Hectic and hot (90s) today.  But Sparkle is running fantastic and the A/C is keeping us icebox cool.   A full day of sun!!  The dogs got some romps in Lake Erie — and managed to find some dead fish.  Luckily, only Grem actually rolled on the fish — and she spent enough time in the water afterwards that the smell is mostly gone.

I got through my Ohio list which puts me slightly ahead of schedule.  Which I’m gonna need I think since I just glanced at the Illinois packet.  Even without Chicago proper in this batch, it’s probably at least two days worth of stuff.  Just a few stops in Indiana tomorrow and I’ll get to work.  Landed late here in South Bend and it’s already 1am after dealing with emails and such.  Glad I got a decent night’s sleep last night.

 

Let’s start with this Malley’s Chocolates sign in North Olmsted — looks like it was a “spinner”:

 

And on to Cleveland — this sign’s been recently restored — here’s a shot from 2009:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/10707024@N04/3612190884/

Now lots of protective plastic to protect the neon:

 

The Steve’s Lunch sign could use some re-habbing — though the neon still seems to be working:

 

So much to love here.  Pink is an unusual color choice for an auto-related business, no?

 

Stunning:

 

I finally got to shoot the Whippy’s sign.   Apparently, the artist’s intent was for the boy to point at the ice cream — but it sure looks like he’s flipping off potential customers:

 

A beautiful ghost sign in Oberlin.  I have no idea what motel it advertised for originally:

 

Also in Oberlin — here’s a vintage view of this one when it was still on the pole and had more text:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/hellmutt/4679221470/

and it looks like it was the Bee-Vin before that:
http://s3.amazonaws.com/bonanzleimages/afu/images/5529/9961/beevinmotel.jpg

 

On to Sandusky — this trio is located at the Best Budget Inn:

 

Also Sandusky:

 

In Toledo — I always passed on shooting this one because I thought it was probably modern.  But now I’m not so sure — and the sign has grown on me.  It’s triangulated (with three panels) so it’s visible from just everywhere:

 

And lastly, let’s pay tribute to Swan Cleaners in Port Clinton — and just as importantly — the business that kept the signs and facade (yup, that’s peachy vitrolite):

 

2 am — not bad!   I’ll meet up with you tomorrow in Illinois.  Night….