We Went to Wheeling, WV. Why? Why Not!
Apr. 22nd, 2026 02:46 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
canyonwalkerOhio Waterfalls Travelog #22
Dublin, OH · Mon, 20 Apr 2026. 9pm
Today we did something a bit bonkers. After one last hike in the Hocking Hills area, at Rock Bridge Natural Preserve (details coming soon) we were wondering, "What should we do next?" And I suggested, "I have a wild hare of an idea. Let's go to Wheeling, West Virginia!" Why? Why not!
As I started driving north from the hike Hawk started looking up things to do in Wheeling. We figured at least we could have lunch there. But it'd be a long way to go for lunch. And by that I mean it'd be a long wait to eat lunch— 2:30pm or later! So we needed something else to justify the trip. 🤣
Of course, it wasn't until we were on a state highway again that Hawk even had signal to look this stuff up on her phone. So we were already much of the way to our decision point, the place to decide, "Do we turn east or west?", before she had anything.
"Well, we'll go through Zanesville [Ohio]," she said, "And it says one of the top things to do there is visit the hospital."
"Wait, the best thing to do in Zanesville is to get sick?" I asked.
"Uh, not the best thing," she said. "It's only, like, Number 9 on TripAdvisor's Top 10 list." 🤣
Hawk continued searching and found a historic suspension bridge over the Ohio River in Wheeling. That sounded interesting to me! I've loved bridges ever since I decided at, like, age 6 that I wanted to be a civil engineer. Years later I changed my primary passion to computer science but never lost my avocation for bridges. I even took a civil engineering class in college and won a class competition in bridge design.
So, yes, we drove all the way out to Wheeling, WV to see a bridge. I mean, we didn't just see it; we walked on it. And we stopped for lunch well before that. We bought short-order food at a Marathon gas station in Rushville. And we passed through Zanesville— twice!— without anybody requiring acute medical care. No head wounds this trip. Though I am assured that the hospital there is among the city's best qualities. 🤣
This evening, 300-plus miles of driving later, we are just outside of Columbus. We're here for two nights. Tomorrow we'll do a bunch of short hikes nearby; Tuesday we'll head to the airport to fly home.
Dublin, OH · Mon, 20 Apr 2026. 9pm
Today we did something a bit bonkers. After one last hike in the Hocking Hills area, at Rock Bridge Natural Preserve (details coming soon) we were wondering, "What should we do next?" And I suggested, "I have a wild hare of an idea. Let's go to Wheeling, West Virginia!" Why? Why not!
As I started driving north from the hike Hawk started looking up things to do in Wheeling. We figured at least we could have lunch there. But it'd be a long way to go for lunch. And by that I mean it'd be a long wait to eat lunch— 2:30pm or later! So we needed something else to justify the trip. 🤣
Of course, it wasn't until we were on a state highway again that Hawk even had signal to look this stuff up on her phone. So we were already much of the way to our decision point, the place to decide, "Do we turn east or west?", before she had anything.
"Well, we'll go through Zanesville [Ohio]," she said, "And it says one of the top things to do there is visit the hospital."
"Wait, the best thing to do in Zanesville is to get sick?" I asked.
"Uh, not the best thing," she said. "It's only, like, Number 9 on TripAdvisor's Top 10 list." 🤣
Hawk continued searching and found a historic suspension bridge over the Ohio River in Wheeling. That sounded interesting to me! I've loved bridges ever since I decided at, like, age 6 that I wanted to be a civil engineer. Years later I changed my primary passion to computer science but never lost my avocation for bridges. I even took a civil engineering class in college and won a class competition in bridge design.
So, yes, we drove all the way out to Wheeling, WV to see a bridge. I mean, we didn't just see it; we walked on it. And we stopped for lunch well before that. We bought short-order food at a Marathon gas station in Rushville. And we passed through Zanesville— twice!— without anybody requiring acute medical care. No head wounds this trip. Though I am assured that the hospital there is among the city's best qualities. 🤣
This evening, 300-plus miles of driving later, we are just outside of Columbus. We're here for two nights. Tomorrow we'll do a bunch of short hikes nearby; Tuesday we'll head to the airport to fly home.
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Date: 2026-04-23 08:07 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2026-04-23 01:55 pm (UTC)