Toad Found in Conneaut Lake Park!

A few weeks ago we walked through the closed Conneaut Lake Park. We were very curious to see what Kiddie Land looked like. As we walked through Kiddie Land the kids looked down into the empty Boat Ride, which had always been a favorite, and spotted one lone toad in the dry boat circle. We watched the toad attempt to escape, but since he wasn't able to jump high enough the kids came to his rescue.

The toad after the capture...

The capture, which wasn't very difficult because the poor toad must have been exhausted and dehydrated...

Deciding what to do with the toad...

Toad in his new, moist home in Conneaut Lake Park...

A Night in Pittsburgh

The kids and I spent last night at the beautiful Omni William Penn in Pittsburgh. We were in Pittsburgh for the kids' first concert...American Idols. We loved the concert, but boy am I old. Somehow, in my years of absence from concerts, fans have replaced waving lighters in the air with waving their open cell phones. Due to memory card problems on my camera, I have no pictures of the hotel (which I highly recommend) or the concert. We took a walk around Pittsburgh this morning, and I was able to take a few pictures after replacing that darn memory card.

Pittsburgh is a beautiful city, with three rivers and many bridges. Looking across the river at downtown Pittsburgh...

One of Pittsburgh's many bridges...

Doesn't this picture look like it's of a model train! It's real, and I believe that it's carrying coal...

The train from a distance...

Hotel Conneaut Today

Hotel Conneaut, in Conneaut Lake Park, is the last remaining hotel from the lake's heyday. At one time, Conneaut Lake was such a popular vacation destination that hotels like this lined the lake. Fire escape ladder problems forced the Hotel to remain closed this summer, and until the fire escapes are brought up to code. We walked around the empty hotel and peeked in windows. It looks like the inside is ready for business. The front desk is set up, and books are on the library shelves.

The outside of the hotel...

On the front porch...

The problem fire escapes...

I'm Not the only Fun Mom

I can't claim to be the only fun mom. Look at these pictures!

My cousin couldn't resist jumping in the lake with her daughters...

And, not to be outdone, my aunt jumped in also. The fact that she was in her clothes didn't stop her...

Pioneer Arts Festival in Jamestown

We go to the Pioneer Arts Festival every year. It's held nearby, on the banks of Pymatuning (in a beautiful area, not near the Spillway and those bread-eating fish). The two day event includes everything...Civil War reenactment, Native American village, crafts, kids activities, and pie eating contests.

Civil War reenactment...

Firing the guns...

In the Native American area...

The Native Americans in this area ate well! Examples of their food...

Candle making...

Blacksmiths...

Niagara Falls

Niagara Falls is less than three hours north of Conneaut Lake. Our daughter said that she wasn't going home this summer until she saw Niagara Falls. So, yesterday, with a packed car, we headed North. It had been 15 years since Bob and I had been. We looked at the falls from both the American and Canadian sides, and we took the obligatory ride on the Maid of the Mist, the tour boat that brings you on a very wet ride to the base of the falls.

You get very close to the falls, and very wet as a result! On the top deck of the Maid of the Mist...

Ninety per cent of the water goes over the Canadian Falls, and only ten per cent over the American Falls. View of the Canadian Falls from the Maid of the Mist...

In the blue Maid of the Mist raincoats...

Looking down at the Maid of the Mist...

In case you couldn't figure this out yourself...

Looking at the Canadian Falls from Goat Island on the American side...

On the Canadian side with Bridal Veil in the background...

Even looking at the falls from above, you become soaking wet because there is so much mist. A double rainbow in the mist...

Remains of Dreamland Ballroom in Conneaut Lake Park

We walked through Conneaut Lake Park to see the remains of the Dreamland Ballroom and to see how the Park appears after two summers of not opening. The Dreamland Ballroom once hosted many famous performers, including Perry Como and Doris Day. In February, 2008, the Ballroom burned to the ground in an overnight fire. The fire damage was obvious all around the area where the Dreamland Ballroom once stood.

This light post is across the midway from the Dreamland Ballroom site. Those were once globe lamps! The glass has completely melted on the side that faced the fire. You can even see the outline of the lightbulbs under the melted glass.

Where the Dreamland Ballroom once stood...

The arcade that was next to the Ballroom...

Another view of the Dreamland Ballroom site...

Boating on Conneaut Lake

Boaters love Conneaut Lake. It's the largest natural lake in Pennsylvania and it has no horsepower restrictions for boats. The lake is about one mile wide by three miles long. With the kids getting older (and having a new boat to use), we've been out on the water more this year than in the past.

Driving with dad...

A boatload of kids...

This is the new favorite activity for all of the kids...

Midway Beach, Conneaut Lake

Midway Beach is our neighborhood beach on the east side of Conneaut Lake. Access is available to cottage owners and renters in the immediate area. We see the same families year after year.

The picture below is from July 4th. This is the most crowded I have ever seen the beach.

View of Midway Beach from the docks. This is what an average day looks like at the beach...

From a distance...

Playing on the beach...

Our usual lunchtime routine - a picnic on the beach...

Inside the snack shack on Midway Beach...

The snack shack...

Riding a Surrey in Presque Isle, Erie

Until today, my time in Erie was limited to two trips - Home Depot and Splash Lagoon - and, neither was representative of what Erie has to offer. Erie is only 30 minutes from Conneaut Lake, and I have no idea why I have managed to avoid it each summer. Today, however, we went to Presque Isle, and it was absolutely beautiful. Presque Isle, 'almost and island' in French, juts out into Lake Erie. Bikers, hikers and roller bladers covered the paved trails winding through the park. We rented a surrey this visit - next time it will be a canoe!

The kids on the surrey. My son in front looks like he's nodding off, but I don't know why. He's the only one who didn't have to do any work!

Me and the kids on the surrey..

One of the many beaches. Lake Erie is so huge that you feel like you're at the ocean.

After an exhausting surrey ride, we stopped for a water ice (Italian Ice). My cousin had asked if we'd ever had one, and I had no idea what she was talking about. When we saw the water ice store, we had to stop. This one has water ice and frozen custard.

Conneaut Lake Park as it is Today

For the second summer, Conneaut Lake Park has not opened. For years before that, the park was always on the brink of not opening. And, for as long as I've been going, the park has looked like it has seen better days. Despite the rustic appearance of the park, there was a certain old-time, nostalgic charm to the 116 year old amusement park. The kids always had as much fun at Conneaut Lake Park as they had at Disneyland. So, along with everyone who has ever gone to the Park, we were sad to see it closed again this season. We recently walked through the park to see its current state. We were surprised to see so many other people doing the same thing. There were probably 20 or 30 people walking around the park, taking pictures and reminiscing. The park resembles a ghost town so much that it was used this past April in the filming of the upcoming movie The Road, a post-apocalyptic story.

This building is at the end of the midway, across from the site of the burned down Dreamland Ballroom. Another visitor said that there had been an indoor ride in the building, but I'm not sure that's correct.

The building on the right of the picture below is the same building that you see above. And, the cottages to the left are still occupied. This amusement park is unique in that people own cottages within the park.

The famous Blue Streak, a wooden roller coaster...

The Devil's Den with it's Gum Wall. If you look closely into the ride you can see a few pieces of gum stuck to the wall. As you go further into the ride, the wall is completely covered with chewed gum that riders have stuck to the walls.