Village, the people rallied and at "parade time" and the streets were filled. What a great event!! We really hope that the Village hosts the parade next year too.......

Taken from Green Kayak Market FB page
 

Zombie Walk Saturday Before the Halloween Rain/Wind Storm....

We ventured down this weekend into the Village of New Richmond on the Ohio for some music and fun. What a great time on so many levels.

We headed down to the Green Kayak as they always seem to have great live music on weekends. Shortly after we arrived at the Kayak, a stream of "zombies" came sauntering through with two even stopping to enjoy a cold beer.  We were told that

Pic "lifted" from Green Kayak Facebook (with permission)

the Zombie Walk was organized by the guys at the World's Only Cardboard Boat Museum. These guys got it going on so many levels.....Just another cool idea from the green-thinking men of cardboard.

After the zombies left the Kayak, it was time for the music. Steve Free was playing on Saturday. Steve is an award winning singer-songwriter having been named ASCAP songwriter of the year amongst his many awards. What a show....I don't know how the Green Kayak gets some of these acts. We could have listened to Steve (who played with a bass player and a special guest, his 16 year old son). We hear Steve is back in January and we encourage you to stop by

We may stop down for Halloween night. We visited last year and there were people all around Front Street. Folks at the Kayak, Front Street Café and other businesses were all giving out candy and having fun. Even if the predicted big rain/wind storm occurs Halloween night, we will still go down to visit the Kayak and perhaps belly up to the bar to enjoy an adult beverage (or two!)


As we have said in the past, this little Village really rocks. Kayaking, music, great food, amazing civil war-era history and so much more......Keep checking in and we will alert you to what we find out is happening next in New Richmond on the Ohio........

Grilled Cheese Time of theYear.....

With the cool and sometimes damp weather moving in, it's the time of the year for grilled cheese. This dish has always served as one of our favorite "comfort foods." Memories of rainy days at camp highlighted by a grilled cheese/tomato soup lunch, or a more recent late afternoon, cool kayak trip followed by grilled cheese around the fire, the memories associated with this food are always wonderful.

But let's not go with the "typical" grilled cheese. We had an amazing gourmet grilled cheese at the Green Kayak Market in New Richmond on the Ohio. Several creamy cheeses, pears and great bread all combining to give an amazing flavor---wow...what a meal.

Here's a clip of a few other unique recipes for amazing grilled cheese sandwiches:

http://shine.yahoo.com/video/surprising-trick-extra-cheesy-grilled-110000462.html#!l7Egv


Please share with us your secret grilled cheese recipes. We will try them out and maybe even share such with folks at the Green Kayak, Front Street and other restaurants.

Is The Ocean Broken....

Pasted below is a sobering article regarding the state of our world oceans. The health of our waterways has been long overlooked. What can we do to help with this problem? Let's rally and build for the future. Check out this article: http://www.smh.com.au/environment/the-ocean-is-broken-20131018-2vs7v.html and please leave a comment below.

Midwest Outdoor Experience in Dayton, OH

We visited the Midwest Outdoor Experience this past weekend in Dayton, Ohio. This is an outdoor festival highlighted by lots of yak gear, music and more. We understand that the event occurs the first weekend in October every year.


One of the highlights of the event was the new whitewater feature created on the Mad River in the MetroPark. What great vision by the Park leaders. This attraction will draw kayakers from all over the region to hone their playboat skills. We're really hoping that the Park installs a "cam" so we can tune in. We will be back and next time with boats!!

Great job by the folks organizing this event....

Oktoberfest Zinzinnati 2013.....

It has been Oktoberfest Zinzinnati is happening downtown Cincinnati on Fountain Square. What a great time and, wow, are there a lot of people. If you are near Cincinnati you should stop on .


Cincinnati has a great German heritage and, with that, of breweries. Like so many other cities, Cincinnati let it's history die through the 70's, 80's and 90's. Fortunately, the past decade has seen a resurgence of entrepreneur's reviving the past. Morlein and now Weidemann are back and back strong. Hopefully the momentum will continue.... LOVE IT!!

WEBN Cardboard Boat Race

The New Richmond Cardboard boat guys "schooled" the world on cardboard boat races this year at Riverfest in Cincinnati. These guys rock!!!

Cardboard, A Flowing River, A Little Tape And A Race??? AMAZING!!!

Well, we have been out for a few days with the 
pesky "day job." But, as promised, we made it to New Richmond on the Ohio last weekend for the annual "Cardboard Boat Regatta."  AMAZING!!

