6. 6/4/23 Oberlin to Sandusky, Ohio and into Canada! - Gass-powered Tandem Around Lake Erie (clockwise) - CycleBlaze

June 4, 2023

6. 6/4/23 Oberlin to Sandusky, Ohio and into Canada!

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Note: This elevation data is incorrect.  The actual elevation gain was 574 ft. (corrected by Strava data). 

We were escorted out of Oberlin, Ohio by Tom Klosterman and Nick Garafolo (Nick went to kindergarten with Tom and Eleanor's son and has been a family friend since). Notice their Giro del Lago d'Erie shirts! They rode this route last year and had the shirts made.

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We got to ride five miles on trail and then mostly quiet roads.

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Nick and Tom
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Barley
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We mostly rode NW to Sandusky and the winds were from the NE, so not too bad, but they were quite strong and when we got to the lake the flags were straight out.  Fortunately we arrived in Sandusky 2 hours before the ferry left.  But unlike a regular commuting ferry, this one was just starting up for the summer and there was no signage!  (In fact, no one seemed to know much about the ferry at all!) Here is where we had to show our tickets:

Only found this due to a kind stranger
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I'll spare you  ALL the pictures, but the ferry took quite a bit of time docking due to the stiff wind.  This did not bode well for our trip north to Pelee Island and then Leamington, Ontario.

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Once we got out into the middle of Lake Erie, the waves were huge, the ferry was rocking and I was scared.  Spray does not scare me, walls of water do.   Poor Ken got physically ill even though he had taken Bonine for motion sickness.  

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Notice the white vomit bags on the window sill. There were fewer after our trip.
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We had to exit the ferry at Pelee Island which is Canadian, show our passports to customs (on the dock) and then re-board the ferry for Leamington.  Fortunately, the lake gradually got calmer as the day wore on (4:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.).  At Leamington, we rode our bike up a small hill for less than a mile to our lovely Quality Inn motel.  

Today's ride: 38 miles (61 km)
Total: 78 miles (126 km)

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Chris OwingsI’m in TOTAL sympathy with Ken! Remember the ferry to Ometepe, Nicaragua!
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1 year ago
Jeanna & Kerry SmithSo sorry you had such a bad crossing. I have read that that one can be rough. I would have been really scared too. We were very lucky to make that trip on a calm, beautiful day. I hope a quiet, relaxing and motion free evening will have you ready to ride in the morning.
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1 year ago
Francie GassTo Chris OwingsOh yes!
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1 year ago
Francie GassTo Jeanna & Kerry SmithThank you, Ken was able to nap the rest of the trip and recovered well.
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1 year ago