May, 2018
During last year’s 2,000-mile pursuit of the solar eclipse, caving and visiting grandkids, we wanted to focus during our maiden voyage on adjusting to Aimee without pulling a car. However, and in preparation for being full-timers and towing a car along behind us, we purchased and had installed a Blue Ox towing system. We had to learn to make the system work for us, and as the old saying goes, practice makes perfect. What better way than getting on the road? And with Maggie’s birthday in the middle of May the timing was perfect for an Ohio road trip.
We’re retired, and time has little meaning (except for senior discounts at restaurants?) unless there’s some place you just have to be on a specific date. In this case the specific date was the weekend of May 18-20 – the birthday weekend. Once the tow system was installed we had as much time as we’d like to travel to Yellow Springs.
I had been through Williamsport several times for business, but had never stopped at the Little League Museum; Barbara had never been. 3-4 hours (maybe a little more) is a perfect daily distance, and a campground just a bit south of Williamsport happened to be in our time/distance calculation. Cuyahoga Valley National Park was a stop we wanted to make last year but the press of time prohibited visiting during 2017. And guess what? A campground near the Park is just a little longer than 4 hours from our campground near Williamsport. And where we stay near Yellow Springs was in that 3-4 hour range as well. So the trip was cast.
Traveling to our campground near Williamsport turned out to be more treacherous than expected. Going south off of Route 80 and in the rain, both of our cell phones blasted a weather alert warning for tornados in the area for the next 45 minutes. With testosterone and a fair supply of sheer stupidity, I ignored the warnings (ah – it ain’t so bad outside!); forgot I was driving a large rectangular box on wheels, and continued on for a couple of minutes until a “gust” of wind pushed me just about 1 lane to the left. We pulled over under the next overpass and sat it out for the next 45 minutes or so. SAFELY into our campsite, we enjoyed the evening. Next to us was another camper who asked if we were part of the RVers square dancing club, and were we in the campground for the dance that night?! I guess there’s an RV club for just about everything. No, we didn’t participate.
The Little League Museum is a hidden gem, and if you’re in the area it is definitely worth the $5 admission ($3 for seniors) and a couple of hours of your time. From the roots of little league’s formation (ever wonder why Williamsport, PA?) through the 2017 world series, with jerseys from around the world and a few little league jerseys from former and current players who made the big show; and a special focus on the international aspect of the game as well as the inclusion of girl’s softball and programs for the disabled, the displays are informative and well thought-out and organized. Various rooms provide different aspects of the game, and one room is entirely interactive. Families can participate in several activities that occur during a baseball game. The museum’s emphasis is on the world-wide aspect of little league, and the joy coaches, families and players share, and the spirit of competitiveness and sportsmanship. Stopping at the administrative offices provides an overlook to the fields used in the world series. And – oh yeah – on the local league level, everything is done by volunteers. Doesn’t matter whether you’re a coach, run concessions or work at the stand; groom the field, or are a local league official, your time is donated.
For the last several years I’ve been reading about our National Parks (thank you, Teddy Roosevelt!), and wondered why Cuyahoga Valley National Park is a national park. If you triangulate Youngstown, Akron and Cleveland you’ll find the park. As you read further you find out the park’s longer than it is wide; it’s a densely wooded area, that Brandywine Falls is a featured attraction, that there’s no camping; there’s a Beaver Marsh in which you might find fresh water otter; there are some early settlers cabins/farms, and there are miles and miles of hiking and bike paths; there’s the (roundtrip) Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad that runs from Lockside Station (canal exploration center), stops at 7 different stations for an “on-and-off” experience, and ends up at the Big Bend Station (Akron Northside). The Park is really quite beautiful.
But why is this a National Park? There are 2 answers. The cynical among us would say ’cause the National Park Service says so. But I believe the Park was established in 1927 as a way to commemorate the importance of the Ohio and Erie canal in the growth of America. The canal ran south from Cleveland to New Philadelphia, using barges and mules along it’s canalway to bring essential goods to the region; and it was responsible for the development of settlements and towns along its 110 mile length. The Ohio and Erie canal was designated a National Heritage Area by Congress in 1996. It is evident that the National Park Service continues to fulfill the goal of helping to preserve and celebrate the rails, trails, landscapes, towns and sites that grew up along the canal. Along the original canal way, there is an 87-mile towpath trail that runs through the middle of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Hike any part of the towpath and you’ll experience avenues of overhanging trees providing a shaded canopy, stretches of bright sunshine, the string-like thwonk of frogs greeting each; a gray heron or a woodpecker, running river waters and a fairly flat walk. Come walk a part of American history.
Onward to Yellow Springs and Maggie’s birthday. After setting up camp and time with Elyssa, Ben, Maggie and Penny, we had the wonderful experience of Maggie spending the night with us. Next morning we hung around the campground, got drizzled on, participated in a brief arts and crafts activity, and by early afternoon, we had some errands to run and then headed back to Maggie’s house and the family birthday party.
Ben and Elyssa knocked themselves out opening up their home to the crowd, and feeding us burgers and chips and fruit and a triple layer strawberry birthday cake with strawberry icing and chocolate ganache between the layers (nice to have a Daddy chef!). The party included lots of wonderful conversations with family and friends, and a good time was had by all. I almost forgot how excited Maggie was at all of her gifts (Elyssa orchestrates this so very, very well every year), and how Maggie’s delighted squeals could be heard all through the neighborhood.
We had one more half-day to visit with Ben and Elyssa, Penny and Maggie. It had been almost 3 months since the last time we had visited. Maggie is always wonderful, cheerful, talkative, loving, and affectionate. Penny has developed a strong personality, commands the room; on her terms she seeks interaction with others, and someday we’ll figure out why all of us are called “mama.” What a joy for us to get a spontaneous hug and kiss from her. Ben and Elyssa are truly wonderful parents, and it is such a joy when we can be together with them.
With an overnight stop just outside of Somerset we found ourselves back in Bethlehem for our last night on Dartmouth Drive.
Brian and Barbara
Aimless Wanderings 