Hobbies, Hiking and Hangouts Columbus (H3C)

Meeting Location: The Hills Market (Worthington) - We’ll start with a quick meet and greet on the market’s patio before heading out to The Shops at Worthington. Grab your energy drink, cold brew, and other provisions while you can because —there’s no turning back!

The hike is not very demanding and will be 2 miles to Amano's and 2 miles back to The Hills Market. So, we will get a break for drinks and food in between. This will give us a 4-mile total.

Donations are optional, but if you enjoyed this event, feel free to contribute so I can continue investing my time and energy in this group and hosting more events in the future. Your support helps keep these experiences alive!

Cashapp: $DaclaudL
Venmo: @Daclaud-Lee

In the shadowy veil of the approaching night, join us for a most curious and unsettling journey along the Olentangy Trail, where the forgotten spirits of ancient times may yet whisper their secrets. We gather at the side of The Hills Market, a place of mundane provisions that you would do well to stock before venturing into the lurking, unseen depths of the evening. As we tread this path, shrouded by the gloom of towering trees and the unknown beyond, you are invited to recount your tales—those spectral visitations, eldritch happenings, or dark fables that cling to your soul. There is no cap on the horrors shared this night; it is a free-for-all of haunted lore, whispered under the watchful eye of the encroaching darkness.

And when our unsettling walk comes to its unnatural end, we shall cast a vote—shall we find respite at The Worthington Shopping Center where Pies and Pints with its temptingly warm food and drink, or dare we linger further in the night, with only the solace of drinks at Amano's to fortify our spirits? Perhaps we may even visit the local Kroger, if only to delay our return to the realms we call home. But be warned, the Olentangy Trail holds many secrets... and the night will listen. Join us, if you dare, and tell your ghostly stories on this fateful night.

Crybaby Bridge (Olentangy Trail)
Not far from the tennis courts and the skate park is our own version of Crybaby Bridge—a place where legend says a mother once threw her child into the water. Cyclists have reported hearing the faint cries of a baby when riding past the bridge at night, and some claim to feel a heavy, oppressive atmosphere in the area. It’s said that if you stop on the bridge, you might hear the cries or feel a sudden chill, as if the spirits tied to the tragic event are still present.

Olentangy Trail North - The Ghost of the Woods
Local folklore claims that the area is haunted by the ghost of a man who disappeared while walking through the park at night, never to be seen again. Cyclists riding through this section have reported strange occurrences, like seeing a lone figure standing by the trees or hearing footsteps alongside their bikes when no one is around. Some riders have experienced equipment malfunctions or unexplained cold spots, making the ride through this otherwise peaceful park unnerving after dark.

Meeting Location: We will meet at my office space at 309 S. State Street. It shares the same building as the April Schaad State Farm Insurance (their sign is more prominent, so look for that).

🎃 About the Final Fourth Friday in Uptown Westerville! 🎃

Link: Fourth Friday-Midnight Madness, October 2024 | Uptown Westerville Inc

As Halloween approaches, the last Fourth Friday of 2024 is bittersweet. Come stroll through historic Uptown Westerville on Friday, Oct. 25, from 6-9 p.m. for their theme: Magical Midnight Madness. With vendors, live music, and costumes, this special night will bring a festive Halloween twist to this community street festival.

Explore extended hours at Uptown’s shops, restaurants, and pubs, as we walk around State Street and nearby blocks. Wear your Halloween costume and enjoy the remaining days of Halloween before the season ends!

Make sure you know the rules for DORA (Designated Outdoor Refreshments Areas). I'm sure we can bend them a little, but just don't get caught.

Link: DORA | Uptown Westerville Inc

Where to Park
Up to four vehicles are allowed to park at the State Farm Insurance lot (our designated area is along the fence line; do not park to the left of my truck since that is reserved for the residents next door.)

Additional parking can be found off street. You may also be allowed to park in the strip mall parking lot across the street by Carmen's Vacuum Store.

