1980 : 1981 : 1982 : 1983 : 1984 : 1985 : 1986 : 1987 : 1988 : 1989

1980

VOLLEYBALL

This is the first summer of the Monday night volleyball program at Whetstone Park. It became a popular social and athletic event for the summer.

T-SHIRT

A Columbus Council AYH t-shirt was designed by Joe Honton. Many shirts were sold over several years. The problem was that the supplier mistook the order and made 500 size large when we wanted only 50 size large. After several years we gave away the remaining shirts. The logo was the outline of the U.S. with the AYH triangle focusing in on Columbus Ohio and saying "We're still discovering America!"

BIKE RENTAL

The Council agreed to operate bike rentals at two metro parks, Blacklick Woods and Sharon Woods. Sixty bikes were available to use within the parks. People were hired to operate these rentals. The park provided a building and electric. We provided phone service, advertising and the operation. We kept 95% of the net income. The operation was a success this first year in that it nearly paid for the cost of the bikes.

MID WEST REGIONAL MEETING

Columbus hosted the meeting at the Malabar Farm Hostel on September 13 & 14. Delegates from the Councils in Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Ohio, Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana attended this semi-annual meeting. The meeting provides a forum for delegates to plan for the future of AYH and to learn what others are doing.

LICKING RIVER TRIP

After many days of heavy rain several people from the boating community canoed and kayaked the Licking River from Newark to Stadden's Bridge. One of the highlights on this section of the trip was the profusion of birds along the waterway. They continued on to Toboso through the beautiful Black Hand Gorge.

FLOCKING TO THE HOCKING

This year there were 40 people at breakfast. The temperature got to 21 after a morning low of 10. The armada of 2 trailers with 17 canoes plus many cars with canoes on top left for the Clear Creek junction of Hocking River after breakfast at Charlie Pace's house. They had to break the ice but still enjoyed a day in the sun and eating outside at scenic Rock Bridge. As usually they celebrated Red Davis' birthday.

1981

BOATING SCHOOLS

Each year Columbus Council has more boating schools with five this year plus many roll sessions for kayakers. There is Basic Canoe School to develop skills in basic canoe handling and safety with emphasis on learning the different paddle strokes on still water. River Canoe School teaches paddling skills on moving water, including river canoeing techniques and river reading, canoe safety, and the basics of leading a canoe trip. Red Cross Whitewater Clinic is similar to AYH River Canoe School with more emphasis on first aid and safety. Closed Boat School (given twice, spring and summer) is for potential kayakers and other closed boaters at both novice and intermediate levels.

CAVING

An extensive report by John Krietzburg relates the surveying of Sand Cave to find that it is connected to Tygart's Cave. This is just one of the many cave exploring trips that Columbus Council has undertaken to the benefit of all cavers.

COMPUTER MAILING LIST

The old system of keeping a membership rooster on index cards with an addressograph plate was changed to a computer system in early 1981. And instead of taking the cover of each Buckeye Hosteler and stamping the addressograph plate on it; simply to make labels that could be put on by many people was a revolution.

CROSS COUNTRY SKIING

The best cross country skiing is available in Lake Placid New York. Naturally the Columbus bunch planned a trip to here to enjoy two days of beautiful trail skiing with just the right amount of snow.

MONTHLY MEETING

After many years of having the monthly membership meeting at Center Of Science & Industry the Council moved to the First Unitarian Church at 93 West Weisheimer Road.

CYCLING UNDER YOUR OWN POWER

The Council hired Ohio State University photography department to make a bicycling film showing the fun of every type of bicycling. The cost of production was about $12,000 and with a sale price of $200 the cost of production was nearly recouped in just a few years. The editorial board from AYH included Diane Cattran, Dick Seebode and Ed Honton. Their efforts made sure that the film showed only the correct and safe way to bicycle.

HOME HOSTELS

Under the leadership of A.M. Lendacki a major campaign was launched to find and license home hostels along all the new cross state bike route. Under her guidance the Council chartered about a dozen new home hostels.

SCHROCK ROAD BIKEWAY

The bicyclists in the Council came out in great numbers to support placing a five foot bicycle lane on each side of Schrock Road from Busch Boulevard near Worthington to State Street in Westerville. This facility is to be built when Schrock Road is widened to four lanes. The final design will even have an interchange type system at the entrance to Sharon Woods Metro Park so that those bicyclist on the south side of Schrock Road can cross under without motor vehicle traffic.

