Saturday 18May19
Woke up at 8:30 to hear rain's pitter patter on the RT's roof. I had the usual breakfast then went to Costco to fuel up. Went inside the store to go to the bathroom and try the free food samples. While in the store I sat down at the deli and did some online research to find an app that would assist me in locating safe areas to camp in. Apparently any app that has been developed in this area has been scrutinized by the politically correct. It seems you are a racist if try to avoid places where you might be raped, mugged, even murdered.
I then drove to Cuyahoga Valley National Park. I stopped at Boston Store Visitor Center.
There I learned about the canal building era, 1817-1840. During those years 3000 miles of canals were built. The canal that was built in this area was called the Ohio and Erie Canal.
I went back to the RT and made lunch. Then Wiggin and I hike 2.5 miles to Brandywine Falls. I left Pete in the RT since he is terribly slow. He was always slower than Wiggin but now that he is blind he is as slow as a turtle.
Part of the trail to the falls followes the canal and was the tow path for the canal.
They typically used mules to tow the canal boats. The boats were specially designed and built for the cannals.
At first the main product shipped through the Ohio and Erie canal was flour. The profits were extremely high and soon other industries were shipping their products. The success of the cannal resulted in Ohio being the third highest populated state in 1850. The canal was severely damaged by a flood in 1913 and was not repaired. The canal became the backbone of the Cuyahoga Valley national park which was established in 1974.
Some photos from the hike.
Wiggin was exhausted when we got back to the RT. He is slowing down in his senior years.
He has to be 10 to 12 years old. It is hard to believe that he was paralyzed from his waist down about 5 years ago. He is an amazing dog.
I took a cold shower using the outside shower. I cooked a couple of bratwurst for dinner. I moved about half a mile to the overflow parking lot and I have about 10 TV channels here. I watched a Western with Jimmy Stewart and now I'm watching another movie.