My Summer of 2023

Chapter 1: Family, Ohio and Michigan visits

The summer of 2023 was epic.

Much of the world roasted under an unrelenting heat wave and Phoenix, Arizona, the place I call home, endured over 55 days of temperatures above 110° F (43.33° C) which included the 31 continuous days from June 30 to July 31. Incredibly, the unrelenting heat broiled everything under the sun even up to and above 119°F (48.33°C). It was a summer of unbearable, scorching temperatures. Necessarily, hibernating indoors (in air-conditioned places, where and when possible) was the norm.

Or get the heck out and find a cooler place to be.

My intentions here, are not to dwell on the negative but to relate to my readers the opportunities that were presented to me which provided a few months respite from the heat this year.

Fortuitous for me, not knowing that the summer of ’23 would be so brutal here, I began making plans early in 2023 to accept an invitation from my Scottish friends, Graham and Maralyn, to go sailing with them in their 42-foot boat off the west coast of Scotland and to “show me their little country”. I met this wonderful couple in Greenland in August 2022 (yes, Greenland, [and Iceland], last summer’s destinations to “chill”).  This would be yet another opportunity to avoid the worst of the summer and to add to my worldly adventures, one that I could not pass up. Primarily, it was looking like the Scotland sailing would be the pinnacle of this summer’s adventure.

Little did I know at the time of planning that I would be “on the water” more than once on this trip.

In planning this year’s trip, I developed an agenda of what I wanted to accomplish over the nearly 2 months that I would be away from Phoenix, combining the trip to Scotland, primarily, with visits to family and friends in Ohio and Michigan and places to visit or re-visit from when I lived in those places over 25 years ago. First on my list was to attend the Porath Family Reunion on July 8 held at my family’s Gibsonburg, Ohio farm. Porath was the surname of my mother and traces back to our German ancestry. Included in my plans were to visit my alma mater Ohio University in SW Ohio and a visit to see an old friend, Jim M, in Columbus, OH.

With all that in mind, I also intended to re-visit longtime friends in Ann Arbor, MI, reconnect with a friend with whom I had lost contact for over 30 years and who lives in Houghton, MI on the Keweenaw Peninsula of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. (Recently I discovered that one of my great grandmothers was born in Houghton, MI in 1861 making this part of my trip even more meaningful).

Meeting up with a few old high school classmates added to my reconnecting with the past. These short visits with Fred and Linda H, Sheryl K, Steve and Peggy P and Steve and Laurie B were highlights while I was in Ohio.

Plans were to also visit my former work colleague, Barb M, and her husband Dan, who just coincidentally invited me to go sailing with them for a day on Lake Erie! Another invite to go sailing, wow, this was looking like a sailing adventure was truly ordained for me!

After the reunion I rented a car and spent several days visiting friends in Ann Arbor. I was able to connect with friends including Bill and Van, Lloyd and Brice, Dick R, and former workmates Kathy and Lori. While I was in Ann Arbor, I also perused the annual Street Art Fairs which are held throughout the city. Typical for the Art Fair it was warm and humid, and very crowded.

I headed North to the UP (Upper Peninsula) with a visit to historic areas of Mackinac City, crossing over the Straits of Mackinac (the connecting waterway between Lakes Michigan and Huron) upon the Mighty Mac bridge to the UP. There I sought out and explored waterfalls, viewed the Pictured Rocks shore near Munising, MI from a boat (yet another water adventure!).

More exploring around Marquette before several days into the Keweenaw Peninsula including drives along the Lake Superior shore, lunch at Lindell’s an over 100 years old restaurant that I have always tried to include on all my past trips there,  enjoying a beverage at The Gay Bar, in Gay, MI (one of many small towns in the UP that once were parts of the extensive mining ventures there), a quiet afternoon on the bay at Copper Harbor, the Quincy Mine Tour and capping it off with meeting my long-lost friend John M. It was such a pleasure to re-connect, even briefly and do some catching up. He will soon be retiring and has a very nice home in neighboring Hancock, MI where he has invited me to stay when I next visit there. With the extreme high summer temperatures that are likely to continue in Arizona, I am considering a place for summer retreats, and John’s home may be a good choice where summers are considerably cooler. Winters, however, are cold and long, with snowfalls that can exceed 300”.

After the UP, I headed back to Ann Arbor where I spent a few more days before returning to NW Ohio to spend more time with my family and friends.

The family visit was wonderful, the reunion very enjoyable which included attendance of two distant cousins who live in Harietta, Michigan in the NW corner of the “mitten” (ask me about that if you do not know the meaning).

Having stayed with my sister Janice and brother-in-law Ken at their farm near Wayne, Ohio, the weather was a nice respite from what was cooking in Arizona. One day Janice, niece Stephanie and great nephew Remington drove to Eastern Ohio into the Amish country. We enjoyed a day of exploring, visiting many shops with Amish hand-crafted wares, cheeses, a delicious country dinner, seeing the horse drawn buggies sharing the roads, many Amish folks getting about on bicycles, finding and walking across covered bridges and drives out into the beautiful rolling hillsides where neat and orderly farms were surrounded in fields of corn and soybeans.

