Log 2016020901

In my previous log, I mentioned about OTHR extending it's 20 mile polygon for the Lancaster Public Transit System's that's based on their out of county rates, one might ask "why is it worth it?"  And the answer varies on where the transit hiker is coming from?

It's a matter of time.  If they fly in to Port Columbus International Airport and take the Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) fixed routes to the Greyhound station, it might be faster to reach the Buckeye/ North Country/ American Discovery Trail  (BT/ NCT/ ADT) via the GoBus to outer Lancaster (in Fairfield County).  Then with a reservation, they can use Lancaster's dial-a-ride service and schedule it to drop them off at the VA Medical Center in Chillicothe.  At that point, they may need to take the VA Medical Center Hospital fixed route to the system's transit center.  If not, with a reservation, they might just be able to board the Chillicothe Transit Service's "Massieville County Route" (a dial-a-ride service that's open to the general public) and schedule it to disembark at Spencer Lake - Scioto Trail State Park (near present day Scioto Trail Section - BT/ NCT/ ADT, Point 21) and begin hiking there.

The other alternative is to take the Greyhound to Cincinnati via Dayton.  Then in Cincinnati, transfer to the GoBus and disembark in Waverly.  It's possible that doing it this way might be faster?

But transit hikers originating from the Cincinnati would probably be better off with the Waverly Stop on the GoBus.  GoBus has two lines in this area.  One is Columbus to Athens and the other is Cincinnati to Athens.  It's a regional bus agency that focuses on rural areas in Southern Ohio.  It's a Greyhound affiliate, which means that you can purchase fare and get routed over it and all others, too.  But the GoBus itself is more on a level between Greyhound and local transit.  I rode their bus only once from Cincinnati to Batavia (Williamsburg Section - BT/ NCT/ ADT) and I really had a good experience with them.   The bus was absolutely modern, spotlessly clean and the driver was very nice.

Those originating from NE Ohio would probably be better off taking the GoBus, or Barron's Bus (another affiliate) out of Cleveland and transferring to the GoBus in Marietta, or Parkersburg, West Virginia.  Shortly then after, the line terminates in Athens where they would then get on the Cincinnati Line and disembark in Waverly.  And those in NW Ohio would probably take Greyhound and transfer to the GoBus in Cincinnati and also disembark in Waverly.

Log 2016020302

Today, I got something done.  I wrote the GPS tracks for the Chillicothe Transit System, which came in range of the Buckeye Trail (according to the Ohio Transit Hiker's Resource) with it's Massieville County Route dial-a-ride type transit zone.  About a week or so ago, I called to request clarification because Massieville of Ross County is unincorporated and therefore doesn't have any municipal lines.  Since the parking area at Stewart Lake in the Scioto Trail State Park is in Ross County, I was told they would pick up there.  Stewart Lake is near the Scioto Trail Section of the Buckeye/ North Country/ American Discovery Trail.

Chillicothe of Ross County lost it's greyhound stop recently, but it's an excellent place to get lodging and resupply.  With that being said, about 7mi down trail clockwise/ westbound of the Stewart Lake area is an off & on-road intersection.  Because the GO Bus stop moved north from Piketon to Waverly (both of Pike County), it's now in range on foot despite the fact that non-Pike county residents (most transit hikers) lost access to local transit there.  But ultimately, I think that transit hikers actually gained more out of the arrangement as it is now.  And that's because Chillicothe is superior in the two ways that I just mentioned.

But with what little work that I got done today, it turns out that couldn't download my tracks from Google Maps to The Robot because there was something wrong with my Internet security suite.  So, I uninstalled, then reinstalled it and am now running a through scan (which might take half of the night to complete).