Tuesday, Oct. 23, 2018--Marietta to Columbus
It was another day wandering through natural areas on back roads--Wayne National Forest, Trimble Wilderness Area, Lake Hope State Park, Zalesky State Forest, Turkey Ridge Wildlife Area, and Hocking Hills State Park. Along the way, I also explored the interesting small town of Nelsonville and the Hocking College campus there. The best was the Hocking Hills State Park where I hiked through the woods on trails going beside a gorge, waterfalls, and a lake. It is truly the most beautiful part of Ohio I have found.
I arrived in Columbus in the afternoon, bought gas and some groceries, and arrived at the apartment I have rented for the next four nights around 16:30. I was tired and stayed inside for the rest of the evening.
Tuesday, October 23, 2018
Monday, October 22, 2018
Better Scenery by Taking County Roads
Monday, Oct. 22, 2018--Huntington, WV to Marietta, OH
I altered my itinerary for today. I didn't want to backtrack on the uninteresting highway between Huntington and Portsmouth. In making the changes, I ended up on winding, hilly, narrow roads with lots more trees than the major highways.
Just a few miles back into Ohio, I branched off the main highway onto Rd. 650 through Pine Grove and eventually took Rd. 522 back to the main highway. This route took me through Dean Forest as well as through pure Appalachia with scattered homes (many mobile homes and some with trash piles in the yards) of mostly poor people. Just a few miles up the main road, I branched off again on Rd. 335 and then Bonser Run Rd. which took me to Rd. 139. Just a few miles north from there, I turned onto Rd. 159 (Houston Hollow-Long Run Rd.) which took me to US 23. This whole route was fascinating. There were actually trees slightly more colorful along it than I had seen yesterday, but the routes were nice because of the forests along them and interesting because of the backwoods nature of the communities/residences along the way.
After a while on US 23, I turned east on Hwys. 32 and 124--a detour to the east to see one of the top roads in Ohio. After a few miles, I another rural County Rd. 23 (not the same as US 23 mentioned before) through Elm Grove and Arkoe to reach Hwy 302 White Oak Hill Rd. (also above), an unpaved road twisting and winding up a hill until it reached Hwy 1. It is the best road I have traveled so far on the trip.
Returning through Arkoe to Hwy 32, I turned westward and headed to Athens. This is the Appalachian Trail Highway I said was uninteresting yesterday. But the section of US 32 between US 23 and the town of Jackson is very beautiful. It is a 4-lane highway that has woods up to its edges and that twists and winds through the hills.
Athens was a pleasant surprise. I had originally intended to stay there overnight, but finding few decent hotels there and discovering that Marietta is a Top Town in Ohio, I decided to book in Marietta. But I arrived in Athens just during lunch hour. It is a nice town with Ohio University and the downtown (called Uptown) district abutting each other--just across the street from one another. I parked the car to the opposite edge of the downtown district, walked down the main street, and then wandered through the nice university campus watching a beehive of activity with students and professors leaving classes, going to lunch, etc. I noted a sign where someone had named the town the best small college town in the country. I can see why. I didn't see a single empty storefront downtown, and there were all the special types of places that make a town more livable--a theater showing foreign and independent films, coffee shops, restaurants, etc., with almost all of them being locally owned and operated rather than chains.
Marietta is truly a nice town. On the riverfront where the Muskingum River runs into the Ohio River (which places it across the river from West Virginia with the nearest big town there being Parkerburg), it has a large, old downtown area. Riverboats used to dock here regularly, and there are wonderful old downtown buildings and churches and blocks and blocks of nice, large, old homes. I walked up and down the downtown streets and drove up and down the others. I found a wonderful old Jewish bakery and Middle Eastern restaurant (closed on Monday!). And I explored the Marietta College campus.
It was a battle deciding where to stay in town between two hotels that were among the highest rated in town--the 100+ year-old Lafayette Hotel downtown and the Microtel out on the edge of town. Although the Lafayette said they had free parking, I questioned how simple parking there would be since it is downtown. (I now know they have their own lot.) The Lafayette did not include breakfast, and the Microtel, was a few dollars cheaper WITH breakfast and had a higher rating. However, after seeing inside the Lafayette Hotel today, I can see that staying there would have been a special experience.
I researched local restaurants and decided on The Original Pizza Place, a restaurant that is highly rated and has lots of great reviews from people who always go there when passing through town. They make New York-style pizza by the slice meaning that the pieces are thin with lots of cheese and have a browned crust. They are just like what you get at NYC places where you buy by the slice at a window except here you can eat inside. I got a piece of cheese and a piece of cheese/pepperoni. Both were great.
As noted above, the trees in the areas I traveled today were nicer than the ones I saw yesterday. It still is not a good autumn (nothing like the photo I posted above), but I saw a number of red and orange-turning-brown trees among the others. It really felt like traveling through the forests during the autumn.
I altered my itinerary for today. I didn't want to backtrack on the uninteresting highway between Huntington and Portsmouth. In making the changes, I ended up on winding, hilly, narrow roads with lots more trees than the major highways.