This event is world class, fun and will only continue to grow. We have heard that other folks are copying the event, but nothing will match the event in this little river town. The guys at the "World's only Cardboard Boat Museum" are volunteers who literally plan over a year to stage this event. While we heard they may pop a few brews at time, that is well-deserved with all the work, creativity and spirit they bring to this event. We are mixing in a few photos that we have (only with permission) snatched from a few Facebook and other pages....


It seems like everyone in town and around the region partake in this annual event. The Front Street Cafe had a cool Saucer/Teacup boat (not too fast but fun), Snappy Tomato Pizza had a cool boat and so did Television channel 12-WKRC. Of course the Green Kayak Market and Eatery had, you guessed it, a green kayak--it even won it's heat.

The coolest part of this event is to witness the creativity of some of the folks who, in our humble opinion, are true artists. Check out the "Row Man Chariot" above. There was also a beautiful "hot rod", a duck boat, alligator, Chris-craft look alike and the ever-popular riverboat.....You need to get out to this Event which is held every August in New Richmond on the Ohio. This was, we were told, year 21 for the regatta!!!

Great Outdoors Weekend.....September 28 and 29

We are heading down soon to the RiverDays festival. While there we intend to suggest to the Green Kayak Market folks to organize an event for the Great Outdoors Weekend in September. Check out all the cool events at the Green Umbrella site:

http://greatoutdoorweekend.org/programs?utm_source=Resendd+E-Newsletter+8%2F14%2F2013&utm_campaign=Resend+E-News+8%2F14&utm_medium=email

http://greatoutdoorweekend.org/

The Green Umbrella seems like a cool group of folks trying to make a difference. We kicked around its website.

Let's see if the Green Kayak will create an Event to support the weekend. Any suggestions we should share?

RIVERDAYS FESTIVAL at New Richmond On The Ohio....

Tomorrow is the start of the weekend festival in New Richmond on the Ohio, also known as RiverDays. We are hitting the Village and checking out the festivities. Maybe we'll see you down there.

We plan on hitting the music scene at Haussermann Park. With the history of the "Gold King" at the Park we are expecting some great tunes. We saw a posting that Ryan Wilson is playing, with a special guest, Jim Comodeca-who we've heard play before. Hope he plays the "Capt Bill" and "Great Day to Kick Somebody's A#@." 

Saturday has a lineup of a parade, fireworks, cardboard boat races, some serious music and oh so many of the classic Midwest carnival games. These village festivals are just so cool and so much the throwback of what life has been in the past. We encourage you to visit this festival or such other local festival and enjoy the sights, smells and sounds!!

Get outside and play--at RiverDays!!

Why Does The Ohio River Fluctuate So Much Near Cincinnati?

What in the world is going on this summer????  We should be at the pool flow level of about 25' Instead, we're getting another odd bump in the river level followed by a quick drop. We hope this doesn't intefere with the annual Cardboard Boat Races in New Richmond on the Ohio (set for 12 noon on Saturday). Stay tuned.

Dancing and Fun In New Richmond on the Ohio.....

We were back on the move this past weekend and ended up in New Richmond on the Ohio again.....what a blast. We started out early with a great dinner at the Green Kayak Market & Eatery Backhouse Beachclub-- If you haven't been there you best get there with some friends. We then went inside for some great music on what they call the "Old Lodge Stage." First up was a guy named Roy and, man, was he fun.....He even had some sunglass-laden little boy up on stage rockin' it out with him...Check it out

Next up was Jim. We've seen him play before and his tunes/stories are great. We particularly love the quirky "Captain Bill" song and Jim's emotional version of "Hallelujah." What a great lineup and it still wasn't over......

After Roy and Jim's short sets, two young guys took the stage; Mike and Jeff. These guys were excellent. Young men with old souls, playing and singing classics and more modern tunes. We hear they are playing again this week on Friday on the Kayak's Old Lodge Stage.....

It's RiverDays weekend at New Richmond on the Ohio so we will definitely be there for all there is to offer. The Green Kayak and New Richmond on the Ohio ROCK!!!

Buoy Tender Craft Visited A Weekend Or So Ago....

We forgot to mention that when we were in New Richmond on the Ohio a few weekends ago, there was quite a stir created by the visit from the Coast Guard Buoy Tender craft. The crafted floated into town on Saturday evening and tied off to the Village's now-famous "LogNess Monster." Good ole "LogNess" appears to be loved by everyone!!

These vessels are used on the river to replace and maintain navigational buoys. Because of the constant fluctuation of the Ohio River, the buoys and other navigational aids require rather constant maintenance.

Did you also know that the Ohio River is unique amongst other rivers on how the mile markers are laid out. On the Ohio, the mile markers start with the headwaters and move downstream. In all other rivers the mile markers run "upriver" from the mouth....Odd, yet interesting fact

Boating Safety: Key To A Good Time.....

