For the past two days, I've taken a bike ride in the early morning. Really early for me. 6:30 a.m. early. This requires a great deal of stealth on my part. I have to wake up very, very quietly, and very gently step around the dogs without waking them. This has worked for Marilyn and Kate, but, Jack raises his head, looks at me, then settles back into the pillows. They think I'm just getting up for a bathroom break and will be back in a minute. But, instead, I quietly put on my bike gear and tip toe out of the house, heading to the garage. So far, so good. No barking!
A 5 minute ride takes me to the Sandusky Sailing Club. I kept my sailboat here from 1977-1986. I sold it to a fellow who has yet to take it out of his backyard. The boat is a 19 foot Victory Sloop, made in 1947 and purchased for me by my dad when I was 16.
Heading to the other end of the waterfront is the Shelby Street Public Boat Ramp. This is near the coal docks, shown above. Yesterday there was a freighter there from Canada. Today, the train cars filled with coal were being readied for the next freighter. Ron used to row his Little River single shell here. It is smooth water in this area when the fishermen aren't racing out and about.
In between the east and west waterfront areas I spotted this fire boat. I don't know if it is visiting, or if it is located here. The guys were heading to the boat, armed with coffee carryout mugs when I rode by.
I stopped to check out the waterways that used to be used for barges, but are now bridged to a series of slender parks.
Loving KW as I do, I did a double take when I saw the Key West Sandusky sign at one of the boathouses! I bet the owner resides in KW, FL in the winter and KW, OH in the summer.
Here is another shot of the boathouses. Many of these have nice apartments located above or beside the boat garages, some of them in use year round. This circle tour takes me about 45 minutes if I add some side loops in parking lots and up and down some residential streets and is turning out to be a nice way to start the day.
Just as Ron and I head to Asheville, N.C. for our camping expedition, I'm reminded that the best place to take a vacation is right here in Sandusky. Maybe next year, I'll remember to book a "staycation" here. How about you, home or out? which will it be?
Beautiful pictures!
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