Just a few miles back into Ohio, I branched off the main highway onto Rd. 650 through Pine Grove and eventually took Rd. 522 back to the main highway. This route took me through Dean Forest as well as through pure Appalachia with scattered homes (many mobile homes and some with trash piles in the yards) of mostly poor people. Just a few miles up the main road, I branched off again on Rd. 335 and then Bonser Run Rd. which took me to Rd. 139. Just a few miles north from there, I turned onto Rd. 159 (Houston Hollow-Long Run Rd.) which took me to US 23. This whole route was fascinating. There were actually trees slightly more colorful along it than I had seen yesterday, but the routes were nice because of the forests along them and interesting because of the backwoods nature of the communities/residences along the way.
After a while on US 23, I turned east on Hwys. 32 and 124--a detour to the east to see one of the top roads in Ohio. After a few miles, I another rural County Rd. 23 (not the same as US 23 mentioned before) through Elm Grove and Arkoe to reach Hwy 302 White Oak Hill Rd. (also above), an unpaved road twisting and winding up a hill until it reached Hwy 1. It is the best road I have traveled so far on the trip.
Returning through Arkoe to Hwy 32, I turned westward and headed to Athens. This is the Appalachian Trail Highway I said was uninteresting yesterday. But the section of US 32 between US 23 and the town of Jackson is very beautiful. It is a 4-lane highway that has woods up to its edges and that twists and winds through the hills.
Athens was a pleasant surprise. I had originally intended to stay there overnight, but finding few decent hotels there and discovering that Marietta is a Top Town in Ohio, I decided to book in Marietta. But I arrived in Athens just during lunch hour. It is a nice town with Ohio University and the downtown (called Uptown) district abutting each other--just across the street from one another. I parked the car to the opposite edge of the downtown district, walked down the main street, and then wandered through the nice university campus watching a beehive of activity with students and professors leaving classes, going to lunch, etc. I noted a sign where someone had named the town the best small college town in the country. I can see why. I didn't see a single empty storefront downtown, and there were all the special types of places that make a town more livable--a theater showing foreign and independent films, coffee shops, restaurants, etc., with almost all of them being locally owned and operated rather than chains.
Marietta is truly a nice town. On the riverfront where the Muskingum River runs into the Ohio River (which places it across the river from West Virginia with the nearest big town there being Parkerburg), it has a large, old downtown area. Riverboats used to dock here regularly, and there are wonderful old downtown buildings and churches and blocks and blocks of nice, large, old homes. I walked up and down the downtown streets and drove up and down the others. I found a wonderful old Jewish bakery and Middle Eastern restaurant (closed on Monday!). And I explored the Marietta College campus.
It was a battle deciding where to stay in town between two hotels that were among the highest rated in town--the 100+ year-old Lafayette Hotel downtown and the Microtel out on the edge of town. Although the Lafayette said they had free parking, I questioned how simple parking there would be since it is downtown. (I now know they have their own lot.) The Lafayette did not include breakfast, and the Microtel, was a few dollars cheaper WITH breakfast and had a higher rating. However, after seeing inside the Lafayette Hotel today, I can see that staying there would have been a special experience.
I researched local restaurants and decided on The Original Pizza Place, a restaurant that is highly rated and has lots of great reviews from people who always go there when passing through town. They make New York-style pizza by the slice meaning that the pieces are thin with lots of cheese and have a browned crust. They are just like what you get at NYC places where you buy by the slice at a window except here you can eat inside. I got a piece of cheese and a piece of cheese/pepperoni. Both were great.
As noted above, the trees in the areas I traveled today were nicer than the ones I saw yesterday. It still is not a good autumn (nothing like the photo I posted above), but I saw a number of red and orange-turning-brown trees among the others. It really felt like traveling through the forests during the autumn.
Sunday, October 21, 2018
First Day of Exploration
Sunday, Oct. 21, 2018--Cincinnati to Huntington, WV
It was cold at the apartment in Covington (across the street from Cincinnati). Heat was turned off during the night, but there was a nice comforter which made it better. But even when the heat was on, I'm guessing the thermostat was no warmer than 65 degrees. It was uncomfortably cool. And I have a booking for the same place for 3 more nights. Hope it is a bit warmer next week.
I may have written yesterday that I reserved my car to be picked up in downtown Cincinnati at an office which is a short bus ride from Covington or a walk of 1 mile. I didn't need the car last night, and the price for the same car from the same company was $311 airport pickup vs. $185 for downtown pickup! Yet when I got to the downtown office this morning, the lady said they had just brought the car for me from the airport.
