Ohio Mysteries

What does it take to bike across frozen landscapes most people are snuggled around their fireplaces sipping hot chocolate? In this episode of the podcast, we follow the extraordinary story of one adventurer who set out to ride a bicycle across all five frozen waters of the Great Lakes—a challenge that pushes the limits of endurance, weather, timing, and courage.

As winter tightens its grip on the Midwest and Canada, our guest Eric shares how a bold idea turned into a multi-lake expedition spanning Lake Erie, Lake Ontario, Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, and Lake Superior. From carefully tracking ice conditions and brutal wind chills to navigating shifting pressure cracks and whiteout storms, the journey was anything but predictable. Each lake presented its own personality: some deceptively calm, others wild, vast, and unforgiving.

In this episode, we dive into:

How the rider prepared for extreme cold cycling and survival on open ice

The science behind when (and if) the lakes freeze solid enough to cross

Close calls, mechanical failures, and the mental battle of riding across miles of frozen horizon

The unique beauty of winter on the lakes that few people ever witness

It’s a story about determination, risk, and the deep connection people in the Great Lakes region have with these massive bodies of water—especially in winter. Whether you’re an outdoor enthusiast, a cycling fan, or simply fascinated by unusual adventures, this episode brings you along for a ride across one of North America’s most ambitious cold-weather challenges.

Eric's cold weather adventures: https://www.youtube.com/@BuckeyeMTB

Check out our Facebook page!: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558042082494¬if_id=1717202186351620¬if_t=page_user_activity&ref=notif⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Please check other podcast episodes like this at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.ohiomysteries.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Dan hosts a Youtube Channel called: Ohio History and Haunts where he explores historical and dark places around Ohio: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCj5x1eJjHhfyV8fomkaVzsA

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rewind Episode

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Ohio Mysteries Backroads, we explore the complicated legacy of one of Ohio’s most consequential — and controversial — inventors: Thomas Midgley Jr..

Born in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania but raised and educated in Ohio, Midgley graduated from Cornell University before launching a career that would change the modern world. Working with Charles Kettering at Dayton Research Laboratoriesin Dayton, Midgley helped solve one of the automobile industry’s biggest problems — engine knock — by introducing tetraethyl lead into gasoline.

The result? The rise of “leaded gasoline,” a breakthrough that powered the rapid expansion of the automotive age. But the consequences would prove devastating. Millions were exposed to toxic lead emissions, with public health impacts that echoed for generations.

Midgley didn’t stop there. He later helped develop chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), marketed under the brand name Freon, which were hailed as safe, non-toxic refrigerants. Decades later, scientists would discover that CFCs were destroying Earth’s protective ozone layer — leading to global environmental crisis and the landmark Montreal Protocol.

In this episode, we ask: Were these catastrophic outcomes foreseeable? What responsibility do inventors bear for the unintended consequences of their creations? And how should Ohio remember a man whose innovations both fueled progress and harmed the planet?

Join us as we trace Midgley’s journey through Ohio’s industrial boom, the laboratories of Dayton, and into one of the most cautionary tales in scientific history — right here on Ohio Mysteries Backroads.

Check out our Facebook page!: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558042082494¬if_id=1717202186351620¬if_t=page_user_activity&ref=notif⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Please check other podcast episodes like this at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.ohiomysteries.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Dan hosts a Youtube Channel called: Ohio History and Haunts where he explores historical and dark places around Ohio: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCj5x1eJjHhfyV8fomkaVzsA

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 1896, three members of the Rose family - who operated a mill outside Mansfield - fell sick and died. Police suspected the only surviving member of the family - 24-year-old Ceely Rose - must have poisoned them. What they learned about Ceely led to her finishing her life in an asylum, and - some say - haunting her old farmhouse beside the ghosts of her parents and brother. www.ohiomysteries.com

f[email protected] www.patreon.com/ohiomysteries www.twitter.com/mysteriesohio www.facebook.com/ohiomysteries Music: What I Think of You, by Ash G. Audionautix- The Great Unknown

The Great Phospher- Daniel Birch

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cassie Chadwick was one of the most audacious con artists in American history—and her trail of deception ran straight through Ohio.

