Gears, Galleries and Grapes!

A Weekend of Adventure and the Arts

Riverdog Gallery

Being that it is the first day of autumn, we find it fitting to start planning some fabulous fall rides. The BRaB route has spectacular fall scenery and on October 4–5 you can pedal between some great gallery open houses, architectural walks, events and wineries. Below is a list of places to hit. For lodging options, click here. For a downloadable Back Roads and Beaches map customized for the following events, click here.

Breuer Pottery Studio and Gallery Open House, Saturday and Sunday, October 4–5, noon–5pm. Enjoy wine, hors d’oeuvres and desserts in a relaxed country setting.
47361 West Hamilton Rd., Oberlin

Riverdog Studio/Gallery Open House, Saturday and Sunday, October 4–5, noon–5pm. 13818 Gore Orphanage Road, Wakeman

A Mild Obsession, Donna Drozda - Paintings and Lynne Lofton - Ceramics
FAVA Gallery, September 14 through October 24, 2008
Open Saturday 11am–5pm and Sunday 1–5pm

Modern and Contemporary Art
Allen Memorial Art Museum
Important American and European paintings, sculpture, and works on paper - ranging from Claude Monet's Wisteria to a newly acquired sculpture, The Fin Within, by the inventive and provocative sculptor Tim Hawkinson - will be on view in the Ellen Johnson Gallery during the 2008-09 academic year. Other highlights from the Allen Memorial Art Museum's strong modern and contemporary holdings include works by John Bock, Chakaia Booker, Sam Gilliam, Elizabeth Murray, Gerhard Ritcher, Cindy Sherman, and Richard Serra.The Museum is free and open to the public.
Tuesday - Saturday 10-5 p.m., Sunday 1-5 p.m. Closed Mondays.
Corner of Main and Lorain Sts., Oberlin

Aux Barricades! French Protest Posters from '68
Allen Memorial Art Museum
Art incited action when, in May 1968, student and worker uprisings calling for social and economic reform led to pitched street battles and caused a general strike that paralyzed France. Innovative posters with snappy slogans and stark layouts created by the demonstrators were put up around Paris and the provinces.
The Museum is free and open to the public.
Hours: Tuesday-Saturday, 10-5:00 p.m., Sunday, 1-5:00 p.m. Closed Mondays.
Corner of Main and Lorain Sts., Oberlin

Tours of the Weltzheimer-Johnson House

October 5, 12–5pm. Tour Frank Lloyd Wright's first Usonian house in Ohio. Special focus tour available on last Saturday of each month. Admission: $5.00

Oberlin City/College 175th Anniversary Event, October 3–4
Celebration honoring joint founding of the City of Oberlin and Oberlin College in 1833.

Join the entire Oberlin community for a celebration of the 175th anniversary of the joint founding of the College and city. A range of family friendly events will take place on Friday, October 3 and Saturday, October 4 in the city and on the campus to signal, in part, a history of collaboration and shared interest in community building, education, service, and the arts.

Among the highlights of the two-day event is the 175th Anniversary Celebratory Concert featuring the Oberlin College Conservatory Orchestra. The free concert begins at 8 p.m., Friday, October 3, in Finney Chapel.

On Saturday, October 4, bring the family and join friends and neighbors from 10:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. in Tappan Square for a free catered community lunch. In addition, hear performances by the Northern Ohio Youth Orchestra (NOYO), the Community Music School, and the Oberlin Taiko Group. The program also will include presentations by students of Eastwood, Prospect, Langston, and the Oberlin High School. Activities for children will be provided by Oberlin Shansi and FAVA.

Other events throughout the day will include an Oberlin College football game, guided tours of historical landmarks in the city, activities at the Oberlin Heritage Center, and more.

Details: Contact Leah Gage '08, project manager, 440-775-8474 or send e-mail to gage.leah@gmail.com.

Oberlin Farmers Market, October 4, 9am–1pm. Locally grown and prepared foods, organic coffee and fair trade items.