I was right about the leaves. There is nothing much to see. Although there are lots of leaves on the streets and sidewalks, most trees still look full and mostly green. But those that are turning color seem to be going straight from green to brown this year except for a VERY FEW (total less than 10) that I saw today that were red or yellow. However, the scenic drives were very scenic for the most part. The disappointments were US 32, the Appalachian Highway, which was somewhat like going down any 4-lane highway and US 52, the Ohio River Scenic Byway, which was okay but not great. Highway 50 going east from Cincinnati was nice because of the hills and the homes along it, but it had concrete barriers without a shoulder which made it difficult to enjoy the views. The best routes I took were Hwy 222 between US 50 and Batavia (which curved, had lots of trees, and was hilly) and Hwy 100 (Pond Run Rd) off US 52 between Vanceberg KY and Portsmouth OH which became a series of State Forest roads. This very scenic route was a narrow road twisting and winding up into the mountains with dense forest coming right to the edges of the roadway. One section of it had a beautiful narrow stream flowing beside it. It was remote with few cars after the first few miles. There was a trail I wanted to walk, but it was too muddy from recent rains.
I had a bit of a panic in the late afternoon. I knew I wanted to stay somewhere in the area around Portsmouth or south of it. But the ratings for all the reasonably priced places were BAD! I mean ratings like 1 to 3 out of 5. I kept searching further and further south finding the same range of ratings for each town. But websites list nearby places. I remember looking at a park lodge on the Kentucky side that looked good and was rated higher, but it was priced rather high, did not include breakfast, and also required paying for park entrance. Somewhere along the way, I saw a Red Roof Inn in Huntington with a rating 4 out of 5--so much higher than any of the other places. I booked it. But today as I was driving south of Portsmouth, I seemed to be going further than I though I should. Then I saw a sign indicating that Huntington, WEST VIRGINIA, was another 20 minutes ahead of me. I knew Kentucky had been across the river all day. Suddenly, I started wondering: Is there a Huntington, Ohio, somewhere else in the state where I accidentally made a reservation? I remembered putting "Huntington Ohio" in my search after seeing the highly rated Red Roof Inn. I pulled into a parking lot to check the mapping app on my phone. My reservation was for the Red Roof Inn in West Virginia, so I was okay! Whew. But it is further south than I expected. And though it is fine, so far I don't see why it has a 4/5 rating. How bad must the others be?
After checking in, I drove downtown to see it and the nearby Marshall University campus. Downtown covers a large area that has lots of unused buildings now. It must have been nice at one time. And it still has quite a few shops and offices--more than most downtown areas have today. And the old train station area has been developed with more modern shops, a cinema, etc., as an entertainment district. But the old downtown is just too big for it to be totally occupied under the situation cities face today, and the Marshall University campus is just a bit too far from downtown (12-15 blocks) for it to be an active area for students. The campus seems nice, but it is surrounded by major streets with lots of traffic. There wasn't a place for me to park and walk inside the two-block-wide and multi-block long campus. I did park downtown and walk around it.
I searched for local restaurants on Yelp and picked out about 5 that interested me. I opened each in a separate tab and started going through them one-by-one. Every one of them was closed on Sundays!! My guess is that students leave campus on weekends and return on Monday and that those staying party on Friday and Saturday leaving Sunday as a dead night which then is considered to be the best night for locally-owned restaurants to be closed. I just stopped at a Burger King on the way back from downtown to eat.
Now I will watch Masterpiece Theater before putting links on here and going to bed.
It was cold at the apartment in Covington (across the street from Cincinnati). Heat was turned off during the night, but there was a nice comforter which made it better. But even when the heat was on, I'm guessing the thermostat was no warmer than 65 degrees. It was uncomfortably cool. And I have a booking for the same place for 3 more nights. Hope it is a bit warmer next week.
I may have written yesterday that I reserved my car to be picked up in downtown Cincinnati at an office which is a short bus ride from Covington or a walk of 1 mile. I didn't need the car last night, and the price for the same car from the same company was $311 airport pickup vs. $185 for downtown pickup! Yet when I got to the downtown office this morning, the lady said they had just brought the car for me from the airport.
I was right about the leaves. There is nothing much to see. Although there are lots of leaves on the streets and sidewalks, most trees still look full and mostly green. But those that are turning color seem to be going straight from green to brown this year except for a VERY FEW (total less than 10) that I saw today that were red or yellow. However, the scenic drives were very scenic for the most part. The disappointments were US 32, the Appalachian Highway, which was somewhat like going down any 4-lane highway and US 52, the Ohio River Scenic Byway, which was okay but not great. Highway 50 going east from Cincinnati was nice because of the hills and the homes along it, but it had concrete barriers without a shoulder which made it difficult to enjoy the views. The best routes I took were Hwy 222 between US 50 and Batavia (which curved, had lots of trees, and was hilly) and Hwy 100 (Pond Run Rd) off US 52 between Vanceberg KY and Portsmouth OH which became a series of State Forest roads. This very scenic route was a narrow road twisting and winding up into the mountains with dense forest coming right to the edges of the roadway. One section of it had a beautiful narrow stream flowing beside it. It was remote with few cars after the first few miles. There was a trail I wanted to walk, but it was too muddy from recent rains.
