Larry A. Smail's Blog

   I should have had known what kind of day I was going to have when the leg pains still hurt and the difficulty at getting around in the early mornings. I was determined to enjoy some of our plans as well as I could.                                                                                         

Laurie and I visited a breakfast buffet at the hotel we stayed. Here I fell fast on the floor. Hotel people rushed to check on me, but I was good from the fall. I am not sure if the leg gave out some or I just misjudged a step.

   Regardless we headed for the Erie Bluff State Park to hike and enjoy the views. Laurie and I hiked a trail and eventually came to some steep bluffs overlooking the lake. The relaxing sounds of the waves could be heard before the lake became visible since we were in a mature oak forest.

Note cloud bank!

Acorns were falling everywhere as we walked. The squirrels and chipmunks were quite busy. One ‘corn just missed Laurie’s head! We laughed as we abruptly stopped.

Double-Crested Cormorant

We looked through the woodlands at various spots to view the beauty of Lake Erie. Of course, gulls could be viewed flying about as well. But, unfortunately, my pains became severe  enough that we decided to head back to the jeep earlier than I had hoped. I was planning to walk to the lake where Elk Creek enters for photos.    

We stopped in at the Tom Ridge Environmental center for a time to study and observe the various things of interest in regards to Presque Isle’s environment, wildlife and history.