2012-07-30: Butler, Ohio
Here we are in the middle of nowhere and we find this really nice campground surrounded by cornfields.
2012-07-31: Keenisee Lake
Kenisee Lake is located in northeast Ohio very near Lake Erie. We were lucky to find a campsite with this view!
2012-08-01: Covered Bridges
Although it was fun driving the back roads to find the covered bridges, we were a bit disappointed to find that they were rather new. The Netcher Rd. Bridge is a neo-Victorian design with a timber arch with inverted Haupt walls.
2012-08-01: Denmark Road Bridge
The Denmark Rd. Bridge was built in 1890. It is a Town Lattice structure that is 81-feet long and spans Mill Creek.
2012-08-01: Corn Crib
We don't see corncribs very often so couldn't resist taking a photo of this one. Seems like a lot of corn for the animals!
2012-08-01: Lake Erie
Our first view of Lake Erie was in Conneaut.
2012-08-01: Conneaut Light
Conneaut was also the first place where we got to see a lighthouse this summer. Always seems strange that there are lighthouses on the Great Lakes!
2012-08-02: Ashtabula Light
Today we drove through the Ohio wine country on our way first to Geneva-on-the-Lake and then on to Ashtabula where we saw another lighthouse.
2012-08-02: Captains Home?
This incredible home with its turreted widows walk overlooked the harbor in Ashtabula. Although there was no sign to identify it, I imagine it once was home to the captain of a fleet of ships that operated out of the port.
2012-08-04: Amish Country
Today we did a tour of the Amish country with new friends we met at the campground. It seemed strange seeing signs like this but understandable since Geauga County Ohio has the world's fourth largest Amish population.
2012-08-04: Wagon
Saturday is obviously a day to get out and about as there were many wagons traveling down the highway. In many places there was a wide shoulder so the wagons didn't hold traffic up but in other places you just had to bide your time as the horses clip-clopped down the street.
2012-08-04: Amish Farm
You know you're passing an Amish farm if there are no electric wires going to the houses and barns.
2012-08-04: Laundry Day
Another way to distinguish an Amish farm from another is by the laundry hanging out on the lines. It's hard to believe that the Amish still do not use electric appliances. Faith and family are always at the center of Amish culture. Their lifestyle is dictated by the ordnung, the Amish rules of living set forth by each Amish communities church.
2012-08-04: Wagon
One of the non-Amish stores in the area had this wagon in front for people like us to take a photo. Another thing with the Amish is they do not want their photo taken and their handmade dolls are without faces. We read something about this that said "I am without a face because the Bible forbids the making of graven images".
2012-08-04: Estate Auction
We were really lucky to come upon an Amish Estate Auction. Anyone could bid and buy. They had two different parking lots - one for the cars and another for the carts. We were amazed at the number of people in attendance and the amount of money people were paying for some of the stuff (junk).
2012-08-04: End Of The Commons
Our last stop of the day was to be at Ohio's oldest General Store that was established in 1840. Here we were going to get to see Amish collectibles and gifts, penny candy, spices and baking supplies - all kinds of wonderful things. We had not been in this store in the middle of nowhere for long when all of the sales people started saying "Please vacate the building as there has been a bomb threat". So much for meandering through the oldest general store!