What to do when the waves on the lake are as high as 7′? Put the bikes on our little dinghy and row them to shore! Easier said than done, but we figure it out. It’s our 4th night in Erie, Pa. and our 2nd night at anchor at Presque Isle State Park but we don’t mind. I was awakened several times last night by the sound of the wind and the pounding of the lake a 1/2 mile away. A quick look around in the dark to make sure we weren’t drifting toward shore, and back to sleep again. We haven’t been at anchor in unsettled weather in months. It takes some getting used to, because trust is a variable thing and needs reinforcement now and then. Photos and captions of our ongoing, pleasant weather delay in Erie, Pa., below.
A look at the lake today told us we aren’t going anywhere anytime soon…… even though the water in our protected anchorage nearby is calm. So we loaded our bikes on the bow of the little dinghy. We’ve done this just once before. It calls for some balancing! (And inventiveness, at which Jeff excels.) We tied the dinghy to the waterfront at Presque Isle State Park, hoping nobody would bother it… …and did 13 miles on the beautiful park paths. We stopped for lunch at Sarah’s, an old-timey place at the park entrance. The 50s decorations were really cute… …even clever. But the food was pretty bad! Sometimes you pay for the ambience… We biked past an amusement park and I had an urge to take the roller coaster but settled for watching instead. Then we biked to a tip of land to honor local (and national) hero Oliver Hazard Perry at his memorial.
Presque Isle has lots of picturesque swamps and lily ponds.
These pedal carts are very popular in the park. After our bike ride, I took the dinghy ashore again to make the short walk across the peninsula to Lake Erie. Any better? Nope! This lifeguard was making her rounds on a 4-wheeler with a bandana around her mouth to protect against stinging sand. Even though it’s violent, it’s also gorgeous. Back in our protected bay, I found 7 boats rafted up and having a party. Well, it is Saturday.
Many boats were making political statements.
We’re making our own. You don’t have to be a member of a particular party, or party faction, to be patriotic. (Reminder: I am a centrist who avoids political labels. I don’t raise political points unless they are raised to me; then, I report what I see or hear. I am a former reporter, after all. š)
I hope you enjoyed your stay in the marina at anchor. I saw you and Moxie there on Saturday when I was checking on my boat.
That’s too bad about the food at Sarah’s it used to be good. But has been a few years since I have eaten there.
Good luck and safe travels captain I will continue to follow your trip with the blog and nebo.
Still enjoying your posts and hope Erieās waves have subsided. We are in the world of Disney in Orlando but wishing we were lopping. One day when the kids older. You all are so close to crossing your wake. So my father in law just told me the people he knows loved their second time so much more than then first and some are wanting a 3rd
For Many Moons 
I hope you enjoyed your stay in the marina at anchor. I saw you and Moxie there on Saturday when I was checking on my boat.
That’s too bad about the food at Sarah’s it used to be good. But has been a few years since I have eaten there.
Good luck and safe travels captain I will continue to follow your trip with the blog and nebo.
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Still enjoying your posts and hope Erieās waves have subsided. We are in the world of Disney in Orlando but wishing we were lopping. One day when the kids older. You all are so close to crossing your wake. So my father in law just told me the people he knows loved their second time so much more than then first and some are wanting a 3rd
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Thanks, Ben! The waves did indeed subside. We did 103 miles yesterday…a new daily record. (Post about that to come.)
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And i can definitely see wanting to do it a 2nd time. The thought had already occurred to me. We are moving much too quickly for my taste…
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