We are firm believers in fun, but even more so in "safe fun." Here's a link to a cool app that helps every boater identify what is needed for safety

http://www.abycinc.org/mobileapps/

We encourage you to check it out and to "Get Outside and Play."

Kayaking The Ohio River Locks.....

We spoke to some folks on Sunday from the Green Kayak Market & Eatery and found out that we missed out on a trip through the 1200' lock at the Meldahl dam on the Ohio River. What were we thinking?????

We were directed to the Green Kayak Facebook page (www.facebook.com/greenkayakmarket)  where we saw some cool pics and a little bit of commentary. The pics look amazing and it's so cool that TJ, the Green Kayak dog, took the trip. Here is one of the pics pilfered (with permission) from the Green Kayak Facebook page

He is one cool dog.......

We were told that the folks at the Green Kayak will be setting up several more "Adventure Trips" through the Locks the remainder of this year. We fully intend to go. I hope they advertise more in the future to let everyone know what is happening.

There are so many cool folks that have gravitated to the Green Kayak. We were told (and met one) of the two Steves; one who made his own kayak and the other who has the longest kayak known to man and hits the Ohio on a regular basis. There are all the great musicians we have listened to on the Old Lodge Stage like Jim, Ryan, Drew, Tracy, Tana, Roy, The Dishes, Noah, Jonathan and more......Even a bunch of lawyers showed up once to play (we here one of the owners may be a lawyer???? ) Not sure this is true, but pretty crazy if it is.....

Back to the trip through the Ohio River lock. We have not been through the Dam locks, but going with some of these folks sounds fun. Despite not going, we did do a little research and learned the drop in water level is a good 30 feet and they're even installing a turbine at the dam to generate electricity....If you have even a small interest in how things work, personally witnessing a working lock will be so amazing. These locks provide so much economic benefit to our region, making the Ohio River one of the "super highways" of our Country....

See you soon!!! Remember to "Get Outside and Play."

Look At The Nose On That Fish...

While paddling on the Ohio River you may get lucky and see one of the oldest and oddest fish in these waters--the Paddlefish. Fossils of these fish have been found from millions of years ago; perhaps a bit larger than that guppie in your fishbowl. Paddlefish can grow up to 5 feet long and nearly 200 pounds

When we first saw the Paddlefish we were convinced it was an ocean-going fish. We later learned that they are native to the Ohio River and many other inland rivers, although designated endangered in some areas. Indeed, it is illegal to harvest Paddlefish in Ohio waters, but still legal to snag them  (in season) from the shore in Kentucky. There is a pretty cool video on Youtube demonstrating snagging paddlefish near the Meldahl Dam upriver from Cincinnati.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3I9LbtUN98A

The large nose makes this fish incredibly striking. The primary diet of the Paddlefish is zooplankton. The large paddle-shaped snout is believed to be the tool used to detect the plankton in the water.

As noted above, the population of paddlefish has declined. Both overfishing and environmental changes have led to the decline. For instance, the placement of dams on the river have cutoff the ability of paddlefish to hit spawning areas. Illegal overfishing is also a problem. The roe of the paddlefish is highly sought after as caviar and has led to part of the overfishing phenomenon. Just a few years ago, the officers of a Kentucky caviar company were indicted for poaching paddlefish in Ohio. http://www.brokeandbroker.com/801/paddlefish-kentucky-ohio-kinder-indictment/

Our Ohio River is such an amazing place. Remember to "Get Outside and Play." There is so much more out there then meets the eye.......

The Monster Moved.....

The Village of New Richmond has located one of the largest river monsters in the history of the Ohio River, to wit: the LogNess Monster. The monster was spotted this spring and provided a "dress up" in early summer.

 During the recent rise of the river , the concern was that the LogNess Monster was going to escape down river. While she didn't escape, she certainly moved further downriver from Skippers Marina towards the Green Kayak Market and Front Street Cafe.

This fun creation has received press on a national level and has brought wonderful attention to the Ohio River and the Village.....Keep up the crazy and fun ideas all you folks in New Richmond and other river cites


http://www.roadsideamerica.com/tip/38838

http://us.topnewstoday.org/us/article/6802450/

He's A Wild Animal Isn't He????

Here we go again with another round of infamy for Jacob the Peacock. You may recall from an earlier post that Jacob the Peacock is the town mascot of New Richmond on the Ohio. He has wandered the Village for years interacting with literally thousands of people. Unfortunately, it appears that he has also pecked at some children who apparently got too close for Jacob's comfort. Fortunately, we have been told that none of the kids were permanently injured (although stitches were required with some) and that's important. That said, the solution is not to create a mob to harm the bird....

