I love being outdoors. Almost every job I've ever had has allowed me to work outside. So today was a great day because I spent the entire day with nothing between me and the sky.
We started our day at Edgewater Park Beach in Cleveland.
A beautiful early morning walk along Lake Erie.
Then we drove south to Cuyahoga Valley National Park.
Our first stop was a short hike to Brandywine Falls.
Chrissy doesn't have time for all my foolish ideas about stopping to fully enjoy the experience of being outside...
...so I enjoy it all by myself...alone again...naturally.
Brandywine Falls
I absolutely love the sound of rushing water. Sometimes you can hear it while hiking and the sound gets louder as you are walking through the forest, building that anticipation of how impressive this waterfall will be visually...
...and it always seems so impressive...
...until you hike up to the top and all you see is this little stream of water about to drop over the edge. It's like when the Wizard of Oz is exposed as a feeble old man.
Flowers on the loop trail back to the car.
Our next stop was at the Boston Store Visitor's Center. While Chrissy was picking up some items, I went next door to check out the old gas pumps. Then I saw a Conservancy of Cuyahoga Valley Bookstore across the street. So I went in to say hello....30 minutes later after a wonderful conversation about the best places to hike in the park, I find Chrissy at the car wondering where the hell I disappeared for half an hour. She forgave me after a tasty lunch with alcohol at Fisher's Cafe & Pub.
We hiked the Ledges Loop Trail and part of the Haskell Run Trail which was supposed to a loop but was blocked off for some reason.
This cemetery was near the Happy Days Lodge.
Back on the Ledges Loop Trail.
This area looks a lot like Starved Rock State Park back home in Illinois.
I am constantly amazed at the will to survive by Mother Nature. That tree on the left is growing on a rock.
Another tree growing on a rock.
Chrissy was hiking ahead of me and pointing things like this mushroom out...so I figured she wanted a picture.
We eventually climbed up to the Overlook.
From here all you could see was trees for miles and miles.
Since we were a hiking a loop, I figured we had a mile or two to get back to our car. But it turns out all we had to do was walk across a meadow that took us to the parking lot. Some genius trail hiker I am.
We drove further south to the Beaver Marsh along the Canal Towpath Trail.
This is a huge wetland area.
Not exactly sure about the bike warning.
The clouds turned out pretty good in this photo. But the great thing about hiking along an out and back trail is you get another chance to photograph everything.
Some funky plants grow in wetlands.
I am not sure why birds prefer to stand on one leg.
The locals just enjoying a beautiful day in the park.
This photo is much better than the earlier one.
Another slacker just hanging out in the park.
I hiked up the trail past the marsh and found the Cuyahoga River meandering along.
On our way out of the park, we stopped to hike out to Blue Hen Falls on the Buckeye Trail. A ranger we met at the Beaver Marsh told us to follow the primitive trail past the falls to a nice cascade about a mile or so past the falls.
So we did.
At the top looking down the cascade...
...at the bottom looking up the cascade.
It was very peaceful and relaxing sitting here in the shade.
It was much easier hiking along the creek.
I was surprised how quick we got back to Blue Hen Falls.
So I took a few pictures standing in the creek...
...and while hiking back up to the trail.
That's Chrissy standing at the top right.
Looking upstream and down at the falls.
We had dinner at a Swenson's Drive-In in Seven Hills. Tomorrow is Chrissy's birthday and we will be at Cedar Point all day long. So this is her birthday dinner...complete with a milkshake toast.
We stayed on the beach at Cedar Point's Hotel Breakers.
Can't wait to ride this crazy coaster tomorrow.
I am a big fan of the old school posters and very excited to be back at Cedar Point for the first time in 10 or more years.
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