Athens, OH

me

It’s been awhile. But it was nice returning to always hilly Athens, Ohio. The place has changed without changing and yes that does make sense. To me anyways. Besides walking aimlessly around campus (where I regaled Corey and Henna about my storied years at Ohio University) we also spent time hiking in nearby Hocking Hills State Park. If only I had spent more of my college years there instead of at The Pub…..

 

cemetery at OU

A short walk from campus is an early 19th century cemetery where several escaped slaves and Revolutionary War Veterans rest.

 

OU Graffiti

What is one person’s graffiti is another’s college tradition

 

Henna in the Tiny House

Our tiny house for two days. Only 3 miles from Court Street it was nonetheless deep in the hills and a fun place to wait out the rain.

Sign at Hocking Hills State Park

Waterfall at Hocking Hills State Park

 

Narrow Gorge

Early Spring rain made for high waters and running waterfalls. 

OU Green Gate

 

 

 

 

Take that Yahoo Page

Recently my Yahoo page offered one of their endless fluff photo essays (which I always waste a few minutes on) on the prettiest colleges in the U.S.  In what I was sure was an oversight, my alma mater, Ohio University, was not listed.  It just so happened that I took a recent road trip through beautiful Athens, Ohio and was pleasantly surprised at how well it aesthetically stood out even when compared to the University of VA (which I had just visited a few days prior and did make that stupid Yahoo list) as well as William and Mary (which I also had just visited).  Thomas Jefferson did not design OU (like he did with UVA), but OU is old in American terms (early 1800s) and is the tenth oldest US public university as well as the oldest college in the Northwest territories.  Although I attended OU for four great years, I had never approach the campus from W. Va which added to the charm.  Route 33, heading north-west from Ripley W. Va, snakes beautifully through the low hills and wide valleys of Ohio and W. Va.  Unfortunately the road loses some charm after Athens on its way to Columbus.  Take a gander at these photos and tell me if Yahoo missed the boat.