Spring 1997 - Cincinnati to Yukon
Journals - 25 April 1997
Day 25 - Grand Lake St. Mary's S.P., OH
25 April 1997 (very cool in morn; wind developed quickly; cloud/sun all
afternoon with a few drops of rain; mileage = 20.5) -- X - Got up very
early (4:45). Got ready in cold. Everything was wet which made it tough.
After we had packed up, we stood in the bathrooms with our hands under the
dryer to warm them (our hands, not the dryers). We finally got rolling at
6:45. There was a beautiful sunrise over the lake with mist and cranes
rising off it as we rode along the shore. Quickly we were in Minster.
Quite a cutesy place. If the press works went out of business, the town
would disappear. We detoured a tiny bit to see Minster Machine since I know
their work from my Dynamic days. We also got our first look at the
Miami-Erie Canal which I found very interesting. The hiking trail that was
posted looked impassable on foot, never mind by bike. We got back on the
main north-bound road out of Minster and cranked to St. Mary's. We stopped
and bought donuts and I carried them and our coffee to a really neat park.
It had a bell tower, a covered (reconstructed) bridge, and another waterway
with a neat canal boat. April stumbled on the dock trying to get in the
picture. It was wet and slick and I hadn't noticed it. She seems OK,
though. Next we had to go to the bathroom. We decided to ride around until
the library opened at 10:00. While killing time, we rode by (some of?) St.
Mary's foundry -- I thought it was bigger. Then we rode out of town and
found their strip mall. We stopped in McD's to use their restrooms. That
cost 95 cents, but they gave us complimentary orange juice. Next I went to
K-Mart. I was quite amazed to see so much stuff! Stuff that I don't use.
Very amazing. I bought a tarp to keep on the bikes at night. In the day,
too, I guess; just folded up then. Then A went grocery shopping while I
wrote postcards. Then we rode down to the lake and the campsite. We dried
everything thoroughly in the strong breeze and sun. It was very chilly,
though. Especially when clouds came by. We wrote postcards, labeled
pictures, and did some other organizing. We finally made dinner. We had
great B.L.T.'s and frying bacon in the high winds was a real trick. This
site is really nice, but since it's Friday night, lots of Yahoo's and their
dogs are here. They will keep us awake too late tonight, but tomorrow
morning at about 4:30 -- REVENGE!
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