We went up to Catawba Island this weekend for the Great Lake Escape triathlon and had a nice short vacation. For this trip, Goliath came with us since we found a bed & breakfast that would let him stay over. We went up Saturday morning to East Harbor State Park in Marblehead so Matt could get his registration packet and attend a race meeting. While he was doing that, I tried to get Goliath to the water. I managed to nearly fall into the lake twice from the rocky shore of the park and freak out the pup in the process. He was not eager to explore after my flailing about. It was a beautiful, sunny day, so we drove the bike course around the peninsula and through the village.
Afterward, we got settled in to the B&B and discovered that it was pretty informal. There was no one there to meet us, they do not issue keys, or lock the doors so that guests can come and go as they please. It was a little unsettling at first, but we got used to it. After a late and much needed lunch, we took a walk through the neighborhood to Catawba State Park where Goliath found his lake legs. He spent a fair amount of time in the water and chased rocks as Matt threw them in. Once he got in chin deep, he gave up the chase and opted to roll in the sand. After the walk, we settled in to relax with some football on television and Goliath took a well deserved nap in my lap. We did not stay up for the Ohio State game, but instead had to get to bed early since Matt had to be at the race site by 5:00am the next morning.
On Sunday, the weather had turned. The wind was roaring through the park and they had to cancel the swim portion due to a small craft advisory warning on the lake. So, Matt prepared to run, bike, and run again. Goliath and I left him to position ourselves at mile 5 to see part of the bike race and we were able to cheer on all 150+ participants. Since Matt still had an hour of cycling to complete, we went back to the B&B for breakfast. Goliath was welcomed into the dining room where the other 3 couples and the manager gave him lots of scratches and many offers of sausage which I refused much to his dismay. We did a dine and dash to catch up with Matt at the finish line where he was good and tired; but not too tired to go get an order of chocolate chip pancakes at a local spot not too far from the park.
All in all, we had a great time and are thinking about going back just to explore the area as well as the islands. So, that officially ends the triathlon season for us this year. Stayed tuned to see if Matt can grab a registration spot for the Florida Ironman in November 2007. He has a window of opportunity for a few minutes to register online in a few months. God help us if he actually gets in.
For some photos of our adventure, check out the Lake Erie album here.
