Another Beautiful Labor Day Weekend in Store

Clearly, Summer isn’t ready to give in yet! This weekend looks to be another spectacular opportunity to get outdoors. Whether you want to spend the weekend training for next week’s Findley Lake Sprint Triathlon/Duathlon or you want to spend it touring on your bike or kayak, here’s your opportunity. With a host of great art exhibits and galleries , museums, events and farmer’s markets, you surely won’t be at a loss for stops.


We’ll be out this weekend with our cameras looking for Findley State Park mountain bikers, kayakers and the BRaB road riders so you might see us pointing a camera at you.

Lorain International Triathlon 2008 Pics and Recap

Yesterday was the annual Lorain International Triathlon at beautiful Lakeview Park. Although it was a very hot day, the skies were just cloudy enough to keep participants cool in the early morning hours.

Women take off for swim leg of sprint distance triathlon.

Sprint distance swimmers exit the water at Lakeview Park.



International distance men and women head into Lake Erie for their 1.5k swim.

Patty Banks, womens overall sprint distance winner charges to the finish line for the final leg of the triathlon.


First three international swimmers out of the water. From left: Dave Garrett (finished 1st place overall international distance), Josh Brown (finished 3rd place overall international distance), Denise Vanek (finished 2nd place women's international distance)


Jodi Thomson, women's overall international 1st place winner finishes her bike and heads into the transition area to begin the run portion of the triathlon.

Click here for complete results of the 2008 Lorain International/Sprint Triathlon.
Click here for more photos of yesterday's exciting race.

Beginning this evening, every corner of the Back Roads and Beaches route will be hoppin’ with events from art openings to county fair excitement.


This evening in Vermilion is the gala opening of Water, Light and Land: Reflections on Inland Seas. Experience the spectacular views of inland seascapes, masterfully rendered in clay by nationally recognized Oberlin potter Chris Breuer at the Inland Seas Maritime Museum in Vermilion. The opening is from 6:30–8:30pm. Artist talk will be at 6pm. The show will run through September 25.

Also in Vermilion this weekend will be the Vermilion Local Market where you can purchase local produce, flowers, herbs, pasture-fed beef, and more. The market is held Saturday afternoons 2–6pm in Victory Park in Vermilion and will run through August 30.

The Lorain County Fair continues to run through this Sunday, August 24.

Carnegie Library, Oberlin College, Tappan Square

This Saturday, August 23 at 10am the Oberlin Heritage Center will be presenting A Walk Through Time. Learn about the earliest residents of Oberlin, hear fascinating stories of triumph and misfortune linked to the landmarks around Tappan Square, and walk away with a lively appreciation of Oberlin's unique heritage. Advance reservations required; call (440) 774-1700 or send an email to tourinfo@oberlinheritage.org. There is a $6 per person fee ($4 for Oberlin Heritage Center members) and enrollment is limited. Meet at the James Monroe House (73 1/2 South Professor Street, Oberlin; see map) and allow 1 hour and 15 minutes for the tour.

While in Oberlin, check out the new exhibit at the FAVA Gallery, Views: Three Landscape Artists featuring the work of John Benton, Amy Casey and Glenn Ratusnik. The show runs through September 6.

For more events taking place around the Back Roads and Beaches Route as well as all throughout Lorain County, click here.

Annual Lorain Sprint/International Triathlon this Sunday

Lakeview Park fountain
Originally uploaded by ronnie44052

Lakeview Park Photo by Rona Proudfoot

Triathletes will again get great views of Lake Erie this Sunday, August 24, 2008, only this time the race will be in Lorain, Ohio. Racers will begin at Lorain’s beautiful Lakeview Park with a swim in Lake Erie followed by bike and run through parts of Lorain and along Lake Erie. Racing begins at 8am. Click here for more information including registration information. For more information on area lodging, check out the Lorain County Visitors Bureau website here.