come on ride the train ...

Since our favorite time of year is autumn, and seeing as how Trevor is completely enamored with trains, we decided to combine the two and take a scenic trip through the Cuyahoga Valley National Park on the rails.

Going in, I thought the train ride was going to be pretty boring. In actuality, it was really cool. We boarded about 9 a.m. near the intersection of Rockside and Canal roads and soon learned, when you're dealing with trains, don't be late. One thing trains can be held to is their punctuality, unlike today's airlines.

We headed south toward Akron and, just as we got into the wooded area along Canal Road, the clouds broke and the sun highlighted the colors of Fall. Pretty picturesque.

Trevor was in awe. He quickly determined that Gordon was pulling us, we were riding in Annie and Clarabel and the conductor who kept telling him to be seated was Sir Topham Hatt (all characters from Thomas and Friends).

The train, called Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad, is owned and operated by Cuyahoga Valley National Park. It loops from the Rockside station in the valley to downtown Akron two or three times a day. It stops about 10 places in between at quaint towns along the way, such as Peninsula, where we got off.

In Peninsula, we hit up a few family-run arts and crafts shops displaying local artistry. I'm not big into crafts, but again these shops were impressive. Among all the handmade artistry, the photographs of the park from local photographers stood out. The shops were situated along the Cuyahoga River and grassy areas provided a great landscape for relaxing on a park bench and letting Trev run through the leaves. We also hit up the Peninsula Winking Lizard, the best Lizard I've been to, and I had a Great Lakes Nosferatu and caught up on some college football scores.

On the way back north, we checked out the audio tour, which was recently synced to a GPS system so it knows exactly where you are and can describe exactly what you are passing at that very moment. Audio tours are typically pretty boring, but this one had some cool info on the National Park, the history of the Erie Canal waterway and the towpath. Unofficially, the canal served as part of the underground railroad and provided a means of transportation for slaves escaping from the south to Canada. Once the slaves hit Cleveland, the tour guide said, they were ecstatic because they were only a boatride away from freedom. Apparently, the first steam engine rode the Valley Railway in 1880 and signaled an era of progress and prosperity for the Cuyahoga Valley. It was a way for farmers and coal miners to transport their product from the Canton/Akron area to Cleveland. Then, in 1969 when Cleveland was so focused on becoming the industrial capital of North America, the Cuyahoga River caught fire because it was filled with oil and pollution from the nearby mills. The fire caught national attention and sparked the beginning of groups like the Environmental Protection Agency.

All history aside, I'd recommend the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad if you're looking for a relaxing and enjoyable day. I'd put my money on autumn being the best time to ride, although they host a Polar Express ride in the winter, among other cool excursions like a wine train and a beer event called "Ales on the Rails." Check out the schedule of events and purchase tickets at www.cvsr.com.

For more pictures from our day on the train, click here.