Lake Erie/Marlblehead

(Trying to get caught up on some blogging and some photos. I will be posting these backwards so they will all be in order when all vacation posts are done.)

On our last day we woke up without any real plans. We were going to wake up and take our time getting back home. We decided to take a scenic route, which was so nice and ended up being my favorite part of the whole trip. Aside from U2 of course, this was my favorite time with the entire family.

We passed all sorts of farms, most of which were open for selling produce. It reminded me a lot of what early Chandler looked like, and also reminded me of a story my mom told me when she was out here last summer....about how when her and her mom would travel in Ohio they would stop at a place and buy a tomato or something and eat it along side the road. I saw one sign for a place selling homegrown peaches that said, "Take a peach to the beach." We passed farm after farm, and things that seemed so Americana. It was so nice to not be in a hurry.

I saw a sign that said something about Marblehead lighthouse/state park and we decided we'd drive along and find it. The sign said that it was about 10 miles. We wound through a neat town that I would LOVE to go back and spend more time in. It had the neatest downtown area, with pretty old restored buildings, neat little art stores and antique stores, and local restaurants. We plan on going back and maybe spending a week or so there.



First we stopped at a little place along the side of the road to look at Lake Erie up close. Where we were, you could see Cedar Point across the water in the distance. We were taking pictures of the kids and letting them jump around on the big rocks. There was a woman and her husband sitting in chairs, reading magazines under a tree and enjoying the breeze coming off the water. She asked us if her husband could take a photo of all five of us. It sounded like a good idea, but seeing that he was down in his chair with a magazine I hated to have him move. He wasn't the one who offered, but I know he wouldn't have minded if we said yes. I just thought it was funny that she was the one who offered for him to take the picture. I've done that with Mike before.

After we had been there for about 10 minutes, another car with two older women pulled up and they got out and walked near the big rocks to look at the lake. Mike offered to take their picture together. It looked like a mom and daughter, mom being in her early 80's maybe. Mike started a conversation with them after taking their photo together. They talked about the state of the world, jobs going overseas, and how her husband had spent his whole life working for one of the auto manufacturers. She also told us how she had spent summers over at Cedar Point, long before all the 'scary' coasters. They were so sweet. I wish I could remember their names.

Then the other couple got up to walk around a bit and we started to talk to them. Same kind of small talk, but they were so proud telling us about their retirement home that they built and about their kids, and how they sail on the lake. They were really nice people, and it was really nice to talk to people and make friends. The kids enjoyed us being sidetracked since they probably thought we weren't watching and were throwing rocks into the lake, and watching some bird who kept diving under the water and coming up with fish.

We got back into the car and drove on to the lighthouse. Even though we really weren't in a hurry, we didn't have as much time as I really would have liked to have spent at the lighthouse. The weather was BEAUTIFUL. The park was pretty big, and people were running, playing frisbee, and eating outside. Unfortunately the lighthouse was closed for the day, but I wanted to just sit at the side of the water and love on the breeze. I could have spent hours here.


I have to admit to not realizing the scope of how big the great lakes really are. I knew that they were like oceans, that you couldn't see across them because of their size, but I've never seen one up until now. I definitely want to spend more time near them, and go back often.

The boys LOVED the big rocks. They jumped all over them.

Of course they had to play and try to dodge the water as the waves came up.

Which of course resulted in very wet shoes.

Megan brought her sketch book with her and found a good spot to sit for awhile. She was busy sketching the lighthouse and ships.

With a perfect view like this:

The residence at the lighthouse:




We got back into the van and started to head home. Along the way we spotted a few of the Ohio Bicentennial barns. I love barns, but these are fun to find on road trips.