Toni's Tribute to All Countries, But Mostly America

  I will admit to having had to an off day yesterday. Unusual for me, but it happens periodically.  Thankfully, today is markedly different; Aaron feels 💯% relieved of his sore throat and malaise, we got the check engine light figured out and turned off, we found a place to repair our Bambi’s water leak (appt in a couple of weeks), we got new tires figured out, finally got ahold of a human at Apple to give me a refund for an erroneous charge, Aaron figured out and repaired the broken bathroom door handle, and I’m back in the happy saddle I’m usually astride.  The hug from the Lord I received in the Detroit Temple yesterday helped. As did a good nights rest. And morning prayers. Feel like roses are blooming.  Three amazing thing: #1- Can’t decide if it was worship at the Detroit Temple yesterday or the Chicago Temple today or both, but nothing quite puts life’s woes into perspective like temple worship focused on eternal salvation and the love of God for those who lo...

 Yep, we’re in Detroit for the evening. In fact, we’re staying across the street from a massive Ford factory, and there must be 300 cars in the employee parking lot. I had no idea they’d be running night shift at the auto manufacturer. There’s also a huge test track next to the plant. Motor City indeed! Detroit isn’t nearly as bad as I’d imagined. I’d been quite nervous about coming into Detroit, but we’re not downtown, the temple is in a gorgeous upscale suburb, and we’re staying in a clean and safe place for the night, so I’m pleased. The weather is pleasant, the roads are good, the people are nice, and the temple was exquisite … as usual.  This was temple #19 on our trip with just about that many left to visit. Feels like time is just a flyin’ by.                  Tomorrow we’re off to Chicago.

 When son Michael attended school in Cleveland for 4 years, we visited his family twice yearly and thought we knew the area fairly well. But we never ventured far enough outside of the city, and so today I find myself quite besotted with the beauty of northern Ohio. Deeply forested and of intense green rolling hills, gorgeously sown fields, and vast swaths of mowed lawns, the outskirts of Cleveland are quite beguiling. Yesterday was church at a super friendly branch where we were repeatedly welcomed. The branch president even trusted us enough to leave us alone in the building for about 4 hours after everyone else left. Because internet service at our campsite is pathetic, we took our lunch and computers and used the church internet to catch up on business and binge watch The Chosen. I was surprised he’d be so trusting of us but was grateful he was. Today was P-Day:  tire rotation and oil change, hair cuts and groceries, laundry and cooking.  But we eeked out time to visi...

 Three amazing things: #1- Biking today along the historic Ohio & Erie Canal was quite similar to our 4-day pedal along the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal in Maryland several weeks ago but with a few notable differences. Being later in the year, it’s much more hot and humid. And being in a national park, it’s also more heavily used. Which is why I figured to spend only one day on this lovely bike path which wends its way gently along the Cuyahoga River on one side and the remnants of the canal on the other. Was a perfect day for a 20-mile peddle; although last nights forecast called for rain all day, the storms held off until the evening. Lucky us! #2- Brandywine Falls are the iconic symbol of Cuyahoga Valley National Park. They appear on every picture of the park and for good reason:  these falls are most impressive. Only a 3-mile round trip hike from the towpath bike trail, Aaron nevertheless chose to sit out the hike to nurse a bum knee, so I turned it into more of a trail...

 Today is hump day; we are exactly halfway through our   230-day 8-month trip around the good ol’ USofA.            While Cuyahoga Valley may not be the most exciting national park we’ve visited, it’s certainly very popular amongst the locals. Situated between Akron and Cleveland, this park preserves the green valley through which the Cuyahoga River flows to reach Lake Erie. Green and lush and encompassing the historic Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath and Cuyahoga Valley Railroad, the park is an oasis for folk living in nearby urban areas, and we’re expecting large crowds tomorrow on this lovely weekend.  Three amazing things:                                                            #1- As all my research attested, The Ledges Trail was indeed and by far the best hike in this small national park. ...