Run 52: Mt. Washington

This week took our run took us to the alphabetic end of the Cincinnati “Mounts” and to the geographic end of Cincinnati’s eastside. That's to say, we ran in Mt. Washington.

Mt. Washington is home to the largest neighborhood sign this side of the Mississippi, and second only to Hollywood. After getting acquainted with the big sign, we headed to Stanbery Park.  There we discovered this Salamander that brought to mind our raccoon friend from Mt Airy, but was slightly less ominous.

I was excited to visit Stanbery Park for what appeared to be a good number of trails that we could explore. Unfortunately, at the head of nearly every trail was this sign:

Kayla the rule follower didn't want to test the authority of the park sign, so we trudged on. We decided to make a couple of loops around the interior of the park, which is quite spacious and also a popular make-out spot for local teens (not pictured).

Because the closed trails threatened to cut our tour short, we needed to find an alternate route. Kayla came up with the idea of venturing into the Mt. Washington Cemetery.

After crossing through the gates, we found this ornate gravestone dedicated to a man who was lost at sea.

The graveyard was a great pick from a running standpoint. The wide gravel path made for a great running surface. From the graveyard we made our rounds through some residential blocks. The mix of homes brought to mind Kennedy Heights and Hartwell.  Still, Mt. Washington has its own feel as it is one of Cincinnati’s "annexed" neighborhoods, which is evident from the viaduct that separates it from the rest of the city.

One of the buildings that stands alone in Mt. Washington is the elementary school which maintains a classic vibe even after its recent renovation.

On our return loop, we took a jaunt through the business district.  To the one-time ice-cream saleslady Kayla, the cornerstone of the business district is the Mt. Washington Creamy Whip. First, she made me cross Beechmont Ave. and get the perfect shot of her striding by the storefront.

Then she had me cross back over four lanes of traffic Frogger style and get this shot of her lounging in front of the Creamy Whip signage.

Finally, she insisted that we return to the Creamy Whip later that day.  

As I was enjoying my swirl, the little kid at the table next to us who said, "Hey, Dad look at that guy!" I looked over to see this kid pointing at me. From this picture, I can only guess that he was concerned that the cone was larger than my head.

Kayla's edit:  This was actually hysterical.  I mean, what's to see?  A guy eating a creamy whip in his Saeed and Little jersey?  The kid's dad had to manually turn his head to keep him from staring.  Ha!

We had a great run around Mt. Washington and we left with more than a few good reasons to return.  Here are a few: (1) the prospect of open trails at Stanbery Park, (2) the Mt. Washington Creamy Whip, and (3) a Little Caesars where I can grab a Hot-N-Ready to bring to my next potluck.

To see the entire route go here: http://www.usatf.org/routes/view.asp?rID=523637