Jacob has his own Facebook site: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-New-Richmond-Peacock/  Both sides of the argument seem to make valid points, but we must confess that many of the valid points are lost when the authors resort to graphic language and mean-spirited commentary. Making fun of the Village of New Richmond (and all of its residents), wishing Jacob shot or otherwise killed, in no way advance the point that these folks are trying to make. Instead, it is easy to write-off  mean-spirited, heartless comments, as coming from unhappy folks looking for attention and trouble.

We have been spending a significant amount of time down in the Village and find, on average, the folks in the Village are friendly and kind hearted. We have never run into a problem with Jacob, although we have witnessed (and stopped) several kids from throwing stones, sticks and other stuff at Jacob and other animals. However, as noted, most of the kids and adults we have met in New Richmond (and other little river cities along the Ohio River) are wonderful. We wish the Village continued success in its efforts to become a recreational, music and food outlet for Southwest Ohio. We hope the mean-spirited rhetoric stops. If you don't like New Richmond, other river Villages or the Ohio River, then simply move inland.......

Our words of advice: "Get Outside And Play--But Leave The Wild Animals Alone!" Whether it's Jacob, ducks, geese, ground hogs or other wildlife, please admire them from afar.......

The River Falls And The River Rises.....

So what's with weather? This past weekend was pretty much a washout in and around the Ohio River in southern Ohio/northern Kentucky. We cancelled our kayak trip through the Meldahl Dam locks because of safety concerns. Our rule of thumb is to not paddle the Ohio River  downstream when the level at Cincinnati is above 29ft.....Lots of unhappy friends on missing the adventure.

We woke up today to the river level falling. Good news. Early this morning the river was projected down near 29-30 feet by the weekend........The problem is the forecast was revised and now look what's happening......

The Ohio River hitting near 40 feet will, once again, bring pleasure boat and paddling traffic to a standstill and cause flooding. We need to better understand why the river fluctuates so wildly between the dams at Cincinnati, Ohio, yet does not fluctuate in the same manner above the Meldahl dam (Chilo, Ohio) and below the Markland Dam (Switzerland County, Indianna/Warsaw, Kentucky). While we understand the basic "flood control" idea, it seems like Augusta, Kentucky (above the dam) and river cities below the Markland Dam have so little flooding, while New Richmond, Ohio and the California area of Cincinnati are regularly subjected to the ravages of the waters. Help us understand!

River Is Rising This July 4th Weekend...

Well the July 4 holiday has passed here in the States. We headed down to Moscow, Ohio on July 3 and saw some great fireworks. We planned on heading to New Richmond on the Ohio for more fireworks on July 4, but no such luck. The rain has continued to fall and the river continues to rise.

Look at the river level...And it's July!! We had planned to kayak this weekend, but with the river as high as it is, hitting the river does not seem to be a good and safe idea.

While we couldn't paddle in New Richmond, we visited the folks at the Green Kayak and sampled some of the special seafood fare. These folks are amazing. They brought in a special mobile truck to prepare all of the great seafood dishes and, as usual, had great live music.....This town is very cool. They even have the "LogNess Monster" creeping down on the riverside...Let's hope LogNess doesn't escape with the rising river....

The Ohio River "LOGNESS MONSTER....."

We were down in New Richmond on the Ohio this weekend and saw the giant, colorful river monster, aka "The LogNess Monster."

The folks in this Village are just so much fun. Stop down and check this out. It must be at least 60-70 ft long and apparently just showed up this Spring.

We happened down to the Village to check out the music scene and to enjoy the river. We kayaked from the Village kayak ramp and then had a funky, tasty dinner at the "Green Kayak Market." Twisted BLT, Creamer Smoker and a couple of fun craft beers (Horny Goat, Thirsty Dog and a good, old HopBomber by Rivertown)

What will these folks come up with next. We loved the Mini Music Festival, look forward to RiverDays and the cardboard  boat regatta and always enjoy seeing "Jacob" the town Peacock......

Ohio River App...Check It Out

We are heading out this weekend to New Richmond on the Ohio this weekend and will probably do so via kayak or some other paddling craft (SUP, etc). We learned last week about a great app that provides really useful information regarding the Ohio River. We are using it and LOVE IT!! Check it out at:

http://www.recr8ohioriver.org/

Remember to "Get Outside and Play!"

Is It a Bird, Is It a Plane?? It's Super Moon Saturday/Sunday

For all of the lost romantics out there, grab your sweetie, wake up early Sunday (@7:30am) and bask in the alluring glow of the Super Moon as it hangs heavy over the Ohio River. The Super Moon will grace the sky late Saturday night and peak early Sunday. Because of its close proximity to earth, the moon will appear both much larger  (over 10%) and brighter (about 30%).