RANDONNEURS

The series of rides in preparation for the Paris-Brest-Paris event are know as randonneurs (french term referring to a long distance specialist). Dick Seebode organized rides for 200 kilometers in 14 hours, 300 Km in 24 hours, 400 Km in 27 hours, 600 Km in 40 hours and 1000 Km in 72 hours. These rides must be completed in order and are required to be a participant in P-B-P.

VAN

The Council purchased a used 15 passenger Dodge Maxi-Van for use on trips. This was to allow members who did not own motor vehicles to lead trips and as a supplemental vehicle for boating trips, sag wagon on bike trips and like uses.

CAESAR CREEK

The newest hostel in the Columbus Councils chain was opened at Caesar Creek in December. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources leased this old house to the Council. It has a common room, small dining area, large kitchen and two dormitory rooms on the second floor. A new signed bike route was planned from OSU campus to the hostel, an 85 mile ride.

1982

TOP OF OHIO HUNDRED

The first Top Of Ohio Hundred started with a choice of bicycling 25, 62 or 100 miles from Dublin to Bellefontaine.

CONSTITUTION

A new Constitution of Columbus Council American Youth Hostels, Inc. was approved by the membership on June 3, 1982. The constitution was revised to be more in line with current practices.

BIKE RIDE OF THE MONTH

Another new idea for bicyclists was a bike ride of the month. The idea was to have a short ride of 10 or less miles and a long route of about 25 miles for the 8 good riding months of the year. A patch could be purchased for those who completed 6 of the 8 rides. Each month there was one lead ride, however, a map was in the Buckeye Hosteler and the route was painted with arrows on the road so a person could ride it on their own.

CAESAR CREEK SOLSTICE RIDE

The first Caesar Creek Solstice Ride was organized by Ron Eisele to feature the Caesar Creek Hostel. The start was across the reservoir from the hostel and was planned so that no matter whether you rode the 25, 50 or 100 mile route you would be able to enjoy lunch at the hostel.

1983

MID OHIO CENTURY

The Delaware Bicycle Club disbanded this year so Columbus Council took over the nine year old Mid Ohio Century and continued it in its grand tradition.

1984

ROCK CLIMBING

A renewal in the interest of rock climbing brought forth a new leader in Rick Hoechstetter. New equipment was purchased with the idea of rock climbing at Clifton Gorge Ohio, and Seneca Rocks West Virginia.

HEART OF OHIO HOSTEL

A great deal of effort, volunteer labor and money went into the building at 95 East Twelfth Avenue. The new hostel was used as a dental fraternity house until it was given to the Ohio State University Trustees. The house has the looks of a Frank Lloyd Wright design. The interior of the building was fixed up, painted and some renovations took place. The major need was a partitioned off area for the house parent. The house had five rental rooms, a house parents apartment, and two dormitory rooms for 8 men and 8 women.

BIKE MARATHON

To provide a challenge for the long distance bicycle rider a ride called Bicycle Marathon Of Columbus was started. The event started in New California (northwest of Dublin) and the rider went to Caesar Creek Hostel and return plus additional loops giving 200 miles.

1985

BUDGET TOUR

Budget Tours were started costing 50 cents. These rides provided a map, arrows on the road, and limited sag service. The first ride was the Covered Bridge Century in the fall of 1984. In 1985 Ride The Darby was added.

1986

SATURDAY BREAKFAST RIDE

A new starting place was found for the popular ride to the Dutch Kitchen. Because of increase traffic out of Dublin the ride start was moved. Sherex allowed the bicyclists to park in their lot on Saturday to go riding in Madison County.

GOURMET RIDE

Just when you think there is no idea left for a bicycle ride, the AYHers find one. The first Gourmet Ride was an event starting at Madison Lake State Park. A person could bicycle 10, 25 or 62 miles before returning to the park to play volleyball or swim. But this was not the real reason for the ride. The organizers arranged with the Gourmet Market of Grandview to supply some very good food. The first event had over 125 participants. The AYHers know when to show up!

CAVING PROGRAM

The Council has about six caving trips for beginners. Experienced leaders take small groups on one day trips to user-friendly caves in Kentucky. Most cave trips are weekend trips to West Virginia or central Kentucky where there is a choice of the type of trip (horizontal or vertical, wet or dry). During the past year the trips had been to one cave with passages that had no human in them before and to three caves that had no known human in them before. Some trips are to help map a cave, or work a dig in hopes of opening up more cave, some are just to tour the cave.

