Pretty darned great day all through, if I do say so myself. July 20, 2024 saw the ribbon-cutting for the opening of the Dorothy and Corbett Walker Memorial Bike & Hike Trail, connecting Findley State Park (on St. Rte. 58) and the Wellington Reservation of the Lorain County Metroparks System(on Jones Rd.)–old stomping grounds for some of us and pretty scenic and enjoyable for just about anyone. The weather was absolutely gorgeous–Mother must have ordered it especially for the occasion–the turn-out was very nice (relatives, friends, bikers and hikers of several stripes, park officials, ODNR officials, a Metroparks dude), the ODNR even has cookies with their logo in icing in cellophane wraps to hand out to attendees. Quite the affair! Official persons spoke and congratulated everyone involved…and it only took about three years…the project, not the speakers.
My brother gave a fairly brief set of remarks on our connection to the place in our well-spent youth–driving tractors in the farm fields across the road, swimming in the lake after hot, sweaty days baling hay, observing as Findley State Park grew and developed even more attractions–and how we decided to honor our parents with the donation of this latest feature.
Luckily, he hardly mentioned me at all and I did not get to speak…a relief to all concerned. There were pictures all around; you might see a familiar face in the next ODNR publication. The park super and the communications/publications staff was busily employed taking pictures. Even I took pictures, which I do not often remember to do. Then we set off on the trail. It’s not paved yet, and may not be for awhile, but it is fairly easy to walk and pretty scenic, I guess, if you like cornfields and trees/woods/ streambeds, cute little bridges; I’ll bet that it’s going to be beeeyootiful in the springtime, maybe fall too. I didn’t see any poison ivy…but one never does until too late.
We, the family, had ordered a couple of engraved wooden benches for my sisters–Marie Walker Casper and Priscilla Walker Bidlake–at two shady spots on either side of one of the small bridges. Nice places to just sit and …just sit. Feel free to come and enjoy.
