Starting over in Cleveland, OH

Trailer acquired!  Time to start loading it up. 

Safe packing and travels. We're all pulling for you!

Oh yeah that's this weekend.  Updates?

Okay, we couldn't wait any longer. Plus it's a super long drive so leaving early is only a positive. We're heading out now!

May thine E36 M3 be fat, like unto a sumo.

Since we left early, we're going to take the time to make this a much more peaceful, less rushed trip. We're doing 55 since we're towing the trailer, and stopping every two hours to stretch/bathroom/water/walk around a bit. 

And now my wife is driving so I can spend my time browsing the internet and dreaming of a time a few years in the future when I've worked up to being a junior sysadmin and finally buy a Porsche 996 :-)

You need updates like where you are?  I'm waving towards 95 for the next few hours as you pass by.

In reply to Stampie (FS) :

We're passing Jacksonville right now and waving back!

Good news on the early start.  

Jacksonville to the beginning of the West Virginia Toll Road is 8 hours of driving according to google maps.  This means it will take you about 10 hours or generally around 6am.   I'm glad you wont be tackling this difficult stretch of road in the dark and tired.  I'm sure you'll be tired but the daylight should help.  

Don't hesitate to stop and get a few hours of rest in the car.  Also, getting out of the car can be refreshing like stop for a real meal. 

In reply to John Welsh :

With us leaving early we're taking it easy. We just pulled over and slept for a bit but the lights at the truck stop kept waking us up so we hit the road again. We're going to grab a bite at Denny's and once we get sleepy we'll pull over and nap again. 

It was sunny and 55 degrees here in Northern Ohio Saturday, very nice for this time of year.  All the snow has melted. Today will be 50's again but rain during the day and then down to 30 degrees overnight.  Monday shows a high of only 36 degrees and rain that if cold enough could be snow.  So, you might see some.  By Weds it's back to highs of 50 degrees again. 

Not the best conditions (cold and wet) for unloading a trailer.  But in two days it will be warmer.  Looking at my phone app, most of the days for March will be 40-50 during the day and in the 30's at night.  In April we will start to see 60's

In reply to John Welsh :

I'm really looking forward to 50s and 60s!  I've always been a cold weather person, so being in Florida was difficult. Also I know being a vegetarian will be easier there than in a small southern town.  
 

We're in South Carolina now. I'm always amazed at just how bad the roads are here, it reminds me of i10 through Louisiana in the late 90s. 

Also here's a closeup shot of my cat Pickles. She's sedated right now. 

That is one cute, but stoned, cat.

infinitenexus said:

In reply to John Welsh :

I'm really looking forward to 50s and 60s!  I've always been a cold weather person, so being in Florida was difficult. Also I know being a vegetarian will be easier there than in a small southern town. 

About 20 years ago (okay, maybe 25) my girlfriend was vegetarian.  We'd spend a lot of time going to places on Coventry (Cleveland Hts. area) for food.

Went to Tommy's a few years ago, it doesn't feel like it's as good anymore.  But then nostalgia ain't what it used to be   The bookstore overlooking the place was still there.  Was always a little surreal to be perusing their pretty extensive selection of sci-fi paperbacks that was overlooking a restaurant.

infinitenexus said:

In reply to John Welsh :

I'm really looking forward to 50s and 60s!  I've always been a cold weather person, so being in Florida was difficult. Also I know being a vegetarian will be easier there than in a small southern town.  
 

We're in South Carolina now. I'm always amazed at just how bad the roads are here, it reminds me of i10 through Louisiana in the late 90s. 

Yeah 95 in SC sucks but get's better after you get north of 26.  Now that I think about it you're getting off on 26 so you won't get to the better part of 95.

We just entered Virginia on I77, and just as John said it's a long uphill pull. We're over in the right lane with the semis with our flashers on, going 40. it's really foggy up here as well. Quite beautiful, really. And it's 53 degrees!  I love it. 
 

The Prius has done really well so far, averaging 35mpg pulling a trailer stuffed full of our junk. In all seriousness it's probably far beyond what the car is rated to tow. Some of those totes full of musical equipment and power tools are HEAVY.  This car has really made me a fan of Toyota. 
 

We'll probably make it to mid-Ohio tonight and sleep in the car again and then at 8am tomorrow grab the keys to our new apartment and unpack our stuff and drive around Cleveland a bit. 

I'm wondering, were you in a different climate when you came out of the tunnel? 

The 35 mpg is still really good for being loaded. The WV portion of the trip will get worse mpg. Ha. 

Not really, when we came out of the tunnel it was pretty much the same. Of course, then it started raining, and it's rained the entire way through WV.  We're about 20 miles past Charleston right now, at a little place to get a bite to eat. At least the cats have mostly slept the entire way. 

The hardest roads are all behind you now. 

John Welsh said:

The hardest roads are all behind you now. 

QFT.  Then you get the big tease of following the Ohio border for way to long before crossing over.

Are Ohio troopers still as nasty and prolific as they used to be?

In reply to TRoglodyte :

Yes! 

 Though, covid has reduced some trooper contact with the public