First Jedediah Smith Trail 1822 — 1824

Day 9: August 24th, 2009 Pittsburgh — Columbus

Map Pittsburgh to Columbus

Today I wake up earlier again. Already at seven in the morning I am awake. Helen is again at the phone. I hope I am able to catch her before she starts to make my coffee. Today I want to have a big breakfast at Eat’n’Park. I brush my teeth and prepare my stuff. Then she hangs up. Now I must quickly get out of my room to tell her my plan — just in time before she starts preparing my coffee.

Then I make myself ready and drive over for breakfast. I am already worried that I will not make it up to the gas station. My gas gauge is leaning completely on “E”. But I make it. Yesterday, I originally planned to drive to the Exxon just before the Interstate when driving back from David. But they were already closed. So I had to drive home.

Then I continue to my breakfast place. The service is great and I enjoy for the first time this year a real good bacon! While being there I type a text message to my parents who were already worried because they haven’t heard from me for a while. Also to Rex I send a text message that I will leave today and not earlier. Because it will most likely be late today, I will not drive a long distance. So I will drive tomorrow not farther than Kansas City.

After breakfast I drive over to Walmart. There I buy double–sided sticky tape and some boxes for all my bits and pieces that are floating around in my car. Then I look for a mobile phone bag. But they don’t have one anymore with a transparent section for the display. A power cord for my laptop is also not available. But I discover pretty comfortable hiking boots for just $28. Perfect!

Now I continue to Radio Shack. But as already suspected, they open not before 10am. Therefore I quickly drive over to Kuhn’s to get some groceries. Now it is half past nine and still to early for Radio Shack. Therefore I directly drive back home.

There is Helen already in the middle of her house cleaning. First, I start writing my diary and do my bookkeeping of the last couple of days. Slowly I loose track in all this chaos! Then I write my last emails from here. Finally, the big repacking of everything in my car starts as well as putting up all accessories. Also my windows want to be thoroughly cleaned for the last time. Then I mount everything for my big journey. Now I must not forget my spare cans. Eventually my next 8000 miles journey through the States starts! Let’s see what all will happen to me this time…

First I stop again at the gas station and fill up my spare cans. Around 4pm I am on I–79 South. The traffic is really heavy. There, driving is not really fun.

I–79, Ohio River, Pittsburgh, PA

On I–79 I cross the Ohio River at Pittsburgh.

I–79, Washington, PA

At Washington I turn onto I–79. Now I must slowly get used to a live on the road.

I–70, Wheeling, WV

Somehow my GPS software is suddenly not working properly anymore. So I miss the state line to West Virginia for my video and photo. Just past the state line to West Virginia I hit a huge traffic jam. Due to a road construction, the Interstate is down to one lane here and I loose a lot of time.

At least the weather is nice — and with the heat also the temperature rises in this traffic jam. This is now a good opportunity to test out my new fans. And it seems they are doing a good job. However, I have the impression that my temperature sensor down at the transmission is showing now a temperature higher than in the past. But the sensor in the return line shows reasonable values. Maybe it is due to the thermostat which keeps the transmission on a stable temperature.

Eventually I passed the traffic jam and I try to roll with the flow on the left lane a bit more often. There the speed goes up to 75mph where my old truck really must fight to keep up. Hopefully, tomorrow driving will be more relaxed.

I–470, Ohio River, Wheeling, WV

I–470, Ohio River, Wheeling, State Line WV and OH

I–70, OH

Then I cross the state line to Ohio on I–470 and finally drive back again to I–70.

I–70, OH

I–70, Columbus, OH

Around a quarter to eight I arrive in Groove City, south of Columbus. There I test for the first time a Knights Inn, because my parents recommended it. They are just renovating the motel. So I probably have not chosen a representative motel for this chain. I receive a room on second floor even when the whole motel is empty. But maybe they are currently renovating the rooms downstairs. When I get back into my car a guy asks me if I am a Paparazzi. That version is new. But this guy looks also pretty weird. Let’s hope my stuff will still be there when I am back from dinner…

At the motel I quickly look up where the Lone Star is and drive immediately to this location. There I receive a perfect service. In fact, he forgets first that I don’t want ice in my drink. But then he takes perfectly care of me. I am even allowed to sit longer and additionally receives another Pepsi while reading my book. If I would have known that before I could have almost brought my Laptop with me.

But so I read on until my digestion becomes noticeable. Somehow, another diarrhoe seems to start and I hurry up to get back to my motel. I just make it up into my room and to the restroom. Then it starts, totally heavy. I am really asking myself what is the reason for this. Slowly I suspect it might be the dressing or the cold Pepsi.

But because I didn’t had the issue when visiting the Outback Steakhouse, I assume it is the Thousand Island Dressing. Seems like I will change this one and try another. Maybe then things will be better.

After being now relieved, I check for the Weather Channel and must realize that I will drive through a heavy thunderstorm. And if I look at the distance I doubt that I will make it all the way to Kansas City. But I will try.

Next, I continue writing my diary. Somehow this room is not really quiet. But I want to try to sleep without ear plugs tonight. Then I do my bookkeeping and adjust my tour for tomorrow. Finally I check my video taping and photos of today. It seems like everything had worked out.

The next day is in preparation…