July 7: What do Fossils, Campbell's Soup, Waterfalls, and Rock and Roll have in Common?

Today’s post is dedicated to my dear friend, Victoria Zucker. Vickie would have really enjoyed today. She’s a rock hound, a nature lover, and her favorite music is classic rock. I would have loved spending the day with you, my friend. Miss you so much.

“Friendship isn’t about who you’ve known the longest. It’s about who walked into your life, said, ‘I’m here for you’ and proved it.” Unknown

Well they are all in Ohio. Today was super busy and before I get into it, I just want to say that Ohio by far has the worst roads; even worse than Michigan - and the road (under construction) outside of Charlevoix to the south was the road that busted my camper spring. I mean the road to this KOA site where I am currently writing this post is off of an unpaved road - that’s a dirt road, people - off a major highway. WTH. Joe Biden better get to work on Ohio’s infrastructure.

I got up today with the intention of finding a Walmart because I needed blocks for the trailer supports, almond milk, and eggs. Found one, parked, left the windows down almost halfway (don’t want Bobby escaping), left a bowl of water on the back seat with them. This was not yet 10:00, maybe 9:50 - so not hot out yet. I was in the store less than 30 minutes. While I was in line to pay, I hear a woman yelling, “Is there someone here with California license plates?” I said that it was probably me, so she continued in her outside voice, “your dogs are out.” I asked it they were out of the car. She said that they were out in the car. I said that I knew that. She must have thought I was being a smart aleck so she yelled, “Your dogs are gonna die and you don’t care. If I was the type of person to call the police, I would. I know I’m not the only person who is concerned about those dogs.” I said, “You’re right I am also concerned that’s why I left the windows down, left them water, and hurried to find my items and check out. And if you were the type of person to call the police, then you are the type of person who keeps them from responding to real emergencies. My dogs are fine.” I wanted so much to punch her in her big fat, tatted up, white trash face, but I kept my calm while she yelled. I really can’t stand it when people say that they’re just saying what other people are thinking. I want to tell them, “So, you’re not only annoying, but also psychic.” Well I was cool - just paid and left. My dogs really were fine. They were just looking out the windows waiting for me to comeback. I usually bring them something so they were a bit disappointed that I just got eggs and almond milk (no blocks for the camper.) I sat in the front seat and had a nice cry. I wasn’t crying because the lady upset me. I cried because I’m alone - if Ben were with me that wouldn’t have happened because one of us would have stayed in the car. Just an ugly reminder; that’s why I cried.

By the time I got to my first stop I was feeling a bit better. It was Fossil Park. This park is a dumping ground for the archaeological dig going on nearby. They are interested in big discoveries while kids and their families an go digging through their rubble to find trilobites, shells, and coral fossils. I met a nice family from North Carolina visiting their grandma. The father grew up here, which is like nowhere - Sylvania, Ohio. Practically every piece they picked up had a fossil in it. I struggled to find four, not-so- good pieces, but it was fun looking and the dogs loved lounging in the shade and saying hello to anyone who walked by. I was starting to get sweaty hot, so we needed some water. On to our next stop, which is the giant Campbell’s Soup can.

It was a ways off the beaten path and I’m not sure it was worth it. It’s set off from the road there is nowhere to stop. There was a turn around nearby, so I parked in the middle, quickly got the dogs out, ran over to the soup can and took a couple of pictures. It was exciting for me, but the dogs just wanted to lay in the grass. They are so funny. We don’t have grass in our yard at home, so whenever they're in grass they wallow around in it like’s it’s the best thing they’ve ever felt. Next stop Cuyahoga Valley National Park.

150 miles away and totally worth it. It is a gorgeous place and the rainstorm we went through to get here was, again, totally worth it. Everything smelled clean and fresh. The vegetation so so lush with the river running through it all. This was once a thriving community, where a bag making industry grew, as well as other industries. There were natural disaster and man-made disasters, but the land has survived. Cuyahoga Valley is on one side of the highway while a ski resort is on the other side. It began to rain a little harder, so time to go onto out next stop - Cleveland and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Of course it will be closed by the time we get there, but we’ll see what we can see. Cleveland sits on Lake Erie. As I drive into the city, I can see the lake on one side and the skyline on the other. I passed an airport that spans many acres along the lake and the Hall of Fame is next to it. I found a place to park the camper, which in the city (as we’ve discovered) is not easy and better take note of where you’ve left it. Ha! The museum and Hall of Fame are a set of two pyramid shaped buildings, which were closed because it is now 6 P.M. But, the outside is worth seeing. The large sign in 3D letters, “Long Live Rock” is cool and there is music playing through the stage speakers of the Rock Hall Live. As we walked up and I was getting the dogs picture, the song Hotel California by the Eagles began to play. I sang along as the dogs rolled around in the grass. We saw Johnny Cash’s tour bus from 1979. I feel the same way about my camper that Johnny felt about his bus. Check out the sign in my pictures.

Last stop today is at the Thompson - Grand River Valley KOA in Thompson, Ohio. The one off the dirt road. Talked to Don tonight. He got a dog, Coco, a beautiful Weimaraner. Anyway, Don is like a savant with song lyrics. He turned me onto a song by Pretenders called, My City was Gone, which kind of sums up how I’m feeling about my visits to the old places from my past. Good night. Follow the the link the watch the video of the song by Pretenders. https://youtu.be/uTLcZDY9pzs