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Published: July 27th 2013
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Vineyards in Pennsylvania
That is Lake Erie in the background July 16-17: After leaving Chautaqua, I picked up Highway 5 to drive along Lake Eire. Glimpses were rare until I hit the vineyards, then I could see the lake clearly. Otherwise there were trees in the way. After spending the night at a friendly Methodist Church in the city of Eire, I drove on to Ohio and stopped for lunch in Lakeshore Park, located right on the side of the lake near Ashtabula. (I like that nameāit's fun to say. Someone should write a song about it.) I took a picture of some ducks on the water and also of the pavilion. It wasn't really much to see, but the sign said it is the oldest pavilion on the Great Lakes that is still in use. I thought that ought to go on the record!
July 18-20 I had called ahead to see if I could visit my NOMAD friends Lee and Connie Burnside in Norton, just south of Akron. They were also expecting some additional NOMAD friends so we had a mini-reunion there. I wound up staying several days. What a great time! Lots of laughter and visiting.
July 21-23: I had told Lee and Connie
Steeples along the Road
I just liked this view near Lake Erie that I was interested in getting some photos of some Amish villages and also some round barns, so they gave me some tourist information to get me going.
Often when people think of Amish country, they picture the Lancaster, Pennsylvania area. Actually Ohio and Indiana have large Amish populations also. Around Kidron, Ohio, is one of the best known areas for Amish in Ohio. I got there Saturday afternoon, almost too late for the weekly farmers' market. I was delighted there were still several buggies parked and waiting for their riders. Moreover, there were still a few booths and vendors, however, so I got to walk around and get some pictures. I have been told that the Amish prefer not to have their pictures taken, so I shamelessly used my 20 zoom on the camera and caught some any way! I tried to make it up to them by buying some home baked items and cheese.
Lehman's General Store is also well known in the area. They feature everything Amish and then some. I spent a couple of hours walking around the huge store and bought a few little mementos , early Christmas gift. I was awed by
the many handmade items that were so beautiful: wooden furniture, quilts, wood stoves and other iron works, homemade jams, jellies, canned vegetables, etc.
I wound up driving even further south in search of barns and other Amish markets. I found a modern one more on the tourist level, with a working Amish farm and various stores featuring more Amish goods and non-Amish tourist items. The Christmas store there was a converted round barn. Since it was Sunday, it was closed as was most of the other stores. I had to be content with literal window shopping. Oh, well, that was better on my pocket book anyway!.
At another town I actually found a real round barn located on the fairgrounds. It was quite large, too. Fortunately it was open so I could go in and take pictures of the interior. The woodwork on the roof was incredible. I can't remember the names of all the villages I drove through, but my travels went in a circle and I almost wound up back in Norton again! I decided to give Lee and Connie a break, however and kept trucking back north toward Lake Eire again. I wanted to spend
Oldtimer
Oldest pavilion on the Great Lakes located near Ashtabula, OH the night at an RV park on a peninsula north of Sandusky. It was so beautiful there I decided to spend two nights.
July 25: In order to avoid city traffic at Toledo, I dropped down to Hwy 6. This is one of those highways that runs almost completely across the US and goes through some interesting small towns. Unfortunately, as I was driving, the RV started shaking like I had a flat tire. I stopped twice to look, but couldn't see anything. It kept getting worse, and I decided it was my brakes. I was going by Bowling Green and decided to get things checked out. Immediately after I turned off the road I spotted a Midas Brakes Shop near a Walmart and shopping center. Praising the Lord, I pulled into the shop. After a look at things the man said I needed all new brakes to the tune of over $900 dollars. (Maybe I praised too fast?) Anyway, I gulped and was grateful that I had my charge card. After about a four hour wait, they were through, I was poorer, but was on my way again. Actually, I have been very blessed with few
Another Red Barn
I have quite a collection of these on photos now. breakdowns in all my travels.
Well, a half an hour down the road, the RV was vibrating again. I pulled over to the road-side and stopped. When I tried to move forward a bit, I found it would not move. I smelled rubber burning and looked to see one of the tires smoking! I called the Midas store, then a tow truck and went back to Bowling Green. They went back over everything, but couldn't find anything wrong except a tight emergency brake line. So I took off again. This time I made it ok to Warsaw, Indiana and some more NOMAD friends.
Bootsie--I don't know what Marty was doing. We stopped for a little bit and I was just settling down to see what was outside when I heard this noise that I didn't like. It sounded like machinery. Anyway, first thing I knew the RV was going up and then people were thumping and hammering and making all kinds of awful noise. Marty was no where around! Finally, things got quiet and we went down again. I didn't come out from under the chair until Marty got into the RV. Then after awhile of Lehmans General Store
In Amish country, Kidron, OH riding we stopped again. In a little while a big truck came. She knows I don't like big trucks. Well, he banged around and we were moving again. Then the RV went up again, more banging and scary noises. I think she did all that just to scare me--well it did! Why would she want to scare me like that? I sure was glad when we were moving again with no more trucks and loud noises.
Ned and Charlene's neighborhood had been struck by a tornado, but thankfully their house was spared. Charlene and I walked around and saw some of the houses being repaired. After spending a couple of nights at their place, I moved to the fairgrounds, due to the construction on the roads by their house.
Near Warsaw is Winona Lake, home of the famous evangelist Billy Sunday. He held weekly revivals attracting thousands of people, many of whom decided to move there. Sunday was also a mentor of Billy Graham. The village of Winona Lake has been refurbished to an historic artisan shopping area . The former cottages of faculty of nearby Grace College have been changed to charming shops.
Ladies Three
Couldn't resist this picture at the farmers market in Kidron. There are lovely gardens and sculptures and a turn-of-the-century hotel on the lake.
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Sojourner1208
William
brakes
Hope they got it fixed right the second time. : /