Appalachian Festival highlights a living history

The three-day, 39th Annual Appalachian Festival in Cincinnati had two days of rough weather to contend with. But, Saturday’s weather was the kind you pray for while conducting an outdoor festival.

The festival, organized by the Appalachian Community Development Association, features the arts and culture of a region that spans 13 states. The festival is the largest event held outside the Appalachian Mountain Region, but it’s not that far away. Cincinnati is one county away from the edge of the defined Appalachia.

Many things define Appalachia, and music is one of them. Featured musical groups performed on the stages, but wandering musicians gathered, and just started playing, mostly the old standards of mountain music.

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Vendors set up booths to sell their arts and crafts.

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And then, there was the living history with people, in period costume of 200 years, demonstrating a way of life.

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Festival attendees were invited to participate in the Pow Wow, dancing and learning about the Native American culture and history.

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Fascinating!–DBrent

Branch Hill Coffee Co.: a coffee house to visit

I have passed by the Branch Hill Coffee Company several times in my travels, and recently decided to stop. I’m glad I did, for this little establishment is a jewel of a find.

Branch Hill Coffee Company Located at 371 Bridge Street in Loveland, Ohio, the old neighborhood is known as Branch Hill with its roots rich in the history of southwestern Ohio and the Little Miami River Valley. The small coffee shop sits between the very-popular Little Miami Recreational Trail and the bridge crossing the Little Miami River. What else would they call the street but Bridge Street? Branch Hill is a small community with a few businesses, but also a part of the larger community of Loveland.

Branch Hill Coffee Company
Branch Hill Coffee Company, 371 Bridge St., Loveland, OH.

A drive-up window assists those who are in a hurry, a common trait today. But for those who want to enjoy a little relaxation, you need to step inside. Owner Patti White offers an eclectic decor in pastel colors, and mix of tables and chairs. Walls and hutches are filled with coffee related gifts available for purchase. Patio seating is also available.

Branch Hill Coffee Company

The first time you walk into the shop, you’re treated like a neighbor. Even the customers treat you like a neighbor. The coffee company has a great offering of coffee flavors, and it is reported the fresh-made sandwiches and home made soups are the greatest. The desserts looked pretty good too. I can personally vouch for the “Snickerdoodle” coffee which is flavored with cinnamon! It is very difficult for me when carrot cake is featured, but I passed on that delicacy … just barely.

If you should be walking or biking the recreational trail, or motoring through the area, you won’t be disappointed if you stop at the Branch Hill Coffee Company. If you don’t, you won’t know what you’ve been missing.–DBrent

V-Strom DL650: The First 1,000 Miles

V-Strom at Ceasar Creek It’s a little rainy, today. So I thought I would put together a report–my observations and experience with the V-Strom DL650–my new motorcycle.

You can download and read the full report here. I have taken the time to create a PDF document that you can read online or print and take with you.–DBrent

Does the Theory of Chaos apply to motorcycling?

Sunday mornings don’t come often enough. Once a week is not enough for a breakfast ride with friends.

Put on the gear, roll the bike out, and head out to meet up with our group of riders at the new, temporary gathering spot, the UDF on US 22/SR3 in Landen.

Gathering for a breakfast ride.

First: a WOW moment. I filled up the V-Strom before our ride–273.4 miles on 4.527 gallons. That is a whopping 60.4 mpg! Secondly, it’s a 5.8 gallon tank! That’s an easy 300 mile range! Not that I’m anal about this, but I always check mileage and always try to fill up the tank to the same spot in the filler neck to ensure mpg accuracy. But, to have this much fun at 60 mpg is almost too much to take! :)

Our fearless leader, Jerry, was out of town. That meant the rest of us had to decide on a ride leader and a destination. This is where the theory of chaos starts to kick in. As leadership starts to diminish, so does the following and the social structure.

Who should lead was a topic of discussion during the week knowing that we would be without our leader. Well, I can’t name names here because I like everybody. But, their names should not appear here in this context and the roles they played, and the teasing that took place. After we decided to ride northwest, the task went to the one who knew the roads the best. Well, that’s the way it started out before we hit detours, missed our turns and had to turn around twice.

Okay. It’s an adventure. We’re with friends. We’re riding on a nice sunny morning. And, the breakfast destination is one of our regular choices because of their good service and great food. So what, if the guy who knew the roads best got us lost! I’ll be riding with him and the others again next week. It’s about the fellowship, and conversations about our rides.

It’s like real democracy. You elect a leader. He takes you down the wrong road, and to reward him, you elect him again. As a result, gas is about to hit $4 per gallon and the economy sucks.

I’m really glad I’m getting 60 mpg on the V-Strom, and I get to ride with a great bunch of guys that tolerate each other no matter what.–DBrent

Breakfast in Germantown.
The new V-Strom has new Givi luggage.

Motorcycle Travel DVDs: a great planning tool

A Conversation with Michael Murray, Producer

You’ve decided you’re going to ride to Alaska, Moab, or Baja or maybe ride the 5,000-mile Trans American Trail. What do you do? You start collecting maps, reading ride reports online and contacting riders who have done it before.

Now, there is a new resource to help you with your planning and maybe speed up the planning process.

Motorcycle Travel DVDsMotorcycle Travel DVDs currently offers six titles with more coming. The DVDs provide interviews with experienced riders, travel details for your destinations, and an insight that might take months to gather on your own. Not pictured in the image to the right is New Zealand, the latest title.

Professionally produced, the information on the DVDs get to the meat of the information you need to plan a ride and prepare for safety. Then, you’re pleasantly surprised when it offers more travel information about the destination, such as accommodations and restaurants.

michael-murray Producer Michael Murray talks about the DVDs, and the efforts to produce them in this latest installment of Conversations. He also talks about future travel DVD destinations and some of his other projects. Michael is the founder and CEO of Motorrad Media, located in Boulder, Colorado.

Reference Links:

And now, a Conversation with Michael Murray:

 
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