#7: [10-Aug-22]

#5: [23-Mar-16]

#4: [22-Nov-10]

#3: [23-Jul-06]

#2: [13-Sep-01]

#1: [10-Jun-00]

22-May-2022 -- As I was in the region to visit three universities and to keynote and conduct a workshop at the Indiana State GIS conference, and as this trip was focused on geospatial technology, and as I had visited the region in 2018 for the same purpose, and as that visit also included some confluence visits, another confluence visit was the perfect way to start the week. I had already visited most central Indiana confluence points, so 41 North 84 West was the next closest one to visit. This spring day was quite cloudy with rain threatening, but the sky wonderfully brightened as I drove north on I-75 approaching the confluence vicinity. Only a few puffy white clouds remained as I approached the point. I was looking forward to my 6th confluence point of the year, having visited points in Minnesota USA, Austria, and Greece over the past 7 weeks.

At Beaverdam, Ohio, I exited I-75 and traveled due north on a section line road. I passed some wonderful fields, preserved one-room schoolhouses, and farmsteads. The fields were either fallow, covered with golden flowers, grazed, or, most commonly, planted with many different kinds of crops. This being the edge of the Black Swamp glacially-fed wetland area, the terrain is pretty flat with just a few small rolls in the landscape. The farmsteads, unlike many other rural places I have visited on these journeys, looked quite prosperous, which made me happy. At Road M I turned on another section-line road, heading due west, followed by north on Township Highway 5-L (a one lane but paved road), and then west again on Road K-6. Here I proceeded slowly because some pre-teens were walking some young cattle along the road, and I waved. I parked about 300 meters east of Riley Creek. Then, two early 20-year olds drove up in a small truck, parking in the field to the south. I walked over and had a nice chat with them; one of them had taken some earth science courses at a university in Ohio. I then said farewell and walked to the bridge over Riley Creek.

I stopped briefly at the midpoint of the bridge. Riley Creek flows north here to join the Blanchard River. This river flows west to the Auglaize River, which flows north to the Maumee River, which flows northeast to Lake Erie at Toledo. So, there is almost a clockwise loop that water takes before reaching Lake Erie, and down Niagara Falls to Lake Ontario. Lake Erie should expect a large amount of muddy water soon, becuase as I walked up to Riley Creek, it was clear that it was in flood stage, quite turbulent and wider than in many of the previous visitor's photos.

I walked to the house to the west of the point, and although the garage was open, nobody came to the door. I therefore walked down the steps to the river's edge, taking photos and videos. On this particular day I estimated the actual point to be 2 meters to the east of the western shore of the river. If the river had not been in flood stage, I might have been able to wade to it, but even that would not have been a very good idea, as I was wearing my work clothes and also because the shore is very rocky with treacherous footholds. It was a pretty spot though and given the riparian zone and other vegetation nearby, surprisingly easy to visit. I posted a 360-degree video with sound here on my Our Earth channel. I saw no birds or animals or fish or any other people besides the two young men from 15 minutes ago. The temperature was a warm 80 F (27 C) under mostly sunny but a bit hazy skies with a light hot breeze. It was early afternoon in late spring.

I had stood on 41 North many times, from Wyoming on the west to New Jersey on the east. I had also stood on 84 West numerous times from Michigan to Georgia. I had stood on the point north of here, due west of here, and due south of here. The only one nearby that I am missing is the point due east of here, which would have to wait for another time. This was my first confluence point in Ohio since a few points visited on a GIS work trip to the eastern part of the state in 2018. I now have more than half of the points in the state visited. It was good to be back! It was great also to be in this peaceful environment when there are so many problems in the wider world; and I didn't want to depart. But I had some work to do later today. So, I walked back to the vehicle, which was already quite hot even though it was only May. I then took some wonderful back roads to the Indiana state line, where I took more photos, and then to the conference site in Muncie, Indiana. Get out and explore the world!