During this mini-heat wave, I am not the only person who books a hotel room to beat the heat.  Apparently, whole families cram into the rooms at the Akron Courtyard Marriott, leading the management to issue a legal waiver notifying noisy groups that they will be thrown out and forfeit their reservation deposits.

Happily, this past holiday weekend, the warning worked, and the Courtyard Marriott provided a quiet and restful stay.  As an unofficial and unpaid family travel guide, my goal this weekend was to check out the swim options around Akron and to scout the Rails-to-Trails Feedom Trail in route to Munroe Falls Lake.  Like all well-laid plans, mine went awry.  The heat combined with awful hazardous crossings for bikes in-and-around Tallmadge,  prevented me from achieving my destination - a dip in the lake.

I turned back and headed for McDonalds.  A word of thanks here for the Tallmadge McDonalds.  Time and time again, the golden arches have saved me from dehydration and overheating and provided a much needed restroom stop on U.S. bike trails.  More groups - like Rails-to-Trails and, locally, Bike Cleveland, should recognize this amenity.  The Tallmadge McDonalds is obviously a community hub and I was amused to see the number of older Greek men who congregate with their coffees at this location, as well, as families with kids.

As it turned out - I headed back along the Freedom Trail and made it to my hotel room, showered and made it to the air-conditioned Akron Art Museum, before a sudden down pour drenched the City of Akron.  During the storm, I checked out the new exhibit, Dread and Delight: Fairy Tales in an anxious world. The show reminds me to not let irrational fears cloud my judgement and to see the fairy magic around us, even in the mundane.  I am a BIG fan of the Akron Art Museum, because it is compact enough to feel cozy and I always seem come away with some happy realization, even if the content is sometimes disturbing.

I had hoped to visit Old 97, but the rain and my exhaustion led to dinner at the Northside Market next to the Courtyard Marriott.  I had large IPA, a "taste" of pasta carbonara, braised greens and broccoli souffle for $20.  I passed out early and caught the train, back to Cleveland at 10:30 in the morning.  I have yet to find a pool that compares to the Frostburg Pool experience, but Cleveland's outdoor pools are not awful.  I have managed to have a good time at these pools - specifically, Lincoln Park and Meyer Pools.  Today, I ended up filling the kiddie pool in my backyard for a relaxing soak after the hot bike ride from Rockside Road.  I may explore Wallace Lake, tomorrow :)