Lisa's Travels, Trials and Treats

Our Bike Ride to Downtown Cleveland and more.....

 What a wonderful 4th of July weekend!  It was a great weekend for biking.  On Saturday, we biked 20 miles, through Lakewood Park, watching all the  hundreds of people cooking out, anticipating the upcoming fireworks, to biking down Lake Road admiring the old houses in Western Lakewood.  We ended this bike trip with 12 miles, stopped, cooked out, went to see fireworks with Kaylie and Tyler and than biked again another 8 miles.  By the time everything was all said and done, it was just about midnight when we rolled in!

On Sunday, we decided to head towards Downtown Cleveland.  Our ride took us from the tranquility of Lakewood's Shoreline district, the beautiful vista of Edgewater Park, and continued on through the canyons of Downtown Cleveland with a lunch at Shooters on the water.

The picture from Edgewater Park, overlooking the large beach, the downtown skyline, all the boats moored off the shoreline has to make for one of the most beautiful urban parks in the country.

 

 

 

• The first two pics are lunch at Shooters.
• Listening to a Reggea band while having lunch.
• Don on the Boardwalk of Shooters.
• Lisa at the Shooters Boardwalk, with the Raising Bridge in the background.
• The Goodtime 2.
• Lisa outside of Shooters.  The background is a historical reminder of an old swinging bridge from a by gone era.
• Don on the Boardwalk of Shooters again.
• A view of the bridge from the Boardwalk.
• Lisa, with the lake in the background.

 

At Shooters!!!!! Awwwww.... Don is so cute!

 

From the Boardwalk at Shooters.

 

 

Edgewater Beach Scenes!

Total mileage for Sunday--31 miles.

Total mileage for weekend:  51 miles.

 

 

Our Seneca Lake Bike Adventure

    Friday afternoon Don and I were off to Seneca Lake in the state of NY.  Seneca is one of the eleven lakes in what is called The Finger Lakes region.  We have been planning this trip for over a month now, researching B & B's, hotels, area restaurants, and last but not least, how many miles would it be to bike around the lake?  We estimated it to be about 80.  No problem--we have been training for this!  Don and I have been biking, 20, 30 and 40 mile bike trips.  WE WERE READY!!!!!  What we didnt figure out in the estimation of the mileage, was the B & B that we were staying at the first night was just a wee bit off the beaten path.  Sooooooooo............. the entire trip from start to finish was-- 100 MILES!!!!!

Pics on the way.....

   

  

Friday night we arrived at our motel at about 10:00 p.m.  On Saturday morning we were off for a day of biking.  We had breakfast at the motel first and than we were off.  This is me in front of the sign at the motel.

 

The view from the restaurant at our hotel as we were having breakfast.

 

Some local divers.

 

Odometer set to zero....... 

  

Bikes all set to go!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

  

  

  

Don- I told you to let me pick out the B & B's!!!!!!!!

 

These pictures were taken at the Pompass Ass Winery.  They are too funny!  We stopped here just before the heavy rain hit us.  We waited for it to let up and than off we went again---unfortunately it started up again.  A little wet-YES.  Did that stop us?  NO

  As we were approaching the town of Ovid, we reached an elevation of 1026 ft!!!!!! 

 

We made it to OVID!!! Now- lets find our B & B!

 

The half way point.  We did it!  We biked 50 miles!

 

 

Our B & B...... it was absolutely beautiful.

 

 

 

  Misc. biking pics....

THINGS WE SAW ALONG THE WAY:

 

 

-beautiful waterfall

-loved the clouds

-the cows looked so peaceful

-yes--thats a white doe!

-beautiful scenery along the way

-a pheasant along the side of the road

 

SUNDAY:  After breakfast at the

B & B we were headed back to the motel that we started off at on Saturday.  Hmmmm...... how long will this take us?

 

This is me at the tip of the lake in Geneva.

 

 

After about 9 hours on the bike that day, we finally made it.  We reached our goal.  We road around the entire lake.  It took us two days and 100 miles, but we did it!!!!!!!!  Yeah!

 

What a wonderful weekend we had and such an accomplishment we made!  There was a time where I thought I couldnt do it.  Expecially biking up those big hills. But, you know Don was always cheering me on-telling me I could do it, encouraging me the whole time. He just kept peddeling on, telling me how proud he was.  I'm proud of both of us.  With almost 3000 calories burned and 100 miles..... WE DID IT!!! 

 

 

 

 

 

Our weekend biking.....

 

In preperation of our long 80 plus mile ride next weekend, we decided to give it a trial run with two long days in a row of biking.

Saturday:  We decided to ride from Don's house in Lakewood, to Dick's Sporting Goods in North Olmsted.  We arrived at Dick's after 12.5 miles of biking, where I purchased my new bag for my bike.

 

I made a big accomplishment on the way.  I biked all the way up the biggest, meanest hill in the land!!!!  YES- Cedar Point Hill.  Here I am at the top of the hill, tired but more confident (and probably 2 lbs lighter)!!!!!!

 

My new bag!!!!!  Oh by the way--my new bike too.  As much as I loved the new Schwinn Don got me for Mothers Day,  after only one month old, I rode the gears off!!!!!  We took it back last Sunday and on Monday we were up at Century Cycles getting another one.  Don bought me a really nice GiANT Bike!!!  I love it!!!  More pics of my bike to come!

Even with these yellow lenses, you can see how deeply blue Don's georgeous eyes are!

Here we are in the Metro Parks on the way home from Dicks.

After arriving home at around 8:00 PM, we grilled chicken, and than went right back out for another ride.  This time, we biked  6 more miles, which gave us a total of 31 miles for the day.  Whewwwww!!!!!

This is Sapphire looking out the window at us when we came home.

 

 

SUNDAY:  We planned that no matter what we did on Saturday, we were going to do a 40 mile ride to help both our fitness level and our confidence for next weekend. We decided to ride on the Tow Path.  Our journey began at the Rockside Entrance.

Everywhere we went, people were asking if they could take our picture for us.  Here we are, before starting our 40 mile journey.  Even a journey of 40 miles starts with the first peddle---but damn there is a lot more after that!!!!

 

                 

 

The half way point!!!!  We made it 20 miles!!!

 

 

Not only was it a beautiful ride on the Tow Path, the history of it really is fascinating.  It goes back to the 1820's when this was built.  At this stop, they had a story about the canal.

 

 

Nothing says summer like warm feet in the cool grass!!!!  It felt so good at the half way point!!!

 

Why does a turtle cross the road?  I dont know, but this big snapping turtle must have a reason!!!!  He was scary!!!!  Not something we were expecting on our way back.  It was so funny--it caused a traffic jam with the cyclists. 

 

After many miles in the woods, it was a striking sight to come out and see the 271 bridge towering hundreds of feet over our heads.

    

                    

Misc. Pics.                   

                     

                               

WE DID IT!!!! We biked over 40 miles.  It took us approximately 5.5 hrs and we burned well over 1000 calories. 

Night Rider

Last night Don and I took a bike ride through the Metro Parks just when it was starting to get dark!  That was fun.  We're preparing for our big trip next weekend around Seneca Lake.  We'll bike 80 miles in two days.

Still waiting to post pics from our trip to Hocking last weekend. Been busy with school, work and biking.  Plus, I'm waiting for my new laptop to come.