One thing that I've found out about myself is that if I'm about to have some form of surgery, I have a need to take a trip before that happens. A few years ago, I needed to have a hernia taken care of, so I headed to Kentucky. This year, I decided it was time to do something I should have had done years ago, and get my wisdom teeth taken out. So I took a trip through Ohio and Pennsylvania.

The trip started out Friday morning around 6:00 am. I started towards the Mass Pike and was greeted by a black bear crossing my path! In the foggy morning, the black fur appeared almost ghostly. He (or she) looked at me as if to say "Hey. I'm walking here.", and then sauntered across the street.

Soon it was raining but fortunately I was about an hour early for the area rush hour and managed to make it past Springfield without any concerns.

Off through New York where traffic was light and the sky had been showing signs of clearing. Some sights from the road: Crash's scrap metal, a sign about a bee sting death near Canandaigua. I actually took a detour into Canandaigua as reconnaissance for a future trip. It appeared to be an
interesting town, but I only had time to stop in a grocery store and pick up some supplies.

On the outskirts of Buffalo for the afternoon rush hour. Either it was my frame of mind, or a fact, but traffic didn't seem all too bad. By this time the rain had subsided and the sun was out in its glory.

Through Pennsylvania on I-90 and then into Northeast Ohio, where I headed for the two lanes to enjoy some afternoon road wandering. I found a hotel and visited with a friend for most of the evening. And there was pizza. Not ordinary pizza, mind you. My friend ordered a large and I was skeptical when the box he came out of the restaurant with was quite small. My fears were subdued when I lifted the box and felt some considerable heft to this pizza. "So this is what lifting a black hole might feel like.", I thought. To answer the question - yes, it actually tasted good, too.

Saturday I spent considerable time wandering the Cleveland exurbs, taking in much of Cuyahoga National Park and heading out for a hike in a place called Whipp's Ledges. More two lanes and a stop for ice cream made the day complete. I put in several hundred miles just driving around Ohio.

That evening I headed back to my friend's house. From there we went to a few of the local dive bars, not drinking heavily, just enjoying each other's company. Around midnight I decided I had to get moving again. My original plan was to find another hotel room, but I was feeling wide awake and
ready to hit the road. South bound on the two lanes, through Kent and then on to the Interstate until I started to get tired. I stopped in a rest area intending only to use the rest room and take a short nap. Instead, I used the rest room, returned to the car, and slept for about four hours.