Another dreary day in Cleveland. Armed with a fresh cup of coffee and a sandwich kindly prepared by my warmshowers host Bobbi, I took off.
After passing through the downtown area, I headed for a highway that runs along Lake Erie.
So bike friendly.
What started off as a bike trail in one of the Lake's metroparks turned into a winding road lined with beautiful lake homes. I keep wanting to call them beach houses, but that would imply they are on the beach. Technically, they are on the beach, and the lake looks like an ocean. I don't know.
Almost instantly, the scenic area degraded into old brick apartment buildings that looked burned out from the inside. I felt a little uncomfortable riding through the neighborhood, but that quickly changed when I stopped to eat lunch in a park.
I couldn't find a picnic table, so I was just standing, bike resting against a large tree. A runner passed, stopped and said you're touring - it was more of a statement than a question.
Lisa introduced herself, and told me about her touring experience with her fiancee and offered me a place to stay. She was on warmshowers, but due to moving later in the week, marked herself as inactive. Lisa said I could stay anyways. With only fifteen miles under my belt, I politely declined.
Lisa insisted on striking an action pose for the photo.
But we started talking about touring and living on the road. Turns out she met her fiance while touring in Europe.
In fact, she has toured all over the place. Sometimes while working, which means toting around solar panels to keep her gear charged all the time.
In comparison, my front hub can charge a small battery that I use to top up my phone, headlamp and Bluetooth speaker, but I still rely on a library or other establishment to keep my laptop charged.
Her fiancee, Steve, has lived all over the world and has toured Africa. That seems like the ultimate adventure. I'm completely self supported on my trip, but I am also within 50 miles of a gas station at any given time. I can fill my water bottles with ease everyday. Africa is another world.
I'm glad I met you Lisa, I'm in awe of your life.
Upon departing, she instructed me to cut through the trees just down the path.
I would have never guessed this was just beyond the tree lined park.
I slowly pressed on up the coast. In the late afternoon I checked out a state park for camping, but opted to keep going. It was still early, I could easily do another 10 or 15 miles.
Just after leaving the state park, I found the Morton's Salt Factory. It is a strange feeling to see a brand or product that you recognize being made. Until now, I've only associated Morton's Salt with the dark blue, circular container.
Now I think of that massive pile of blueish white salt.
The next state park had two campsites; both occupied. The first clearly had a raging campfire. The second site I discovered was taken after nearly tripping over a tent in the darkness.
I rode down the path, contemplating camping on the side next to a bench, but eventually found a nice thicket of trees.
That will do.
Joe