GOhio! Adventures Around Columbus

Early-bird coffee and conversation at Crimson!

Let's play various and sundry board games at Crooked Can Brewing! The brewery has extensive food options and plenty of space.

Here's a list of the games I will bring, but feel free to bring some of your own as well!

1. Codenames
2. Just One
3. Playing cards
4. Secret Hitler
5. Sequence
6. Settlers of Catan
7. So Clover!
8. Splendor: Marvel
9. Ticket to Ride
10. Ultimate Werewolf
11. Uno
12. Yahtzee

Coffee and conversation at The Roosevelt Coffeehouse, located at Olentangy River Brewing.

We will meet next to the restrooms at the Big Meadows Picnic Area. They're all the way at the back of the park, and they can be found at coordinates 40°09'08.0"N 83°01'45.1"W (near the playground and the zip line).

We'll hike about 5 miles at Highbanks Metro Park on the Dripping Rock and Overlook Trails. Afterward, we'll head over to Olentangy River Brewing for drinks, coffee, or food (their Sunday food truck is generally Venezuelan, and tends to be highly regarded).

The actual address of the brewery is 303 Green Meadows Dr S, 43035. If you can't make the hike, we should be there by noon.

He's 26 points away! Let's see if Ryan Day can finally hang a hundred on TTUN as he fights to avoid the inevitable ... comparisons ... to ... John ... Cooper! 😂

The best part is, after the pulverization is complete, we won't have to go anywhere to get drunk! 😂

Crooked Can Brewing also has a ton of food options! 😁

Extra Credit / Trivia: First person to name all four coaches pictured here wins nothing! 🤣

It's that time of year again when the Columbus Zoo has their annual Wildlights display. Let's walk around the Zoo and check them out.

Admission

For Franklin County residents under 60, admission to the Zoo is $26, with the cost to park being an additional $10, for a total cost of $36.

Membership?

I would encourage you to consider buying a Zoo membership if you don't already have one. A Zoo membership will pay for itself if you go to the Zoo as little as twice in a 12-month period, allowing you free admission and free parking. (An individual membership is $70 for a Franklin County resident.)

If you do decide to buy a membership, you will have to install the Columbus Zoo app on your phone. The membership card is electronic-only, and it is stored on the app. Overall, it's not a bad app. Also, while the Zoo does sell paper maps, the app has a built-in electronic map.

Timing

Wildlights officially starts at 5 p.m. (and runs til 10), but I expect the Zoo to be packed, as this event tends to be very popular. Your GPS may tell you you're going to be at the Zoo at 4:45, but it's going to take you at least another 15 minutes to get inside.

On the plus side, getting (driving) in and out of the Zoo is actually not that difficult, except for all the traffic. It's actually pretty well designed, and the parking lot is gargantuan. I usually park in the red lot, but there's no real time difference between it and the blue lot. (I think the red lot is a little more convenient when Zoombezi Bay is open.)

Where We'll Meet

We will meet at the main fountain, just inside the main gate. The fountain is just to the right (as you enter) of the main gift shop at the Zoo. You'll see a big globe over the fountain.

Other Notes

The Zoo is huge, so be prepared to do a ton of walking.

There will also be food and drink (including alcohol) options available.

Afterword (Optional)

Depending on how much time we spend looking at Christmas lights, if there's interest, we can head over to Nocterra Brewing for a drink. The actual address of the brewery is 41 Depot St, 43065; it's about five minutes from the Zoo. They also have a food truck until 8.

We will meet next to the restrooms at the Big Meadows Picnic Area. They're all the way at the back of the park, and they can be found at coordinates 40°09'08.0"N 83°01'45.1"W (near the playground and the zip line).

We'll hike about 5 miles at Highbanks Metro Park on the Dripping Rock and Overlook Trails. Afterward, we'll head over to Olentangy River Brewing for drinks, coffee, or food. Last year, the weather wasn't too terrible, and the Brewery had their patio fire pits going and we were able to sit outside. The fire pits at night are really cool.

The actual address of the brewery is 303 Green Meadows Dr S, 43035. If you can't make the hike, we should be there by 7:15.

Celebrate GOhio!'s 7th birthday with a return to the scene of our original meetup: Uncle Beth's BBQ. If you like flavorful BBQ, delicious mac and cheese, off the beaten path restaurants, and/or fun conversation, this is the event for you!

Uncle Beth's is fairly small, so attendance is capped at 12. If you don't think you'll be able to make it, please change your RSVP so someone else can take your place.

We will play TV-style game shows at Game Show Battle Rooms ("GSBR"). These will include Family Feud, Wheel of Fortune, and The Price is Right, and we will play them over the course of an hour.

