Backyard tourists

Ed. note - check out my YouTube channel for all my videos, and consider giving them a "thumbs up" or even subscribing. I update the channel with every trip I take.

"Home" for us is northwest Ohio, and sometimes the most relaxing getaways are those right in our backyard. No transportation questions. No lodging expenses. No requests for time off work.

One of the things I like about our little wedge of the state is its "put your shoulders into the work" ambiance. Combined with pride in being a working-class region, it's a place where, with just a little effort, you can enjoy your free time.

It's true that the weather and geography leave a lot to be desired. Northwest Ohio is flat and it ranges from hot, humid summers to cold, icy winters, with seasons of mud between the two. But interesting things still happen here, and I bet they still happen where you are, too.

Regardless of where you live, get out and explore it! Appreciate what you find, and stretch those "boring" days into adventure days. If nothing else, they are a sturdy bridge to more extravagant times.

(Also - confession - I am a huge tugboat enthusiast and I think you should be, too)

Christmas Tree Ship (tugboat) - Toledo, Ohio

Ice Shove - Port Clinton, Ohio

W. W. Knight Preserve - Perrysburg, Ohio

Merry-go-round Museum - Sandusky, Ohio

Island View Park - Rossford, Ohio