Tango and I walked a portion of the Buckeye Trail this morning as it winds through Sand Run Metro Park in the Cuyahoga River Valley (Akron, OH), not far from where Mom lives. Several old, heavily shaded trails and a newer jogging run through the park.
Tango and I walked a trail very much like this one!
Sand Run brings back memories! As kids, we loved to visit the park, and we pleaded with the parents to take a fast run over the ford. I still remember the sound of water hitting the car’s underbelly as we crashed through the water. In the photo below, the modern incarnation of the ford is tamed by a concrete surface and diversion markers. In the old days, the ford was a natural, muddy crossing through the creek, and sometimes the water reached a tad too high. We didn’t care. Splash, laughter, fun, let’s do it again!!
The Summit Country Metro Parks started their work of modernizing area parks after I left home. They have done an amazing job developing trails that connect to other parks and trail networks. The Sand Run Metro Park is now part of several trail networks; however, I am still sorting all this out. The Tow Path trail system either connects or runs nearby, along the Cuyahoga River towpath (story for another day). Tango and I are also doing segments of that trail.
Late May, early June is perfect hiking weather in Ohio, especially in the forest, and we are trying to get in great walks while here. What a treat to have a network of urban trails.