The Date and Time of This Event

Saturday, February 22, 2025, at 3:00 p.m. However, if someone books the 3:00 p.m. time before I do (meaning before I have enough paid attendees), well, that's the way the cookie crumbles and we'll have to move to Plan B.

That might involve trying for either one of GSBR's 1:30 p.m. or 4:30 p.m. slots, or just cancelling the Meetup altogether. We'll cross that bridge if we get to it, but be aware of these possibilities.

Please arrive 15 minutes prior to whatever our actual showtime ends up being. (Hence, this meetup's 2:45 p.m. start time.)

Cost

The cost to play, per person, is $34.95 plus a 7.5% sales tax of $2.62, for a total cost of $37.57 per person. However, if you sign up before I actually book the event with GSBR, I'll pay your share of the sales tax because I'm a great guy, despite what you've heard. ;)

Cancellations and Refunds

Per GSBR's website: If you cancel your show 5 or more days in advance of your booking time, you will receive a full refund.

You may reduce the number of tickets and receive a refund if you provide at least 5-days’ notice.

More on this in a moment.

Number of Participants

GSBR does not run events for fewer than 6 people. I will not purchase tickets for this event with fewer than 10 paid, and I will not send out a solicitation for money without at least 12 signed up for this Meetup.

More on this below.

The Actual Exchange of Money

Tickets for GSBR events are not purchased piecemeal. I will need to book our GSBR event as a bloc. This means that everyone will need to send me his or her entrance fee via either Venmo or Paypal prior to me booking our time. Anyone failing to send me his or her money will be removed by me from this event.

Once 12+ people are signed up here for this Meetup, I will send out a DM through the Meetup messaging system to those 12+ participants with my Venmo/Paypal information. You will then have 72 hours to wire me your share of the money. After 72 hours, if I don't have money from you, I'll remove you from event.

If I don't have money from at least 10 people, I'll refund everyone's money, and we'll either re-start the process or I'll just cancel the event. I'm not going to book any event with GSBR unless I'm reasonably certain we're going to be able to run it.

Assuming I have money from 10+ people, then I will book the event through GSBR's website.

If you decide to cancel and you want a refund, you must give me time to contact GSBR with at least 5 days notice. Since the date of this event is Saturday, February 22, you have to let me know not later than Sunday, February 16, to allow me time to call GSBR not later than Monday, February 17, in order to get a refund for your share.

Once I have confirmation from GSBR for the refund, I will Venmo/Paypal the money back to you immediately from my account. (There will probably be a 3-5 day delay before GSBR actually processes the refund, but I will absorb the cost of the float and get your money back to you right away.)

"Hey, Eric! I just saw this event! Can I sign up late?"

Yes, but you still need to Venmo/Paypal your share of the booking fee (including the sales tax) to me, which will be $37.57. If I don't get it within 72 hours after you sign up (or time permitting for me to book you in with GSBR if you sign up last-minute), then I'll remove you from the event.

Mandatory GSBR Waiver Requirement

GSBR policies require that each attendee signs a liability waiver prior to the event. You can find the waiver here (on the right-hand side toward the bottom of the page under the section "Do I Need To Sign A Waiver Form?"), and I think you can also skip directly to the form here.

Denouement

Afterward, for those who are interested, we'll drown our sorrows or celebrate our exultations at Crooked Can Brewing in Hilliard. They also have food options. The actual address of the brewery is 5354 Center St, 43026.

For this event, we will do the Horses and Hot Chocolate tour at The Wilds, a ten-thousand acre conservation center in Muskingum County, and one of the largest such centers in the entire world.

For those that love horses, we will hang with The Wilds' herd as we experience a day in the life of one of their horseback specialists. This hands-on experience will give us the opportunity to learn the basics of how to properly handle and care for a horse, or shower some of these noble animals with attention.

Activities for this meetup may include feeding, grooming, tacking, or providing enrichment. We also might enjoy a friendly game or two of horseshoes and make some hoofprint art to take home with us as a souvenir to remember our new horse friends. Hot drinks and cookies will be provided by The Wilds. Giddy up!

The Date and Time of This Tour

We will be doing the 10:30 a.m. Horses and Hot Chocolate tour on Saturday, March 29. The tour is scheduled to run until noon.

When and Where We'll Meet

We'll meet in the parking lot of the Walmart Supercenter in Reynoldsburg at 8:15 a.m. The actual address of this Walmart is 2793 Taylor Rd Ext, 43068. From here, those who want may carpool, and everyone can follow me to The Wilds (for those who want to make sure they don't get lost).