I had a bit of a panic in the late afternoon. I knew I wanted to stay somewhere in the area around Portsmouth or south of it. But the ratings for all the reasonably priced places were BAD! I mean ratings like 1 to 3 out of 5. I kept searching further and further south finding the same range of ratings for each town. But websites list nearby places. I remember looking at a park lodge on the Kentucky side that looked good and was rated higher, but it was priced rather high, did not include breakfast, and also required paying for park entrance. Somewhere along the way, I saw a Red Roof Inn in Huntington with a rating 4 out of 5--so much higher than any of the other places. I booked it. But today as I was driving south of Portsmouth, I seemed to be going further than I though I should. Then I saw a sign indicating that Huntington, WEST VIRGINIA, was another 20 minutes ahead of me. I knew Kentucky had been across the river all day. Suddenly, I started wondering: Is there a Huntington, Ohio, somewhere else in the state where I accidentally made a reservation? I remembered putting "Huntington Ohio" in my search after seeing the highly rated Red Roof Inn. I pulled into a parking lot to check the mapping app on my phone. My reservation was for the Red Roof Inn in West Virginia, so I was okay! Whew. But it is further south than I expected. And though it is fine, so far I don't see why it has a 4/5 rating. How bad must the others be?
After checking in, I drove downtown to see it and the nearby Marshall University campus. Downtown covers a large area that has lots of unused buildings now. It must have been nice at one time. And it still has quite a few shops and offices--more than most downtown areas have today. And the old train station area has been developed with more modern shops, a cinema, etc., as an entertainment district. But the old downtown is just too big for it to be totally occupied under the situation cities face today, and the Marshall University campus is just a bit too far from downtown (12-15 blocks) for it to be an active area for students. The campus seems nice, but it is surrounded by major streets with lots of traffic. There wasn't a place for me to park and walk inside the two-block-wide and multi-block long campus. I did park downtown and walk around it.
I searched for local restaurants on Yelp and picked out about 5 that interested me. I opened each in a separate tab and started going through them one-by-one. Every one of them was closed on Sundays!! My guess is that students leave campus on weekends and return on Monday and that those staying party on Friday and Saturday leaving Sunday as a dead night which then is considered to be the best night for locally-owned restaurants to be closed. I just stopped at a Burger King on the way back from downtown to eat.
Now I will watch Masterpiece Theater before putting links on here and going to bed.
Saturday, October 20, 2018
A Travel Experiment
Saturday, Oct. 20, 2018--San Antonio to Cincinnati
Today I leave on a trip that is a travel experiment. I have always traveled lightly. Even when taking a 10 week trip, I have taken only the smaller carry-on size suitcase and a student-type backpack. And with just that amount of storage, I have always taken too much with me.
The experiment is about taking a shorter trip with even less baggage packed with nothing unneeded on a short trip for a cheap price. Frontier Airlines, an ultra-low-cost airline now flies from San Antonio to about 27 cities. Some of those are cities I have never visited before. Frontier, however, is only really cheap if you travel lightly and are flexible to avoid fees. I bought my round-trip ticket to Cincinnati for $99 roundtrip, including taxes. But that only allows me to take one bag for free, and it MUST fit UNDER the seat in front of me. If I want to put a bag overhead, there is an extra charge. For a checked bag, there is another charge. For a seat assignment, there is an extra charge. For doing anything at the check-in counter, there is an extra charge. For planning incorrectly and having to do any of the above, the charges get more expensive at the check-in desk and even more expensive at the boarding gate.
I bought a special under-the-seat bag for making this and future trips at Costco for only $39--much cheaper than the linked website price. It fits the maximum dimensions that Frontier allows. In it, I have packed an extra pair of pants, 4 shirts, underwear, socks, minimum toiletries, camera, computer, and cords. I will wear a pullover and jacket as clothing and have stuffed the jacket pockets with a thin book, two magazines, and a small umbrella. I will only take the shoes I wear. The bag does not bulge, and, therefore, should be within the Frontier guidelines. If they say otherwise, then this will be the only trip I take with the airline. Otherwise, there might be future trips to Charlotte, Jacksonville, Raleigh/Durham, and other cities I have not visited for years.
This particular trip is for 1 1/2 weeks because I planned it to drive scenic roads in southern Ohio and to visit Columbus as well as Cincinnati. I got my rental car from downtown Cincinnati instead of from the airport and saved approximately $140 for the week of rental. (Airports now have extremely high fees for rental cars, taxis leaving the airport, restaurants operating within the airport, etc.) So I will stay one night in an AIRBNB, then leave Cincinnati for my drive. After I return my car, I will have 3 more nights in Cincinnati.
