Hocking Hills - a hidden gem in Ohio

 We started our hike out at the Ash Caves and it was a perfect day with great sunshine and nature in all her beauty boasting the spring air and abundant life in the forest.

 The trees stand almost 30-40 ft tall.

 Lesleigh walking ahead in the cool of the forest.

 The cave is really big provides a great shelter and resting spot in the forest.

 Lesleigh taking photo's at the cave, we both had a great deal of fun setting up and taking photo's with our cameras today.

 Water at the top of the falls at Ash cave.

 Green moss along the rocks and roots makes hiking a little more slippery in places, but well worth the hike.

 Photo of Cedar falls which is about 2 miles west of the Ash cave.

So it was another day of adventure and exploring uncovering one of natures marvels in Ohio. After the hikes we stopped at the roadside cafe for a sandwich and then headed home for ice cream and brownies. Not sure the later was on the weigh less diet but was very enjoyable!

Back to work tomorrow and the end of the winter tennis league season and the start of the summer outdoor league. Our team finished in second place this past season which is a great result and a closely contested final game.

http://www.golfclubofdublin.com/

On Saturday I also got to enjoy my first day out on the golf course this year and although I did not finish with a single figure score card it felt good to get back out there and play on a great golf course. Fairways were still a little damp after three weeks of rain but I have no doubt that in a week or two it will be a fine experience and I will be able to shoot for a 75 round. 

To all my friends and family, hope you are all well and enjoying life to the full. Stay in touch.

Hilton Head Island vacation

The 1st of April is Lesleigh's birthday and it is a great time of year to travel to warmer destinations and celebrate. Last year it was Mexico and this year we chose to go to Hilton head island which is in South Carolina, USA.

We got flights directly from Columbus to Charlotte in north Carolina and then caught another smaller flight to Hilton head island. Neither of us knew what to expect and from the air the ground looked like a mangrove with hundreds of tributaries weaving around denses tree locations. We arrived at the one building airport and went over to get our hired car which they upgraded to a brand new ford mustang. There is something special about the smell of new leather car seats that makes driving all the more enjoyable.

After driving around the island trying to find signage for the Hilton hotel we finally found the right road and went to check in. The rooms were not ready so off we went to get lunch and a glass of wine to pair with the fresh fish. The scenery and the island are truly like living in never, never land with mystical looking trees, pristine golf courses, loads of restaurants, the beach, and magnificent homes scattered amongst the dense tree landscape. This is a destination for the wealthy and there seems to be a lot of them here in the US.

Temperatures were in the low 70's and perfect for soaking up the sunshine and getting a little colour back in the skin. It was snowing when we left home and so it was great to be able to lie on the beach and tan just a two hours flight from home.

Back now in Dublin, and the weather has finally started to warm up with brighter days and lots of rain that has transformed the scenery to a very lush green neighborhood. Our yard is a lot bigger than I thought and yesterday it took almost two hours just to cut the grass area. Almost double the size of what we had in Denver.

 Left the snow behind to enjoy a little time at the seaside

 Lesleigh writes her birthday in the beach sand

 before we were able to check in we toured the resorts facilities, here is the deck in front of the pool area at the Hilton.

 We hired bikes and rode for 6 miles along the beach before heading up onto the boardwalk and then into town to get coffee and lunch.

 Nice sunrise on an early morning cycle.

 The dolphins surfaced about 20 meters from the shore and we stopped to watch them for a while.

 The board walk

 Parking the bikes in town

 Lesleigh driving the brand new Ford Mustang that we got for the weekend to drive around the island. Nothing like the smell of a new car this one had just 15 miles on the clock when we got it.

 This is harbor side at Hilton head where the heritage PGA tournament is played in the next week or two. Tough 18th hole but if you can play a draw this will make an exciting finish.

 Drinks at the Salty Dog Cafe

 The deck overlooking the water ways.

 The Italian look and my wife's new hat for the beach.

This was the view from our hotel room what a day!

The season has started for golf and I finally made the investment to buy the clubs I have been trying out for the past two years. They are every bit as good as they felt in the store and I am excited to play this season and see if this is the year I get to break par for the course, last year I got close but this year with these clubs I think I have my best chance, watch the blog pages for the news.

Winter in Ohio

With the brutal cold behind us now, the early signs of Spring are starting to appear, with solid rains and grass popping out from the previously snowy landscapes. By comparison to Denver Ohio gets a lot more rain and ice and a lot more grey skies. But I am looking forward to the late Spring and the golf courses are starting to look fantastic, I cant wait to play this coming season. Tennis is going well and I am now playing league on Thursday nights and Sunday evening with tennis drills on Saturday mornings. The rest of the week is early morning to the gym at 5:30 am and then work from 8 through to 6:30.

I am enjoying the work I am doing and have managed to join a great team. The company is going through some change right now and there will be announcements made for the new regional model by the end of March. But in the short term there is plenty that needs to get done in a short space of time, so lots to keep me out of mischief.

I moved into our new home this week and left the corporate apartment. It has been a little challenging without any furniture in the new house and just a bed. Also had no heat for the first three days and I felt like I was camping, having to sleep in a sleeping bag with layers of clothes to stay warm in sub zero temperatures. Well that is all behind us now and back to a warm and toasty home which will be furnished in three weeks when our truck gets here from Denver.

The rain we had over the past few days has caused all the snow to melt and the river to swell and produce some fast flowing water, here are a few photos of the local dam wall releasing water overflow and causing some flooding down stream. Quite a spectacle to see!

This a picture of the back of our new home and the hot tub out on the deck, the photo on the right is my car parked in the garage and the front of the new house that we are renting. To the right of the house is a small forest area so its quite private and cozy.