In Search Of Strouds Run April 1979

Sorry, no digital photos to this hike because it occured almost 30 years ago. The spring quarter of my last year at Ohio University, my college buddies JR, Fish, Roger and Big John embarked on an epic journey. There is a nice state park just about 5 miles beyond the city limits of Athens called Strouds Run, in which we have gone to on numerous occasions. There is also a small city park about 1 mile from our house on Mill St, Sells Lake (more like a pond) that we used to bike or ride to. One day I proposed to my friends that we should try to find our way through the hills and trees of Athens from Sells Lake to Stroud's Run. They thought it was a great idea, and thus our great exploration 'In Search for Strouds Run' was a go.

On our previous trips to Sells Lake we were always greeted by a very friendly Black Dog, a lab , who we gave the name Ralph. He would always go with us as we walked in the woods and arond the lake. He would also jump in the water endlessly as we threw in a stick for him to fetch. JR had a English Springer Spaniel named Pud that would also go with us, and the 2 dogs would hang out. We later learned from Ralph's owner who live near the lake, that the dog's name was actually Only.

So on our big journey in search of Stroud's run, Pud and Ralph joined us as well. We had no map, no GPS (not invented yet, I don't think), and no idea where we were going, we set off on a beautiful spring day in Athens. All we knew was that we had to head in a certain direction and hope we lucked out. It was hilly, as was most of the outlying areas of Athens, so we did have some good climbs. And at first some semblance of a trail.

The big highlight of the trip was coming upon a little grove of marijuana plants that were being grown in the woods. None of us knew what it was until Big John pointed out that it was marijuana. None of us others had ever seen that before. We continued on, leaving the plants as is.

After about an hour or so, we came to the conclusion that we had no idea where we were. In fact, Roger mentioned that he had a feeling we had been going around in circles. We decided that we had no idea where were. So we decided we'd have to turn back and try to find our Sells Lake. We wandered around for a good hour more and some how came back to the familiar terrain near Sells Lake.

We made it back, and never again tried this journey. I'm hoping that perhaps our 50th anniversary of graduating, when we're all over 70 years old, that we can all try to complete this landmark journey - never before done by man.