Boating Fun on the Lake

Conneaut Lake is popular with boaters. Like they say, 'if you can't beat 'em, join 'em'.

Ben was the first one out this year.

Slow down!

A happier, slower Kate.

William.

William scared.

A crew of cousins.

Old Picture of the Cottage

Our cottage years ago

5th of July Parade

Midway Civic Club hosted their annual 4th of July parade this morning. This year's theme was Cowboys and Indians. William and his cousin Francie planned on participating, but as soon as we saw the golf cart-turned-covered wagon lining up we decided that the paper-bag-vest-Indian and the pink-hatted-cowgirl didn't quite cut it. We won't sit it out next year, however.

The self-titled Midway Civic Club Miss Bicentennial rode in one of the first cars. After watching the parade last year, she decided to give herself a crown and a title and ride in style this year.

Covered wagon golf cart.

Miss Bicentennial leading the parade.

Parade view up Midway.

4th of July

Every year, there is a beautiful fireworks display over Conneaut Lake. Oddly, however, the fireworks are never on the 4th of July. Even though we have to wait until tomorrow for the parade and fireworks, we did plenty of celebrating today.

Kate and her cousin Francie making a special 4th of July treat.

Flags down Midway.

Kate and Francie dressed for the holiday.

Jeff, Uncle Labon, my dad, Aunt Elaine and the kids in line for the dinner on Midway Beach.

The girls on the beach.

After dinner there was a big cash raffle. Ben won a wad of money! Our group, in fact, won two of the three prizes, with Uncle Labon winning a picture of the Midway Hotel.

Something you don't see in California - our own fireworks.

Will with a sparkler.
Happy 4th!

Ribs at The World Famous Stable Pit & Pub

We made our inaugural visit of the season to the Pit & Pub this evening. The restaurant, a Conneaut Lake institution with the best ribs I've ever had, has been around for 42 years. JoAnn, our waitress, has worked there for 40 of those years.

Business has been so slow over the past few years that the owner of the Pit & Pub nearly closed down last year. Tonight was a different story - the line for a table was out the door. Wanda, the owner, attributes the booming business to Conneaut Lake Park re-opening after being closed for two seasons.

Very hungry kids, not very happy about the long wait.

The open fire pit where the garlic bread is toasted and the ribs and meat are cooked.

The meals come with your choice of two sides. Ben chose fries and sweet potato fries.

Like father, like son. Both William and Bob can eat an entire rack of ribs without getting a touch of sauce on their fingers.

Our cottage is down the street from the Pit & Pub. Here we are waddling home after stuffing ourselves.

Geocaching in Conneaut Lake

In Geocaching, you use a handheld GPS unit to look for a hidden 'cache' (a container with a logbook to sign and various trinkets). Caches we've found in the past range from a mint tin magnetically attached to the underside of a bench to a plastic bottle completely concealed in a log.

Our Geocaching adventure today took us to a local graveyard and to the famous Conneaut Lake Park. We were successful at the graveyard!

Despite having two GPS units and five people looking, we had no luck during our Geocaching adventure in Conneaut Lake Park. We're determined to find this one by the end of the summer!

Anything you read about Geocaching specifically says that you must be stealth while looking for the cache. I think we need to work on that.

Ben is a master at the GPS.

This elusive cache is hidden in front of Hotel Conneaut, the only remaining hotel on the lake.

We Have Arrived at our Destination

After leaving our warm, sunny home in California, we arrived bright and early to chilly Conneaut Lake. Located in Northwest Pennsylvania, Conneaut Lake is the largest natural lake in the state.

Our humble little cottage.

The swimming area at Midway Beach.

The Midway Docks.