Stop #60: Toledo - Lucas County, Ohio

Stop #60 of our “Help Ellen Achieve World Domination in 2010: Ohio 88 County Tour” took us to Toledo, Ohio. On our way into Toledo we stumbled across the Providence Metropark and just had to jump on “The Volunteer.” “The Volunteer” and the metropark’s Canal Experience weren’t in full swing yet – but we had a great time exploring and plan to come back for the full experience!

On the 60th stop of our “Help Ellen Achieve World Domination in 2010: Ohio 88 County Tour” we travelled from Toledo’s Providence MetroPark to downtown Toledo for a quick peek at the Toledo Mud Hens.

Our last stop on Stop #60 of our “Help Ellen Achieve World Domination in 2010: Ohio 88 County Tour” included a visit with our favorite U of Toledo student and a personalized campus tour!

Stop #59: Napoleon - Henry County

Well, here we are on our 59th stop of our “Help Ellen Achieve World Domination in 2010: Ohio 88 County Tour” and we have landed in Napoleon, Ohio. Napoleon is the county seat of Henry County and is located in Northwest Ohio.

Henry County, founded in 1820, is home to over 29,000 Ohioans. This is the first time we’ve “discovered” Napoleon – but if we ever get back this way, we’ll be sure to “Rediscover Napoleon” – as the sign says, “Why Not?”

Ooops!

04/19/2010:

We’re still traveling northwestern Ohio on our ninth day of travels for our “Help Ellen Achieve World Domination in 2010: Ohio 88 County Tour” and oops what is this? Indiana? We definitely made a wrong turn somewhere…

Time to get out the maps and get ourselves back on track for our “Help Ellen Achieve World Domination in 2010: Ohio 88 County Tour” – we think we’ll leave “Indiana Domination” for another trip!

Aaah – this is more like it – back to Ohio and back to our “Help Ellen Achieve World Domination in 2010: Ohio 88 County Tour.”

Stop #58: Wauseon - Fulton County, Ohio

04/19/2010:

We made it to stop #58 of our “Help Ellen Achieve World Domination in 2010: Ohio 88 County Tour” around noon on our ninth day of travels. This stop in Wauseon, which is the county seat of Fulton County, proved to be another pleasant surprise.

Of course, the first thing we found on stop #58 of our “Help Ellen Achieve World Domination in 2010: Ohio 88 County Tour” in Wauseon, Fulton County, Ohio was another cannon!

We couldn’t resist a visit to “South Park” on stop #58 of our “Help Ellen Achieve World Domination in 2010: Ohio 88 County Tour” in Wauseon, Fulton County, Ohio.

We made time for a train ride at the Wauseon Depot in Fulton County, Ohio.

Time to jump off the train and get back in the car as we prepare to leave stop #58 of our “Help Ellen Achieve World Domination in 2010: Ohio 88 County Tour” - Wauseon, Fulton County, Ohio.

Stop #57: Bryan - Williams County, Ohio

04/19/2010:
From Defiance we traveled to the very northwest corner of Ohio to Bryan, county seat of Williams County, for Stop #57 of our “Help Ellen Achieve World Domination in 2010: Ohio 88 County Tour.” It was a busy day in Bryan – lots of construction going on downtown – once we felt “Ellen” had made her mark in Williams County, these two fans hightailed it out of there before we ended up on the wrong end of a bulldozer.

Stop #56: Defiance - Defiance, Ohio

04/19/2010:

Our second stop on day nine of travels for our mission to “Help Ellen Achieve World Domination in 2010” by ensuring domination of our little part of the world – Ohio – brought us to Defiance, Ohio. Fresh out of the car, we met two lovely fans of Ellen and The Ellen DeGeneres Show who were more than happy to get in a picture and give us some advice on spots to visit while in Defiance – thanks, ladies!

While on Stop #56 of our “Help Ellen Achieve World Domination in 2010: Ohio 88 County Tour” we took the advice of two of Ellen’s fans in Defiance, Ohio who pointed us in the direction of Fort Defiance. The fort was built at the confluence of the Auglaize and Maumee Rivers in 1794.

Of course, you know we found more cannons at Fort Defiance – but we gave it a rest for this stop – and instead are sending along a shot of the river from Stop #56 of our “Help Ellen Achieve World Domination in 2010: Ohio 88 County Tour” in Defiance, Ohio.

Stop #55: Lima - Allen County, Ohio

04/19/2010:

We were up bright and early to begin our ninth day of travels along our “Help Ellen Achieve World Domination in 2010: Ohio 88 County Tour.” Our first stop of the day was in Lima, Allen County, Ohio. Allen County is in northwest Ohio and is home to over 108,000 Ohioans – most of whom must still be in bed because it was pretty quiet downtown.

