Let's Go Places: A Staycation

 

In our last post, I had just gotten home from a whirlwind five-states-in-seven-days capital binge.  I've been home ever since, and yet I feel like I've been traveling.  A quick review of my movements shows that is exactly the case: without meaning to, I've been staycationing!  There was a visit from a friend, a deep dive into a state park, and a bike ride on an island.  Let me bring you up to speed.

Chapter One: Julie came to town!!!

That time that I went to the Bay Area and hung out with Julie seems like yesterday, doesn't it?  Well, turnabout is fair play, and Julie made a trip out east to catch up with a few friends.  The next thing I knew her car was pulling into my driveway.

I gave her the grand house tour and introduced her to Doggo.  As predicted, Doggo took to Julie right away.  Julie was just coming off a long drive, and Doggo suggested the perfect anecdote of a neighborhood walk.

Our next priority is that girls gotta eat.  I floated the option of cooking dinner together or going out, and much to my delight Julie chose going out.  We headed out to a wine bar that I've always been meaning to try and shared a flatbread.

The next day the dog walking and conversation continued.

We had a late lunch down by the riverfront.  I had steak sliders and lobster bisque and they were everything.  I used to work in a building that is close to this restaurant.  Back in the day I'd gotten totally burned out on it, so the 10 year break was justified, but now that it's back on my radar I'm going to have to go back there at least a few more times.

After lunch our server casually mentioned that there was a really good ice cream place nearby so we checked it out.  As promised it was really good and it is walking distance from my house, so I am doing my best to put it on the amnesia list because I can see doing some serious damage there.

That night we were still pretty full and a low key evening was called for.  Somehow the movie Witness had come up in conversation, as did Thelma and Louise.  It was a question of whether we wanted to crush on Harrison Ford or have a Girl Power night.  Girl Power FTW! (Just a note that since Julie's visit I have watched Witness and it is a fine movie, but we made the correct choice).

A Girl Power movie requires a Girl Dinner.  We raided the pantry and came up with popcorn pimped with mixed nuts and wasabi peas.

Doggo joined us for the movie and a few pieces of popcorn.

And some cuddling.  Doggo is normally leery around new folks, but she can sense when someone is a dog person so she took Julie up on her offer of some extra loving.

All good things must come to an end, but not before the best event yet.  Astute blog readers may have picked up on the fact that Nance and I do not exactly live next door to each other, but we also do not live a million miles apart.  Nance's house was Julie's next port of call, and a ceremonial handover was called for.  Julie, Doggo, and I got into the car and headed out for an afternoon at the lake house.

Doggo did well in the new environment with new people, and the two leggers (Nance, Rick, Julie, and me) enjoyed a long conversation, a glass of wine, and delicious chili for dinner.  It was a rainy day and I knew that it was going to get dark, so at one point the group decided that it made sense for Doggo and me to spend the night, but after dinner it was still light and not raining, so Doggo and I reluctantly took our leave.

Julie's side of the story is here and Nance's side of the story is here!

Chapter Two: Mohican State Park

I first went to Mohican State Park two years ago, and started hiking the trails a bit last year before winter set in (here and here). 

I was finally able to finish what I started and hiked the rest of the trails in the park.  None of these hikes are very long, so I was able to do them in two days.  I have a friend who lives kinda sorta in the area, and it worked out to meet her for dinner as the victory lap at the end of the final day of hiking.

I got to climb the fire tower again.

And naturally no visit to Mohican would be complete without the Gorge Overlook Trail.  It's relatively short hike but as the sign implies, it is quite memorable.

It is not every day that you get a trail so steep that there is a ladder.

One of the many payoffs of this trail is the swinging bridge.

Chapter Three: A Kelleys Island Bike Day

When you think Ohio you think islands lol.  Well, stop laughing because we have them!

In a perfect world I would have made several trips to the islands over the summer, but because I was so busy going everywhere else, I only made one trip to Put in Bay in early June.

As the last week in October approached, I decided to take Doggo over to Hubs's house on Friday since it was a WFH day for him.  I decided that I would go...somewhere.  Maybe Fairport Harbor which is on the east side of the state?

Wait a minute!!!  Why was I playing small when the weather was perfect and the ferries were still running?  Bikie and I hopped into the car and hit the road.

I was surprised by how many cars were on the ferry.  As I've said before, my very last choice would be to take my car to either Put in Bay or to Kelleys because you can't make car reservations so you have to wait your turn to get your car on the ferry.  There is always room for an extra person and an extra bike, but only so many car parking spaces on a boat.

We arrived and Bikie and I set off east from the ferry dock and did the island loop.

I've posted the airport sign before, but it always makes me giggle so you get to see it again.

The runway is this close to the road.

I took a few hiking breaks as one does.

The last time that I visited this building, it was still possible to go inside.  Now the door was boarded up and there is a keep out sign...probably for the best and I have my memories.

I stopped by the glacial grooves.

And came to the close of my island loop.

The next priority was to get lunch ASAP.  I let my nose to the deciding and headed for a bar downtown.  I was there for food, but was open to the possibility of having a fun drink if the mood struck me.  The server brought me a food menu, but when I asked for a drink menu she looked at me like I had two heads and curtly told me, "We don't have a drink menu.  We have a full bar."

The lady at the next table had just tucked into an espresso martini, so I decided that I would have what she was having.  It went down mighty nicely and was a good foundation for my post-bike ride hamburger.

If you ask anyone in Ohio about the islands, you will be told over and over that Put in Bay is the trashy place where all of the drunks go and Kelleys is the nice place where families go.  I'm not saying that I have never seen anyone doing anything that they shouldn't on Put In Bay, but every time that I've been to Kelleys I have always seen something that makes me say hmmm.  True to form, there were three very drunk gentlemen at the bar, singing loudly along to the 80s hits on the radio.  They left about halfway through my time there, after letting everyone know that they were offering free lap dances to anyone to who wanted to stop by their house.  They were more amusing than bothersome, and I appreciate them for supporting my island stereotypes.

It was finally time to head home, and Bikie and I hopped back on the ferry.  We did a final drop in at Marblehead Lighthouse just to say that we did.  I've been to Kelleys and I've been to Marblehead, but never at the same time and I didn't realize how close they are to each other.  The lighthouse closes after Labor Day, but it's a looker so it's always worth a drive by.

And with that Bikie and I headed home.

What are your favorite staycation spots near home?