Ohio - Mt. Union Nature Center

August 3, 2018

We went to Mt. Union Nature Center today with Jean and Jim.  A beautiful day for a ride

 The Nature Center is part of the University of Mt. Union

 A trail leads to the Visitor's Center

 There are lots of trails here

and some Sculptures

 Bird Feeders

 and Butterfly Bushes

 Many of the trails are a boardwalk

This one led to a Barn and Farm

 Gary checks out the cabin

 While Jean and Jim check out the Barn

Enjoying a water view

 and the walk back

Jean suggests a small local diner for lunch.  We get to the parking lot and Gary and I park by this small building.  No signs of what it is but the sign in the window says "Come in we're open"

 Turns out it was the diner!

 A nice lunch and on the way out I noticed the table with Marriage and Funeral Records.  I hope cause of death wasn't food poisoning!

Ohio - Cuyahoga Valley National Park

August 2, 2018

We drive to Peninsula, OH to ride our bikes and take the train in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park

Several people waiting for the train this morning.

and here it is.  We are biking 11.5 miles from Peninsula to the Canal Exploration Center on the Ohio and Erie Canal Towpath Trail.  From April through October, you can bicycle one way and return by train for $5 using Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad's Bike Aboard! service.

On our way to the trail from the Station we pass the Cuyahoga River

and we're off!

There are several locks along the way

and a tunnel or two.  We could hear the train but we missed it passing over this bridge

Think it would have been a little loud anyway

There were lots of Heron in the River

  The Boston Store Visitor Center

View of I80 Bridge

A heron in a tree along the trail

The Frazee House

I asked Gary if he need to stop here to use the facilities and when he stopped he hit his front brake by mistake and went head over heels and did a pirouette with his bike. He was fine but the back wheel got bent.  He was able to ride the final mile on the bike though it was a challenge.

The end of the line for us - the Canal Exploration Center

A nice Museum on the Canal

and Lock 32

This is where we pick up the train back to Peninsula

Here it comes

 The Bike car has no A/C so they let us into one of the paying customer cars.

A nice trip back along the river

a Video - excuse the unintentional flips of the camera!

Back to Peninsula - time to unload the bikes

There's Gary's bike

Friends recommended the Winking Lizard for lunch

I think he winked at me

Ribs and wings!

After lunch we drive to see Brandywine Falls.  We drive past the National Park Administration Headquarters

The Boardwalk to Brandywine Falls

In the Spring it is much larger but pretty now nonetheless.

What a great day in a National Park I never knew existed - thanks for the heads-up Jean!