Reunion Trip - Day 2

After last night's late activities, I slept later than I'd planned - fortunately, I was up and teleworking in my room (at the Hornell Econo Lodge) by 0645.  I took a short break to have breakfast in the hotel lobby and then returned to teleworking.  After two meetings between 0800 and 0930, I quickly loaded up my car and got back on the road (I-86).  Continuing west through intermittent showers, I made good time and was able to participate in a two hour meeting with no loss of phone service.  After passing through some higher elevations, I reached a new watershed area (for the Ohio River) and, from there, the scenery was pretty in the Allegheny River Valley.  I routinely encountered construction and I actually had to leave the closed Interstate at one point (approaching Jamestown).  Eventually, I reached the Pennsylvania border and got on I-90.  The weather cleared up for a little while and I thought it was going to be clear sailing.  Sadly, the rain began again about 30 minutes later.  At 1215, I got off the highway at Erie and parked in a GetGo Gas Station so I could participate in a meeting via Microsoft Teams.  This discussion lasted until 1300 and then I got back on the road.  I snacked in the car and tried to reach Cleveland before the next scheduled meeting but was unsuccessful - weather and traffic slowed me down.  I stopped for gas lunch (McDonalds) and gas (Sheetz) in the town of Madison, OH just after 1400 and set up my computer for a work meeting.  This was supposed to start at 1430 but we really didn't get going until about 30 minutes late (due to other people not joining the conversation).  As a result, we were still online past 1600, when I'd hoped to try to be driving again.  With the delay, I gave up hope of passing through Cleveland before the end of rush hour - this acceptance, however, came with the silver lining that I wasn't in a hurry and could stop.  Just about that time, I noticed a sign for the James A. Garfield National Historic Site and got off of I-90 at the town of Mentor.  I arrived at the park by 1630 (30 minutes before they closed) and had time to walk through a small museum in the visitors center.  I'd just read a biography (by Horatio Alger) on the late president and this visit made that book come alive.  After departing the NPS site, I returned to the Interstate and continued west.  It started raining in earnest as I passed Cleveland Burke Lakefront Airport and I was delayed at the "Big Turn" there for about 20 minutes.  Even after I made it through the of the worst traffic jam, there were stop and go delays for the next hour.  Finally, though, I hit a clear area of I-90 and the rain stopped.  This made the next few hours more bearable.  I switched to OH-2 near Sandusky and followed it towards Toledo - the speeds on this highway were very good and it was also a very pretty drive.  Along the way, I passed the ominous looking cooling tower for the Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station.  I noticed that Google Maps was directing me out on to farm roads (because I still had "no tolls" selected) so I decided to divert to another National Park Unit that was located near Toledo: Fallen Timbers Battlefield.  This required some back roads too but I got to the pretty little town of Maumee with clearer skies and some daylight.  The map app was not good about locating some hiking trails I wanted to see but I found the parking lot OK on my own (1950).  The site is one of the newest in the NPS family but the location had been a city park for many years.  As I was getting ready to hike for a little while, I encountered an older man (Teamster, retired UPS truck driver) and his friendly dog (Riley).  He asked me about my rental car license place (Massachusetts) and we ended up walking the entire trail system together (almost two miles).  Even though the park unit was stuck in between some busy highways, I found it to be very green and quiet.  The temps were good and I didn't notice any bugs - it was a good walk!  As we were finishing, we met up with a Park Ranger and she ended up taking me into the (usually closed) building that might (eventually) be a Visitor Center.  The inside was decorated with historical information and art - she said the venue could be rented for events.  Before I left, she told me that there was another part of the park ("with statues") on the other side of US-24 and suggested I head over there.  I took her advice and found a pretty, tree-lined walk with some interesting monuments to the fallen participants of the 1794 battle.  It was a great way to close out my day of working, driving and exploring!  Before leaving the area (2100), I made reservations at a hotel about 20 miles away - from my starting point, the drive required following a maze of farm roads.  It also started raining again... On the way, I talked to Mollie - it was great to reach her after she's been so busy with work.  I arrived in the town of Wauseon at around 2245 and checked into the Rodeway Inn.  Once in my room, I spent almost an hour online, wrapping up my telework day and doing some reading.  Checking the maps for my location, I realized I'm a town with part of the North Country Trail - I'm hoping to check on that (and do some walking) tomorrow.   What a day!