Venture the Valley 2009 is this year's annual MS-150 bicycle ride to raise funds for multiple sclerosis research and patient support in southwestern Ohio. The event started and ended at Camp Kern . Bicyclists could ride up to 75 miles Saturday and 75 miles Sunday, in and out of the Little Miami River Valley. 
Riders could choose to camp overnight or stay in the 'air-conditioned comfort' of a cabin. Here is the cabin I shared with four women riders. 
Saturday morning, I met my friend Sue as I was going to line up for the 7:30 mass start. Team U.S. Playing Card is in front of me... check out their jerseys. Their team got first place for the best jersey design! 
Team tents were set up Friday evening. General morning confusion... 
We had two gradual climbs out of the Little Miami River valley before the first rest area. Ron graciously allowed me to ride with him. 
At the lunch stop (10:00), Audrey and I had our picture taken with J.C. Not to be outdone, Jay had his picture taken with J.C. also! 
At the last rest stop before returning to camp, J.C., Jay and I met this fellow...the Handlebars Team prides itself on being one of the top fundraisers. Any member who does not meet his minimum pledge of $300 gets his head 'shaved' by a fellow member! The wind picked up around 10:00, making the last half of the ride a little challenging. The wind along with the rolling hills and the last steep climb back to Camp Kern made me glad that I had opted for the 50 mile route!
Later in the evening, after a pleasant dinner with Sue and her friend, Bud, and after the evening program, a small group of people had gathered around the empty camp fire ring in front of my cabin. Wouldn't it be nice to have a fire? I suggested. Yes, they agreed, but no one had matches. That is until Jeff arrived with his lighter! Voila!
Sunday's route, after the necessary trip down and up out of the Little Miami River Valley, took the riders west to the flea markets and the Solid Rock Church north of Monroe. 
Ron and I caught up with Jeff at the first rest area; he later passed us going up a hill! He is a strong 'bent rider! Sunday's ride was a 'sweet ride'. The hills seemed to be more gradual; although J.C. will tell you that overall, riders had more total climb on Sunday than they did on Saturday. The weather was cool; the rest stops were well supplied with a variety of food and cheerful volunteers.
bike to create a world free of MS JOIN THE MOVEMENT Thank you very much to all of you who sponsored me!
Our book club read the novel, Loving Frank, by Nancy Horan. The story is about Frank Lloyd Wright and his affair with Mamah Borthwick Cheney. One of our members had been to Frank Lloyd Wright's Westcott House , designed in 1906 and built in 1908 for the automobile manufactuer, Burton J. Westcott. She recommended we take a field trip to see the restored house. 
We arrived earlier than expected, so we took a walk around the block. 
"The Westcott House represents an evolution of Wright's Prairie concept - relating a building to its site by means of terraces, pools, gardens and landscape." Our guide is the gentleman in the foreground. 
"The extensive pergola capped with an intricate wooden trellis connects the detached Carriage House to the main house, a design element that clearly demonstrates its Japanese influence - included in only a few of Wright's Prairie style houses during this period known as Wright's Golden Age of Architecture. " There is a doorway leading from the children's room to the pergola. 
The gardens behind the house and the Carriage House. One day, the Carriage House will hold a Westcott automobile. Upon completion of a $5.8 million, 5 year restoration, the Westcott House was opened to the public in 2005.
On the return trip, we stopped at Young's Jersey Dairy for lunch and ice-cream.
On our way home from the Kentucky State Fair, we stopped to see the 'little people' and their mother. (I took pictures, but my 2 GB secure digital card was FULL. No warning... nothing!)(Who'da thought?!?)
Kaitlyn had just completed her first three days of second grade. She let us sign her cast; she has two more weeks before it is removed.
Noah rode his new-to-him two-wheeler to his friend's house that morning, accompanied by his mother and Ellie. His friend, Parker, is in kindergarden and was not at home.
Little Miss El stands up without holding on, looks around to see who is watching, her face says, "Hey! Look at me!" then sits down, PLOP!
With a newly formatted card in my camera, we headed to the yearly Mason Heritage Festival. 
We got to the car show just before the awards were given. 
A 1929 Mercedes SSK: Dad's Root Beer Float
We saw this Terra Trike for sale along the side of the road,(notice how green the grass is for August), and stopped to take a look. There were no takers.
My newly formatted card works. I'm in business once again!
Ohio Valley Antique Machinery Show 39th Reunion Featuring Massey Harris Tractors and Fairbanks Morse Gas Engines 
Your best guess? 
The sweeper magnet was used on various military bases around the world to pick up debris on the runway. It would save propellors, jet engines, tires, but most of all, the crew of the airplane. "Mom's Chariot" 
And, of course, the steam engine. No word on the progress made from last year. 
And the collection of Panzers; each one used for a different job. One is set up to mow grass, another roto-tills the garden, another has a blade on the front, another has a plow. Would that there was enough space to have a tractor for each job...
The 'boys' threshing the wheat; then bailing the straw. 
An additional piece of local history is being added to the showgrounds. The ice house was built in 1929. The structure had walls lined with six inches of cork and had a compressor to keep the ice cool. Ralph Wallace would get up every morning at 3 a.m. to buy ice, then sold it out of the ice house. Use of the house was discontinued sometime around World War II. The plans are to give the building a face lift, but ice will not be stored in it. 
The schoolhouse, last year and this year.
Lashes (1859): Ten lashes for playing cards at school and misbehaving to girls. Eight lashes for swearing at school and telling tales out of school. Seven lashes for telling lies. Five lashes for fighting/quarreling at school. Three lashes for boys going to girls play places and for girls going to boys play places. Two of the eight rules for male teachers (1872): Any teacher who smokes, uses liquor in any form, frequents pool or public halls, or gets shaved in a barber shop will give good reason to suspect his worth, intention, integrity and honesty. Every teacher should lay aside from each pay a goodly sum of his earnings for his benefit during his declining years so that he will not become a burden to society. Two of the twelve rules for female teachers (1915): You will not marry/keep company with men during the term of your contract. You may not loiter downtown in ice cream stores.
Grandfathers, and possibly Dads, create these monster lawn tractors for their grandchildren to "pull". A long horn steer. Not a bad picture, knowing we were moving in a wagon at the time.