In this episode of Ohio Mysteries: Backroads, we dive into the unbelievable true story of Cassie Chadwick, the woman who convinced bankers, elites, and even her own husband that she was the secret illegitimate daughter of steel tycoon Andrew Carnegie. Through forged documents, bold lies, and sheer confidence, Chadwick swindled millions and exposed the vulnerabilities of America’s Gilded Age financial system.

Joining us is author Wendy Koile, whose research brings new depth and clarity to Chadwick’s rise, her carefully crafted illusions, and her dramatic downfall. Together, we explore how Chadwick built her empire of lies, why so many powerful men believed her, and what her story reveals about greed, trust, and ambition in turn-of-the-century Ohio.

It’s a tale of luxury, lies, and legend—hidden just off the Ohio backroads.

Local author and friend of the show, Wendy Koile has a new book out just in time for Valentine's Day. Wendy will join us soon on an upcoming episode to discuss this fantastic new book: "Love, Lies. Murder in Northern Ohio". You can get a copy through Amazon, any bookseller or direct via her website at: https://wendykoile.com

Check out our Facebook page!: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558042082494¬if_id=1717202186351620¬if_t=page_user_activity&ref=notif⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Please check other podcast episodes like this at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.ohiomysteries.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Dan hosts a Youtube Channel called: Ohio History and Haunts where he explores historical and dark places around Ohio: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCj5x1eJjHhfyV8fomkaVzsA

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hello and welcome to another episode of Ohio Mysteries Backroads.

In this episode, we sit down with Ken Miller, author and longtime Cedar Point historian, to explore the stories behind one of America’s most iconic amusement parks. Ken discusses his book, Cedar Point, Rolling Through the Year, a detailed anthology and chronology that captures the park’s evolution from its early days to its rise as America’s Roller Coast.

Through rare anecdotes, historical insight, and a deep love for the park,

Ken brings Cedar Point’s rides, attractions, milestones, and cultural impact to life. From classic midway memories to groundbreaking coasters, this conversation is a must-listen for theme park enthusiasts, coaster fans, and anyone fascinated by the history behind a legendary destination.

Whether you’ve ridden every coaster or simply appreciate the nostalgia of amusement parks, this episode offers a unique ride through Cedar Point’s past—told by someone who knows it best. 🎢

Get Ken Miller's book (available in late April) here: https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2F1870PublishingGroup.com%2F%3Ffbclid%3DIwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBExcVF4cEExYTQ4VkFobDZoU3NydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR68-ku40s4A7EDPlxILpG6lYm-F9QhOSSjCRH4mDCwxMO6LA5OQsbaUyj6GkA_aem_aZpKD7XZGDyOkKeBxlltXA&h=AT1XxJP5RgKm5Jc3av1pwZZyxY7bVS4F2r9vZSVZSkO6XE2mKlhihIU7jDZT8wfiOV1Gz3care4_33VVJU4mmo5Tg_0cKvp-qJVjjdj39xuhUBMD-j_cnuIIv3uwDBb_V5g5SvrMIzgwJjdDQoVxGsG3LQ

The Cedar Point Museum is:

http://sanduskycedarpointmuseum.org

Ken Miller's Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/ken.miller.1610

Podcast Correspondence, recipies, questions, complaints and overall feedback about what hot dogs are made of: [email protected]

Check out our Facebook page!: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558042082494¬if_id=1717202186351620¬if_t=page_user_activity&ref=notif⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Please check other podcast episodes like this at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.ohiomysteries.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Dan hosts a Youtube Channel called: Ohio History and Haunts where he explores historical and dark places around Ohio: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCj5x1eJjHhfyV8fomkaVzsA

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hello and welcome to another episode of Ohio Mysteries Backroads.

George Remus was a lawyer who knew the law better than anyone—and used it to become one of the most powerful criminals in American history.

During Prohibition, Remus exploited legal loopholes to build a multimillion-dollar bootlegging empire, earning the title “The King of the Bootleggers.” But behind the lavish parties, hidden distilleries, and untouchable image was a man driven by ego, control, and obsession.

When betrayal shattered his empire, Remus committed a shocking murder in broad daylight—then defended himself in court using the same legal strategy he had once invented.

This episode explores the rise and fall of George Remus, the crime that stunned the nation, and how a murderer walked free in Prohibition-era America.

