Family visits and graduation festivities complete! Last night it struck me that I had some time to make my drive home a bit more interesting than normal and I decided to take a more circuitous (scenic) route. I woke up at 0530 again and did some reading, Duolingo and made several (popular) social media posts. Brenna's old computers continued updating until almost 0800. Meanwhile, I got ready to depart Harrisonburg - got some breakfast (fruit, cake) at Brenna's and then packed up my car. Since she'd requested it, I woke Brenna up at 0815 and said goodbye. After I was in the car, I called Mollie and checked to see if there was anything I'd missed when we got cut off the day before (she said their wasn't). After that, I headed south (via the Weyers Cave route) to get to I-81 and then used I-64 to drive west. Listening to audiobooks as I drove - traffic was pretty light. I stopped for a break at the West Virginia Welcome Center and then continued west to Beckley. Brenna called to check in and later sent photos of some activities she was doing with her teacher friends (they had encountered some students while out in town). Meanwhile, I tried to find the best way to reach the closest NCT Trailhead. Since Google Maps always tries to avoid tolls for me, I got off the Interstate at US-19 and drove north. The timing was quite good because I found a gas station (Sheetz in Mount Hope, WV) with a very low price - filled up the tank gladly (1100). I next drove across the highway to get some lunch at Arbys (1110). Eating my food in the car, I continued north on US-19. At one point, just before reaching the New River Gorge Bridge, Google Maps took me off the main road and I drove around on a series of back roads (quite curvy) until I was able to get back on I-77/I-64. After that, I was directed off the Interstate in another place because (I think) there was another toll booth. Eventually, I passed through Charleston and ended up getting on US-35. During this drive, it was rainy at times but the precipitation eventually stopped. The highway would have taken me all the way to Columbus if I'd kept going but, once I crossed the Ohio River at Mount Pleasant, I started to take surface streets. Continued north to the town of Richmond Dale, crossed the Scioto River and drove (via gravel road) to and NCT trailhead (arrived at 1400). My phone said I was close to the town of Higby, OH (south of Chillicothe) and some signage indicated that the section I'd found was coincident with the Buckeye Trail. It offered some pretty views of the Scioto River Valley. The weather was wonderful but I didn’t have a detailed map. As a result, I only hiked (via blue blazes) for about an hour. Afterwards, I drove through the woods and into the Scioto Trail State Park - pretty! Eventually got on US-23 and used it almost all the way to Chillicothe. Still following the Scioto River (towards the north), took OH-104 to reach the Hopewell Culture NHP (1530), a major archaeological site that I've always wanted to visit. Like I'd seen during my other stops at this kind of historical park (e.g., Poverty Point, Moundville, Effigy, Ocmulgee, Cahokia, etc.), the fervent dedication of ancient North American Native peoples was on full display. Somehow, they built massive structures and walls from earth - many of which are built with exacting standards. It took quite a while to walk the grounds! There are five other locations within this NPS unit; that seems like a lot but there were hundreds of these mounds/walls once. So much mystery remains as to who, why and how - perhaps we’ll never completely understand the meaning behind all the work. Still impressive, though! Done at 1630, I drove north again (still on OH-104) until I was able to get on I-7. Things looked good until I encountered a horrible traffic jam. Blowing off the Google Maps guidance, I took surface streets across Columbus until I was again able to get on I-71. Used that road to reach I-670 (headed towards the airport) and eventually was able to exit on to US-62. Ultimately, I arrived at the town of Gahanna (where my mom grew up) at around 1745. Earlier this year, I found some handwritten notes that my mom had made in memory of a cross-country family trip we did in 1977. In one entry, she noted that we’d stopped in Gahanna, Ohio. I recalled that day as the one with a visit to her family’s farm in the suburbs of Columbus. The images in my head involved fields, big trees and animals but some of those could have been based on stories Mom told us. During the trip, I think we drove to the farm and she knocked on the front door, asking if we could spend time on the property. A relative confirmed parts of this memory (the location) and shared some amazing photos (taken on Thanksgiving 1950) of my mother and her family. The US Census from the same year shows the family living in nearby Jefferson Township (Franklin County). The distance between the two places is negligible and the closest Post Office was probably Gahanna. Hoping to get a feel for what her young life might have been like, I explored the old town (in an area that used to be the main street) and found some good murals, a pretty water-walk (Millrace). Also encountered lots of kids in prom outfits. The old “downtown” was a pleasant slice of Americana but the residents have improved things with some healthy gentrification. The locals were very nice and really helped me get a feel for the area. Walked until I decided I wanted to get some dinner. Stopped at Signatures Tavern (the former town grocery store) and had a good club sandwich (and their house draft beer). There were times during my meal (1800 to 1840), when I imagined Mom riding (with her own mother) into Gahanna for the weekly family shopping trip. Since the farm where my mother's family lived was probably (per 1950 Census) in Jefferson Township (Franklin County), I next drove there via Havens Corner Road. On the way, I passed lots of new (swanky) neighborhoods and no farms at all. Really wished I had more information while I was searching... Even so, I’m glad I could reconnect with my mom and see some of her life through my own eyes. [Note: later, relatives confirmed that I was in the correct location] The sun was setting and I briefly considered staying overnight nearby so I could hike another Ohio section of the NCT in the morning. However, I eventually decided that I should try to get into northwestern Pennsylvania before going to bed. Was feeling very tired by this point so ended up making a reservation for a hotel in Triadelphia, WV. Used back roads to reach US-40 ("National Road") and then got on I-70. Fortunately, there was not a lot of traffic. Meanwhile, it got dark - there was a brilliant sunset! I arrived at Econolodge by 2115 and checked into my room. By then, I was VERY tired so only spent a little time catching up on blog and reading before heading to bed (2300). NCT Today = 0.8 miles (hiking) and 1.4 miles (driving / NCT Total = 14.8 miles
