This town had really gone down a lot. Bucyrus, where Denny is from, looked about like always. We stopped at a place for him to get some fav chicken sandwiches and me some soup...then we headed north.
Loved all these hanging baskets, small town USA, so nice
We wondered if this was a take on the Christmas song, I want a Hippopotamus for Christmas...too funny.
It was a nice drive, good weather and nice scenery to Put-in-Bay, just perhaps a bit longer than we thought. We finally arrived and Denny left me and luggage at the ferry drop-off while he parked. We had decided not to take the car on the ferry, very glad we did...you don't really need it and it would have just been a hassle.
Where you buy tix...$10 pp/one way.
The trailer park that sits right next to the
The ferry came in, unloaded, reloaded and off we went. All this was really fairly quickly and very fascinating to watch.
All vehicles loaded and unloaded first, then people.
Unloading the vehicles was fast and efficient.....
Watching this big RV loading was cool...he did a great job....
We were not standing in a good place for viewing but i got a few pics... but i fixed that on the ride back.
Those cars were packed in there...but it all worked. The wind was high, and the waves came up over the sides and water got all over everything, at least it's not salt water.
Approaching Put-in-Bay...
All packed in, but very efficient.
That big hill you can see is what we had to climb once off the ferry....
Was a short 20-25min ride....all vehicles unloaded, then we all walked off....had to go up a big hill where there were waiting taxis...got a van/taxi and headed to the hotel. Off to our hotel the Ahoy Inn.
Check in was fast and easy and we reserved a golf cart for the next day...that is the main transportation on the island. Nice clean room, very basic. King bed , clean private bath.
Our closet....and 2 small drawers...glad we were only here 2 nites, if we ever stay longer I'll ask a few more questions before booking.
We quickly dropped the junk and walked into town...we'd done some homework and knew we wanted to catch the tram ride around the island today. That way we'd know what to go back and do on our own the next day. We got the last tram and we were the only ones until the end. It was a hop-on-hop-off...so some folks got on at the end heading back. We did not get off as many places were closing, but we got the education we hoped for to help us the next day.
An old B and B as we were leaving the parking lot. ...The Toledo House
Huge Marina...the Boardwalk was not huge, but was nice.
Winery...good to know..
Middle Bass Island ....very close. Has a science lab on it where students come and spend summers and study.
The Island Yacht Club
One of the oldest homes here
A sign to the lab on the island and one of the residential homes...
Some of the original bldgs, being restored, or just left alone.
This island has a huge number of old cars...u see them all over. There is a parade every Sunday, sorry we missed it.
We like our palms, but love Christmas trees too...beautiful.
One guy had wood carving as a hobby.......cool
More old cars and the beginning of a structure that never happened.
The Perry Peace Memorial...On 10 September 1813, Master Commandant Oliver Hazard Perry won one of the biggest victories in the War of 1812. In 1912 the construction of a 352-ft. memorial in his honor began; in 1936 it became part of the National Park System and was declared a National Monument by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Visitors can take an elevator up 317 ft. to the observation deck, where they can see the Lake Erie Islands and the shores of Michigan, Ohio and Ontario..
Cute place...bad Mojito's.....Denny's pina colada was actually not bad.
Getting hungry, but not starving and we'd heard The Boardwalk had good lobster bisque....they were right.
Loved what these said...hillarious
Big Marina, sunset was coming....we got a lobster roll to go and headed home.
Very interesting bar...an old fire engine.
Back at the room we got settled, had our lobster roll and hit the bed....had been a fun day.
The next morning we got our golf cart from the hotel and headed out. 1st stop Pasquale's for breakfast....good call. Now time to explore.
Nice looking hotel, with a huge pool and swim up bar...our place was smaller and quieter, no pool, but that's ok...got those back home.
A few residential summer homes. The summers are huge here....in winter there are only about 50-100 that stay on the island. We learned much later that our tram driver owned that business and MANY more on the island...he was born on the island and lived there year around and can't imagine living anywhere else....cool.
On to Perry's Memorial and Museum.
The monument was being restored, so, no ride to the top on this trip.
We made our way into the museum.
The building of the monument
William Brady pension papers...original
1931 dedication of the monument
Medals awarded...and a ceramic mug from the ship
Wood from the sunken ships...that were raised years later
32lb cannon ball
Neat things retrieved from the ships, once they were raised.
It was all about control of Lake Erie
Was very fascinating
After leaving the monument, we went to Put-in-Bay Winery. We didn't care for the wine, and we didn't really want to do the tour, but we found this old building with some really old artifacts in it...cool
Outside the Yacht Club these kids were taking sailing lessons, loved the old car. This island has TONS of old cars,....very cool
Back on our golf cart for more touring..loved these painted garage doors..wow
The bicycle fix it shop was cute outside...
There was a cellar...wish I could have gone inside
The bedroom, and it looked out to the classroom...but at least she had a home.
Our next stop...Heineman's Winery and Crystal Cave
In 1887 a Mr. Gustav Heineman emigrated from Baden-Baden, Germany to Put-in-Bay, Ohio, where he established a winery. In 1897 he dug a well beneath his winery and discovered a large vug at a depth of 30 feet (10 m). On exploring the cave he found the cave walls covered with extremely large and well-developed tabular crystals identified as celestine, a form of strontium sulfate.
The original cave was much larger than it is today, as much of the celestite was mined for the manufacturing of fireworks. However, Mr. Heineman decided to stop the mining and turn the property into a tourist attraction. Due to the Crystal Cave, the Heineman winery survived prohibition because of tourist revenues.
In the cave, we had a tour guide..she was ok, not great
Inside the cave was very tight
We didn't get to stay long and we had to go
The winery tour, was not a big deal, the guy that gave the tour was not too excited to be there...and again, we didn't really care for the wine.