I don't know how often I will update the blog. It will depend on how tired I am each evening and whether there is anything worth telling. I had hoped to see fall foliage on this trip, since the last two weeks of October is usually the best time for it in southern Ohio, but maps and reports I have seen online indicate that hardly anywhere in the US is having nice fall foliage this year due to rainfall and cold fronts coming at the wrong times. But the scenic roads should still be scenic, and I will visit a number of quaint towns that are reported as being top places to visit. Below is my itinerary:
Oct. 20--Fly to Cincinnati. AIRBNB reserved in Covington across the river from Cincinnati
Oct. 21--Pick up rental car at 11:00 a.m. in downtown Cincinnati and start driving trip
Day 1 of Driving Trip
Spend the night in Huntington--Red Roof Inn
Oct. 22--Day 2 of Driving Trip
Spend the night in Top Town: Marietta-- Microtel
Oct. 23--Day 3 of Driving Trip ending in Columbus
Spend the night in Columbus. AIRBNB reserved
Oct. 24--Columbus
Oct. 25--Columbus
Drive out to Top Town: Granville--New England charm, nice downtown & Denison University
Oct. 26--Columbus
Oct. 27--Day 4 of Driving Trip ending in Cincinnati
Top Town: Tip City just north of Dayton between Columbus and Cincinatti
Top Town: Yellow Springs (Antioch College) just east of Dayton
Hotel in Cincinnati: Days Inn Cincinnati North
Oct. 28--Return car in downtown Cincinnati-- Move into AIRBNB reserved in Covington
Oct. 29--Cincinnati--AIRBNB in Covington
Oct. 30--Cincinnati--AIRBNB in Covington
Oct. 31--Go to airport for return flight (9:01 bus at 5th and Philadelphia)
And here is the itinerary for my driving trip if anyone wants to search the roads on a map:
Leaving Cincinnati for Driving Trip
Take US 50 east.
Just before Stonelick--Turn right onto Hwy 222 toward Batavia
Just before Batavia--Turn left onto 32 (Appalachian Hwy)
At People, detour south (right turn) on Hwy 41 to Bentonville
At Bentonville, turn left onto Hwy 136 to Manchester.
At Manchester, turn left onto Hwy 52, the Ohio River Scenic Byway, to Hwy 100 (between Vanceberg and Portsmouth)
At Hwy 100 (Pond Run Rd) , turn left for the Shawnee Driving Tour Path
At Y, take State Forest Service Rd. 1 to the left through Pheasant Hollow and Gabe Run to Brushy Fork
At Brushy Fork, continue straight (to left) onto State Forest Service Rd. 7
At intersection with State Forest Service Rd. 5, turn left onto 5!
Follow State Forest Service Rd. 5 all the way back to SFSR 1 and turn right
At McBride Run, turn left on State Forest Service Rd. 13
Stay on SFSR 13 past SFSR 12 until you get to SFSR 2 and turn right
Turn left onto SFSR 8
Turn left on SFSR 9
Turn right onto SFSR 1
At Hwy 125 EITHER 1)Continue tour of area by going left and then immediately right onto Bridal Trail Rd (going until end of trees and then returning back to Hwy 125 to continue right, OR 2) turn right onto Hwy 125 and go to Friendship.
At Friendship turn left on Hwy 52 to Portsmouth (Shawnee State University)
Spend the night at Huntington
_____
Return to Portsmouth and turn right onto Hwy 23
Just before Piketon, turn left onto Hwys 124/32 (continuing on 32 when the highways separate) to Hwy 23 (Chenoweth Fork Rd.)
Turn Right on Hwy 23 and Hwy 302 (White Oak Hill Rd.) after Arkoe
Turn Right on Hwy 302
Drive Scenic Hwy 302 to Hwy 1 and then return back to Arkoe
At Arkoe, turn right on Golf Rd. , then turn left on Hwy 32 following it and then Hwy 50 to Athens (Ohio University)
Continue on Hwy 50 to Top Town: Marietta, OH --River town on West Virginia border
Spend the Night at Marietta
_____
Take Hwy 550 (upper route toward Athens)
Just before reaching Athens, turn right on Hwy 33 north to Nelsonville (Hocking College)
At Nelsonville, turn left onto Hwy 278 (Lake Hope Drive) to Zeleski
At Zeleski, get on Hwy 677 (Powder Plant Rd.), then just after Raccoon Creek, turn right onto Hwy 14 (Infirmery Rd.)
Continue on Hwy 14 to Hwy 93 and turn RIGHT
Turn left on Hwy 272 (A top scenic road in Ohio)
Turn right onto Hwy 374
Turn right onto Hwy 664 (but first make a short detour to the left to see **Hocking Hills State Park**: Corkscrew Falls a top sight in Ohio)
Turn left onto Hwy 33 to Columbus
Spend 4 nights in Columbus
_____
Take IH 70 W.
Exit 52 A. (US 68) Turn left to to Top Town: Yellow Springs
Go west on Dayton Rd. until intersection with OH 235 (North Xenia). Turn Right
Turn left onto IH 675
Continue straight as it becomes Spangler Rd. and later Medlay/Carlisle Rd. (OH 571)
Turn right to continue on OH 571 at intersection with OH 328 to Top Town: Tip City
Leaving Tip City, take IH 75 S to Cincinatti
Exit onto IH 275 W
Take Exit 41 Springfield Pike (OH 4)
Turn left onto Springfield Pike
On other side of interchange, turn right onto Greensprings Dr. for Days Inn and Suites North Cincinnati
Today I leave on a trip that is a travel experiment. I have always traveled lightly. Even when taking a 10 week trip, I have taken only the smaller carry-on size suitcase and a student-type backpack. And with just that amount of storage, I have always taken too much with me.
