Kayak: Paddling from Blackwater to Paragon

So we spent another beautiful weekend doing some flatwater paddling. We enjoyed the Blackwater section of the Licking River so much, we couldn't resist going back. This time we made things a bit easier and got to Paragon early on Saturday morning to setup camp before we went paddling.

We took about an hour to clean up the campsite, as it had been left in poor condition with trash everywhere. Once the campsite was clean, we hung our hammocks and popped up a dome tent for my son and nephew that would be joining us later for some camping. Our preparation should provide for some extra R&R once we return from our trip.

We headed to the Blackwater Boat Ramp and set out on our trip. The water level was a little low from the lack of rainfall, but we were rewarded with an increase in wildlife activity. Not having my Digital SLR, we did manage to capture and enjoy the sights of a few cranes, turkey vultures, and majestic bald eagles. There is also a great deal of fish activity in this area, but unfortunately I am in no position to determine the species we encountered.

I plan on paddling the rest of the flatwater leading into Cave Run Lake, but this one was a great enjoyment and due for an encore.

Off-Road: East Fork State Park

Over the Labor Day weekend, I took the family up to Cincinnati to visit my sister and her family. I love spending time in that area bucause of it's rich history and the variation from one small community to anotner. Most of the weekend was family catch-up time and tons of enjoyment with all the kids, but Sunday was play day.

My brother-in-law and I got up early and grabbed our bikes. He had recently bought some new bikes for his family to ride on a wicked 10 mile bike trail created by the city that started at the end of their neighborhood. Considering a new mountain bike, we decided to head over to East Fork State Park to check out their trails and ease him into trail riding.

East Fork State Parks consists of three very well maintained trails that offer contrasting conditions. There are two 4 mile trails that offer beginner and moderate levels of biking, and another loop that offers more experienced conditions. The area gets used heavily and quite busy by mid-morning, so get there early. These trails won't disappoint.

Trails.com (East Fork)