July 1, 2017
Avon Lakes, OH to Mentor-On-The-Lake, OH
Day 2 - Cleveland!!
Sunny/Overcast - Tailwind
We left the hotel around 8 a.m., and stopped for breakfast at the first food market we saw. We picked up a 6 pack of Krispy Kreme donuts and ate them outside.
The day started out overcast and as we continued east on Lake Road a light drizzle started again. We stopped at a park in Bay Village for a break and saw the distant skyline of Cleveland. Bay Village had to have the worst roads in Ohio, patches on patches. Soon we moved into another city, Rocky River and things improved.
At Edgewater Park we stopped and took photos of the Cleveland sign and a distant photo of the Cleveland Harbor Lighthouses then headed into Cleveland itself.
Two lighthouses, the Cleveland Harbor Main Entrance Lighthouse and the East Breakwater Lighthouse mark the ends of the breakwaters that define the entrance to the Cuyahoga River. They were both lit in 1911 (when built, these lighthouses were known as East Pierhead Light and West Pierhead Light).
The west spur lighthouse, now known as Cleveland Harbor Main Entrance Lighthouse, was electrified in 1931, and automated in 1965.
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We got turned around a bit on the Superior Viaduct then figured things out and headed across the Cuyahoga River on the Detroit Superior bridge into downtown Cleveland.
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Down by the waterfront we picked up the bike trail and went past the Science Museum and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and took some photos. There was suppose to be a lighthouse lens at the museum but when I inquired nobody knew anything about it and I wasn't going to spend the $30 on admission to find out myself. We then we heeded east on the bike path out of town.
Somehow I forgot to actually go down to the waterfront and take some more photos of the lighthouses. We originally planned to take a boat tour but it was 3 hours long and we wouldn't have made the required mileage today.
Cameron decided he wanted McDonalds so we took a detour up 55th street. While there we called our warmshowers host and gave them our ETA of about 3-4 p.m.
After lunch we carried on following the ACA route east out of Cleveland and took another distant photo of the Cleveland Harbor Lighthouse, this time the east entrance light.
Between 1876 and 1883, a breakwater was constructed from the Cuyahoga River east parallel to the shore with a lighthouse built at the eastern end in 1884. The current tower was built in the 20th century
We passed through Bratenahi which was very nice then Euclid and Timberlake which was just busy roads and sprawl.
Stopping for a break in Euclid at the Recreation Center, Cameron put his sun glasses down. About a mile after leaving he yelled "Dad, do you have my sun glasses?" I offered to ride back and try and find them. I got back to the Center and there was nothing there, thinking they were gone I cycled back to where Cameron was waiting. Just as I arrived a car stopped and asked if we had lost some sun glasses. All right, she has them. But no, she handed them into the Recreation Center office. So back I go again. Finally, with sun glasses on his head we start off again.
About 4:30 p.m., we reached Mentor-On-The-Lake and found our warmshowers host’s house. Jeremy immediately welcomed us with a cold beer and an offer to swim in their pool. This was followed by Roast Beef rolls and fish cakes for dinner.
We spent the evening talking and watching some TV. Jeremy and Lisa have a great family and we very much appreciated their hospitality.
Today's ride: 52 miles (84 km)
Total: 80 miles (129 km)
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