Open House

It seems like many resort towns virtually close down after Labor Day.  Geneva-On-the-Lake is no exception.  The Sunrise Café was still open, however, and we decided to stop for breakfast.  This is the type of restaurant I love to find and is one that has probably been featured on “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.”  Corn pancakes, with whole kernels of corn, were delicious.  The motto of the café is “Eat, Pay, Leave,” which is exactly what we did.  What a wonderful way to start the morning.



Sunrise Cafe, Geneva-On-the-Lake, Ohio

Today was another long driving day on the interstate, and breaks were confined to rest stops.  Our first break was particularly memorable.  When I pulled into the parking area, I noticed another Class B Sprinter van.  We’ve seen quite a few on this trip, many more than I had expected, but this one was right in front of me.

The owner was standing nearby, so I approached him.  His Sprinter was converted by Sportsmobile, which customizes units to the owner’s specifications.  He gave me a tour and showed me the special features he had requested, including solar panels.  He had even camped in the van at -55° (his wife had more sense and stayed home).

I returned the favor and offered a tour of the Kat Karrier.  As the gentleman was admiring the interior finishes, several other people walked up.  Jane, who was outside with the cat (and who almost gave her away to a woman who said that she was taking the cat), had told them I would love to give a tour.  So we had open house in the parking lot at the rest stop.  I do, in fact, enjoy letting people see the RV.  I remember when I was initially looking at Class Bs, I would practically stalk the owners of any Class B I would come across.  I always hoped they would talk to me and possibly let me have a peek.  So many people are intrigued by this type of vehicle, and I’m happy to help educate them.

Jane and I ended the day at Women’s Rights National Historical Park in Seneca Falls, New York.  We never seem to have enough time for an in-depth visit at any of the parks we visit, and here we only were able to tour the exhibits before closing time.  The exhibits here are inspiring and made me appreciate anew the opportunities that I sometimes take for granted.



Jane and I and the Women

Women's Rights National Historical Park

After a few wrong turns and accusations that a certain passenger could not read a map (sorry, Jane), we arrived at the Oak Orchard Marina and Campground.  This was a wonderful site at Mays Point on the Erie Canal.  The mosquitos almost carried us away, however, and there was no way to sit outside.  We couldn’t even open a door without a swarm invading the RV.  Not to worry.  Jane the Hunter attached with a vengeance and determination I had never seen and managed to kill them all.  However, she kept her weapon of choice, an orange fly swatter, close by her side all night just in case.

View From Our Campsite at Oak Orchard Marina and Campground

A Day of Firsts

After a break on the back roads yesterday, it was time for the interstate again.  The Ohio State Highway Patrol was certainly active today.  I can’t ever remember seeing so many cars pulled over for one reason or another.

A quick stop at the First Ladies National Historic Site was more enlightening than expected.  A National Park Service student intern gave us a private tour of the home of First Lady Ida Saxton McKinley, while a young docent at the education center practiced her tour-giving skills with us as she took us through the new exhibit on first ladies in times of crisis.



First Ladies National Historic Site

Cuyahoga Valley National Park was the primary destination for the day.  One of my goals is to visit every national park in the country.  Cuyahoga is one of the newest national parks and was only designated in 2000.  It’s by no means your typical national park and is truly an urban park.  Situated between Cleveland and Akron, Ohio, the park was intended to bring national parks to people living in cities.



Boston Store

We visited the Boston Store, which is one of the park’s historic structures.  The store is located along the Ohio and Erie Canal which runs through the park.  Features like Brandywine Falls and the Everett Road Covered Bridge are interspersed between small towns and subdivisions.  It’s a beautiful area and a wonderful amenity for the neighboring cities, but it’s different.



Jane at Brandywine Falls



Brandywine Falls

Everett Covered Bridge

Can I Go Across the Bridge?

If you thought Lake Rudolph RV Resort was an unusual choice for a campground, just wait until you hear where we stayed tonight.  Geneva, Ohio, seemed to be a good destination, and Jane found what she thought was a lovely campground.  When we stopped to purchase a bottle of local Ohio wine, we asked the bartender for a recommendation.  He highly recommended a different campground, so we decided to follow his suggestion.  Imagine how surprised we were when we pulled into the NASCAR RV Resorts at Indian Creek in Geneva-on-the-Lake, Ohio!

It was too late to turn around, so we looked at each other and said, “Why not?”  I’ve never seen anything quite like it.  I’ve read about this type of campground, but seeing one in person was an eye-opener.  This was definitely a first for me.  There was a gate and guard, and a man in a golf cart escorted us to our site.  Ducks and swans swam in a pond with a fountain in the middle.  Activities abounded.  Roads and campsite pads were paved, and everything was manicured.



NASCAR Resorts at Indian Creek

Our site was very nice, on the end of a row next to a wooded area with lots of grass for the cat.  The bathrooms were spotless.  Although I never thought I’d camp in a place like this, I have to admit that it does have its advantages.

Lake Erie, Geneva-on-the-Lake, Ohio

Camp Meetings

For those of you who have been reading this blog, thank you for bearing with me through the dearth of postings.  I came to the belated conclusion that it was much more important to spend my evenings talking with my friends who joined me on this trip than taking the time to write about the day’s events.  I am going to attempt to catch up on the last ten days and will post the entries with the actual dates the events took place.  So, here goes.

After mostly interstate driving yesterday, I got my back roads fix today.  Although the drive through Indiana and Ohio was lovely, I had forgotten how much more populated this part of the country really is.  With a town almost every ten miles, the going was quite a bit slower than I had anticipated.

Jane and I grabbed a bit of lunch at a gas station convenience store, and here we were introduced to Charley Biggs Chicken N’ Sauce and fried pickle chips.  We stopped to eat at a wayside picnic area where we were almost blown away.  Pretty yummy lunch!



Fried Pickle Chips

Our break for the afternoon was an archeological site, Hopewell Culture National Historical Park in Ohio.  The Ohio River Valley is known for its mounds of various shapes and enclosures, often built in geometric patterns.  These Hopewell earthworks were used for a variety of ceremonial and social activities between 200 BC to AD 500.  The artifacts that had been excavated from the mounds were amazing and were on display in the museum.  A copper bird and pipes with carved animal figures were my favorites.



Hopewell Culture National Historical Park

Mounds Are In the Background

It was time to look for a campground when we left Hopewell, and there was only one in the vicinity.  Jane found a gem with the Lancaster Camp Ground in Lancaster, Ohio.  Who would have thought that we would end up in a Christian campground that prohibits alcohol?  Certainly not I!  We felt like teenagers sneaking wine in opaque glasses so no one would catch us.

The campground, however, turned out to be the perfect setting for two historic preservationists.  Lancaster Camp Ground is a wonderful historic district and has been a Camp Meeting since its inception in 1878.  The association expanded its mission in 1892 from a purely religious focus to include Chautauqua lectures and performances.  Thousands came by train to participate.  An auditorium and hotel were constructed, and tents gave way to cottages.  Most of the buildings are still standing, and the site is a throwback to another era.

Woodside Hotel at the Lancaster Camp Ground

Jane and I spoke with a feisty woman who first came to the Camp Ground in the 1930s when she was only three weeks old.  She has lived there almost every summer since that time.  Walking around the narrow streets, looking at the architecture and peering into the windows of the public buildings was a perfect way for us to spend an evening.

Lancaster Camp Ground

Lancaster Camp Ground

Lancaster Camp Ground