Getting OUT of Cleveland

Trip Start Jul 23, 2009

Trip End Jul 27, 2009

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Flag of United States Erie, Pennsylvania
Tuesday, July 28, 2009

I somehow find my way out of Cleveland and drive on down through Pennsylvania. Somewhere in there, I called my dad to ask him to start driving, because I am terrified. I probably good have made it all the way, but I just was not trusting this motorcycle anymore. I took a bunch of backways and filled some gas up just outside of Erie, PA. I meet a nice man who works for the county fixing the guide rails along different highways in the area. He talks and tells stories about traveling in Canada back in the 80s.

"It changed my life," he says. "Anytime I see someone from Canada, I have to say hi and repay them for the welcome that I felt when I was in Canada."

He's a history buff and tells me all kinds of stories about Pennsylvania. He also says I should meet up with my dad at the welcome centre at the NY/PA border

Alan in Pennsylvania

. I call dad back, see where he is and tell him to go there and just wait, I'd be there in a bit. He agrees and Alan says he'd come over because he had some work to do over there anyway.

Turns out dad was at the welcome centre, but he didn't see me, so he went to another travel centre, further down the highway.

Alan waits with me until he comes. Then, him and my dad actually lift my bike up and put it into the back of this huge cube van he rented! RENTED!

If I had known he was going to rent a van, I might've toughed it out and actually driven the whole way back myself. I would've been tired but it would've been worth it. Feeling like a mountaineer forced to come down from Mount Everest because of bad weather. I had to back out of my plan to circle Lake Erie and Lake Ontario in a giant loop. Who knows when I'll get the chance to tackle that again? Oh well, I guess I'll just do the rest in a cube van.

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