Category Archives: Ohio

by | July 21, 2019 · 6:00 pm

The Great State of Michigan

The month of May was busy!  But June was exhausting…and exhilarating!  We left Hatfield, PA on June 1st after a wonderful month of visits with family and friends.  We rested at Hershey RV Resort and managed to squeeze in a nice lunch at Mangia, Mangia with our long-time friends, Lee and Jill.  Lunch and a quick hike gave us a least some time to hang out with them.

We then spent a few nights at the Madison-Pittsburgh KOA and two nights at the Cleveland KOA.  While there we visited Cuyahoga Valley National Park – the museum and the surrounding valley is filled with history.  Great visit.  Then one night in the Toledo KOA – so just a short stay in Ohio.

Brandywine Falls at Cuyahoga Valley National Park

Then the BIG ADVENTURE began.  We had Doug’s brother Nelson and his wife Lydia for dinner in the RV when we arrived at Haas Lake.  They showed us their videos of their recent trip to the Falkland Islands and other remote places on the globe.

Nelson and Lydia are world travelers; they are used to planning every minute of their amazing trips.  They planned the perfect guided tour for us through their beautiful State of Michigan.  Our first day was a pleasant change of pace with a Bavarian feel – Frankenmuth.  Bronner’s, the largest Christmas store in the world, kept us busy and the interesting quaint shops were fun to see.  After a delicious lunch at the Bavarian Inn, we ended the day at a Middle Eastern restaurant where we met Lydia’s sister, Renee.

This is where we ate in Frankenmuth
Seen outside one of the shops

Then it was Ford day – starting with a factory tour where we saw F-150’s coming off the line.  After a burger lunch at Ford’s Garage, we spent the afternoon at the Henry Ford Museum – called the world’s “coolest” museum – so much to see – a really great museum.  Then a wonderful Spanish-themed tapas dinner with Lydia’s other sister Andrea and her husband John.

No pictures allowed inside the factory – but here’s the factory Living Roof
The JFK limo at the Henry Ford museum

On Sunday we got to explore some of Detroit – something I’ve wanted to do for years and there are no better guides to see it with than Nelson and Lydia.  We started with a tour of the Motown Museum!  Yes, the very home in which Berry Gordy recorded the artists of my youth.  We heard stories of the Supremes, “Little” Stevie Wonder and all the rest.  We ended our tour dancing and singing to “My Girl” in the actual recording studio.  WOW!

Motown aka Hitsville, USA
The Motown recording studio where it all happened!

Then a walk to Greektown and a fabulous lunch at Pegasus.  To complete a perfect day in the Motor City, we spent the afternoon at the Detroit Institute of the Arts – a true treasure!  I stood awestruck in the midst of Diego Rivera’s famous mural.  And wandering through the beautiful building, we saw enough art to fill my soul.  Even with all the masters surrounding me, I got emotional viewing a small piece from my favorite sculptor, Constantin Brancusi.  Certainly one of the very best art museums I have ever seen,

Part of Diego Rivera’s mural at DIA

We camped in Traverse City the next day and met Nelson and Lydia for dinner at the Traverse City Plaza.  It’s a wonderful city filled with rainbows to celebrate Pride Month. 

Traverse City Pride

On Tuesday, we climbed Sleeping Bear Dune!!  I made it up to the top (of the main dune) with a lot of stopping and panting but I made it up!  And down!  After a great lunch at the Cherry Republic – getting a taste of their famous cherries in my chicken salad sandwich, we saw Lake Michigan from Pelican Point.  It was an eye-opening experience for me – so much watery expanse – such a beautiful view.

Here’s the dune that we climbed
More dune-scapes!

Our last day near Traverse City, we went to Mission Point Lighthouse and then went on the Michigan Wine Trail, touring some of the prettiest wineries I’ve ever seen.  The views were spectacular and the tour of one of the wineries was really interesting.  We ended this idyllic day with a dinner at Poppycock.

We’re halfway to the North Pole!
Mission Point Lighthouse
One of the many vineyards we saw

Another bucket list item was checked off the next day as we crossed the Mighty Mac – the Mackinac Bridge.  We were finally on the Upper Peninsula!  We had an easy ride across even in our big rig with tow – no winds and a clear day to drive for almost five miles across this feat of engineering.

The Mighty Mac from below

Does this trip in Michigan sound exciting so far?  Well, then came the Best Day Ever!  We took the ferry to Mackinac Island.  The ferry ride was a great introduction to it all – seeing the great bridge from below it and glimpsing the Grand Hotel from the waters of Lake Michigan and Lake Huron.  Then we landed on the loveliest of all islands – in another place and time!  It was very much like a dream – a dream scented with lilacs and then hearing the clop-clop of horses pulling carriages.  I will never forget the delicious lunch buffet in the Grand Hotel and sitting on the famed porch!  So pretty!  We also toured Fort Mackinac – an extensive reconstructed fort – amazing!  Of course, we bought some of the Island’s famous fudge.

