This is a review about a standarbred horse race on the afternoon of the third Thursday of September…read moreeach year--the Little Brown Jug. It's held at the Delaware County Fairgrounds, complete with barkers, a ferris wheel, and games of chance/skill. 4H farm animals and monster pumpkin judging contests. It's all there for you, whether you like horse racing, or not. A sleepy middle Ohio town, with beautiful architecture and not many big box chain stores, is transformed into a major league sports venue, where 50,000+ race fans descend to watch harness racing at its finest on a beautiful early fall day. Pay the extra few bucks to sit on the backstretch bleachers, as they offer the best view, and easy access to your car (or RV) where you have your bbq and cooler. **They let you bring your own beer into the racetrack!!!*** Let that sink in for a minute. Make sure you bring enough, as you will likely want to stay after the races, and nurse a couple before heading out. The best food on the track is at the very top of the stretch, where they sell a shredded chicken sandwich (in rich mushroom broth) that is to die for. Made from real chicken meat, and not the deviled chicken you get in a can, it hits the spot. It's up to $3 a piece now, but well worth it. No one can eat just one--so order a bunch and get back to your backstretch perch, so you don't miss a race. 20-22 races a day, starting at 11 a.m., and going to 5 p.m. You can rub shoulders with the owners, trainers, and drivers (like jockeys, but bigger). You can go to the barns and pet the horses, talk to the caretakers, and just have a grand old time. I found an old adv. sign once that said "You'll meet old friends at the Fair." Just go one year, and you'll know what that means. ...and look for me in the winner's circle (whether I have a horse in the race or not). Perhaps the only things you will remember are the epic utterings of the track announcer, Roger Huston. Among others, they include: "Wa-a-a-a-a-a-a-ger Now, Don't Get Shut Out!" "Three in a Row, In OH-Hi-Oh!" ...all I ever wanted is to go back to the Fair. It's there for all of us every year.

Went to the Little Brown Jug last year with my boss. Had a great time! Won some and lost some…read more Overall, I hope to return to the race this year! The grandstand was packed, including the "suite" we were in that overlooked the track in the front. Since it is an older track and a historic area, I cannot complain too much. If you enjoy harness racing...attend this!

When I was a kid I watched roller derby on TV. It must have been a big thing, to be televised and…read morehave a special place to play with a banked oval arena, etc. It seemed to go away for a long time; the last few years it has been coming back, and now the Ohio Roller Girls have been around for ten years. I started hearing about them a couple of years ago, and finally went to my first game last night. It's in the Ohio Building on the fairgrounds, that weird round building in the center. Since this is flat track derby they basically taped out an oval on the floor. Seating was bleachers, a few folding chairs, and just sitting on the floor like you did in grade school. I definitely recommend coming early to grab a seat of some kind; 2-3 hours of sitting on concrete doesn't work for me anymore. It looked to be cash only; we got our tickets online, but had to pay for fairground parking and concessions so I blew through most of what I had. T-shirts, etc., were available and they did take cards for that. There's a flyer with brief rule explanations, and info on the players, teams, etc. It was hard to figure out what was going on at first, but watch a bit, read the flyer, and maybe search online for some guidelines. Once you have some idea what is going on it looks less like chaos. Basically, one skater tries to push past the other team and go all the way around the rink. The other players try to make a path for her, and block the other team. So. The game. Fan-freaking-tastic. Women skating around- and they can skate well- shoving and twisting and falling. They have pads, but jeez, you have to be sore after all that. We played a team from Toronto, and while both were good the Ohio Roller Girls were way better. Watching them pivot and slip by a wall of players while flying around on skates was impressive. One especially, The Smacktivist, seemed able to magically avoid or slip through any blocking. The announcer was good (though sound quality was iffy so I couldn't always tell what he was saying.) The fans were enthusiastic. The players were competitive. It was a blast to watch. I tried to talk Sweetie into trying out, but she passed. We had a great time.

We attended a double header for the first time as we've always wanted to see one. We were hoping…read morefor some action, yet the first game was pretty stale. The players would just stop and wait for the player to come back around... We rarely say the players make if 3/4 of the way around the track, which is where we were sitting. The second game was much more engaging! The players seemed to be more advanced and seemed to play the entire track. Overall, we may not go back unless there's is a reason to be there.

This is a huge event, physically, taking up most of the fairgrounds for three weeks; and a huge…read moreevent, culturally, one of the largest horse shows in the world. People come from all over to compete. I live right down the road, and am not into horses so never bothered to go. But Baby K is, so we went to check it out. $25 parking per car but free entry, and it looks like you could park on 17th closer to campus, maybe OHS, maybe up off Hudson, etc., and really not walk much farther than you do from the fair lot and just go in. Loads of vendors, with tack, trinkets, trailers, and more. A puppy building, for sale but with owners eager to show them off to kids. Two arenas, with tons of seating, good views and sound. And a strip of fair food. You can watch the shows, go to the practice corrals just outside and see the horses close up, have a roast beef sundae, and get a souvenir. A fun family day for just about anybody, and if you are into horses absolutely come check it out.

