This past weekend, it was an absolutely gorgeous day on Saturday. So that means a bike ride! My ride normally goes into Portage County because there is not much traffic. But I knew that Chagrin Falls was having their annual Blossom Festival and so I decided to ride into Chagrin Falls. Now I grew up in Chagrin Falls and lived there when I was 10-12 years old. But that thought really didn't enter into my thinking as we have had many opportunities to see our old home as we have lived in the immediate area for many years now. But I have never done the old stomping grounds tour from my bike. And there seems to be something different when you are outside on two wheels. So while it was unintended, I slowly made my way into my memory banks.
Chagrin Falls High School - where we swam at the recreation center, where we played baseball at one of the diamonds behind Lewis Sands elementary school. Rec center pool is closed - probably lack of funds and liability. How sad.
Popcorn Shop - been in Chagrin Falls for decades. I was on my bike and no money! Next time, I will do this from my car and with a wallet.
Philemethian Street - home of 5th grade. Across the street was a convenient store where I shoplifted a candy bar, but felt so guilty I told the owner.
A little further down Bell Street was one of my best friends Kurt Hoffman. Hung out there a lot after school.
Now riding about four miles down on Bell Street to our street - Royal Oak Drive. There is my favorite house.
Not much different - we put the bridge in. We shared a driveway with our neighbor who had his own waterfall where we would catch lizards.
Ride back up the street and there is Chagrin Lakes Club. We were charter members. There is the lake which I remember as massive. We had to swim to that platform for our swim test to the center in the lake which I thought was miles away, but was probably 100 feet tops.
Across the parking lot was the baseball field, site of many an exploit. Now not an active field and overgrown by weeds.
Ride back out towards Bell. At the end of our street, I remember my friend and I shooting our air rifle at traffic. One time inexplicably we shot and someone had a flat just as we shot. It was an air rifle - that means it blows out air doesn't it? Anyway the drive chased us and we went to my friends house just a feet away but he caught us and we had to somehow explain to my friend's dad what we were doing.
Back across the street at Bell. There is Gurney Elementary School, home of my 3rd and 4th grade. Looks identical. In the parking lot was the site of my first and only law breaking. My brother and I decided it was neat to climb into the school bus and announcing silly things on the PA. A policeman picked us up and took us back to Mom and Dad. I'm sorry M&D. Our playground on Gurney was tetherball. Yes, you heard that right - tetherball. I remember busting my brother Rick's thumb on a mean spike (or whatever it is called). Now it is an extensive playground setup (see below). I prefer tetherball.
Go back our Gurney to Bell St., turn left on Bell and go less than a mile. That is the home of the Sohio gas station. Why is that important? I mean I didn't drive in the 3rd grade. That was important because it had a coke machine that we could get a bottle for 10 cents. Still a gas station there but I couldn't find Coke for 10 cents. The person behind me pulling into the left hand turn lane probably wondered why I was snapping pictures from my bike of a gas station.
Across the street was a bowling alley that I was a regular at. My dad loved to do the bowling thing with his kids. It is now a bank. However, next door is our kids orthodontist. Unfortunately, I can't find a psychological connection here (sorry Meghan).
So what was a normal bike ride was a trip down memory lane. Sometimes a guy has got to relive his childhood. I am over it now.
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