Correspondence, recipies, questions, complaints and overall feedback about what hot dogs are made of: [email protected]

Check out our Facebook page!: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558042082494¬if_id=1717202186351620¬if_t=page_user_activity&ref=notif⁠⁠⁠⁠

Please check other podcast episodes like this at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.ohiomysteries.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠

Dan hosts a Youtube Channel called: Ohio History and Haunts where he explores historical and dark places around Ohio: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCj5x1eJjHhfyV8fomkaVzsA

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When Alfred Southwick invented the electric chair in Buffalo NY, Ohio's favorite son, Thomas Edison, was eager to design the procedure for using it but with nefarious motivation. He was in the middle of a fight to see whether his DC current would win public favor over his competitor's AC current. Edison designed the chair to use AC so he could connect AC to death and danger in the public mind. What happened next was horrifying.

Correspondence, recipies, questions, complaints and overall feedback about what hot dogs are made of: [email protected]

Check out our Facebook page!: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558042082494¬if_id=1717202186351620¬if_t=page_user_activity&ref=notif⁠⁠⁠⁠

Please check other podcast episodes like this at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.ohiomysteries.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠

Dan hosts a Youtube Channel called: Ohio History and Haunts where he explores historical and dark places around Ohio: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCj5x1eJjHhfyV8fomkaVzsA

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hello and welcome to another episode of Ohio Mysteries Backroads.

Bridges are meant to connect places—but sometimes, they connect us to tragedy, mystery, and unanswered questions.

In this episode, we explore three bridges with notorious pasts, each carrying its own legacy making them stand out among the many Ohio bridges.

We begin in Fremont, Ohio, at the Tindall Bridge, a quiet river crossing tied to violent deaths, local legends, and lingering paranormal claims. What happened here, and why has its story endured for generations?

Next, we head north to Hillandale Park, Ohio, to uncover the strange history of the “Bridge to Nowhere.” Built with purpose but left isolated and unfinished, this forgotten structure raises questions about abandoned plans, lost industry, and why some places are simply left behind.

Finally, we travel to Gallipolis, Ohio to revisit one of the most devastating infrastructure failures in American history—the Silver Bridge disaster of 1967. In a matter of seconds, a routine rush-hour commute turned into catastrophe, claiming 46 lives and forever changing how the nation inspects its bridges.

From local legends and forgotten crossings to a nationally significant tragedy, this episode examines how bridges can become symbols of both connection and collapse—and why their stories still matter today.

Correspondence, recipies, questions, complaints and overall feedback about what hot dogs are made of: [email protected]

Check out our Facebook page!: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558042082494¬if_id=1717202186351620¬if_t=page_user_activity&ref=notif⁠⁠⁠

Please check other podcast episodes like this at: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.ohiomysteries.com/⁠⁠⁠

Dan hosts a Youtube Channel called: Ohio History and Haunts where he explores historical and dark places around Ohio: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCj5x1eJjHhfyV8fomkaVzsA

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hello and welcome to another episode of Ohio Mysteries Backroads.

On a cold winter night in December 1876, a passenger train thundered across the Ashtabula River in northeastern Ohio—never reaching the other side. In an instant, the bridge collapsed, sending railcars plunging into the icy ravine below. Fire erupted, screams echoed through the darkness, and one of the deadliest train disasters in American history unfolded.

In this episode, we revisit the Ashtabula Train Disaster, an event that claimed more than 90 lives and shocked a rapidly industrializing nation. Through survivor accounts, newspaper reports, and historical analysis, we explore what went wrong—from flawed bridge design and ignored warnings to the chaotic rescue efforts that followed.

But this story is more than a tragedy. The Ashtabula disaster sparked national outrage, exposed dangerous corners cut in the age of rail expansion, and ultimately led to sweeping reforms in engineering standards and public safety.

Join us as we uncover the human stories, the haunting aftermath, and the lasting legacy of the night the bridge gave way.

Correspondence, recipies, questions, complaints and overall feedback about what hot dogs are made of: [email protected]

Check out our Facebook page!: ⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558042082494¬if_id=1717202186351620¬if_t=page_user_activity&ref=notif⁠⁠

Please check other podcast episodes like this at: ⁠⁠https://www.ohiomysteries.com/⁠⁠

Dan hosts a Youtube Channel called: Ohio History and Haunts where he explores historical and dark places around Ohio: ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCj5x1eJjHhfyV8fomkaVzsA

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices