Don's Travels: Athens, Ohio

by Jane

Not off to a great start this morning [Tuesday, 9th October]:

We may be here some time. :o)

Freezing fog from the hotel door

* * * *

We eventually left the motel at 10.30am as the fog was starting to thin a little. We have four houses to photograph around the Athens township for one of the Ragdoll research articles I'm planning to write. (Athens is Ann Baker's home town.) It was an interesting drive around one way streets that were often hilly and some were paved in brick that was pretty uneven.

The sun came out while we were doing this (at least on the hills where we were) and so it was quite pleasant. Nice enough for Gary to get out of the car at the Smith Street address and stroll into the cemetery. Once a genealogist, always a genealogist, I suppose. The memorial plaques on the gates were a reminder that some of these towns (cities) we're passing through have a very long history.

Memorial from cemetery gates

The photos taken we were off on our drive of the day, a change to our original plans which would divide the biggest driving day (400 miles) into two. Instead of staying in Athens another night we drove to Max Meadows / Fort Chiswell, in Virginia (200 miles).

On our way we crossed the Ohio river. The size of the Hudson River was a huge surprise to me but even the Ohio is a big, big river. This must be the difference between being on a continent and living on a quite narrow island. :o)

Ohio River

There were a couple of tunnels on the drive and by the time we reached them Dad had borrowed my camera so here we are in the tunnel, being overtaken, I see.

In the tunnel

The place we're staying is on a hill above a hugely busy truck stop. We took our lives in our hands and went through the petrol station area to the restaurant between the trucks refuelling and those idling in position to be the next at the pumps. What massive trucks and so many of them in an endless stream. In the complex there are announcements for 'shower customer 141' informing him (or her) that shower number 7 is now available. What an awesome place!