The big cloth "bladder" inside the stainless tank
The bottling...
Cool labels...
And to the bar for tasting....
After the winery we went across the street to the antique car barn...some really cool cars.
They have a parade on Sunday, but we missed it.
And some antique bikes and other things, was a really cool place....and was free!!!
Cool scooters
Old tractor...
And some miscellaneous old items...what a collection, and most of it belongs to the man and his family that was our tram driver the day before.
Next stop, the Benson Ford ship that was made into a house. Wish we could have seen it from the water side. .. www.shiponthebay.com It was so cool...would have been neat to see the inside too, but, is someone's home.
They had a lovely view.....
Then we headed back downtown, the merry-go-round was a big hit.
Several folks had carving hobbies...some great work. Just sitting in the front yard.
Then off to Goat Soup and Whiskey for dinner...was very yummy....see The Goat behind me???
Then a little more cruising before heading back to our hotel, we were loving riding around on the golf cart. This little cottage looked like something out of a fairy tale.
Then time to head to our room, to pack up, we leave in the morning...
We were glad to be going downhill to the ferry this time....
Some old war time leftovers down by the waters edge.
Time to load the ferry....GFS truck first
The gulls "painted" this spotted white.....YUCK
A nice ride back, but a bit windy
So long....we'll be back....
Beautiful homes on the cliffs...
Packed onto the ferry...
Time to unload
Once we got back to our car, we needed to do some laundry. Had hoped to do that on the island, but no such luck. So, I like a good little Geek I asked my phone where was the closest laundromat. It directed us to this very interesting town....Lakeside a Chautauqua community.
You had to pay to come into the town...however, when the gate keepers knew all we wanted to do as use the laundromat, they gave us a free pass. It was wild, never had to pay to go into a town before.
We got our laundry started and headed out to explore. Was expensive to wash too...as expected.
During the summer this community is packed, during the winter just a few hundred, but 1000's in the summer.
On a warm August day in 1873, a group of Methodist preachers unloaded axes and shovels to begin clearing a tract of land near Lakeside's present-day Central Park. They built a podium, plank benches and several platforms of stone upon which fires would light the meetings to come. On the edge of the clearing, tents provided shelter for preachers and their families. People from the surrounding countryside arrived on foot and in wagons, for Lakeside's first public event. It was an old-fashioned camp meeting revival with rousing hymns and preaching that matched the surrounding bonfires.
From this beginning to what it is today with tons of activities, everyday and entertainment almost every night. Movies, crafts, church services, boating, swimming, golf, it was a very busy place.
The residents do not pay extra for anything, and that's why visitors pay to come in, so if you partake in the activities you are "paid"
The front gate to the town, we went in the back, it was guarded too.
What a place...was fun to walk around while the laundry was washing...never been to a place like that.
We left and headed for Charm...but first some lunch.
We stopped at a place on the lake we thought would be good, it was not...and it was VERY slow. Bad stop, but how can you know. At least the view was nice.
Beautiful farms of Ohio...
Stopped here int he middle of no where for a potty stop..it was an out house...nooop...back int he car and down the road we went.
We are in Amish country...we got settled and road around a bit.
So glad to be there, love the Charm Country View Inn...
Next morning had our first amazing breakfast, then Floyd and Marilyn were meeting us for the day.
We headed tot he Warther's Museum....this is David Warther, the grandson to Mooney Warther that carved trains. We saw those last year, but missed this museum. This time we knew we wanted to make this stop. David carves ships from all time frames out of ivory and ebony.
David is there and comes out and talks to everyone. Super nice guy. One way he makes some extra money is selling "ivory strings"...he needed "strings" to create ship parts, so he found a way, now musicians want them...so he takes orders.
David Warther, a fifth generation carver of Swiss heritage, who is continuing his family's carving legacy in the center of Ohio's beautiful Amish country.
The carvings created by David are intricately worked of antique ivory, ebony wood and abalone pearl. Each of the 83 works (and counting!) is heavily engraved through the art form known as scrimshaw. David works daily in his on-site workshop where he is creating the "History of the Ship" from 1st Dynasty Egypt, circa 3000 B.C., to the present day. This unique art collection-museum forms an artistic and highly educational exhibit that culturally enriches all who view these extraordinary works of art.
The very first boats he carved as a child.
In his workshop...carving
Ivory "strings" to create sails...
Inside his workshop...so many tiny tools
These were amazing and made to perfect scale...
In one corner of the museum was this display that his grandfather, Mooney had done
Our next stop was for Floyd and Marilyn to get some lunch...they had not had our 5 star breakfast.
After that, we headed to Breitenbach winery, now we DO like their wine. We had a glass and bought a few bottles and headed back to Charm. They needed to head home.
We went to a family restaurant in Charm for dinner...was very good. Went back to buy some Strawberry Jam...yum.
Another great breakfast the next day and then off for some exploring...accidentally found this winery, was ok, not great. We tried their special blend of sangria, I like mine better. This is a winery, bar and restaurant and only open on the weekend...we got lucky. Was fun to see it, but don't think we'll go back.
The inside was really neat...
After breakfast the next morning we headed to Bucyrus for Jeanette and Clancy's celebration party.
They married about 3mths ago, but waited till summer to have the party. Harvey and Peg let them use the farm and it was a perfect day. We love going to the farm....
The food was wonderful, there was a DJ and later a square dance caller...it was great to see everyone again, we really had a wonderful time, so glad we were invited and could make it.
Their sweet dance together....
Floyd took several kids on tractor rides...what a fun thing. They kept trying to get me to drive it....no way.
Another great trip to Ohio...thanks for all the hospitality along the way, we had a wonderful time.
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