Kayaking Lake Erie and on to Chautauqua

 7/17/23 - 7/19/23

Decided the weather was good enough to put the kayaks into Lake Erie. Kayaked 2 miles total along the coast. It was windy and a bit choppy, especially at the shore where we put in and took out. 

The buzzards were an ominous sign

But except for a wet disembark we did fine.

Drove to Chautauqua, did our laundry, and met up with Kriss and Gary. After figuring out our entrance tickets to Chautauqua Institution (the man at the ticket counter cut us a deal because he knew Kriss) we toured the Quaker House where Kriss works and then explored the beautiful campus grounds.

The hotel that was built in 90 days by 90 men

Thomas Edison's home

Many of the places reminded me of places on the Cape and Islands

The Miller Bell Tower plays every 15 min and at 8am, noon, and 6 pm the chimemaster plays a variety of songs for 15 minutes. The keyboard, from the 1940's, activates the bell clappers.

The Unitarian Universalist house

Gary told Matthew to bring his baritone uke so he could participate in Gary's gathering of musicians of all abilities on the Bestir Plaza 

Priming the pot and ever hopeful

Spent the night camping on Kriss and Gary's land nearby. The next morning we navigated the ticket situation again - this time saying we were going to Mass, which got us in free for the morning. Then later bought afternoon tickets that were good until 8pm. 

Matthew was invited to chat with first Gen college students who are brought to C.I. for a week to gain social capital by making connections with the other people at C.I. He had a great time and their questions kept him there for several hours.

Beautiful spring rolls from the farmers' market on campus.

While I participated in the Meditation and Mending session Kriss held, Matthew played with the musical gathering in the Quaker House.

Murals just outside of town

The Chautauqua Institution was beautiful and the lectures and arts programs they offer are amazing, but the privilege and insularity of it, even as they work to become more inclusive, is unsettling. Kriss and Gary are working for change and they are well equipped for it.

Lake Erie Coast

 7/15&16/23

Saturday was a drive day as we made our way along back roads along the coast of Lake Erie. We arrived at our Boondockers Welcome host as it began to pour, but the host came out to greet us with his umbrella.

Sunday was our 35th wedding anniversary. We stopped along our drive for an early dinner.

After which we drove to the South Shore Winery in North East, PA (yes, that is the town's name).  The wine tasting was done in the old Civil War-era wine cellar. We toured the grounds and then went for ice cream at the very popular local shop (after all it was National Ice Cream Day). 

The chapel of the former Mercyhurst University campus

We ended the day on Freeport Beach watching the sunset over Lake Erie, or more accurately, watching the sun disappear behind the haze from the fires in Canada.

Kalamazoo and Genealogy

7/14/23 Kalamazoo, Benton Harbor, and Grand Rapids

Started our morning with a lovely stroll on the many paths that our hosts created through their woods. Throughout they placed little treasures for the children in their life to find, and then some of the children placed things of their own. It was charming.

The xylophone

The rat placed by neighbor children

Matthew's dad, Charles Julius Westra, came from Michigan and that's where their family lived until Matthew was 3. There hasn't been much connection to that part of the family's life but I've been dabbling a bit into genealogy so we decided to explore the area. From various census records we were able to find where the grandparents lived, where his dad lived, and where the family lived at different points in time. 

The Benton Harbor school Dad left as a Principal to go to California

House the family left in Benton Harbor to move to Garden Grove, CA

Details above the door of Dad's Junior High - Creston High in Grand Rapids

High School Dad graduated from 

Grand Rapids house where the great grandfather lived when he registered for the draft at age 44

Grand Rapids house where Dad lived at 1 year of age

Dad's parents' gravesite at Rosedale Memorial Park

Finished the day with a stop at Bell's Eccentric Cafe for a Bell's beer.

Indiana Dunes National Park

7/13/23 Indiana Dunes National Park - had a lovely day at the dunes and the coldest shower I have ever had in memory.

Lots of stairs

What goes up must come down

Diana of the Dunes was actually named Alice Mabel Gray. She left Chicago to live in the dunes, and became an avid preservationist of the area.

Oregon Grape

The Great Lakes aren't to be messed with

Left the Dunes and drove to our Boondockers Welcome host site in Kalamazoo where we were greeted by delightful hosts Launda and David. After showing us their beautiful wooded property they invited us to their "pub" for some whiskey tasting. They had quite the collection, with the Adictivo being the best tasting. They pour the last of any bottle into the Last Shot bottle, so it always has a different flavor profile depending on what has been mixed into the bottle over time. A shot of that was the last of the night. 

Dinner by their koi pond

The basement pub

On the Road Again - Great Lakes Version

7/10 -11/23 Finally on the road again after rescheduling, rescheduling again, and a dental emergency delay. After a stop in Columbia to use a raffle won gift card (thank you Christy and @PaddleKC) we arrived at Aunt Marie's to visit in StL. Had a nice evening catching up with the cousins and eating Matthew's sourdough. After a night at Danny and Denise's we had a long breakfast with Carolyn followed by a nice visit with the Appleby's and then we headed east. 

Banner at Baptist church in Columbia, MO                        Matthew's sourdough

Spent the night in the Vandalia Illinois Walmart parking lot.

7/12/23 After an alignment and tire balance at a local shop we continued east, traveling non-highway roads. Lots of corn and other crops.

Stopped at Fuzzyline Brewing Co in Highland, Indiana for a bite to eat. The potatoes were fantastic and the beer was good. We had permission to spend the night alongside their brewery. Before settling in we went for a lovely 2 mile walk along a lovely bike/walking trail that ran behind the brewery and then gave a tour of the van to the brewery staff. 

Herons off the walking path