I crashed An AMISH FUNERAL!!!!!!!!! Journal

So, I awake and it is a lot cooler this morning after a big thunderstorm.
Thank you Amish Jesus.

All night I heard the 'clip clop' of horses and buggies going by not more then 100 feet from my tent.

I really didn't realize how many Amish folk lived here, or in this very area anyway. Lots. So I wake and make my way into the breezy blue sky day...and it is lovely.

No complaining about the weather today, no sir..but I will say this..two days in a row, and two sets of directions that are wrong.

I took a fork in the road, looked back over my shoulder and saw the Buckeye Blue Blazes (Actually the trail makes a U Turn here--the book doesn't say that, and again, there are no road signs), so I knew I was going the right way...I walk a half mile, where it says you take a left, no road signs, but this is the only road about a half mile from the last turn, and it is an Amish Farm Stand.

At the intersection it says AUCTION with a big sign and there are cars and buses there, so I knew it must be an auction with Amish and regular folk, as Amish don't drive real cars.

I hear German chanting in the distance, which I figure is the way Amish have Auctions, as I stop in front a lot of buggies, they must be having the Auction in the barn.

I pull out my camera to take some photos of the handiwork and fine craftsmanship of the buggies, then a gaggle of Amish men in black walk towards me.

"We would appreciate it if you wouldn't do that"
they say with stern looks on their faces.

"Oh, I just wanted to get a photo of the buggies, I love the craftsmanship"

"Well, we're having a funereal right now"

D'OH!!!!!!!!!

I grovel and apologize and tell them I had no idea, and bumble over the auction sign and apologize about fifty different ways...how embarrassing.

They are cool about it and in fact fill my water bottles for me and point me in the right direction after looking over the directions (The Map says follow 555 West---there are only North and South 555 by the way)

...I walk away, laughing at myself yet still whole heartedly embarrassed and I get over the fact that I was going the wrong way...yet again.

So I meander for a while, and it is really nice out. Really nice. The air is sweet, the smells of farmland are aromatically intoxicating with flowers, sage, hay etc...the skies are blue, the breeze is constant...seriously one of the best days I have had out here so far, weather wise.

I run low on water and I see a farmhouse and decide to ask if I can refill my bottles as it still is sweaty walking up and down roads all day.
I meet Howard and Dolores Strode and their daughter.

They not only fill my bottles but invite me to join them for lunch left overs (As they had just eaten), then after a belly full of fresh picked potatoes and other homegrown goodies I sit in the shade of a giant oak with Mr Strode and he fills me with sheep sheering stories, of the days of coal and oil and other things around this area that have semi dried out.

He is a good man and a great talker. He has 12 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren...busy feller too I suppose.
So after a little more jawing I make my way onto the Burr Oak State Park.

I think as I walk the last few miles to the park near The Rim Of The World-as they call HWY 78) how damn good a cold coke will be when I hit dock 3..but alas..no coke machine.

I use the Privy and take a few photos of the lake as I run off a dog that is about to pee on my backpack and then head onto the Buckeye trail to circle the lake.

A Couple of couples are tenting and fishing and they call me over.
Brad and Kathie Bowser and Mike and Crystal Freeman are some fine folks.
They are spending the weekend away from the kids and getting in some relaxation.
They offer me...guess what???

A COLD COKE! My dream of the last few miles...oh yeah!!!!!

So I sit and join them and we chat about this and that and I watch Brad attempt to catch a catfish on a goldfish and whatever else is biting on a large worm with little to no luck.

After about an hour of sitting in the shade with them I decide to move on if I am going to get somewhere (Free) to camp..as primitive camping now costs $16..lol.

They pack me a bag of goodies and make hand me another cold MTN Dew...wow.
So I decide to sit and give Brad till I am done with the drink to catch a fish.
The girls say if the guys don't catch fish, they don't eat.
He begins to catch some..all about 3 inches long...not even enough to wet your whistle as far as good eating go, so I take my leave and say thanks and move on

Ohio sure is giving the other states a run for the money as far as Cool generous people go. And in only 3 days of being here.

I find a beach overlooking the lake away from the pay sites to camp.
Its perfect, stars are falling, fish are jumping, ducks and ravens come over and keep me company through the night..a great great day and a better night of sleeping.

Tomorrow, Im swimming!!!!!!!