On The Banks Of The Ohio

West Virginia didn't want us to leave, this morning.  As we set off from Lake Tygart, a swirling mist covered the mountains and tried to hide route 50 from us.  Of the states we have visited so far on our roadtrip, West Virginia is a unanimous favourite, both in terms of its landscape and the welcome we received.

If anybody gets the opportunity to visit Lake Tygart, tell Patrick we sent you!

Anyway, despite the fog, we had to press on westwards.  After we passed through Grafton, VW, the mountains became rolling hills and the forests began to recede from the sides of Route 50 to make way for fields of corn.  The roadside yard sales that are so frequent began to be interspersed with tractor dealerships and quad bike showrooms, as we travelled through Clarksburg, Parkersburg, Athens and on to Cincinatti.

Ohio's flat, agricultural landscape was in sharp contrast to the mountains of the previous day.  Ohio's residents were just as friendly.  At one point, we stopped at the roadside to take a phone call, when a biker who had passed us on his Harley stopped, drove back to us to check whether we needed any help.  What a gent.

Today was a day we had earmarked for getting some miles under our belt, so we were unable to stop in Cincinatti.  We did have time for a quick look round as the road coursed alongside the Ohio river, with Lexington, Kentucky sitting proudly on the opposite bank.  We saw the fabulous home of the Cincinatti Reds and were tempted to try out the Anderson ferry, but time is a cruel mistress.

So we pressed on into our fifth state. We are now in Indiana, before we press on to Missouri tomorrow morning.

As today was an easy day, we had time to think about some of the challenges we have been set by family and friends.  They include:

Pick up a pebble from the west coast and drop it into the pacific. (Well, I got one from West Virginia, so that will have to do)

Yodel in Yosemite.

Make a rattlesnake cross.

Eat the biggest burger we can find.

Eat a snake.

Tandem bungee. (There is no rope that strong, John)

And there are more.

We'll do our best between here and San Francisco.

Tomorrow, we're going to try and get through the day without eating chilli.  We haven't managed a day yet.  The best so far has been in the Boston Beanery in West Virginia.

As we head further West, we expect the wildlife to become a bit scarier.  So far, the deadliest animals we have encountered are (in order of danger);

1.  Spider.  (Not a nasty one, but it doesn't take much)

2.  Squirrel. 

3.  Chicken.

We doubt whether these will remain in the top 3.

So, we'll leave you with a pic of 2 bluejays, enjoying the peaceful surroundings of Arlington Cemetary.

See you in Missouri.  Erm... Meet us in St Louis!!! :0)