Going South - Day One

Our site at Autumn Lakes

Yes, we're on the road again. This time it's to the town on Sunbury, Ohio, some thirty minutes north of Columbus. Our mission is to get the small Tadpole to a show by her favourite Youtuber, Miranda Sings (actually a very talented actress called Colleen Evans). We thought we'd make a trip of it and checked into the Autumn Lakes Family Campground, which I have to say is very pleasant indeed.

We set off in good weather and made for Windsor and the bridge to the USA. Almost immediately we were into a road construction zone and, whilst it didn't really hold us up, little did we know that this was going to set the trend for the day. We did get held up approaching the bridge, and of course at the border, although neither hold up was significant. The border guard wanted to see the ownership paperwork for the Airstream, which we couldn't find. She sent us on our way with a merry wave, though, and the words "you could get impounded without the ownership papers". Happy days!

It cost us US $10 to cross the bridge (what happened to the $3 dollars we paid at the Bluewater Bridge on Sunday?), then hit the I75 southbound in sunny Michigan. It's never been a great road but with the State of Michigan having significant money troubles, it was even worse than I remembered, although the section down to the Ohio border was peppered with construction zones so I guess improvement is on the way. I'm not sure that such a vital trade route for both the USA and Canada should be left to the State of Michigan to patch, patch and re-patch, perhaps the Interstates should be Federally funded?

The roads did improve in Ohio but all round Toledo it was a construction zone and then, from Toledo to Findlay, where we were turning off the I75, it was one long construction zone. I'm only observing, rather than complaining, as it means improvements for the future, but we pretty much bounced all the way down that Interstate.

Having dined on Walmart's finest (we don't carry food across the border, it's fraught with problems), and re-fuelled, we made for Columbus using a good highway, but which wasn't an Interstate. Much of that was a construction zone as well, but the traffic was much lighter, moving well and at something less than the perilous speeds maintained on the Interstate. It's very flat  in that part of Ohio, not unlike our part of Ontario, but there were more trees about and the place looked green and pleasant.

The last section of the run was across country, through rich farmland and cozy little towns. It wasn't quite as flat, either, which added to the enjoyment of the drive. It's when we do these cross-country sections that I thank my lucky stars for the SatNav. I always poured scorn on them when in the UK; I knew the geography in the south of England pretty well and never felt the need of one. Here, though, in unfamiliar territory, it's been an absolute boon, especially as North American roads will rarely have a signpost telling you where a particular road is going. It'll tell you the name and/or number of the road, but seeing a sign that tells you the towns and their respective distances is rare. I don't think I appreciated the comprehensive signage in the UK until I came here.

Directions aside, we arrived at the Autumn Lakes Family Campground in good time. I paid for the site in cash, which is rare, and had to give the clerk $10 back as she'd given me too much change. I'm as honest as the day is long, me.

Our site borders the campground's fishing lake and, although it's not large, has a little gravel patio area and, most important of all, full hookups. That's electricity, water and sewer. No using the Comfort Station on this trip!

Having set up we needed to head off site to get some supplies in (no food across the border, remember) and to eat. We made our way into the little town on Sunbury and spent a few minutes driving around looking for the big Kroger's store. It was odd that we didn't see it immediately because it's pretty big, but we were all looking the wrong way as we drove past it the first time. Anyway, getting over our disappointment that it wasn't a Wegman's store, they're mostly in Upstate New York, we did warm to the place because it was a pretty good shop with a wide selection of goodies. What it did have, and what will pique our Ontarian friends, was booze; beer, wine and spirits, on sale on the main shop floor. I know there are moves afoot to get Ontario grocery stores suitably licensed but some of the more puritanical elements there seem to be holding sway and the Provincial Government doesn't have the balls to brush them aside. Ontario's Prime Minister Kathleen Wynne needs to get down into this very God-fearing part of Ohio and see that the streets are not awash with drunks just because the grocery stores sell booze. Stop chasing the puritan vote, Kathleen!

Anyway, enough topical comment. We dined in a "family restaurant" that had no problem creating Mrs T a vegan pizza. The fragrant server (and she was fragrant, as Mrs T insisted on checking out) did a sterling job and was given a generous tip for her efforts.

Back at the campground, we worked out how to get the reasonably good Internet service working (it's not free and that makes it so much more effective) and we three spent the remainder of the evening buried in the World Wide Web, social creatures that we are.

Wednesday is Miranda Day, so we hit the sack in good time. The distinct lack of a dog on this trip is keeping the atmosphere calm and I anticipate a good night's sleep. Catch y'all tomorrow, as they say in these parts.

---