Please be on time, and please fill your tank before you arrive if you plan on driving. I will leave Walmart absolutely no later than 8:30 a.m., and anyone who is not there or not ready will have to rely on someone other than me to help him or her get to The Wilds!

Finally, please do not plan on being able to ride in my car. I only have room for one, and I am unlikely to head directly back to Columbus after the Meetup in any case.

What You Need To Do To Attend

Signing up for this event on Meetup won't get you on the tour. You have to go to The Wilds' website and actually buy a ticket. I have uploaded three pictures to this event page to help you see exactly what to look for when you go out to The Wilds' website to buy your ticket.

Availability for this tour is limited to 8 seats. This is The Wilds' cap on seating -- not mine! I've capped this Meetup at 8 to match The Wilds' cap, but the ultimate arbiter of whether or not there's space to go on this Meetup is The Wilds, not me! So buy your ticket early!

In addition, tickets for this tour must be purchased at least 24 hours in advance. This means that you won't simply be able to wait and buy a ticket for this tour once you get to The Wilds.

Furthermore, Wilds' tours often fill up fast. So if you want to go, I strongly recommend, again, that you buy your ticket well in advance. Please purchase your ticket and then sign up here for this Meetup so I know how many to expect. 😄

You may be asked to sign a horseback waiver after you buy your ticket. This event actually does not include horseback riding, so I'm guessing this is some sort of technical error or oversight on The Wilds' part? Though I filled out my waiver anyway. 😁

The Cost of Tickets and Parking

The cost of a ticket for this tour is $35. This is the all-inclusive price (it includes parking, fees, and taxes). Most Wilds' tours offer a discount for Wilds members, although this particular tour does not.

Notes on Parking

We will park in their main visitor lot and ride their free shuttle to the Visitor Center. The premium parking available on some other tours is not an option for this one.

Cancellations and Refunds

Per The Wilds' policies: In order to be eligible for refund and accrue no rescheduling fees, cancellations must be made at least 14 days in advance of reservation. Cancellations made within 14 days of reservation will not receive a refund.

If you buy a ticket and later wish to cancel or seek a refund, you will have to discuss this with The Wilds. I have no involvement with this, and I won't be able to help you. Their phone number is (740) 638-5030.

Food and Drink / After the Tour

Afterwards, we will leave The Wilds and head back to Zanesville, where we will stop at Muddy Misers Restaurant for lunch. Here are pictures of their menu from April 2024; I can't guarantee the current menu will not have changed at all, but I would hope the menu pictured here is at least somewhat representative of their current selection and pricing.

The actual address of the the restaurant is 112 Muskingum Ave, Zanesville, OH 43701. It is roughly a half-hour away from The Wilds and should be on the way back to Columbus for most, if not all, of us.

Know Before You Go

• Please come dressed for the weather with coat, hat, gloves, and boots as needed. This tour is outside in an unheated barn and lasts approximately 1.5 hours. Closed-toed shoes are required.
• Cookies and the option of hot chocolate or coffee will be provided by The Wilds.
• This tour typically runs rain or shine. In the case of extreme weather or road conditions, sessions may be canceled and a refund will be offered.
• This tour does not include a horseback ride.
• No prior experience with horses is necessary! 😄

The Wilds is in a rural setting with intermittent cell and internet service. While in my experience the cell service isn't quite as bad as their website will lead you to believe, and they do have free Wi-Fi at their restaurant and gift shops, still you shouldn't assume you're going to get great or even good cell service here.

Also, do not use rideshare services (Uber/Lyft/taxi, etc.) to travel to The Wilds. Even if you manage to find a ride there, there are no rideshare programs that serve the rural area of the state where The Wilds is located, likely leaving you stuck.

The gas station nearest The Wilds, which is either this this Sunoco station or these gas stations depending on how you go, is approximately 15 miles away from The Wilds. Please plan accordingly.

Directions to The Wilds

This is the way I generally take to The Wilds from Columbus. They've been doing major construction in Zanesville, though, so it's possible these directions might need to be altered a bit. Basically, once you exit I-70, you need to get to SR 146 E and take it to SR 284. At that point, huge signs will make it impossible for you to miss The Wilds (whose actual address is 14000 International Rd, Cumberland, OH 43732).

1. I-70 E to Zanesville, Exit 155. The exit naturally turns to the right and will take you south on 7th St.
2. Take 7th St. to SR 146 E (Marietta St.), where you will turn left (east).*
3. Follow SR 146 E for around 10 miles to SR 284, on which you will turn right.
4. Proceed around 7 miles to International Road, on which you will turn left.
5. Proceed 1/2 mile to The Wilds' entrance.

*Google Maps might have you instead turn left off of 7th onto Main, then right on 9th, then left onto Marietta. That's fine too.