Phil's Philo Pheast

Southeastern Ohio is blessed and cursed at the same time. The blessing is it has some of the most beautiful real estate in the state of Ohio. The curse? It's not blessed with opportunities to make a living.

Diana and I went for a drive to see the biggest bucket that I have ever seen. No, not a bucket that carries liquids. But a bucket that was used to claw and scoop dirt from the hills of southern Ohio in search of coal.

So what does that have to do with Phil's Philo Pheast? On the way back we drove through Duncan Falls, a small town just south of Zanesville. In Duncan Falls, which is just across the Muskingham River from a town calle Philo, is a bar on the river known as the River View. In a previous trip with my friend Phil, we've stopped at this little bar. It is at best a dive.

The bar overlooks a small dam and is across the river from a now defunct river lock. The lock was used in earlier times when the river was used as a navaigatable cargo river. Actually it's quite a pretty and pristine site.

For years, I've ribbed by friend that he should purchase the place, fix it up and call it Phil's Philo Pheast.

The place is now closed; probably went out of business. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea>