Okay...while I'm still in civilisation-land and have hi-speed internet, I want to make sure I ask about this.

When we leave CO on Saturday, we're heading home along 80. We still have to research all possible stops, but so far, there's a good chance that we'll stop at the lighthouses in Chicago (want to check out Chicago), Michigan City, and along Lake Erie from Toledo to Erie.

So, basically...any input from anyone? Any important tips on getting in or anything? Any important closures? etc.etc.etc.

I'm very excited about this - I've only seen 6 new lights since November 2004!

Grosse Pointe used to be opened for climbing weekend afternoons and had very small groups. From Navy Pier you can see Chicago Harbor and the SW Guidewall Light. Michigan City opened afternoons 1-4 except for Mondays. You are on Central Time in MC. There are reportedly places you can see Toledo Harbor Light from the shore, but it is going to be a very long look (6-7 miles). Two old range lights in Toledo. Marblehead has nice museum, tower sometimes open. Is state park. You can see Old Port Clinton light at a marina in Port Clinton.

Most other lights along the way are view only. Vermillion has a wonderful nautical musuem (Inland Seas, I believe). Several lenses, part of an old ship pilot room, nice display of USLSS equipment. Cleveland can be seen from some places downtown, nice boat cruise around the waterfront and down the river if you have time.

Nice museum at Old Fairport Main Light and you can usually climb the tower. You can see breakwater light from there or they can give you instructions on how to get to park where you can walk out to the light.

3 Lights in Erie.

Well, I don't know how far you plan on driving the first day, and it's a ways off of I-80, but I would suggest going to the Grosse Point lighthouse in Evanston, Il. They only give tours on Saturdays and Sundays at 2, 3, and 4PM. Tours are restricted to 12 people and it's on a first come basis.

Grosse Point Light Station is only one of eight lighthouses that is designated a National Historic Landmark. It is one of only five lighthouses on the Great Lakes that had a Second Order Fresnel lens, and is the only one that still has its Second Order lens installed and active.

http://www.grossepointlighthouse.net/index.html

D*O*N*T miss Marblehead, near Sandusky and Cedar Point, Ohio. It's 1/2 hour off the toll road, but well worth the stop.

April 2006, on the way to Jersey.

A few of my Grosse Point pics:

Greg,

To amplify David, you have the "old lighthouse" in Fairport Harbor ... again maybe 1/2 hour ... maybe less ... from the interstate ...

I can't believe that Dave didn't mention Old Michigan City Lighthouse/Museum and the Pier Light at Michigan City, IN...

Ah, but I did mention all of these except for MC East Pier which I figure is one they would realize was there if they made it to OMC.

To clarify, Old Fairport Main is the name generally attributed to the old light in downtown Fairport. Worth the visit. As I recall, it has one of the only samples of one of the old illumination methods. Lot crammed into a small nuseum.

And a Great Ice Cream Shop across the street and I don't even eat Ice Cream, but I do remember most of the Club havind a cup or cone after our visit to the light..

If you are planning on seeing Grosse Point and Chicago Harbor coming in from I-80, pretty much expect it to take the better part of the day. I-80 runs far south of Chicago, while Grosse Point in Evanston is far north. The best way with the current construction on the Dan Ryan would be to take I-88 through Illinois.(meets I-80) in the Quad Cities)It is a toll road, but it will put you considerably farther north into the city. You can connect with I-294 North, take that to I-90 east to I-94 north to Dempster east. After Grosse Point jump back on I-94 south to I-90 east to Ohio street. That will pretyt much take you through the heart of the city to Navy Pier. When you leave take Lake Shore Drive south past the famous Buckingham Fointain and Grant Park. When you're at the fountain go around the block and get oon Congress Parkway. COngress Parkway becomes I-290. Take I-290 west to I-294 again, and I-294 back south to I-80 and get out of Dodge. Resist the urge to take 90/94 (the Dan Ryan) south out of the city! It's pretty much a parking lot all the time now.

Now, are yo sorry you asked!

Mike

Sorry about the big pics. I have fixed my post.

Great pictures, everybody, but, Paul, the two of the Pier at Michigan City are absolutely breathtaking. The next to last one is just gorgeous!!

So Greg, did you make any stops along the way home or are you still travelling?

Great sunset picture Paul.

We were able to make stops at a few lights. My old friend darkness, and the quest to get home before it, prevented seeing every OH light, but we got a good number knocked off, and I figure I'll hit the rest on a trip around the eastern Great Lakes (Canadian and American).

Monday we hit Grosse Point on the way into Chicago. Neat, neat light. It wasn't open, but I walked around and got some nice shots of it. Once in Chicago, we walked down Navy Pier (it goes ON AND ON AND ON AND ON) and I shot Chicago Harbor and East Guidewall Lights.

Tuesday we went to the Field Museum (to see the U-Boat that's at another museum. So we went to see King Tut at the Tut exhibit. They had everything there from his tomb BUT King Tut. I didn't get it either...they need a disclaimer for these things). After that, we swung by Michigan City and toured that light. Nice light again, and I learned a lot about the area from the tour. The HLC's work there looked great! Also went out to the Pierhead light, my first-ever pierhead. On the way out, we swung up to St. Joe's, beacuse it was close enough and then I can say I've seen lighthouses in Michigan. If I just start mumbling at the end of the word "lighthouse," nobody will know that it's supposed to be singular. Another GREAT GREAT GREAT light.

Wednesday was the big lighthousing day. Hit the Manhatten Range Lights in Toledo, nice little lights. Old Port Clinton was cool, in the marina. Marblehead was the lighthouse highlight, even though we were too early for the tour (another time). WHAT A GREAT LIGHT!!!! Then went by Lorain where I got photos from a few different views. Finally, we hit the two lights in Fairport - the Breakwater and the Old one. The latter had one of the BEST museums I've ever seen in a lighthouse, and the climbing was a highlight, even though it was one of the scariest I've ever done for some reason.

I didn't get the whole coast, and I'll have to go back one day, but what we did see was WELL worth it. I'm going to try to finish the trip logs tomorrow for my website (the website that never gets done because I keep on editing it and redesigning it and such - now I just have to finish WRITING it and I can get some of it done). Photos should get posted to Flickr tomorrow, as well. All in all, a nice little trip, with some really cool lights.

Sounds like you did manage to get in some decent lighthousing time on the way home. You did manage to get to a good variety of lights, and as you noted, some really great ones.

Good job, Greg! Can't wait to see the pictures!

You certainly had a busy ride home thats for sure.

I hope you've said "Thank you, thank you, thank you" to mom, dad and little brother for allowing you to visit all these lights!

And did you do some driving on this trip?

So, how many lighthouses visited are you up to now? It was 156 as of about a year ago, according to your profile.

Trust me, profuse thanks. Especially to my brother for all the suffering he goes through. It got evened out with all the air museums.

I did a little driving...a lot in the flat part of Colorado. I mean, flat. Basically, I set the cruise control at 65 (the speed limit, before you ask), supported the wheel with my arm, and just sat there. There was nobody there - my little brother could have driven and nobody'd know. :rolleyes:

I just updated my Excel spreadsheet yesterday, and I'm now at 165. There may be a little more, too, this year...we'll see. Next year starts Greg driving around North America (including Canada!) on his own...it may be a lighthouse a week.

Sorry for the delay in the logs...they're almost done - I have to just finish the last day and get it all wrapped up and formatted, and it'll be done. Maybe I'll do it now.

I take it you were on a two lane road, because the Interstate speed limit in Colorado is 75.

Yeah...all those ones around Alamosa. Accelerate, hit the CC button, hold the wheel for 10 miles...then almost hit the fence at the end of the road because you forget that you actually are driving.

COOL! Glad to hear you made St. Joe as well as Marblehead. I have not been to the Fairport lights...I have friends in Cleveland to visit and will be sure to get over there then. Can't wait to see your shots!!