On July 24, I followed up with the invitation to go sailing with my friend Barb and husband Dan. Their boat, “Heartbeat”, is a 36 ft sailboat docked at the Monroe (MI) Boat Club on Lake Erie. It is about an hour drive (unless one runs into construction delays, as we did) from our location in Ohio. Sister Janice and great nephew Remington were very happy to also accept an invite to join the crew that day.

Soon after arrival we boarded the boat, motored out into Lake Erie where we sailed the remainder of the afternoon. Once out on the lake, the main sail was unfurled where the wind caught and filled it carrying us smoothly through the calm waters. A while later, the jib sail was also hoisted adding to the power and speed as we sailed further away from shore.

Out in the distance was a lone lighthouse, far from shore. This was the Toledo Harbor Lighthouse, now not operational but an historic site undergoing restoration. It became apparent that we were sailing out toward that very lighthouse, and from where we would circle and return to the dock.

Dan and Barb have been sailing for years, competing in many races, obviously very accomplished and loving their adventures. Remington at 9 years old took to the sailing like an old hand. He was proficient at the tiller, listened carefully to Dan’s instructions, what to observe from the sails and fearlessly walked onboard documenting his adventure on his camera and pad. At one point he joined Barb as they dangled their feet into the water as the boat leaned low to port. I was certainly impressed and so where Dan and Barb, who have invited him to return to possibly become a deckhand.

What a relaxing afternoon, kicking back on deck, the wind in my face, warm comforting sunshine, the sound of flapping sails, clear blue skies dotted with clouds and the sounds of lapping water as we cut through the gentle waves.

Heading back to dock, the sun was lowering on the horizon casting its shimmering trail of light upon the water. After securing the boat and a little supper, we headed back down to Ohio. Our first sailing was a terrific experience that I was happy to have shared with my family. I was now very confident that sailing on the ocean off the west coast of Scotland was destined to be an outstanding adventure.

Another highlight was a day spent with my oldest niece Deb. She is the oldest child of my oldest brother Bob and sister-in-law Pat. Both, sadly, have passed on, but Deb has something of Pat’s that is a joyful remembrance; her mother’s red 1987 Ford Mustang Convertible. Of course, it was a perfect day to go cruising, 1987 style! Deb wanted to take me up along Lake Erie near Port Clinton, OH to visit a place that they have enjoyed called the Twin Oasts, a brew house/restaurant. Oasts are tall stone silo structures that are used to dry hops as part of the brewing process. On this property there are two oasts that are now used as bars and gathering places for get togethers and parties. It is a unique place for special celebrations and events like weddings, graduations, anniversaries, etc. The grounds around were immaculate, with water features, sprawling lawns, flowers, tents for parties, walkways, vineyard and orchard. Unfortunately, though, the restaurant was closed that day. But no problem, just up the road was another lovely outdoor venue where we were able to enjoy lunch and adult beverages as we chatted.

Continuing our day of cruising, we visited the Marblehead Lighthouse, the oldest in continuous operation on the American side of the Great Lakes. Our timing was perfect as a tour was starting as we arrived. Climbing to the top we viewed out onto Lake Erie and beyond to the lakeside amusement park, Cedar Point, many of its roller coasters standing tall in the distance.

Not widely known is another historic place of interest on a small island in the same area, The Confederate Soldiers Cemetery. During the American Civil War, captured Confederate soldiers were imprisoned on this place, Johnson’s Island. At that time, it was an isolated island, making it an ideal prison, but now a causeway connects it to the mainland. The soldiers who lived and died on the island are buried there in its well-kept graveyard. With a view out onto Lake Erie, it is quiet and restful for the departed’s eternity.

It was a fine day to be out cruising with the top down. The wind, the sunshine, the drive along the Lake Erie shore, and then through small towns and out through the flat farmlands of Northwest Ohio. But most enjoyable of all was the time I was able to spend with my niece Deb.

With growing anticipation, the countdown to departure day to Scotland had begun. But there was more to check off my list while still in Ohio.

• End of the LineOctober 26, 2025
  Rollin’ On The River Chapter 10 Mississippi River Cruise 2025 Wednesday, July 23 Having moseyed Northward upon the Mighty Mississippi River for 7 days, our relaxing trip was drawing to a close. But, more was awaiting us at the end of the line in Memphis, Tennessee. No lollygagging, sleeping in, or otherwise not on your … Continue reading End of the Line
• Memphis, Tennessee – Blues City, Elvis Presley & GracelandOctober 6, 2025
  Rollin’ On The River Chapter 9 Mississippi River Cruise 2025 Tuesday, July 22 As noted in Chapter 8, for those who had early morning Memphis shore excursions, they were still able to complete those tours. This was accomplished by adding an unplanned docking at Tunica, TN allowed those people to board buses, waiting at the … Continue reading Memphis, Tennessee – Blues City, Elvis Presley & Graceland
• Unplanned, Unexpected and DelayedSeptember 30, 2025
  Chapter 8 Rollin’ On The River Mississippi River Cruise 2025 Monday, July 21 What could possibly go wrong on a leisurely cruise on the Mississippi River? Luckily nothing crucial or destructive. Upon my arising at 6 AM, we were still secured to the rocky shore. Those renegade barges must still be straying somewhere ahead of … Continue reading Unplanned, Unexpected and Delayed