The experiment is about taking a shorter trip with even less baggage packed with nothing unneeded on a short trip for a cheap price. Frontier Airlines, an ultra-low-cost airline now flies from San Antonio to about 27 cities. Some of those are cities I have never visited before. Frontier, however, is only really cheap if you travel lightly and are flexible to avoid fees. I bought my round-trip ticket to Cincinnati for $99 roundtrip, including taxes. But that only allows me to take one bag for free, and it MUST fit UNDER the seat in front of me. If I want to put a bag overhead, there is an extra charge. For a checked bag, there is another charge. For a seat assignment, there is an extra charge. For doing anything at the check-in counter, there is an extra charge. For planning incorrectly and having to do any of the above, the charges get more expensive at the check-in desk and even more expensive at the boarding gate.
I bought a special under-the-seat bag for making this and future trips at Costco for only $39--much cheaper than the linked website price. It fits the maximum dimensions that Frontier allows. In it, I have packed an extra pair of pants, 4 shirts, underwear, socks, minimum toiletries, camera, computer, and cords. I will wear a pullover and jacket as clothing and have stuffed the jacket pockets with a thin book, two magazines, and a small umbrella. I will only take the shoes I wear. The bag does not bulge, and, therefore, should be within the Frontier guidelines. If they say otherwise, then this will be the only trip I take with the airline. Otherwise, there might be future trips to Charlotte, Jacksonville, Raleigh/Durham, and other cities I have not visited for years.
This particular trip is for 1 1/2 weeks because I planned it to drive scenic roads in southern Ohio and to visit Columbus as well as Cincinnati. I got my rental car from downtown Cincinnati instead of from the airport and saved approximately $140 for the week of rental. (Airports now have extremely high fees for rental cars, taxis leaving the airport, restaurants operating within the airport, etc.) So I will stay one night in an AIRBNB, then leave Cincinnati for my drive. After I return my car, I will have 3 more nights in Cincinnati.
I don't know how often I will update the blog. It will depend on how tired I am each evening and whether there is anything worth telling. I had hoped to see fall foliage on this trip, since the last two weeks of October is usually the best time for it in southern Ohio, but maps and reports I have seen online indicate that hardly anywhere in the US is having nice fall foliage this year due to rainfall and cold fronts coming at the wrong times. But the scenic roads should still be scenic, and I will visit a number of quaint towns that are reported as being top places to visit. Below is my itinerary:
Oct. 20--Fly to Cincinnati. AIRBNB reserved in Covington across the river from Cincinnati
Oct. 21--Pick up rental car at 11:00 a.m. in downtown Cincinnati and start driving trip
Day 1 of Driving Trip
Spend the night in Huntington--Red Roof Inn
Oct. 22--Day 2 of Driving Trip
Spend the night in Top Town: Marietta-- Microtel
Oct. 23--Day 3 of Driving Trip ending in Columbus
Spend the night in Columbus. AIRBNB reserved
Oct. 24--Columbus
Oct. 25--Columbus
Drive out to Top Town: Granville--New England charm, nice downtown & Denison University
Oct. 26--Columbus
Oct. 27--Day 4 of Driving Trip ending in Cincinnati
Top Town: Tip City just north of Dayton between Columbus and Cincinatti
Top Town: Yellow Springs (Antioch College) just east of Dayton
Hotel in Cincinnati: Days Inn Cincinnati North
Oct. 28--Return car in downtown Cincinnati-- Move into AIRBNB reserved in Covington
Oct. 29--Cincinnati--AIRBNB in Covington
Oct. 30--Cincinnati--AIRBNB in Covington
Oct. 31--Go to airport for return flight (9:01 bus at 5th and Philadelphia)
And here is the itinerary for my driving trip if anyone wants to search the roads on a map:
Leaving Cincinnati for Driving Trip
Take US 50 east.
Just before Stonelick--Turn right onto Hwy 222 toward Batavia
Just before Batavia--Turn left onto 32 (Appalachian Hwy)
At People, detour south (right turn) on Hwy 41 to Bentonville
At Bentonville, turn left onto Hwy 136 to Manchester.
At Manchester, turn left onto Hwy 52, the Ohio River Scenic Byway, to Hwy 100 (between Vanceberg and Portsmouth)
At Hwy 100 (Pond Run Rd) , turn left for the Shawnee Driving Tour Path
At Y, take State Forest Service Rd. 1 to the left through Pheasant Hollow and Gabe Run to Brushy Fork
At Brushy Fork, continue straight (to left) onto State Forest Service Rd. 7
At intersection with State Forest Service Rd. 5, turn left onto 5!
Follow State Forest Service Rd. 5 all the way back to SFSR 1 and turn right
At McBride Run, turn left on State Forest Service Rd. 13
Stay on SFSR 13 past SFSR 12 until you get to SFSR 2 and turn right
Turn left onto SFSR 8
Turn left on SFSR 9
Turn right onto SFSR 1
At Hwy 125 EITHER 1)Continue tour of area by going left and then immediately right onto Bridal Trail Rd (going until end of trees and then returning back to Hwy 125 to continue right, OR 2) turn right onto Hwy 125 and go to Friendship.