The Grand Hotel viewed from the ferry
On the way to the Brunch
Hanging out on the porch
View of the harbor from Fort Mackinac

Saturday, June 22nd was a very busy day, starting with the Maritime Museum Lighthouse tour.  We ate pasties for lunch – our hosts even found a place that served veggie pasties for Doug.  We drove quickly through a quirky Lakenland – huge welded metal sculptures.  And we got to see a view of Lake Superior from a rocky beach.  We ate some tacos for lunch and then – a boat tour of Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore – iconic colorful rocks sculpted by wind and water.  The only way to actually view these cliffs is from the waters of Lake Superior.

The Maritime Museum Lighthouse
One of the sculptures at Lakenland
Pictured Rocks
Pictured Rocks from the boat tour

Sunday we went to the Shipwreck Museum where we learned about the deadly waters of Lake Superior and the infamous wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.  The lake is stunning from every viewpoint, but we especially loved it at Whitefish Point.  A great lunch at Taquahemon Falls State Park and a nice hike to the falls, completed another wonderful day.  These falls are second only in size to Niagara in the states.

The ship’s bell recovered from the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald
The lighthouse at Whitefish Point
One of the falls at Taquahemon Falls State Park

We traveled on Monday from Newberry to the City of Hancock – both really nice campgrounds.  After a short day of driving we met up with Nelson and Lydia for Chinese food at Hunan Garden.

All this eating kept us fortified for more busy days.  On Tuesday we went to the pretty town of Calumet.  We did a self-guided tour of the Calumet Theatre, giving us insight into the history of this town, then had a great lunch at the Michigan House Café.  We took a tour of the Quincy Copper Mine – deep into the earth and through the mine buildings.  There was a great museum to explore and we learned much about copper mining.

The ride down to the mine entrance on the cog-rail tram
Our transportation inside the mine
Enjoying the day!

Not leaving anything undone – we spent our last day with our hosts in Copper Country on the Keewenaw Peninsula.  This day was spent on a self guided tour of the Delaware Copper Mine.  We ended at another lighthouse and an absolutely beautiful view of Lake Superior.  This lake is so big and so sparkling!  When we left Michigan, we followed a portion of this lake through Wisconsin and then finally said good-bye to it in Duluth, Minnesota!  The term “lake” just isn’t enough – I prefer “Great Waters” or “Gitchee Gumi” – it is breathtaking.  We are so glad we got to see these marvels and are so grateful to Nelson and Lydia for the care they took of us and the wonders we saw with them. 

Ready for the mine tour
Walking down into the Delaware Copper Mine
Our hosts
“Gitchee Gumi”

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Filed under Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin

by | September 14, 2017 · 6:48 pm

Moving through the Midwest

(This blog was written before we heard the tragic news of our nephew Danny’s passing.  It’s hard to read this now – our hearts are clouded with grief and our easy-going happy blog exists in its own vacuum.  But life goes on in spite of pain so we decided to publish this blog today as we planned. )

We haven’t written much about our travel days – maybe because the scenery around Pennsylvania and then Ohio, and Indiana and now Illinois, was familiar – lots of green acres, farms, and two lane highways.  We left the rolling hills and softly rounded mountains when we drove west of Pennsylvania and noticed that Ohio and Indiana were flat.  It’s not that this part of the country isn’t pretty – the farms seem to be thriving and since it’s September – the crops are near harvest time.  But there is nothing remarkable about this scenery to us.  It looks just like the middle of New Jersey as you drive on the Turnpike, Parkway or Rt. 295.

But it isn’t boring.  We have passed some interesting things on this journey and here’s just a short list of them:

  • On Route 70, we drove past Xenia, Ohio, near where some of Doug’s mother’s relatives came from
  • In Talmage, PA we saw a sign advertising Lawn Chair Worship – thought that would be better than hard wooden pews at a church service some day
  • Saw a sign that said “Smile and give your frown a break”
  • I never thought about this, but Frederick the Great was the King in King of Prussia
  • Pennsylvania was a busy time for us – we met up with 29 family and friends!
  • In East Berlin, PA we sniggered (childishly) at the sign for Peepytown Road
  • We passed a sign near Hagerstown, Indiana for Wilbur Wright’s birthplace – causing us to wonder where Orville was born (Dayton, Ohio)
  • Loved the billboard on Rt. 70 in Ohio encouraging us to visit Watkins Glen, NY – just 607 miles away and then turn right

So our journey is not just looking at the highway lane in front of us, but also trying to get a feel for the country we are passing at 55 miles per hour.  Reading the place names, the billboards, the handmade signs, gives us a flavor and sense of the people who inhabit the area.