These Ellen fans are feeling cannon fever! Everywhere we look on our “Help Ellen Achieve World Domination in 2010: Ohio 88 County Tour”– we spot another one! This one was in Lima, Ohio – located in Allen County in the northwest portion of the state. We’re thinking a little blast from this baby ought to wake the town up!

Stop #54: Ottawa - Putnam County, Ohio

What a surprise Putnam County had for us - roaming around the county seat of Ottawa on Stop #54 of our "Help Ellen Achieve World Domination in 2010: Ohio 88 County Tour" we stumbled upon another set of murals...

This many-paned mural in Ottawa, Ohio, found on Stop #54 of our “Help Ellen Achieve World Domination in 2010: Ohio 88 County Tour” shows “A Celebration of Progress” starting in 1834.

The murals, celebrating 175 years of progress, were dedicated on June 20, 2009 and were painted by artists Bruce Stowe and Oscar Velasquez.

Looks like we were a little late for the elections – but we were just in time to see the beautiful murals in Ottawa, Ohio - Stop #54 of our “Help Ellen Achieve World Domination in 2010: Ohio 88 County Tour”.

Time for a short rest after all our site-seeing on Stop #54 of our “Help Ellen Achieve World Domination in 2010: Ohio 88 County Tour” in Ottawa, Putnam County, Ohio.

Stop #53: Paudling County, Ohio

04/18/2010

Just a quick stop at the county line as Stop #53 of our “Help- Ellen Achieve World Domination in 2010: Ohio 88 County Tour” brings us to Paulding County, Ohio. Paulding is located in northwestern Ohio and the county is home to over 20,000 Ohioans!

Stop #52: Van Wert - Van Wert County, Ohio

We are working our way north along the western border of Ohio during this eighth day of travels for our “Help Ellen Achieve World Domination in 2010: Ohio 88 County Tour” and found ourselves another cannon during Stop #52 in downtown Van Wert, county seat of Van Wert County.

Stop #51: Celina - Mercer County, Ohio

Stop #51 on our “Help Ellen Achieve World Domination in 2010: Ohio 88 County Tour” was a delightful visit to Celina, Ohio in Mercer County. Mercer County is located on the central western border of Ohio. What we didn’t know is that Celina is also home to Grand Lake St. Marys – one of the more welcome and beautiful sites we’ve come across during our travels throughout Ohio. Ellen’s fans might also enjoy a visit to this beautiful lake – there’s plenty to do and lots to see!

From lighthouses to boating to sightseeing and more, finding Grand Lake St. Marys on Stop #51 of our “Help Ellen Achieve World Domination in 2010: Ohio 88 County Tour” in Celina, Ohio was a welcome surprise.

Mercer County, Ohio – Stop #51 of our “Help- Ellen Achieve World Domination in 2010: Ohio 88 County Tour” is on the Ohio/Indiana Border and is home to over 40,000 Ohioans.

Fiftieth Stop: Wapakoneta - Auglaize County, Ohio

Stop #50 on our “Help Ellen Achieve World Domination in 2010: Ohio 88 County Tour” brings us to Wapakoneta in Auglaize County, Ohio, where we “landed” at the Neil Armstrong Air & Space Museum.

Forty-ninth Stop: Sidney - Shelby County, Ohio

Oh, boy, we are moving right along here on our “Help Ellen Achieve World Domination in 2010: Ohio 88 County Tour.” We’ve made it to our 49th county – Shelby – and made a quick stop at the border for a picture!

Forty-eighth Stop: Bellefontaine - Logan County, Ohio

04/18/2010: 
Our second stop on day eight of our “Help Ellen Achieve World Domination in 2010: Ohio 88 County Tour” was in Bellefontaine, county seat of Logan County, Ohio where we found The Oldest Concrete Street in America!

We’re working our way through the northwest corner of Ohio on this trip of our “Help Ellen Achieve World Domination in 2010: Ohio 88 County Tour” and Stop #48 brings us to Bellefontaine in Logan County.

Forty-seventh Stop: Kenton - Hardin County, OH

04/18/2010:
Well, here we go. It’s our eighth day of road trips and we have cut across the state to begin in northwestern Ohio. Our first stop of this leg of our “Help Ellen Achieve World Domination in 2010: Ohio 88 County Tour.” is Stop #47 – Kenton, Hardin County, OH.

