A couple of weeks ago I took the motorcycle for a long ride through Ohio, eventually ending up at Salt Fork State Park, near Cambridge, OH. The trip itself was invigorating and rejuvenating. I was deeply in need of a little bit of solo time. Sleeping under the stars is one of my favorite things to do, even when it's so cloudy that there are no stars to be seen.

The ride itself was largely uneventful -- which is the way that I like it! I started out at home in Michigan on Saturday morning. Taking my time to get to a birthday party scheduled at 3pm for my niece. After a restful night with the in-laws, it was back on the bike at 9am for the short (50-mile) trip to my parents' house. This little side track ended up costing a few hours (well spent, of course) while I chatted with the folks and asked Dad if he would like to accompany me on the Sunday ride. Much to my surprise, he said yes! We rode for a few hours and had "dinner" at "Hog Heaven." The barbecued ribs were great, and I didn't have any room for dessert. In fact, I think that we both ate too much, so we stood outside and chatted while our digestive systems did their thing.

Dad decided to head home at that point, and I started heading South. My initial thought was that I would end up somewhere near Marietta, but night comes quickly to Ohio in November. I checked my map and decided that Salt Fork would be a reasonable goal.

The last few miles of the ride were fantastic. If only it had been light out. I should mention that it was the first weekend of Deer Season, so I was hyper-vigilant for wildlife. The road was both hilly and curvy, but in the darkness I really had to take it easy. Traffic was non-existent, so being able to use the bright light provided a bit of a safety margin. It wasn't until I turned onto the long road leading to the campground that I saw my first group of deer. By then, I was travelling at about 25 MPH, so I didn't feel like there was much danger. Still, you never know what the animals are going to do, so I slowed way down and we stared at each other as I passed.

At the campground, I read the rules about "off-season" camping and was disappointed to find that there was no drop-box for the site fee. That should be a suggestion to the Salt Fork Rangers, since the office doesn't open until 9:30AM. I took a chance and rode in to the second set of campgrounds, knowing full-well that I would be out of the campground long before 9:30 rolled around.

In the dark, it is a bit tough to find a good spot. Plus, on the motorcycle, my gear is really limited. I used the headlight to scan the sites from the parking lot, and picked out one that had lots of fallen leaves. After clearing  the area around the fire ring (safety first!), and piling them nearby to serve as a soft spot to sleep, I surveyed the other sites for left-over firewood. Many thanks to those other campers who leave a couple of sticks of wood when they depart. I was able to gather a reasonable pile of firewood and some kindling. Soon I had a small fire going, which was a good thing as the temperature dropped into the low 40's as I relaxed, played my harmonica, and enjoyed the solitude.

The warmth from the fire, the cool night air, and the quiet lulled me into a light sleep. I woke to the sound of some animal crunching in the dead leaves of the nearby woods and decided that it would be far better to be snugged into my sleeping bag on the soft pile of leaves than to remain on my side on a narrow picnic table bench. The bench was great for keeping me elevated into the main warmth of the fire, but it was far from comfortable.

My sleep was light, but restful. I woke before the sky lightened. I wish I could say that the sunrise was beautiful, but the threatening sky prevented any hint of sun. I packed my gear while making tea in my Kleen Kanteen. By 7:00AM I was back on the motorcycle and heading out of Salt Fork State Park. By the time I left the park, I'd seen about eight deer and an equal number of wild turkeys. The turkeys were startled by the sound of the exhaust, but the deer simply looked at me as I passed -- never even raising their white tails in alarm.

Riding home took the better part of the day. It was cold, and I had to keep stopping to add layers, eventually putting on my rain pants about three hours from home when I stopped to cook some lunch (again in the Kleen Kanteen). Even though I put them on to keep warm, it turned out to be one of my best moves, since rain set in near Sandusky. It never poured, but there was a steady mist that surrounded me any time a "four-wheeler" or better passed by.

By the time I got to my house, all I really wanted was a hot shower. I was barely dressed in warm sweats when my family arrived home from school, so I was able to add a well-deserved pair of hugs to the end of the trip.

As for Salt Fork State Park, the amenities were fantastic, although I didn't make much use of them. They have running water, flush toilets, and even showers. The sites are spacious, but not very secluded. I was the only one in the group of sites where I slept, so this was not much of a concern. Cool-weather camping is like that... there aren't many people prepared for a cold night, and nobody wants to be uncomfortable when they're supposed to be resting. While I might not recommend the park for someone looking for quiet and solitude in the Summer, in the off-season it was exactly the place that I needed to recharge my own batteries.