At Friendship turn left on Hwy 52 to Portsmouth (Shawnee State University)
Spend the night at Huntington
_____
Return to Portsmouth and turn right onto Hwy 23
Just before Piketon, turn left onto Hwys 124/32 (continuing on 32 when the highways separate) to Hwy 23 (Chenoweth Fork Rd.)
Turn Right on Hwy 23 and Hwy 302 (White Oak Hill Rd.) after Arkoe
Turn Right on Hwy 302
Drive Scenic Hwy 302 to Hwy 1 and then return back to Arkoe
At Arkoe, turn right on Golf Rd. , then turn left on Hwy 32 following it and then Hwy 50 to Athens (Ohio University)
Continue on Hwy 50 to Top Town: Marietta, OH --River town on West Virginia border
Spend the Night at Marietta
_____
Take Hwy 550 (upper route toward Athens)
Just before reaching Athens, turn right on Hwy 33 north to Nelsonville (Hocking College)
At Nelsonville, turn left onto Hwy 278 (Lake Hope Drive) to Zeleski
At Zeleski, get on Hwy 677 (Powder Plant Rd.), then just after Raccoon Creek, turn right onto Hwy 14 (Infirmery Rd.)
Continue on Hwy 14 to Hwy 93 and turn RIGHT
Turn left on Hwy 272 (A top scenic road in Ohio)
Turn right onto Hwy 374
Turn right onto Hwy 664 (but first make a short detour to the left to see **Hocking Hills State Park**: Corkscrew Falls a top sight in Ohio)
Turn left onto Hwy 33 to Columbus
Spend 4 nights in Columbus
_____
Take IH 70 W.
Exit 52 A. (US 68) Turn left to to Top Town: Yellow Springs
Go west on Dayton Rd. until intersection with OH 235 (North Xenia). Turn Right
Turn left onto IH 675
Continue straight as it becomes Spangler Rd. and later Medlay/Carlisle Rd. (OH 571)
Turn right to continue on OH 571 at intersection with OH 328 to Top Town: Tip City
Leaving Tip City, take IH 75 S to Cincinatti
Exit onto IH 275 W
Take Exit 41 Springfield Pike (OH 4)
Turn left onto Springfield Pike
On other side of interchange, turn right onto Greensprings Dr. for Days Inn and Suites North Cincinnati
Monday, June 04, 2018
Final Day in Montreal, Return Home, and Spending Report
Monday, June 1-2, 2018--Montreal to San Antonio
Friday was another hot day in Montreal, but with raised humidity. I brought too many winter shirts thinking it would remain in the 50s and 60s, but now it has been in the 80s for several days. When I was here in mid-September in the 1970s, it was COLD, so I assumed the cold-to-cool weather they were having in late April/early May would likely continue all the way through May.
There was nothing of importance left that I wanted to see or do, so I went downtown and exchanged my final few Canadian dollars for US dollars at a money exchange office (Universal) that gave a great deal--just a few cents difference between their rate and the rate on xe.com and with no service charge. Then I explored two more areas I had missed previously.
I wandered the Square St-Louis area and a part I missed previously of Rue Prince-Arthur, a pedestrian district of restaurants and clubs extending westward from it. This is an area of immigrants, but it didn't seem to be as vital as it had been described. There were a number of empty storefronts on the pedestrian street.
So I headed to Avenue du Mont-Royal, and this is where I found the immigrants. I don't know if it was the beginning of something special happening only for the weekend or something that happens on this street every weekend. But in addition to the many immigrant shops, there were stalls set up on the street for many blocks selling all kinds of things. Among them were food stalls selling wonderful looking items at very good prices. How I wished I had known about this before exchanging my money! But I enjoyed seeing it all and thinking about how I would appreciate this event on the street if I lived in Montreal.
Back at the apartment, I texted my landlady to tell her I would be leaving at 5:10 in the morning. She rushed up to say good-bye and asked if everything had gone well. I reported to her that her knives were dull. It's a common problem with Airbnb apartments; owners never think to check nor to sharpen them regularly. I asked if she had a sharpening rod, and she brought up an old handheld stone sharpening item that her father, a carpenter, had used. I sharpened the knives for her showing her how to do it, since she was going to pay to have someone do it.
My new travel computer allows me to use Android apps. And the Netflix app now allows people to download films for viewing offline. So I downloaded 3 videos for watching during my travels home. I finished eating the food I had in the kitchen except for some boiled eggs, salami, and cookies I planned to take to the airport and eat as a breakfast before going through security. I bathed and shaved and then went to bed at 10:30 still feeling hot and muggy.
_________
The alarm went off at 4:40. I left the apartment at 5:10. I walked to the metro station arriving at 5:35. The first metro train of the day arrived at 5:40. I got to the station where I would transfer to the airport bus at 5:53. I was second in line waiting for the airport bus expected at 6:07. By the time the bus arrived, the line was very long. The driver announced there was no room for luggages. I asked if I could stand with my bag between my legs. He looked at my bag and let me take it on the bus because it was small (a true carry-on size). I was so lucky. He let one other man in line with a bag the size of mine bring it on, but as the bus pulled away, everyone with a large bag was left standing there waiting for the next bus 20 minutes later. I had to stand for the trip. A young woman wanted to offer me her seat (which I refused), so I guess I truly look like an old man now!!