The Cleveland Orchestra, October 5, Finney Chapel, 3pm
One of the world's greatest orchestras, the Cleveland Orchestra returns to Oberlin to open this year's season with a lively performance conducted by music director Franz Welser-Most. Continuing the longstanding tradition, this concert marks the 207th appearance of the Cleveland Orchestras on Oberlin's Artist Recital Series.

Events and live entertainment at

Matus Winery 15674 Gore Orphanage Road - Wakeman, OH and

Single Tree Winery, 12488 Baumhart Rd., Amherst, OH

150th Anniversary of the Wellington-Oberlin Slave Rescue Celebration

Wellington-Oberlin fugitive slave rescuers at the jail

This weekend marks the 150th anniversary of the Wellington-Oberlin Slave Rescue that was said to have raised consciousness nationwide regarding the anti-slavery movement and earning Oberlin the recent title , “The town that started the Civil War.”

In 1858, John Price, a fugitive slave living in Oberlin, was tricked into the hands of four slave catchers. He was secretly driven down a country road, toward Wellington, a small town south of Oberlin where the slave catchers intended to put Price on a train headed back to Kentucky. However, halfway there they were spotted by two Oberlin men.

American House Hotel, Wellington (courtesy: Oberlin College Archives)

After spreading the word of the capture, a group of men rushed down to Wellington to the American House Hotel where Price’s captors were now holding him. A crowd from Wellington and Oberlin stormed the hotel and freed Price. The rescuers immediately rushed him back to Oberlin. For several days Price hid at the home of Oberlin College Professor James Harris Fairchild until he could reach Canada safely. Thirty-seven rescuers were indicted for their roles in the rescue and twenty spent time in jail. The event caught international attention, contributing to an increased awareness of the abolitionist cause.

Among the group were freed slaves, fugitive slaves, students, townspeople, farmers and businessmen. It was a group that ignored their differences and untied in the cause for freedom. Differences that separated so many in the south. Their legacy of freedom and pride lives on today as Lorain County enjoys and maintains the cultural diversity it is so famous for.

The Back Roads and Beaches Route gets many Underground Railroad Cyclists that pass through Wellington and Oberlin. This is a great weekend to be here to celebrate and reflect on the Underground Railroad. Click here for more information on cycling and the Underground Railroad around BRaB. Click here for a list of this weekend’s anniversary events in Oberlin. Click here for more detail and photos of the rescue from the Oberlin Heritage Center.

Findley Lake Sprint Triathlon/Duathlon photos

The rain stopped right before the start of the 2008 Findley Lake Triathlon/Duathlon (results) today. With a wet but scenic course, participants enjoyed the calm lake and scenic trail run for a late summer race that serves as Lorain County’s final triathlon of the year. Although we still have some great running and biking events that will take us through November, this will do it for 2008 triathlons. So, without further ado, here are a few photos from today’s event...

2nd, 3rd and 4th out of the water

Women Swim Start


1st female out of the water—Julia Lorraine Rossi

First overall finisher
We thought it fitting to post a photo of Dave Garrett’s backside for this last race of the Lorain County triathlon season. (not only because it’s the end of the season but this photo might be a training motivator for others during the cold winter months.) He is so fun to watch racing, we hope he comes back to Lorain County to wow us during the 2009 season.

Go girl! Women’s 1st overall—Julia Lorraine Rossi

Weekend Scenes along Findley Lake

While heading to Findley State Park, we found Fred Thomas of Cleveland pedaling out of Oberlin along the Underground Railroad. He was headed to a local market to pick up some fresh local produce. Fred will be riding Adventure Cycling’s Underground Railroad route to Buffalo.

Further on down the road, renting kayaks at Findley State Park in Wellington is a great way to get in a great workout while enjoying the beautiful southern Lorain County scenery. Two-person kayaks can be rented on weekends for $6 an hour. Click here for more details and contact information.

We saw this group learning the basics of kayaking.

These guys were basking in the sunshine..

Skilled fisherman

Canoeing through the beautiful landscape.