A FANtastic Stop

 July 6 - 10, 2022

Mantua, Ohio - Salamanca, New York

Crrrrash, bang! Hearing the low rumbling of thunder rolling our way through the rain about 2 AM, I'm still startled by the loudness when it passes over us. It wakes Bill from a deep sleep, I assure him it's not the explosion it sounds like. 

The thunder fades in the distance (so cool to hear it come and go, to follow its direction easily), and with it the rain. I go back to sleep and wake after 8 - to the rain's return. 

Bill does most of the departure breakdown in the wet, and as we pull out of the fairgrounds in Belleville, Michigan I'm once again so happy he was able to fix the windshield wiper!

A soggy start.

After five weeks, we're leaving Michigan and continuing east. 

I'm not a fan of toll roads (who is?), but the Ohio Turnpike is easier than some with picking up a ticket when you enter and paying for the ticket when you exit. We check out one of the service centers to see what the RV spots are like. They have electric, but are back-in only, which would be a hassle having to unhook the Jeep just to park. We agree that pulling into a truck parking spot and running the genny for an hour would be the better option for us if we needed an overnight on the highway.

Woodside Lake Park is on a narrow roller coaster road in the hills outside Mantua, Ohio. 99% seasonal, all well maintained, about 50% occupied during this July week. With lots of inflatable water slides and toys, this is a haven for kids. The beach area is well used, but I never hear the play, it's very quiet at night. FHUs with 30 amp. Lots of shade and our satellite connects :-) We're only here for two nights to accommodate our very important day trip to the south.

A busy park, we have a nice pull-through in the trees. 

Oh to be a kid again!!

Although we've been in Ohio for a hall of fame twice before, I made sure that this time we get to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton. The 50 minute drive under partly cloudy skies goes by quickly and soon we're pulling into the driveway. Lots of construction as expansion is underway to include another hotel, a Ferris wheel with small amusement park, restaurants, etc. Bleachers for the attached football field loom over the museum. Although I grab the last parking spot in the close lot, we never stand in line or feel like it's crowded. 

Well laid out with two-stories that tell the story of the game in chronological circles, it's easy to navigate. Some is familiar, even more is new information for me. From simple beginnings in the 1900's, to Canton, home of the Bulldogs, where in September 1920, a meeting of team owners started the American Professional Football Association (renamed the National Football league one hundred years ago), through the 2022 Hall of Fame inductees. Those who aren't pro-football fans, who haven't cheered their team to victory and sworn at their defeat, who haven't thrown the remote at the television for a bad call, who haven't had goose bumps or tears during a game - you wouldn't get the thrill of all there is to experience here. Us? We soooo get it!

We're here!

Uniforms have come a long way.

While team identification and comfort have been factors, player safety is the main reason for continued uniform and helmet upgrades. 

Although women have owned NFL teams for many decades, it is only in the last 10 years that we have had a role on the field. Sarah Thomas is the first female NFL referee (2015), and the Buffalo Bills hired Katherine Smith in 2016 as the first female fulltime coach.  

It was the quarterback who wore this helmet, and threw the ball to Lynn Swann, who made me a Steelers fan for life. Since then the team has given me many more athletes to cheer for.

When it all began for me. For Bill it started in 1961, and he is still a die hard Cowboys fan. I married him anyway.

It is not unusual for our two teams to be highlighted together. We have played together in three Super Bowls, the Steelers winning the first two. Dallas beat us in 1996, and they have not been back to the SB since. We returned three times since, adding two more wins to our record. Our only other loss being to the Packers in 2010 - who have also not been back since beating us :-)

Bill's QB, Troy Aikman, at his enshrinement ceremony.

Memorabilia from Steelers' Franco Harris - one of our greats. Curiously this is the only reference I see to the coveted Walter Payton Man of the Year Award. 

The Hall itself is very moving, and each year we find players we remember well. However the lighting and reflections make it difficult to see the busts clearly.

My dad was a big Rams fan, and would be so disappointed  that what I remember of Merlin Olsen is that he played Jonathan on Little House on the Prairie!!

My man Lynn Swann - god I loved watching him catch Bradshaw's passes!

Another favorite, Troy Polamalu was one of the best Strong Safeties to play the game. I'm bummed that the photo didn't turn out because his bust includes his signature gorgeous hair :-)

2006 was an impressive year that included Aikman and Coach John Madden.

Last year's Defensive Player of the Year, Steelers' TJ Watt, broke Michael Strahan's record for most sacks in a single season. One of three Watt brothers currently playing for the NFL, and one of two who play for Pittsburgh.

I really like the visual they did for the shattered records exhibit. Included is Cowboys' Emmitt Smith who broke the all-time rushing yards, and all-time rushing touchdowns records in 2002. Two decades later no one has broken either record.

Signed by all the players on the winning team in Superbowl XII

Fun to see the rings from every Superbowl. This one is the first of six for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Not surprising to either of us are the gaudy, and even more-oversized-than-the-giant-rings for every other team, the New England Patriots' rings. The 2019 rings are the largest made, weighing in at 9.85 carats!

Friday we opt out of the toll roads, and travel the first 50 miles through small towns and farmland on the blue roads of Ohio. It's a lovely day for driving as we make our way into New York. Our 10th state since leaving Arizona in April. 

After big cities and museuming, we're ready for a couple of quiet days at Allegheny State Park. Quieter than we expect as we have zero cell service and therefore zero Internet. We have 50 amp electric-only on a very spacious dirt site, but it is the most un-level site we've ever had. We make the best of it for this short stay, but would definitely not stay in #29 again!

The campground is surrounded by forested green hills. 

Saturday we explore the lakes and hills, and visit the little town of Salamanca. There are three Osprey nests along the park's roads, but a marmot and a deer are the only other wildlife we see. 

This juvenile Osprey is calling loudly, and just as I lower the camera an adult flies into the nest with a fish. Of course. 

Red House Lake at the west side of the park.

Park headquarters at Red House.

Quaker Lake

Quaker Run

The town of Salamanca was built on land leased by four railroads from the Seneca Nation. Currently the casino is the largest employer in the area.

This area has more marijuana dispensaries than we've seen anywhere since Colorado. Even on the state park grounds is a wood and weed stand! We questioned the location of this sign, but really anywhere they put it would be within yards of a dispensary!

Sunday we continue east to Corning, New York, for a week.

Elliott is loving summer!