I'm not quite sure if folks in Columbus realize just what an enormously big deal the All American…read moreQuarter Horse Congress really is - and what it is, is the largest single breed horse show in the world! There are multiple events and these are world class animals and competitors, it not just some local Ohio farm thing. I came for the PBR Professional Bull Riding event in 2021. We were treated to an Ohio native, Eli Vastbinder - a PRCA ProRodeo competitor- winning the event, and the points he gathered helped carry him into the world finals competition. The All American Quarter Horse Congress show is the Ohio State Fiargrounds and Expo Center like you've never seen it! Well worth a visit.

The Heritage Rail Trail is a nicely paved multi-use trail. We saw cyclists, dog walkers, and other…read morehikers when we headed out. In total, it runs 6.1 miles from Main Street in Old Hilliard to Plain City, though we did not go the full length on our most recent visit. Its path winds along some nice stops if you want or need them, such as the Heritage Trail Dog Park (parking and port-a-potty available, in addition to the dog park of the name in case you've got a four-legged friend with you that wants some extra play) and Homestead Metro Park (parking and restrooms available, plus playgrounds and a train to explore, if you've got a kiddo with you that wants some extra play). A very nice trail!

Flat, straight and easy rail trail. Ran 8 miles on an early Sunday morning and thoroughly enjoyed…read moreit.

Great course that will challenge your distance and accuracy. You'll have fun and a good 3 mile…read morewalk. Take a photo of the course with your phone before you start so you can easily find the next tee. (That will help on 15.) The first half of the course is wide open and long, but there are a few tricks to learn. When the signs say there is a "drop off" they actually mean cliff! A slight over correction or hook will land you 75 feet down a steep hill before your disc even begins to roll. The back 9 are in the woods- so add trees to the distance and a nice hike on the way. In the fall the back 9 will play easier, but in spring and summer you'll fight the leaves on the trees. Par here is 63, just 1 under the much shorter course at Blendon Woods just across 161. Both courses are Fun- but Hoover is a challenge. One you'll enjoy taking. ***Note*** if you put the address into google or maps it will bring you to the middle of the course- not the start. Take Central College and a left onto Cubbage, then take the first left. Follow it to the parking lot just before the dam then you'll be set.

A great course for Columbus. Host to the BHMO tournament each year, which usually is a National…read moreTour event. Pros: + This course is a good challenge from pro's and normal tees. + It's well taken care of + There are some good long throwing hole and technical holes. + A & B pin placements with regular and pro tees. + Hosts several tournaments each year + 27 holes to play + The front nine is open, and the back nine is wooded, and the back back nine (A-I) is a mixture of both. Cons: - Gets crowded when the weather is nice, and I've noticed large groups play (more than 4 people) - Parking can be a problem on the weekends. It gets very busy at those times. Park near the entrance and start at hole 10, park in the main lot, for hole 1, or park in the back or main lot for hole A. The back back 9 (A-I) aren't usually that busy. Other Thoughts: Most people I know start hole A after they play 14 and then continue on to 15 after hole I, but play it as you see fit. To get to hole 15 from 14 walk through the pine tree forest, to find A, continue forward towards the road, the pro tee is on the left and the regular tee is around to the right.

This is a 22-mile, maintained, beautiful trail that connects to the Olentangy trail…read more It's a paved surface and wide enough for cyclists and pedestrians, similar to the Scioto or Olentangy trails. It's surrounded by trees and flows along Alum Creek. There are quite a few bridges you go over. We saw quite a few cyclists out in the morning. Colorful leaves were abundant along the trail, and it was peaceful - even on a Saturday morning.

We checked out the section near Ohio Dominican University, and it was really nice. It follows along…read moreAlum Creek and several areas have a good view of it. There were also small wetland/bog areas along the way, which were very pretty (home to some bugs though). It was also quite clear that the deer in the area were quite used to all of the passersby, whether on foot or pedaling, as they gave very little notice as we walked along. The trail is nicely paved, and there is good signage and trail markings where appropriate.

Gators Bike Park is a terrifically fun and neat space for kids to try out different techniques and…read moreskills on their bikes. The park is located between Granby Elementary School and Hard Road Park and currently offers two great spaces (a third area is also being discussed). One space is a skills loop located in a wooded area and offers a variety of challenges featuring some good signage for easy, moderate, and difficult options. This includes different rocks, logs, wood beams, and bridges in different heights and formations to ride on. Signage is available around the area that you can scan a QR code and get tips on how to improve your skills. This section connects over to a large grassy area where a second loop, a flow trail, is located, and this offers some hills and two wood-banked berms to try out. The park is well maintained by the generosity of volunteers. We had a blast here and are so glad a friend looped us in on this hidden gem!

Such a fun bike park, funded and built by parents who want to bring the love of MTB to the next…read moregen. Great Job!!

My niece and I went on a trail ride at Rocky Fork with Ashley and Jordan. We made some great…read morememories! They were so personable and professional. I started out nervous but in no time at all I relaxed and enjoyed it. My niece and I had a great time! It was yesterday, and I can't stop thinking about it. I haven't gotten on a horse in probably 20 years and I wish I had done more of it over the years. It was amazing. I need to do it again soon!

Rob and Ashley were so welcoming and nice, they went above and beyond for the photo shoot. They're…read morea beautiful family with wonderful horses. Shoutout to Hank the horse. Such a nice and snapshot ready horse!