It feels like we are really on the move now.  We spent our last few days in Pennsylvania in the Madison/Pittsburgh KOA in Ruffs Dale.  From there we landed in Nashport, Ohio, our 28th state on this trip.  Doug had carefully planned this stop to get me to the BIGGEST BASKET IN THE WORLD!  We drove to Newark to what used to be the Longaberger Basket headquarters.  Dave Longaberger is the founder of the basket company famous all around the world.  The company was known for its great employment practices. The basketeers, mostly local women, were shareholders, had good benefits and enjoyed a compassionate workplace.  As the business grew, Dave created the iconic building to house his headquarters.  The building is shaped exactly like the company’s famous picnic basket, complete with two huge handles made of poured concrete.  Unfortunately, the company took a downward turn after Dave passed away and also because the demand for the baskets diminished.  So the giant basket building is now empty. But there it stands still – looking amazing!

It also seems like the factory and The Homestead is taking a downward turn.  We drove out to Frazeysburg and saw only a few cars at the factory’s employee parking lot.  Nearby is a huge complex of beautiful buildings and landscaping called The Homestead.  We parked our car in the enormous parking lot which that day held 5 other cars.  We walked through an impressive but empty welcome center and went into the main building which has 2 large floors of shopping.  I love baskets.  I never thought I would say this, but after wandering through all the rooms on both floors, I felt like I had seen too many baskets.  Longaberger baskets are known for their quality – each one has the name of the maker on the bottom.  True collectors know every shape and size and use for these baskets and they are willing to pay for the quality.  Longaberger baskets are pricey.  So, Doug and I headed to the sale floor, where we bought a small basket originally retailing for about $30, on sale for $17.  Still pricey.

But while we were on the sale floor, we found a dark corner filled with bins overflowing with the cloth liners that Longaberger sells to decorate the inside of the baskets.  This was where the real bargains were.  The signs on the table invited us to fill a bag (about 5 by 8”) for $1.00!  The liners were in all different sizes and patterns, made of really good quality material.  So I filled two bags with  lots of sewing projects in mind.  We also found 12 x 12” framed canvases for $1.00 each and some little “basket hangers” – little knickknacks for baskets – for $.50 each.  By sewing 2 identical liners together I made tote bags, shopping bags, and small Halloween baskets.  For $2.00 (including sales tax) I had a lot of fun.  So much so, that two days later, Doug and I went back to rummage through those bins again.  This time we left with five bags.  Doug got carried away with the savings and stuffed those bags way beyond the reasonable limit.  I made him go to the cashier alone.  But I now have a stash of projects, liners for our very own baskets that I can change with the seasons, and all for a total of $7.00!  Plus I got to see the BIGGEST BASKET IN THE WORLD!

We left Nashport, Ohio on Labor Day and stopped for a few days in the KOA in Richmond, Indiana (our 29th state).  Indiana was a short stay but we met some friendly people there.  Richmond is known for its antiquing but since we don’t have much need for anything else in our RV, we opted to skip the antiques and instead shopped at Fountain Acres, an Amish market.  We checked out the aisles of bulk food, a large selection of gluten free products, and some beautiful produce.  As I write this I smile at the memory of the delicious ruby red tomatoes I’ve been enjoying for dinner.  We also tried the dried kiwi – not too sweet but really tasty.  We have been nibbling the excellent cheese we bought – and now wish we had bought more!  We took home two blocks of cheese but had fun sampling many more.  I couldn’t resist a jar of sweet but spicy pickles – yum!

We drove through Indianapolis on I-70 which gave us a view of its skyline – some new construction amidst the old brick buildings.  We saw the Indianapolis Colts Lucas Oil Stadium and got a quick glimpse of the capital dome.

We are now calling this part of the country the Land of the Large because we have passed signs directing us to large things like:

  • the largest wind chime
  • the largest golf tee
  • the largest rocking chair
  • the largest catsup bottle
  • the largest horseshoe
  • the largest giant pink elephant
  • the largest covered wagon
  • and maybe not “the largest” but still impressively large – Paul Bunyan and other monstrosities

We are not stopping to see these marvels but I still hope to see the largest ball of twine someday.  No matter – my life is complete since I saw the BIGGEST BASKET IN THE WORLD!

Now we are in Sullivan, Illinois.  We are celebrating in this beautiful Army Corps of Engineer Park* – Forrest W. “Bo” Wood Park surrounding the blue crystal clear waters of Shelby Lake – our 30th state and our 100th campground since we started our journey.  We “checked in” with each other this morning and we are still excited about living in our RV, traveling the country and being the Wistful Wanderers.  So far, it still feels new and wonderful and we wouldn’t change a thing.

One of the ways we track our journey is with our map – we only put the state sticker on if we stay at least one night in our RV.  As you can see from this photo – we are filling our map in and if you read our blog, you know that our adventures fill our hearts as well as this map.

Every day is a journey and the journey itself is home.”

– Matsuo Basho

*Just a note here:  We love the Army Corps of Engineer Parks we have been in.  They typically are some of the prettiest campsites we stay at.  In this park, we have a large, gravel and grass site, 50 amps of electricity – all for $9.00 per night.  It would have cost the really reasonable rate of $18 but with my Senior Pass, we live here at half price.  Other than a free site, these COE parks are the best deals in the country.

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Filed under Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania