Verenna Carman should have stayed home Sunday. That's what her doctor said, what her family said, and what her friends said.
 Second Baptist Church Associate Minister Deborah Marshall stands in front of the 154-year-old Sandusky church.
Instead, Verenna was playing the organ at the Second Baptist Church in Sandusky, Ohio - and no one was surprised.
"My doctor told me to rest for five days, so I said that would be Friday, Saturday, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Sunday I'll go to church," Verenna said.
Like Verenna, folks at Second Baptist give a little more. There are a lot of ghosts (or maybe angels) looking over their shoulders. Today's worshipers are the spiritual children of seven former slaves who founded the church in 1849. By the Civil War, it had become the First Regular Anti-Slavery Baptist Church.
"This church is built on solid rock, from slavery to now. It's an honor and a privilege to be here," said Walter Welch, as he stood in front of the church after services.
Today, there's a brick façade covering the church but when you walk inside, you're still in the original wooden building. It can send a shiver up your spine.
"I feel a sense of strong unity here; I'm in touch with my ancestral background," said Assistant Pastor Deborah Marshall.
 Route 6 walker Joe Hurley gets back to his walk after talking to Associate Minister Deborah Marshall following the church service at Second Baptist Church on Decatur Street in Sandusky. Hurley attended a portion of the service on his way through Sandusky and talked to church members about the 154-year-old church just off of Washington Street, also US 6, in Sandusky. The Erie County Courthouse is reflected in the door to the left of Hurley.
But what really makes the Second Baptist special is it's down-home friendly people.
I was just a white guy in a T-shirt and shorts sitting in the back row last Sunday, but most of the people (decked out in white dresses and suits) who walked by, shook my hand and welcomed me to the service. That's the way they do things here.
"My wife made me come here 30 years ago; the people made me stay," said associate minister Bobby Langdon. "I felt there was a love, a harmony, an openness. People would extend themselves, and it wasn't just on Sunday."
Marshall said she and her husband came from a larger congregation 25 years ago and quickly discovered a sense of family.
"There was a closeness here. We didn't know anyone and they took us in," she said.
The building is on the National Register of Historic Places, but it may not remain an active church much longer. The congregation purchased a 27-acre site on the outskirts of Sandusky and plans to build a bigger building where they can offer more community services.
Marshall said the church won't lose it's small-town closeness and the congregation will continue to maintain the original building as a historic site.
But not everyone wants to move.
"A lot of the older parishioners - they want to stay here," she said.
And, why not? They have a good thing going. I planned to stop for a short while and stayed for the entire service. The music was great and I felt at home.
I hope that Second Baptist will succeed in its expansion, but on my journey, I'm learning that bigger isn't always better.
Oh, was Verenna glad she came to church Sunday?
"I am. I am. I'm very happy. Coming to church keeps me strong," she said.
ALONG LAKE ERIE
Walking out of Cleveland along Detroit Ave. and Lake Ave., you travel from struggling city streets to suburbs with brick houses, neatly trimmed lawns, flowers and shrubs, squirrels and birds. Here, East Cleveland and Euclid are on the other side of the world.
At Rocky River, on this day, Lake Erie is a patchwork of blue, green and gray fading into the morning mist offshore. There's a pocket of fishermen (and women) on the pier at Bradstreet's Landing.
"Basically, it's yellow perch right now. Next month it will be small mouth bass," said Steven Roman who has been working at the pier for 15 years. When the water warms up in a month or so, the perch will head for deeper, cooler spots and the bass will move in. This year's rainy spring has been a boon for fishermen, by helping raise the water level, Roman said
"Last Sunday, we had eight people limit out," he said.
Lake Avenue becomes Lake Road and seems to stretch forever. The farther from Cleveland you get, the more showy, and almost out-of-place, the houses become.
The simple cottages of the past, are being replaced by mini-mansions that shout, "Look at me!"
People here say you could buy this property for a pittance a couple of decades ago. The lake was polluted. It smelled bad and no one wanted to live near it.
In Huron, just east of Sandusky, local native Clark Hahn watches fields - where he once played - transformed into condominiums. There are still farms where the tractors plow right up to the beach, but there are fewer of them.
And you can almost bet there won't be more rugged individualists like the late Ed Otto, who went out west in the 60s and bought a few buffalo. Over the years he built a large-scale buffalo farm less than 50 miles from Cleveland. It's become such an oddity they offer tours.
"He was a real character," Clark said. "When he was in his 80s they took his license away, so when he went anywhere, he drove his big farm tractor up and down the road."
"And you had to get out of his way, because he couldn't see," added Sue Nottke.
Sue, Clark and John Girard accompanied me though Huron, just east of Sandusky. They pointed out places where there were once scores of cottages.
"Right here was the dance hall and roller skating rink. They came here from Cleveland and Toledo for recreation," Sue said.
Clark, who was riding a bike, exulted in spotting lake islands on an uncommonly clear day.
"I can see an island right now," he said peering through an opening in a clump of trees. "It's a Canadian island called Midi. Nobody lives on it - wow! You can see it so clear."
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PUT-IN-BAY
There are five major islands near Sandusky. South Bass, Middle Bass, North Bass, Kelly's Island and Pelee Island, which is actually in Canada.
On a day off, Travis, the photographer, and I took the ferry to Middle Bass, which the home of Put-In-Bay Village. That's where sightseers go on day trips and the college crowd revels at night.
Even in the afternoon there were scads more young guys than women. Hmm. Could it be that more guys than gals think it's fun to guzzle beer till they puke?
I was more interested in the International Peace Park and monument to Perry's naval victory over the British in the War of 1812.
Stand on the monument's 317-foot high observation deck and you can see all five islands - and clear across to the Canadian mainland on a good day. You'll also be standing 12 feet higher than the Statue of Liberty's torch, but who's counting.
Don Hart was returning to the monument with his family. Don had taken the kids to the monument when they were young and this was sort of a goodbye trip for John, who is scheduled to head to Kosovo with the Army National Guard. John thought his military obligation was over, but the service called him back - and, no, his family doesn't think it's fair.
The monument is an appropriate site for a military departure. Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry's victory ("I have met the enemy and they are ours.") gained control of Lake Erie, a critical staging ground in the war.
The war paved the way for treaties that would eventually create a U.S. Canadian border without forts or warships. Perry's monument is part of a park that salutes both war and peace.
None of which matters to the college revelers. But you'll have to ask Travis, about the wild nights on Put-In-Bay. He's 26, so reveling is his department.
By the way, Travis turns 27 this week.
 The Kaspers of Sandusky, OH purchased the Benson Ford - a retired steel freight liner used for the Ford Company. They removed the hull and cabins and converted them into a unique living space as it sits on top of a stoney bank in Put-in-Bay, OH.
If you're touring the island by boat, you'll notice a ship seemingly stuck on top of a cliff. Travis and I nearly spent a night on that boat, but plans fell through at the last moment and we had to settle for a leisurely tour the next day.
The ship is the top part of a 194-ton lake freighter, which was the flagship of Henry Ford's fleet of oar-carrying boats. It was originally named the Benson Ford, after one of Henry's sons.
After much wrangling with local authorities, Frank and Lydia Sullivan moved the top part of the boat to the cliff. The 50-foot high boat-house includes the captain's quarters, the office, lounge, officer's mess, pilot house and state rooms, where Ford entertained his guests. Stand on the bow, which stretches out over a cove, and you'll think you're on the water.
The boat is now owned by Bryan Kasper and his dad, Jerry. Bryan purchased the boat at an auction four years ago.
ROLLER COASTER CAPITAL
From the start of this trip, I promised you that we'd scare ourselves silly at Cedar Point, which calls itself the Roller Coaster Capital of the World. (They have 16 of them!)
 Built in 1969, Cedar Creek Mine Ride is one many wooden roller coasters Cedar Point (Sandusky, OH) has to offer. Unlike the enormous steel coasters the smaller wood coasters are a great ride for the intermediate coaster enthusiasts.
Well, here we are at Cedar Point, just east of Sandusky, and I'm wondering about the wisdom of my brave words. I'm standing in line for the Blue Streak, a vintage wooden coaster, and listening to riders on the Raptor coaster scream for their lives as they twist in six double loops.
The Blue Streak is no pushover either. Its' first hill is 72 feet-high and it hits 65 miles an hour. Did I mention that I'm afraid of heights.
I could feel my heart pounding. Sweat beaded on my brow. It's overcast and I'm praying for rain.
In front of me, two ten year old kids don't seem to have care in the world. Ah, the innocence of youth. Never mind that 50 million people have survived the Blue Streak, I know there's always a chance I'll be stuck in a car dangling from the very highest point.
 Cedar Point, OH one of the best amusement parks in the world because it is home to many famous roller coasters. The Corkscrew is a triple looping roller coaster which spans throughout the park's midway as it zooms past a family sitting down for a food break.
Did I mention I don't like heights. Really don't like heights. For me, the scariest ride in the park is the Ferris wheel - which of course is my wife's favorite ride. My nightmare world be inhabited by ferris wheels all intent on stranding me at the very top. Swinging slowly in the wind.
I survived the Blue Streak (another close call), and quickly plunged into the Cedar Creek Mine coaster, then headed for Gemini, a 125-foot high coaster. Somehow I survived again and inexplicably decided to try the Mean Streak, one of the tallest wooden coasters in the world. It's 162 feet high!
I didn't say I was smart.
Once again there's that dreaded, but seductive, clinky-clanky ride up that first hill, which - I swear - went straight through the clouds. I couldn't say for sure because my eyes were closed.
I was riding with Bill McIlrath of Connecticut, a Cedar Point veteran, but even he was looking straight down at the floor as we reached the top.
Then it was swoosh! Down and fast, leaving your innards about three feet above the rest of your body. The coaster swung around doubled back, bringing you through tunnels of wooden staging and under tracks you had already conquered. It was a great ride.
Did I mention that I love wooden coasters. And I conquered them all at Cedar Point.
(No one needs to know that even the Mean Streak is small compared to the park's newest ride, the Top Thrill Dragster, which rises 420 feet and hits speeds of up 120 miles an hour.)
ON THE ROAD AGAIN
Folks told me there was little to see on the road from Sandusky to Fremont. I think they were wrong. There are nice big farm fields and friendly people who invite you stop and have a cold drink or a sandwich.
Come to think of it, that's exactly what I was looking for on this journey. Um, I was looking for friendly people, not the free food.
 Fans crowd the New Fremont Speedway in Fremont, OH on Memorial Day to watch the ALMS late models, 305's & Trucks race around the dirt track.
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