Meeting Location: Kroger 3600 Soldano Boulevard, Columbus, OH 43228

In the creeping twilight of a desolate October evening, we beckon you to join us on a chilling journey—a haunted hike along the infamous Camp Chase Trail. We gather in the fleeting sanctuary of a Kroger parking lot, where safety is but a temporary illusion before we venture into the darkness. Grab your provisions while you can, for it will be a long and perilous journey.

Video: https://youtu.be/P6y0RENOgT8?si=5plmAy4KwEbaQuIe

Our path winds through a region whispered to be haunted by the spectral form of a jogger, brutally murdered and desecrated by a drug-addled vagrant. Her spirit, they say, is bound to the very earth, replaying her final moments in a loop of eternal agony. Yet she is not the only specter lurking in these woods.

The trail has earned a darker reputation in recent years— word on the street tells a tale of a shadowy figure, a nameless serial killer, has been whispered about in hushed tones, preying on those who stray too far from the safety of the group.

Cyclists and walkers alike have vanished without a trace, their fates lost to the void. Is this killer a living monster, or perhaps a phantom of the trail itself? As the shadows grow long and the night deepens, we shall follow this cursed path, ever mindful of the horrors that may stir in the silence.

Our path leads ever eastward, toward the heart of true darkness—the Cemetery for the Insane, where the gravestones are marked simply as “specimen.” Here lie the nameless, the forgotten, those whose minds were shattered and whose bodies were subjected to unspeakable experiments at the hands of a long-gone Columbus Ohio Asylum for the Insane. As we approach this desolate place, the air grows thick with the weight of madness and lost souls. It is said that on certain nights, the whispers of the deranged can still be heard through the trees.

Will you dare walk this path with us? Will you risk crossing into the domain of the serial killer who may yet stalk the trail, waiting for his next victim? For those brave enough to venture, we advise coming armed—not just with your courage, but with whatever means of protection you deem necessary. The night holds many terrors, and on this trail, safety is a fleeting hope.

Protect Yourself and Know the Law (this is your responsibility):

• Answers to Common Questions about Ohio’s New Permitless Carry Law | Buckeye Firearms Association
• Ohio Knife Law – The Complete Guide (In Plain English) (knifeade.com)
• Ohio’s New “Stand Your Ground” Law – Juris Magazine (duq.edu)

Disclaimer and Liability Waiver

By signing up and attending this hike, you fully understand and agree to the following:

1. Assumption of Risk: You acknowledge that hiking at night, especially on potentially haunted trails, presents inherent risks, including physical injury or other unexpected occurrences. You voluntarily assume all risks associated with participating in this event.
2. Release of Liability: By participating in this event, you release and hold harmless the event organizers, H3C (Hobbies, Hiking, and Hangouts Columbus), its members, leaders, and affiliates from any and all liability, claims, demands, actions, or causes of action related to any loss, damage, injury, or death sustained during or associated with this hike.
3. Personal Responsibility: You acknowledge that you are responsible for your own safety and well-being. You agree to take all necessary precautions, such as wearing appropriate footwear, carrying a flashlight or other light sources, and ensuring that you have informed others of your participation in this event.
4. No Guarantees of Safety: This event does not guarantee your personal safety, and you participate at your own discretion and risk. Although the group will strive to maintain safety in numbers, the event organizers cannot be held liable for any incidents that occur during the hike.

By signing up for this event, you automatically agree to this Disclaimer and Liability Waiver. You understand and accept that your participation is entirely voluntary, and you have read and agree to the terms and conditions outlined above.

Link Here >>> Halloween Items - Daclaud's Marketplace

***** please let me know in advance which items you want to purchase and paint *****

If you just want to come and chill, then that's fine. You don't need to buy anything, but your purchase certainly helps! There is only ONE rule, and you have to clean up after yourself.

Horror Movie Choices:

• Scary Stories to Tell in The Dark (2019)
• Halloween (2022)
• Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2022)