1987

HIKE

A special hike at Greenlawn Cemetery was held on Halloween. Because of the time and place 94 people signed up! What a surprise for the leader.

INTERPRETIVE AMERICA AWARD

This year AYH started the Interpretive America Award. It was given to the Malabar Farm houseparent, Joe Fodor. Joe had a strong and well conceived program to interpret the area at Malabar Farm Hostel.

PRAISE FOR COLUMBUS COUNCIL

E. J. Honton, the current secretary of National AYH Board and past president visited the Council Board meeting and pointed out many facts to the Board. Columbus Council, on its 50th anniversary is the oldest Council that is still active. The Council started out with an emphasis on square dancing but had shifted to canoeing as a main attraction by the fifties. Scott Warner started home hostels and the Fanny Bumper; he and Charlie Pace led reorganization of the National AYH in the early seventies. Patch rides started in Columbus. Bikecentenial grew from our activities. Seebode organized a bike program which has reached our present form. The National AYH Strategic Plan was developed with major assistance by people from Columbus.

FINANCIAL REPORT

The Council purchased three computer systems this year: one for Buckeye Hosteler and TOSRV, one for membership and one for general use. New folding and stapling equipment was purchased to aid in the production of the Buckeye Hosteler. The Council donated $5000 to the new Washington D.C. International Hostel. The Council has an outstanding "Letter of Credit" to the New York Hostel project. We had also loaned Potomac Area Council funds to help get the Baltimore Hostel started.

1988

RED BARN HOSTEL

The Council agreed to loan $14,000 to the Wisconsin Council to make improvements their Red Barn Hostel near Milwaukee. It has been the policy of Columbus Council to loan funds to worthy hostel projects in the United States when these projects often could find no other funding.

HIKING

The hiking program showed real promise in 1988 with 310 hikers on 20 different trips. The varied program provided swimming after one hike and often went places to experience Ohio history and nature. Several trips were made around Columbus to see the Ohio Theater, the Zoo, jazz musicians and Christmas Lights.

1989

GREAT OHIO BICYCLE ADVENTURE

The Board voted to sponsor a new event in cooperation with the Ohio Department of Development. The ride was to have a full time director and commercial sponsors. The emphasis was to be on family vacation. The daily ride was to be about 50 miles highlighting tourist attractions like historical sites, factories, museums, and outdoor plays. The first year had over 1200 participants. The first GOBA toured west central Ohio visiting Yellow Springs, Lebanon, Wilmington, Springfield, Bellefontaine, Wapakoneta, and Piqua.

This event is expected to make some profit for the Council. The Board agreed from the beginning that excess of income over expenses would be used to benefit the bicycling community within Ohio. The first year the excess funds were used to repair a portion of the T. J. Evans Bike Path between Granville and Alexandria.

AYH PHILOSOPHY

During a visit to Columbus by the National Executive Director, Dick Martyr, he pointed out how AYH can make the world a better place to live. In Columbus, we have one of the strongest activity programs in the country. Activities are the key to the future of hosteling and are part of the hosteling spirit. From activities, the use of hostels will grow and become the melting pot that enables the youth of today to meet their counterpart from all over the world. With this awareness of how other people live will come an awareness of the need for all people to work together for the betterment of the world environment. Who knows how many future leaders of the world may emerge from the hosteling experience of today.

SECRETARY

In May the Board hired the first paid staff for operation of the Council. With nearly 3000 members and an ever increasing work load for volunteers it was agreed that we needed an office to provide better service for our members. Ann Gerckens became the secretary with the office at 41 Croswell Road. The office shared space with the Great Ohio Bicycle Adventure. One of the fears of the Board was that we would have less volunteer support under this new arrangement. In actuality there were even more volunteers.

VELO-POLICE

The Grandview police department started a police bicycle patrol. Since they planned on riding without bicycle helmets, Columbus Council agreed to donate new helmets to them. It was felt this was very important as police are looked at as role models by many young people.

50th ANNIVERSARY

On October 20, 1989 a party was held at the Heart Of Ohio AYH-Hostel to celebrate the 50 years that Columbus Council had been in existence.

CAVE

During this year there were eight trips for beginners (schools), several evening vertical climbing seminars and caves in West Virginia, Kentucky, Indiana, Tennessee and Alabama were probed.

BOAT

The boating program had as many schools as in the past and had a very good year because of the amount of rain that fell. There were many new leaders. The youth was put back into the boating program with two trips specifically for youths.