Thanksgiving Ride to Ohio

As I proceeded up the mountain approaching Phillipsburg I was wondering if I should have installed the windshield, as a combination of clouds and cool damp air required a stop to don warmer gloves. The weather at this point reminded me of conditions before a snowstorm. At the top of the mountain past Clearfield it was near 30 degrees and I needed to add every piece of warm gear I had. By the time I reached Clarion I was wondering if I was going to make it in one day as I had to stop a couple times to warm up my hands even with all the gear on. Fortunately the 950cc engine doubles as a convenient hand warmer when stopped.

This dreary trip became brighter as I headed west, reaching Brookville it had warmed up considerably but I kept my warmer gear on as I predicted I would need it for the part of the trip where a ride on 80 is necessary. When I hit 80 at Corsica I needed sunglasses as the sun finally broke through the clouds. Interstate 80 was tiring at first, hanging on to the bike at 65 for miles with no windshield, but after a stop at the rest area and a quick calorie ingestion, the rest of the ride on 80 to the Ohio border was no problem. By the time I made it to the Flying J in Ohio which is a favorite stop on the way out, there was no doubt I would make it. In fact, I was too warm in my gear and had to start removing items; it was clear by this point I made the right decision not bringing the windshield.

By now I was seeking a relaxing destination for food, Sheetz having been my destination of choice most of the day. Being Thanksgiving day however, location after location was closed. A stop in Solon, wandering around the area looking for a dining locale and finding nothing open, I decided to just proceed to Westlake and meet up with my sister. When I arrived she wasn't home, so I cruised over to Crocker Park and their convenient rest facilities to find a beautiful holiday wonderland. Eventually my sister arrived bearing a plate of delicious food and my Thanksgiving was complete at last with turkey and fixings.