High in the Middle, Round on Both Sides

What state is high in the middle, and round on both sides? O-hi-o, of course! Hahaha. I've been telling that joke for years, and must have made it up because noone else has ever seemed to have heard it.

Anyways.... still getting to know the place, slowly. The 'no handguns' sign on the door of a cell phone store was alarming, but many of the people I've met have been friendly, and the restaraunts I've visited have all had excellent service.


Hoover Dam, next right? Am I really that lost?!

My home base is still Easton Town Center, so this humongous upscale shopping complex is probably not giving me the real Ohio. I did eat at a fun, family friendly place called Hoggy's, and hopefully this place is more indicative of the times to be had here in Columbus.


No, that's not MY Mini, though it looks like it. But hey, THAT guy just shouldn't have been driving!

Have seen some farmland, and some nice parks, and have been reading about the history of the area, and the things to do downtown. Apparently the German villiage has a book store that's 32 rooms of books! Sounds like a place to visit! There's also the world famous Zoo, and the Indian Caverns, and all kinds of things yet to explore.

But first a nap... I've caught a darn cold!

JOHN :0)


Abuelo's... a really nice place to eat in Easton Town Crossing.

Another Day in Ohio

Welcome to Ohio

[Note: In the spirit and style of Brian Hughes, one of our generation's finest bloggers, you may find quite a few Editorial Comments added to this blog as a humorous effect. Cheers, ye Editor]


Since my last trip to Columbus was cut short, I decided to return again. This time, I thought it would be great to drive the ten hours there, and really see this vast nation of mine. (@#$%! airline fares...)

Time seems to slow down the further you drive. Sure, the first two hours seem okay, but the clock slows, and the miles stretch, until the pain in your backside can no longer be described. But let's go back to the beginning, shall we?


Indian Country, Pa.

First thing, I woke up late (of course), and then, while packing, heard what I thought was thunder. Looking out the window I saw... snow. In April. And though it stopped for a while, it managed to follow through the first half of Pennsylvania. (of course). While looking at the snow which shouldn't have been there, I noticed that there was quite a bit of traffic in my neighborhood. Turns out that they decided to tear up half the road around the corner... the way I was going, of course.

The construction didn't end there. There was construction nearly every twenty minutes of the ten hour trip, meaning that I probably could have gotten here in 9 hours, considering how long I sat or crawled past orange traffic cones.



So 2 McDonalds and three rest stops and twenty construction sites later, I arrived in Ohio, where it was bright until 8:30, which was a plus for the drive, considering it gets dark about 7:30 in NJ. Of course, it was well after dark by the time I arrived.


Falling Rock Zone in the Mountains of PA.

Driving did give me a better perspective of the land, and a bigger appreciation for air travel! Ohio still looks pretty flat to me... definitely big sky country... especially after driving through PA, which was all beautiful mountains, including one spot which had a sign which I think claimed the spot was the highest elevation east of the Mississippi, but it was hard to read a long sign while zooming past it. Driving, though, did give me a better appreciation for Ohio. I finally got to see stretches of farmland, vast panoramas, and signs for places like Grandpa's Cheese Barn.


Big Sky Country


And speaking of difficulty reading signs, here's a travel tip. Try to avoid driving East, as you'll have the sun in your eyes most of the way, and when you finally get to the unfamiliar places, all of the road signs will be black silhouttes. It's a round planet, so I suggest you make life easier and only travel westward from now on.

Cheers, JOHN :0)