Folklore has it that the full moon is a time of increased odd behavior and supernatural activity. Whether it's an increase in hospital emergency room visits , flat-out wacky behavior or an increase in crime, something sure seems to be happenings on Full Moon evenings.  Scientific studies have not borne out proof of such association, but the anecdotal evidence continues to build. Watch out tonight !!!

On the Super Moon front, such occurs rarely and not again until August 2014. The Super  Moon occurs when the Full Moon coincides withe perigee--the date on which the moon is closest to the earth. While both events occur approximately one time per month, seldom do such dates coincide.

So kiss your spouse, hug your puppy or pen a romantic song, but just make sure to get outside and enjoy the show. Please feel free to share with us all of your Super Moon pictures. Have a great night

Paddlefest Is Here....

It's that time again---PADDLEFEST. Hope you intend to join several thousand others for a leisurely paddle down the Ohio River from Coney Island to downtown Cincinnati. This event is so much fun and it's awesome to see so many paddlers out on the river together. Check out the details for the event at: http://www.ohioriverpaddlefest.org/paddlefest/

We'll see you out on the River.....

Mini Music Event On The River at New Richmond..

The Green Kayak Market & Eatery sponsored a mini music festival this past weekend and we stopped by. This was a cool event and we hear another will occur next year. Friday night, with a band playing in the Park, the feel was that of a summer beach town. The Park was filled with so many young people dancing to the music, and the Kayak was hosting even more great music on its Old Lodge Stage and Front Street Cafe provided music in its courtyard There wasn't an empty parking place in sight!

As we have noted in the past, something fun and big time is happening in this former sleepy river Village. The music is key, but so are the other hip items popping up around town. The cool kayak ramp, the trailers and trucks around town sporting kayaks/canoes, that Peacock Bakery pushing out amazing treats and the  river traffic slowing down to check out the Village, all  provide a feel and look that is just flat-out fun. Not sure what's in the water down there, but whatever it is, it's sure generating energy. Even Jacob, the town peacock feels like showing off ...

Is It The Derecho?

from accuweather.com
 

So what is a "derecho?" The weather folks keep throwing around the threat of a derecho, but no one told us what it is. Time to "Bing" the answer (everyone else "googles" so we're trying to create a new trend) .....


It appears that a derecho is a long-lived, line of severe thunderstorms that generally develop in June and July. Derecho is a Spanish word meaning "straight." A common characteristic of these storms are strong and sustained straight line winds.  To be considered a "derecho" it appears the winds must average at least 58 mph across the entire line  of storms, and must be maintained at
such level for no less than 6 hours. These winds often lead to intense damage and power outages. We're hoping that the prediction for a derecho in our area does not come true as this sounds way too intense.

Just a year past the devastation of the tornado that hit along the Ohio River in Ohio and Kentucky, the potential for "derecho" intense storms brings on a new sense of urgency. The power and wrath of spring and summer storms are incredible and awe-inspiring. Please be cognizant of how fast these storms can develop and how long they can last.  So while we always encourage you to "Get Out and Play," please only do so when weather permits.

Mini Music Festival In New Richmond on the Ohio.....

We just learned that this Friday and Saturday (June 14 & 15, 2013), the Green Kayak Market, in New Richmond on the Ohio, will be sponsoring a mini music festival. The plan has been reported that the Festival starts on Friday evening with music in the Park across from the Kayak, as well as on the Old Lodge stage. Stop on down for the tunes (and great food, beer and other spirits).....



The music will continue into Saturday, with the Rabbit Hash String Band, Steve Free and others playing the Old Lodge Stage on Saturday...We will attend and report back with pictures. Please share this information with as many folks as possible and let the music ring.......

The Music Rocks On At New Richmond On The Ohio....

We stopped down to the Kayak tonight and experienced FUN, FUN, FUN. It was Open Mic night and the folks we saw on stage were awesome. We will pick off some photos from the Green Kayak Market's Facebook page. They do a great job sharing photos.

Lifted from Green Kayak Facebook page...

While at the Kayak we heard rumors of a mini music festival next week at the Kayak. The Facebook site shows the Rabbit Hash String Band and Steve Free. These are both very top notch artists well worth a visit. However, we were told that up to 3-4 more bands will be added for next Friday and Saturday (June 14 and 15). Stay tuned....

We tell you, this little town rocks. Headin' over to Skippers for a few "end of the evening" nightcaps....Come on down. We need to just move here!!