Nov. 27, 2021 | On the Road Again

We finished loading our last minute supplies and gadgets and pulled our RV Gladys out of Meeker Hollow pretty much on time which was a first for us!  I drove the van ahead of Gladys piloted by Mr. T because I needed to stop at the post office in Roxbury and the bank in Grand Gorge. I dutifully turned on the four way flashers of the van to warn oncoming traffic of a “wide load” as any decent escort vehicle would do in the “Long Woods” a narrow winding road with woods on one side and a stream other. Tim later suggested that this action may have been overkill.   

Tim pulled Gladys into the parking lot of the corner gas station and after my errands I pulled the van behind to be towed until we reached our first destination at Alum Creek State Park near Columbus, Ohio. It took a bit longer than usual to complete the task because of a new device to protect the front of the van from rocks and road debris.  With the job completed we climbed into the coach excited to get going on our 2021-22 winter adventure.  “Where is the GPS”, Tim asked, as though that was on MY list of last minute to-do’s. Once Tim had unhooked the van, driven back to Meeker Hollow, retrieved the critical  GPS, driven back to Grand Gorge, and reattached the van to Gladys it was close to noon. 

Until that very morning we were not sure that we would even leave on the 27th of November.  A snow was predicted in the area of Lake Erie directly in our path to Ohio.  But the weather in Roxbury was bright, sunny and fairly warm so we decided to hit the road as planned.  A scheduled stop to stretch our legs and have a bite to eat was postponed when we encountered a detour on Route 86 West just 20 yards before the rest area. Once back on the highway, as I was preparing a snack for Tim in the kitchen, he missed a turn. Nothing to do but get off at the next exit and find a road back to our planned route. The detour looked pretty straight forward on Google Maps but we soon discovered an area of NY that neither of us had ever seen before. It was a secondary road that quickly became thirdary as it wound through some very steep hills with patches of ice scattered about. A quick reminder that although not large by RV standards, Gladys is 34 feet long and we were pulling our van. And it was getting dark.  

Of course, we did eventually manage to get back on track thanks to the GPS.  As darkness descended the before mentioned snow began to fall. At this point we decided to continue to our designated overnight stop at the Ohio Welcome Center. Getting tired, hungry and maybe a bit grumpy, we looked forward to a good night’s sleep.  However as got close, signs to the rest area were covered with bright orange “Welcome Center Closed” notices that blocked the entrance.  Not so welcoming after all.  

As navigator, it was my responsibility to find a safe place to spend the night. Google maps found the closest Cracker Barrel in Willoughby, OH. We arrived just after 10 PM to discover that this particular Cracker Barrel did not offer RV parking. After much searching and more than a little finger pointing and raised voices we decided on a WalMart across town. (For those of you who do not know, both Cracker Barrel and WalMart offer free overnight stays to weary RV travelers.)  By now there was a couple of inches of snow and sleet covering the streets and we watched as several cars failed to negotiate a small hill leading back to the main road. There was no way we could get up that hill, especially with a red light at the top.  With few options left I ended up in the office of a Motel 6 begging the weary clerk to allow us to park in their lot overnight. She kindly agreed and I am forever  grateful.  The storm was picking up but the forecast was looking better for in the morning on all fronts.  Not having enough gas to run the generator and heater, we snuggled under about a dozen blankets and awoke to warmer temperatures and clear roads.  We were only a three hour drive from Columbus and it was clear sailing– most of the way.