FOG? Thick, dense, pea soup, can’t see five feet in front of you, FOG? On what was supposed to be a gorgeous day?? That I was to spend riding and taking photos for my new Creepy portfolio? Even the pavement looked wet. Nuts!
This was around 8am Saturday, and as I drove to the grocery store for breakfast ingredients (because being prepared would just be ridiculous) the rays of sun shining through the trees hit the fog and cast numerous glowing diagonal strands of light as I drove down my street. And of course I did not have my camera with me. Who brings their camera to the grocery store? I didn’t even bring my phone. Sigh.
Leaving the store, the fog was just starting to give way to a blue sky. Whew! Arriving home, the sun illuminated an incredible amount of busywork by spiders on my fence, gates, even strands coming from the garage roof. Perhaps I won’t need Halloween decorations!
Soon we were on our way. Our road trip took us through the village of Marblehead, OH, where we stumbled upon the Dempsey State Fishing Access, a very nice boat launch and fishing access on Sandusky Bay. We walked out onto the pier as a lady pulled in a catfish and promptly walked down to her husband to de-hook.
“I’m not touching that slimy, yellow-bellied thing! They always swallow the hook!”
We smiled and continued down the rock-lined breakwall. Soon we were directly across from the boat launch, and decided we’d definitely be back with our boat next summer. Scores of sailboats dotted the water on this clear, breezy day, boaters soaking up the last of summer.
Behind us, looking across the water, the Top Thrill Dragster from Cedar Point rose above the treeline.
After we left the access we curved our way through the sunshine around Lake Erie on Route 2, just a tiny section of the Lake Erie Circle Tour, which is now on my bucket list.
Next stop was the Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge, the only one in Ohio, and home to many species of birds. The long walk back into the reserve felt great, an opportunity to stretch our legs again after the last bit of riding. Through the binoculars we saw mainly Canadian geese, swans and cranes, and surrounding us was the beginning of the fall color show.
On our way back, we stopped at the same abandoned farmhouse I had photographed a few years ago. It was about the same, except for a backhoe that sat off in the weeds to the right of the driveway. I’m glad I got several more photographs, as I figured seeing that means it’s time was limited, like several other forgotten structures I’ve captured.
It was so nice to get out on that gorgeous day, put several hundred miles on the bikes, and get sun/windburn in late September. Here’s hoping for more sunny October rides!