Forty-sixth Stop: Kent - Portage County, OH

04/17/2010 It’s the end of a short day of travels and here we are at Kent State University for Stop #46 of our “Help Ellen Achieve World Domination in 2010: Ohio 88 County Tour” in Portage County, Ohio. It’s pretty quiet around here – everyone must be inside studying!

It’s time to gather up some of these books and head to bed for some intense reading! Our last stop for this day was in Portage County, Ohio at Kent State University for Stop #46 of our “Help Ellen Achieve World Domination in 2010: Ohio 88 County Tour.”

Forty-fifth Stop: Medina - Medina County, OH

Stop #45 on our “Help Ellen Achieve World Domination in 2010: Ohio 88 County Tour is in downtown Medina in Northeast Ohio. Medina County is home to over 151,000 Ohioans.

On Stop #45 of our “Help Ellen Achieve World Domination in 2010: Ohio 88 County Tour in Medina County we found another “county clock”. While we have found clocks (and cannons!) in almost every county seat, we’ve yet to figure out if there is a story behind them.

We're Halfway There!

We’re Halfway There!

44 Counties Down –

44 To Go

on Our “Help Ellen Achieve World Domination in 2010: Ohio 88 County Tour.”

We have had so much fun helping "Ellen" to dominate our little part of the world! We're also feeling relieved that we don't live in Texas or Alaska - although, who knows, could be fun!

But for now will stick with our motto of: Today - Ohio. Tomorrow - The World!

(Okay, maybe we are getting just a little carried away ...!)

Forty-fourth Stop: Akron - Summit County, OH

04/17/2010:

Day 7 and Stop #44 – We’re Halfway There - of our travels to “Help Ellen Achieve World Domination in 2010” and our “Ohio 88 County Tour” begins in Akron in Summit County, Ohio and a visit to Quaker Square. The Quaker Square Inn at The University of Akron Hotel in the background is a converted silo complex that once held more than 1.5 million grain bushels and is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places!

We kind of got the feeling that someone was watching over our shoulder as we stopped at Quaker Square in Akron, Ohio for the 44th stop of our “Help Ellen Achieve World Domination in 2010: Ohio 88 County Tour.”

Ohio is full of beautiful parks and we couldn’t miss the opportunity to bring “Ellen” to Brandywine Falls in Summit County as part of our 44th Stop of our “Help Ellen Achieve World Domination in 2010: Ohio 88 County Tour.”

Not only are Ohio’s parks beautiful but the waterfalls are spectacular – here’s one in Brandywine Falls in Summit County where we stopped along our “Help Ellen Achieve World Domination in 2010: Ohio 88 County Tour.”

Forty-third Stop: New Lexington - Perry County, OH

04/10/2010:

One last stop on this sixth day of travels, and it’s Stop #43 of our “Help Ellen Achieve World Domination in 2010: Ohio 88 County Tour” and we are in New Lexington, county seat of Perry County, Ohio – and, you guessed it, we found another cannon!

One more picture before we leave Stop #43 of our “Help Ellen Achieve World Domination in 2010: Ohio 88 County Tour” New Lexington, Ohio. We’ve got a three-hour drive ahead of us before we can call it a day – so it’s time to mosey on down the road.

Forty-second Stop: Lancaster - Fairfield County, OH

04/10/2010:

Our 42nd stop of our “Help Ellen Achieve World Domination in 2010: Ohio 88 County Tour” is in Lancaster. Lancaster is the county seat of Fairfield County in Central Ohio and Fairfield County, founded in 1818, is home to over 122,000 Ohioans.

We’ve made it to Stop #42 of our “Help Ellen Achieve World Domination in 2010: Ohio 88 County Tour” and look who we’ve found hanging around in downtown Lancaster, Fairfield County,Ohio!

Forty-first Stop: Logan - Hocking County, OH

04/10/2010:

We are working our way back north and on Stop #41 of our “Help Ellen Achieve World Domination in 2010: Ohio 88 County Tour” we’ve come to Logan, the county seat of Hocking County, Ohio.

While on Stop #41 of our “Help Ellen Achieve World Domination in 2010: Ohio 88 County Tour” in Logan, Ohio, we’re beginning to see another pattern – a welcome one – not only is Ohio full of cannons but there are beautiful murals to be found in some of the most unexpected spots.

You never know who you’ll find behind the reins – look who’s doing the driving on Stop #41 of our “Help Ellen Achieve World Domination in 2010: Ohio 88 County Tour”!

We’ve had a great time in Hocking County, Ohio on our 41st Stop of our “Help Ellen Achieve World Domination in 2010: Ohio 88 County Tour” but we have a lot of ground to cover before we get home and we’re pretty sure this wagon isn’t going to cut it.