This fall, enjoy the ride

The family car was a 1965 Nash Rambler station wagon. Just like B.B. King had his famous guitar Lucille and Davey Crocket his beloved longrifle Old Betsy, Dad had several names that he called that old car. Unfortunately, I repeated them in front of Mom and she quickly corrected my grammar with a bar of Ivory. When it ran, which included having air in all four tires (another story which earned a new name), the car was a perfect ride for a couple of kids and a dad who cared little for tight schedules. There was room for a cooler, fishing rods, the occasional dog and enough space that two boys wouldn't accidentally touch each other while sharing the back seat. We weren't the rich kids on our road, unless you'd discovered how to count something other than money. If you'd figured that out, we were some of the wealthiest I've ever known. Like a lot of dads, he worked some hard jobs and came home tired. That made his time even more valuable. He also knew that a lot of book learning was of little value unless you learned something about the world outside that old car's windows. It usually started with, "Let's go for a ride," with destinations chosen more by chance than by planning. I know that the lack of known objectives sometimes concerned Mom, but she learned to just sit back, relax and enjoy the ride. Autumn was a favorite time for that old Nash to be piloted along the back roads, especially those around Beaver Creek State Park and the traces of the Sandy Beaver Canal which once traversed 73 miles from the Ohio-Erie Canal at Bolivar to the Ohio River at Glasgow, Pennsylvania. While many of its 90 locks are just a memory, a few existed that could be explored. The striking scarlets, bronzes and yellows of the trees, the unforgettable aroma of wet leaves, a chance meeting of a hognose snake, or the exploration of what was under an old log; these simple rides somehow transformed into an adventure no less intriguing than Baum's "Oz" or Sunday evening's "Wild Kingdom." I'm sure it was those early experiences that have made autumn so refreshing, so memory evoking and such an emotionally fulfilling time of the year. The season's crispness is like giving your soul a bite of a big Red Delicious apple. While autumn officially began on Sept. 22, its changes are just now ready to be noticed. Redwings are flocking together for their trek south, whitetails are feeling the pull of the arriving rutting season and fox squirrels scurry to bury their winter's stores of nuts. The maples are transforming to gold and crimson while oaks offer their blushing competition. Sunlight, temperature, rainfall and wind are the conditions used to predict autumn changes and the length of time we enjoy the seasonal bursts of color. Unfortunately, these predictions can be as reliable as the weatherman's forecast. Bright sunny days and cool nights tend to make red, orange and bronze leaves more vivid. Early frosts cause trees to prematurely build an abscission layer, a barrier between the leaves and branches. This prevents carbohydrates and water from passing in and out of leaves, thus turning them earlier. Colors like gold, yellow, brown and orange show through creating a spectacular display in hickory, birch and beech trees. Changes begin in the North and gradually drift their exhibition southward. For the best chance of seeing color this weekend, head toward your favorite northern Ohio state park, forest, preserve or wildlife area. Trees near bodies of water tend to change first. "We're entering prime viewing season as autumn's spectacular colors come into focus," said Ohio Dept. of Natural Resources Fall Color Forester Jamie Regula. "Now is the perfect time to plan your fall adventure with our state's beautiful scenic leaves as the backdrop." To find the most eye-catching leaves throughout the season, check out the official guide to the changing colors at ODNR's fall color website. It includes weekly updates, ideas for scenic road trips, available overnight accommodations at Ohio State Parks and other fun activities from around the state. Visit https://ohio.org/wps/portal/gov/tourism/home/seasons/fall to help plan autumn's memories. If you're lucky, you'll have somebody to serve as a willing chauffer who has little care for a schedule and a lot for you. If so, sit back, relax and enjoy the ride. "It's the first day of autumn! A time of hot chocolatey mornings, and toasty marshmallow evenings and, best of all, leaping into leaves!" — Winnie the Pooh, "Pooh's Grand Adventure" Along the Way With a "great hunting deserves great cooking" philosophy behind the popular "MeatEater" Netflix series, it wasn't long before that innovative programing spawned another great idea. The "MeatEater" crew has teamed up in a collaborative effort with Federal Premium Ammunition to campaign a line of shells for the ammo connoisseur, conservationist and meat eater. The roster includes Federal Premium's Trophy Copper rifle ammunition, 3RD Degree turkey loads and the new Bismuth shotshells for waterfowl and upland hunting. Having had a lot of experience hunting and shooting Federal products, I know that "MeatEater" chose a great partner. The loads selected are among the best available, whatever your hunting situation. Of course, there's a twist to the newly branded ammo. The "MeatEater" series has something no other ammo manufacturer can tout. What's just as good as the ammunition's performance are the delicious recipes found on Federal's "MeatEater" boxes. The Trophy Copper loads include a barbecie wild game rib recipe which Steve Rinella, the show's star, promises to be as tender and as good as any pork ribs. The new Bismuth waterfowl and upland loads include his goose leg confit recipe and the 3RD Degree turkey loads are adorned with a photo and recipe of Rinella's favorite: golden turkey schnitzel. Best of all, Federal's game loads support conservation. For example, proceeds from all 3RD Degree loads go directly to help fund the National Wild Turkey Federation's Save the Habitat, Save the Hunt initiative. "We feel a deep responsibility to articulate the importance of conservation in our content and engage in meaningful support of conservation efforts so that our community can follow our lead to better our shared hunting and fishing environment," said Josh Prestin, "MeatEater's" vice president of business development. Step Outside • Wednesday is the registration deadline for the Bing Beall Youth Pheasant Hunt to take place Oct. 24. Sponsored by Hancock County Pheasants Forever, youth ages 11-17 may participate. Space is limited. Registration information can be found at www.facebook.com/PheasantsForeverHancockCountyChapter. Contact meplesec@coopertire.com. • Thursday and Friday: Trap and skeet, open to the public, 5 p.m., UCOA, 6943 Marion Township 243. • Oct. 17 is the registration deadline for the Youth Pheasant Hunt sponsored by Pheasants Forever which will be held at the WR Hunt Club, 5690 County Road 237, Clyde. It's planned for Oct. 24 and space is limited. Contact Scott Mead at 419-332-0221 or Harry Burroughs at 419-603-9674. • Oct. 17 is the registration deadline for the Veteran's Pheasant Hunt sponsored by Pheasants Forever. It will be held Oct. 25 at the WR Hunt Club in Clyde. It's planned for Oct. 24 and space is limited. Golf carts will be provided for those in need. Contact Mead or Burroughs at the above numbers. • Oct. 31: Glenn A. Kuenzli Memorial Youth Mentor Hunt in Wyandot County. Youth ages 11-17 may participate by filling out the registration form found on the organization's Facebook page or email WyandotPF@gmail.com. Call or text Rick Dunn at 419-366-6531 for more details. Abrams is a retired wildlife officer supervisor for the state Division of Wildlife in Findlay. He can be reached at P.O. Box 413, Mount Blanchard, OH 45867-0413 or via email at jimsfieldnotes@aol.com.