Day 10 – July 7, 2003

Surprise Rain Day

Ride from Toledo, OH to Sandusky, OH

We left Toledo late and took a short detour into Michigan just so that we could say we went there. The state sign was there on the freeway, but it was there and gone before I could even lift my camera. We came back via a side road, then went back in and took another side road and still could not find a “Welcome To” sign. We had to settle for a sign that said we entered the county. I did manage to get a couple of pictures of the Jeep plant, but the J is the only letter you can see in the picture. Most of the water pictures are of Lake Erie.

We headed east on the 20 looking for a place to eat. There were several little restaurants, but all were so full we just kept on riding. We finally turned north on the 6 and almost immediately found a Denny’s. We stopped for breakfast, got ready to leave, walked out the door and it started to rain. We went back inside for a while till it stopped. Then we went across the street to Schitets Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki dealer to waste a little more time to make sure it was gone. The bike shop was ok, but they didn’t carry much in the way of Honda cruisers, but the guy in the parts department (sorry about the blurry pictures.) was very pleasant and tried to help us out with some odd parts we needed. We decided the rain was gone, so we headed northeast again and did ok till we got to Sandusky. We stopped at a place next to the inlet to Lake Erie and took some pictures there. A guy that lived there came out and informed us that there was a storm coming and it should be there in about 20 minutes. So we decided to get out of there, but as we turned around, we got drenched before we could make the corner gas station. Thunder, lightening, wind, and rain, and all in the span of about 30 seconds. We filled up the tanks, got some coffee and hot chocolate and waited. It only took about 15 to 20 minutes for it to pass, but as I am sitting here now writing this, and since Karen just won $18.00 on scratchers, we’ll wait a little longer for the storm to get ahead of us.

We waited till it had died down to almost nothing and headed out. A mile down the road, we got it again. I don’t know if it is just this storm, or the way it rains here, but it is hard to see in this downpour. It’s already nearly 4 pm., so we decide we’ll just get a room here and ride it out. We stop at 3 places looking for a room. Now we’re soaked. We finally get a room, and pay too much, and of course it stops. No more rain and the skies clear. I guess we should have kept going, but who new. Well we’re in for the night, so we may as well make the best of it. I am about to try to access the net again if I can. It seems that getting net access in Ohio is not a common request, or at least they are not very good at it. This particular establishment requires that we pay 50 cents per local call, and are not sure how to place an 800 call. I figure with my luck, there must be a reason why we are stuck here. It seems that the fickle finger of fate has once again reached out and touched me. I usually find out that the road was washed out or that there was a big accident, or some such when I get delayed like this, so I’ll be happy with what I’ve got. At least I am warm and dry.

We went to dinner at the Bob Evans Restaurant tonight and with no expectations at all, and got one of the best meals I have ever had. I’ve eaten the same dish before, Chicken Broccoli Alfredo, but never served by a server with both a great sense of humor and at the same time a perfectly professional attitude. Her name is Sandy, but I’ll get right back to that in a minute.

Well it seems that our plans have changed somewhat as to riding through Canada to Maine. It seems that we would be required to have our passports to get back into this country. A copy of the birth certificate is not sufficient unless it has the raised seal on it. I never thought to bring the originals. Now the question becomes, should we even attempt to go to the northern most city of Maine. I’ll have to get back to you on that one.

For now I need to get this uploaded along with last nights stuff, so till next time, I’ll see you on the byways….