Category: Hiking/Running/Caving/Zip Lining

Running Team: Jacque Kelly, Dave Miller, Debbie “The Orca” Miller

Date:  September 2017

We love to run funny or unique theme races. Chick-Fil-A sponsored this first annual race. When we arrived for registration the sunrise was beautiful (Photo#1). Jacque and I dressed in cow suits as “fitness cows” and won the best dressed contest (Photo#2). We won a basket of Chick-Fil-A memorabilia. We shed the costumes and ran the race which wound through the Voice of America Park. Debbie wore a cat costume and walked the entire race. She almost passed out from the heat. Jacque finished second in her age group and I finished third in my age group. We won cow bells. Deb was checked at the finish line by Dr. Cow (Photo#4). Highly recommend this fun race. Lots of booths with free giveaways and lots of cows. 

Running Team: Dave Miller, Jacque Kelly, Holly Miller

Date: July 3, 2015

This was a special race as it was my first since my cancer went into remission 9 months before. My daughters ran with me as we ran a course to and from Wax Park through a residential area and around the Moraine Airpark. They slowed the pace down and stayed with me the entire way.  

Running Team: Dave Miller, Holly Miller, Jacque Kelly

Date: April 17, 2016

My daughters challenged me to recover from cancer, get in shape and run this race with them. So I did. We drove to Orlando’s Walt Disney World for the Inaugural Star Wars 10K. The day before the race after checking in we enjoyed the runners exhibition hall and posed in some neat Star Wars scenes with robot BB-8 (Photo#1) and in the Death Star. We woke at 4am to arrive in the staging area by 4:45am. To beat the brutal Florida sun the race began at 5:30am. Most of the runners wore some type of Star Wars costume. The 10K had 12,174 participants. Since there was so many runners we treated the race as a fun run. It was still dark when the race began but the course was well lighted as route took us through several parts of Disney World. At every mile marker we stopped briefly and posed with Star Wars characters, Rebel characters, R2D2, Chewbacca, Dark Vader (Photo#3) and storm troopers. At the finish line we proudly received our medal and free snack box and bottle of power aide. After the race we got to pose in several elaborate Star Wars scenes with Jabba the Hut (Photo#5) , Darth Maul, the metal Hans Solo and other backdrops. Rosie was there to cheer us on.

The next day we returned to Disneyland and had a surprise Disney Birthday Party for Holly (Photo#6) who was turning 23. Daisy Duck crashed our party. We explored the park and I searched for the cast of the Yeti’s footprints donated by Josh Gates at the Expedition Everest Ride at Disney Animal Kingdom. We enjoyed the animals and riding rides.

Triathlon Team: Jacque Miller, Holly Miller

Triathlon Date: July 20, 2014

I was registered to join daughter Holly to do this triathlon but I came down with lymphoma cancer so daughter Jacque stepped in to take my place. The triathlon consisted of 5.2 mile kayaking on the Little Miami River (accomplished in 1 hr. 4 minutes), a 3.1 mile run (accomplished in 28 minutes) and the final leg a 15 mile bike ride (accomplished in 75 minutes). Both daughters wore matching Star Wars shirts. Rosie provided water between the second and third leg. Total time: 2 hrs. 55 minutes. They did a great job. Holly said they had so much fun the entire race and never felt tired. I hope to do this triathlon some day with my family. The unique awards were wooden frames to hold race bib numbers and medals.

Running Team:  Holly Miller, Rosie Miller, Dave Miller

Race Date: November 17, 2013

This race was a challenge as the temperature rose to 71 degrees. We began (and finished) at the Convention Center.  The route took us southeast through town towards the beach and then back north over the Bridge of Lions and past the haunted Lighthouse (Photo#4).  Rosie ran the 10K race and placed second in her 50 to 55 age group.  Holly ran the half marathon in 2 hrs. 5 minutes and I ran the half marathon in 2 hrs. 9 minutes. We were on a pace to break two hours but the heat got to me the last two miles. After the race we visited Old Town, the Catholic Mission and Ripley’s Believe It or Not.

Expedition Team: Dave Miller, Rosie Miller

Date: November 16, 2020

There were many trails at Highbanks Metro Park, a huge 1,200 acre park. We hiked on Dripping Rock Trail and Overlook Trail before arriving at a 110 foot shale bluff overlooking the Olentangy State Scenic River and the river valley.  The five miles of trails were shaded forests of oak, hickory and beech trees. The trails were very hilly with several bridges, creeks and ravines. Along the trail was the Pool Family Cemetery (Photo #3) with graves from the early 1800 settlers.  The Pool Family had 13 children. One spur trail ended at an Adena Indian Burial Mound circa 700 – 100BC.  Around mile 4.5 on the trail we discovered a prehistoric earthwork (Photo #4) which circles about a quarter mile in length. It was built by Native Americans around the year 1050.  Flint tools, charcoal and other artifacts were found here.  

Expedition Team: Dave Miller, Rosie Miller

Date:  October 28, 2020

We hiked just over one mile on both sides of a small urban gorge where the South Fork of Indian Run stream meandered through the woods.  We crossed a foot bridge upstream where we saw a series of cascades leading to a beautiful 12 foot waterfall sparkling in the sunshine. The scenic stream curled on northeast to eventually drain into the Scioto River. At the end of the east side trail we were surprised to come upon Indian Run Cemetery, established in 1813 where many early local pioneers were buried.

Hiking Team: Dave Miller, Rosie Miller

Hiking Date:  October 25, 2020

A real hidden gem. You would never guess this unique gorge habitat and ecosystem with rare, endangered plants and a 30 foot waterfall exists and is hidden between a busy road and suburbia. The trailhead leads down steep steps to a ¼ of a mile boardwalk that winds through the gorge beside Hayden Run stream which drains into the Scioto River. The cliffs, stream and greenery block out all urban noise and you feel you are in a jungle. The boardwalk ends where Hayden Run cascades from above and creates a beautiful 30 foot waterfall. A must see!

Hiking Team: Dave Miller, Rosie Miller

Hiking Date:  October-November 2020

Located beside the Olentangy Bike Trail, this 1.2 mile loop hiking trail goes around Antrim Lake, a former quarry.  The trail is shaded and scenic and we found a short spur trail that leads to the Olentangy River and a low dam.  This trail is special because it was the first trail I walked after my bone marrow transplant. Rosie had found this park one day while biking 10 miles north of the James Cancer Hospital on the Olentangy Bike Trail. On Day 43 after transplant I gave the hiking trail a try. I had to stay out of the sun due to graft vs host disease so this was a perfect starter trail for me. It was tough getting around one lap but a month later I was walking four laps or five total miles around the lake with Rosie.

Hiking Team: Dave Miller, Rosie Miller

Hiking Date: October 21, 2020

It is Day 66 since my bone marrow transplant and this is my longest hike since the surgery. We drove 20 minutes from Columbus to Battelle Darby Creek Metropark and hiked 5.7 miles on the Darby Creek Greenway Trail. We hiked past wetlands, prairies and forests with Big Darby Creek just west of our trail. We almost stepped on a snake on the trail. The biggest surprise was seeing five bison out of a herd of nine resting in the pasture. The bison have been reintroduced to the park and roam freely. There was a sculpture of a bison near the trailhead stating the bull bison was the largest mammal found in North America.