We're going to piss off a lot of people. Mostly from Ohio. Before anyone passes judgement on us, we did not know what to expect. We selected Lake Geneva, as there were a lot of very cool things to see and do while we were there. It is a principal wine producing region, home to a lot of covered bridges and Geneva on the Lake.
We stayed at Willow Lake Campground, which was on the outskirts of downtown Geneva and a short drive to Lake Erie. The camp ground offered full hook ups, concrete pads and spacious distance between you and your neighbors. It had no pool, but featured a small pond, which Julie and I would not use - we must be pond snobs.
Downtown was a disappointment, as a lot of buildings were vacant, with for rent signs in too many windows.
It's a shame, as we went through to get to the campground, it had a lot of interesting, attractive architecture, but a lot of empty spaces.
On day 1 we headed to a winery for a late lunch. Sampled some and didn't care for any of the wines. The food was just okay, however they had live music and people were dancing. Two couples seemed to occupy the dance floor. One couple seemed to be stiff, almost formal as if they were ballroom dancers. The other couple appeared loose, relaxed and were laughing the entire time. The second couples happiness was infectious. I asked Julie to dance and usually I'm not one to partake, but it was so much fun being out on the dance floor with those people. That was good. Thank god there were no pictures - I don't need to be compared to Elaine Benes.
We stopped at another winery and sampled their wares. At this point, it's clear Julie and I appreciate a good bottle of wine. Julie enjoys reds as much as I do - dry, full bodied. And in the summer, she likes some white Savignon Blanc, some blush or Proseco. It's an odd thing - we just know what we think tastes good. I don't possess the pallate/skills to identify what I'm drinking, whether the notes are cherries or leather and has legs. Just know what we like and it's that simple.
No one as of yet has offered us a job as a Sommelier.
The next day we set out to see covered bridges. We're familiar with them from NH and Vermont and have images burned into our brains that they're picturesque. Actually, we were excited to see them and there's an actual trail map.
All that we saw were working bridges and have been in use for a lot of years. Some were in unremarkable places and were there simply to cross a small creek our ravine. I'm pissing Ohioans off again, but we both prefer New England covered bridges. We guess people are fascinated by the construction, who bulit the structure and so on. We saw enough and headed back to the campground.
Geneva on the Lake sits on the edge of Lake Erie. Anyone who has been to Hampton Beach, NH would note the similarities. Businesses line the main drag, serving up a steady diet of taffy, cotton candy, arcades, mini golf, fast food and all of the stuff you've seen a million times. We tried a restaurant/winery for lunch and remembered we don't care for the wine.
We continue pissing the people of Ohio off by mentioning the smell. Neither of us is equipped with advanced olfactory receptors, but the odor was hard to pinpoint... kind of a cross between an empty dumpster that had just been rained on. Yeah, nose snobs.
We have friends back in NH who are quilters and really enjoy making and admiring them. This is one of many examples (wooden sign), of quilts made throughout the county. It's on the property where we had lunch on Geneva on the Lake.
We were told that Ashtabula harbor is a place to visit - so the next day we headed there. It's a small area, but packed with a lot of history and very cool shops and restaurants.
We bought wine there (brand we knew), ate a wonderful lunch and walked over to the original lighthouse and perused the shops. We went back there to try different restaurants and would visit in the future if our plans took us that way.
One afternoon, we took a hike at a trail that features some climbing. It was a loop that spanned about 4.5 miles.
There were a group of women on horseback who rode through and were fun to talk to. One of the cool aspects of the hike was this suspension bridge that had a dry creek bed underneath. I imagine the water after snow melt must be incredible. A beautiful park.
Our last night there, we ate here. They make their own wines and as a last gasp effort at redeeming ourselves with the good people of Ohio, we had a bottle and it was decent. The food was above average and considering the weather was favorable (heat had subsided considerably), we ate outside. Indoor seating and the patio, both large areas, were packed. Along with Ashtabula Harbor, this would be a good place to stop and eat.
Perrysburg? You're taking me to Perrysburg?
Yes Julie, its' the last stop in Ohio. We have a Harvest Host after this, then we hit Chicago baby!
We stayed at a KOA that had no pool; it was being upgraded to new county zoning regulations. There wasn't much in the area to see, other than a Jeep festival in Toledo. This part of Ohio is really flat and (here we go again), and boring. There's a lot of industrial sites. We wandered into downtown Perrysburg and noted how clean and orderly it was. It's like the Stepford Wives came through, decided how to make into an idyllic town and then left. Several nice looking restaurants, gift shops and no one was hurried, angry or stressed.
On the bottom right corner is a picture of deviled eggs that are deep fried with a sausage coating. The mustard sauce and pickles made for interesting tastes, along with craft cocktails. The statue is of Commander Perry, who played a key role in Perrysburg history. The area served in opening up commerce to Detroit and there is Fort Meigs nearby that details the 1812 war against the British and native Indians.
We visited Maumee State Park, which sits on the shores of Lake Erie. There is a large resort there that caters to fishing, golf and hiking.
This quilt hangs in the lobby of the Maumee Bay Lodge.
We ate at the nearby Oregon Inn just east of the state park. Food was good here and portions were generous. Some of the best food we had in the area. Julie and I went to the beach area and put our feet into Maumee Bay. As usual, we were unprepared for the beach, so we headed out for cocktails.
The people of Ohio had no hand in the topography. We can't blame them for how drab the area was. We're certain these are a good people, but please do something about your wine and smells.
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