My flights went well. In Houston, I ate at Subway between flights. We got to San Antonio early. Sue was waiting for me in the employee parking lot.
This is the first trip I have ever carried my luggage as carry-on. I'm surprised that it went so well. I've always had free checking for my luggage, and I've always thought how lucky I was not to have to fight for space above. But I was lucky both going and coming back on this trip and could store my bag just above my seat. It makes me feel better about using carry-on luggage for future trips where I do not get a free baggage allowance.
__________
Spending Update
Much of the spending for this trip (accommodations, car rental, and gasoline) was shared with Wes. As I reported earlier, we traveled about 3,600 miles, so gasoline was a BIG expense. We were putting about 35 Canadian dollars ($27 US) worth of gas in the tank every day, so that raised the daily average for spending quite a bit.
My spending (separated from Wes' and also including those that were only mine after he returned) came to a total of $1860.14 (not including airfare) for an average of $71.54 per day over the 26 days.
Friday was another hot day in Montreal, but with raised humidity. I brought too many winter shirts thinking it would remain in the 50s and 60s, but now it has been in the 80s for several days. When I was here in mid-September in the 1970s, it was COLD, so I assumed the cold-to-cool weather they were having in late April/early May would likely continue all the way through May.
There was nothing of importance left that I wanted to see or do, so I went downtown and exchanged my final few Canadian dollars for US dollars at a money exchange office (Universal) that gave a great deal--just a few cents difference between their rate and the rate on xe.com and with no service charge. Then I explored two more areas I had missed previously.
I wandered the Square St-Louis area and a part I missed previously of Rue Prince-Arthur, a pedestrian district of restaurants and clubs extending westward from it. This is an area of immigrants, but it didn't seem to be as vital as it had been described. There were a number of empty storefronts on the pedestrian street.
So I headed to Avenue du Mont-Royal, and this is where I found the immigrants. I don't know if it was the beginning of something special happening only for the weekend or something that happens on this street every weekend. But in addition to the many immigrant shops, there were stalls set up on the street for many blocks selling all kinds of things. Among them were food stalls selling wonderful looking items at very good prices. How I wished I had known about this before exchanging my money! But I enjoyed seeing it all and thinking about how I would appreciate this event on the street if I lived in Montreal.
Back at the apartment, I texted my landlady to tell her I would be leaving at 5:10 in the morning. She rushed up to say good-bye and asked if everything had gone well. I reported to her that her knives were dull. It's a common problem with Airbnb apartments; owners never think to check nor to sharpen them regularly. I asked if she had a sharpening rod, and she brought up an old handheld stone sharpening item that her father, a carpenter, had used. I sharpened the knives for her showing her how to do it, since she was going to pay to have someone do it.
My new travel computer allows me to use Android apps. And the Netflix app now allows people to download films for viewing offline. So I downloaded 3 videos for watching during my travels home. I finished eating the food I had in the kitchen except for some boiled eggs, salami, and cookies I planned to take to the airport and eat as a breakfast before going through security. I bathed and shaved and then went to bed at 10:30 still feeling hot and muggy.
_________
The alarm went off at 4:40. I left the apartment at 5:10. I walked to the metro station arriving at 5:35. The first metro train of the day arrived at 5:40. I got to the station where I would transfer to the airport bus at 5:53. I was second in line waiting for the airport bus expected at 6:07. By the time the bus arrived, the line was very long. The driver announced there was no room for luggages. I asked if I could stand with my bag between my legs. He looked at my bag and let me take it on the bus because it was small (a true carry-on size). I was so lucky. He let one other man in line with a bag the size of mine bring it on, but as the bus pulled away, everyone with a large bag was left standing there waiting for the next bus 20 minutes later. I had to stand for the trip. A young woman wanted to offer me her seat (which I refused), so I guess I truly look like an old man now!!
My flights went well. In Houston, I ate at Subway between flights. We got to San Antonio early. Sue was waiting for me in the employee parking lot.
This is the first trip I have ever carried my luggage as carry-on. I'm surprised that it went so well. I've always had free checking for my luggage, and I've always thought how lucky I was not to have to fight for space above. But I was lucky both going and coming back on this trip and could store my bag just above my seat. It makes me feel better about using carry-on luggage for future trips where I do not get a free baggage allowance.
__________
Spending Update
Much of the spending for this trip (accommodations, car rental, and gasoline) was shared with Wes. As I reported earlier, we traveled about 3,600 miles, so gasoline was a BIG expense. We were putting about 35 Canadian dollars ($27 US) worth of gas in the tank every day, so that raised the daily average for spending quite a bit.
My spending (separated from Wes' and also including those that were only mine after he returned) came to a total of $1860.14 (not including airfare) for an average of $71.54 per day over the 26 days.
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