My Trip to Cleveland on 08/25-25/04

Smooth,but wild at the end.

Published on August 25, 2004 By emsfiregrrl In Travel

I started out by going to Enon and getting fuel.United Dairy Farmers(UDF) is also a Mobil station,Therefore I have a Speedpass(Yes I can make a cool move like my fave NASCAR driver Ryan Newman).I got the fuel,got on I-70 and headed east.These trips have also given me the chance to check out my cell phone's coverage.The T-Mobile Prepay I had ben using is ok near an interstate or in a BIG city,but in BFE it is useless.Cingular,who I am with now is great near anywhere!

Anyway,I went up SR 54 to SR 4.I knew via the scanner that there was a crash in the 11000 block of SR 4,but didn't have a clue where exactly that is in Champaign county.I soon found out.Just north of Mechanicsburg.I felt sorry for the 2 semis that had to sit there because there was nowhre to turn off or around.It was going to be a short bit before the crash was cleaned up,victims removed,car removed,and wires moved off the road.I turned in a driveway and went back to M'burg.Took SR 559 out past the Tri-County Jail to SR 161.I then went east to SR 4 again.Everything went smooth up to Marysville.No Cops here.I got off of US33/US36 onto US36 East and went to Delaware.Stopped at another UDF to use the 'room and get something to drink.Ok so far..Took US36/SR37 to I-71 and went North.I-71 was somewhat quiet as I went north.The Ham rig was quiet,the scanner had traffic from Morrow County Sheriff at times,and the CB had normal chatter.I got to Exit 140 and saw they put in a new Truckstop there(Like there is not enough at exit 131 or the Duke at exit 151).Came upon my first State Trooper about the 152 MP.He was going south.No biggie.I next got up to Richland county and had another State Trooper going south at the 158.2 so far.Was the night going to be like this all the way to Cleveland?I proceeded further North and got off at exit 186 at Ashland to use the 'room again.Back on I-71 North again,I went 1 1/2 miles to see another trooper at the 187.5 who came north and went to the 190.5 before going thru the middle and back south.He must have been doing good in the section of roadway..I got up to exit 204 and found a Pilot Truckstop.I wondered about the Speedway at the 209 I used to go to.Sure enough!They made it a Pilot as well.I am still trying to figure out whether Speedway /SuperAmerica bought out Pilot,or if Pilot bought out all the Speedway Truckstops.Hmmmm.From Ashland to Cleveland to "Deadman's Curve" on I-90(Says slow to 35 mph and you better.This is basically a 90 degree curve almost),all was well.The Ham rig was doing great.I was able to get into the CORC 146.760 repeater from Ashland and Medina counties.Keep up the great work folks!The scanner was now picking up Cleveland and the 'burbs traffic.The CB was somewhat quiet.No Haz-Mat is allowed on any of the interstates in Cleveland proper(That is why they have the turnpike and I-271).I got off at E.55th st. and turned around.I started back.I decided on the way back to go a different route.I exited off and went South on I-77 to go to Akron.I got to Newburg Heights just past Harvard Rd. to find my radar detector blaring away at me.Ok.....Where is he at?Aha!158 MP off on the very right side of the road.To the officer....You may sit there a lot at times,but personally I wouldn't.Great way to get hit since you are up against a wall(hill) on the right side of the road,but that is me.Not you.I got down I-77 towards the "to SR21/Ohio Turnpike" exit and got off.I knew there was a Speedway there at one time and I had to go again.Also,I was thirsty.I finally got down to it after some drivingand found it is a Pilot,too.Got done there, and got back on I-77 south.I went down to I-271 and thought about going back that way to I-71,but didn't.I went to Akron and caught I-76.I had seen no more cops since the one in Newburg Heights.I went west towards I-71.The weigh station was closed(made some truckers happy).I got over to I-71 again and proceeded south.The weigh station at Ashland was closed,and the State Trooper that had been roaming there all night left to exit at exit 186 and go to the post.I was running low on fuel,so I figured that I could make it to the Exxon at exit 169.I got there and they were closed.I had to go to the CITGO.I didn't buy much gas there though,they were ripping off at $1.94 a gallon.I got it for $1.77 here and it was only $1.84 in Cleveland.I took SR13 north as I wanted to get on US30 west.Got to the exit for 30 and it was closed going west.I had to go east one exit,then go west.I got off on to SR309(which for the trivia fans used to be US30S) and went west.No big anything going on in Ontario,Gallion,or even Marion.I had had a great signal out of my Cingular cell phone all night until now.I am on SR309 between Gallion and Marion and for a short stretch I had no signal.I got over towards Marion and had great signal again.I got through Marion and started down SR4 when I found a MotoMart that had Gas for $1.84.Lesser of two evils,so go for it.All was well as I went down SR4 to US33/US36 West.I got on there and went to SR4 south exit.Saw a State Trooper in the construction.He was there to slow folks down.I went down SR4 past the Women's Prison and down to Milford Center when I ran into the infamous cop there.Radar Detector went wild,but I was well under the limit.The place has a reputation that precedes it.I got to Mechanicsburg again in good shape.Chet's IGA,nice new store since the other one burnt,had gas for $1.79.Great,but I didn't need any.I got into Clark County and onto SR334 so I could cross to US68.All went well there and down US68 until the SR41 exit. Out of the blue,I have a silver car next to me and a blue car in the other lane and ahead of him.This fool wasn't happy with waiting as we came upon the construction where it goes to the left lane only.No no no!He had to pass and cut off two other vehicles in separate incidents in the same 1/10 mile stretch.The bugger could have caused a crash had the front vehicle,the one he couldn't get around, suddenly stopped.I would have then had to call out the fire dept. and the cops for stupidity and had to assist him medically.Some drivers are an impatient lot,they have an attitude,drive fast like Ryan Newman where they shouldn't,and in ways Ryan Newman would never do.He is a safety minded person.I got home,started typing this,and then the pager sounded.Fire call.Ok,stop the typing and go to the call.That was at 0744,it is now 1203 as I finish this.I may get some sleep before I go in to work at 5PM.You think?Hah!Anyway,I had fun and thanks to God for letting me go and getting me back safe!Have a great day!!Where will I go next??Who Knows?Illinois maybe??Click back next time to see where I have gone to next! - Kaci

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