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Travel Album - Ohio Trip 2002  

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Yay! My first trip to the +3 hour time zone from California. The trip was planned in April of 2002 and scheduled to take place in July. My friend Bob and I got up at 3am on the 18th of July to make our way over to Ohio.  Originally the plan was for Bob and I to meet our friend Darla and her family, along with Marcy and her family, with Jilly and Bill, over at Cedar Point Amusement Park the day after we arrived. Circumstances being what they are, Jilly and Bill were unable to meet up with us at the same time, so the plans had changed. Jilly and Bill met with Marcy the week before-hand, and with Darla just after we left.

Bob and I were super-early arriving at the airport. We left from LAX and got there at about 4:30am. Our flight left at about 7am, so Bob and I had breakfast and hung out at our departing terminal to pass the time. The flight leaving out was on time and we were now on our way to Ohio. YAY!

I'll just mention right now that I was very hungry and my snacks weren't helpin' me get over it.

Once we left LAX we were on our way to our connection flight in Detroit, Michigan. I took a picture of the airport there. I bought a shot glass from a store there so that I could have a shot glass from Michigan. I couldn't remember if I had one already. Our layover was supposed to be about two hours. This is where the fun begins...because of weather, and the infamous ass-hole, George Bush, deciding he wanted to land in Detroit, several flights were cancelled, and many flights were delayed.

Our flight out of Detroit was delayed for about two hours, and our layover was already two hours. We spent four hours in Detroit. The flight to Toledo would have been fifteen minutes, and to drive to Toledo Airport would have been about forty-five minutes. Mass confusion on where everyone was supposed to go and at what time was pretty prevalent. To my dismay I believe it was the disorganization of Northwest Airlines to properly keep its employees informed of what was going on and where people were supposed to go, but that's an entirely different rant.

Anyhoo...after the flight FINALLY left Detroit, we arrived at Toledo Airport. (THANK GOODNESS!!!)...all of that waiting and confusion for a 15 minute flight. Bob was kind enough to take a picture of me Yay-ing once we got there. Thanks, Bob!

After checking in to our hotel in Toledo, we headed over to Darla's to meet her family and say hi. YAY!

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It was about 10:30pm ET when we finally got to meet Darla and her family in Toledo.  Even though I was tired from the flights, delays and all, I was anxious to finally meet her in person. When Bob and I got there, we knocked on the door and were met by her as well as her two dogs who were voicing that they didn't know who we were. There were are some pictures of us from when we met up, but alas they are now gone! Anyway...

After we got there, we yapped for a bit, and then went out to get something to eat really quick. Then it was back to our hotel for some sleep.

We got to Darla's house the second day later in the afternoon. We hung out a bit more and planned for our trip later that evening to Cedar Point Amusement park to check it out and to ride roller coasters. Darla cooked up dinner on the barbeque out in her back yard, and she sure was having fun with her spatula! Darla, shy??? You be the judge...she asked me to remove all of her pictures from the site after being up for three years. Ah well.

Later that night we yapped and yapped and then went to bed to prepare for the next day.   Darla's meal was very tasty.  The beef in Ohio sure did taste different from the stuff out here in California! Anyhow, Darla was a great cook, and her daughter who was there helping was a great assistant.

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Cedar Point

Cedar Point Amusement Park was where we went the next day after arriving at Darla's house. I believe it is located in Sandusky, Ohio which was about an hour east of Toledo where we arrived at the airport. The rides were scaring me just pulling up into the parking lot!!!

Snoopy waved hello to us on our way into the park and I was checking out all the neat stuff. Knott's Berry Farm, located in California about 5 minutes from me is under the same ownership, so it was interesting to see the similarities between the parks.

It was different than the California park, in that, it wasn't as theme oriented. The big thing there seemed to be the super-thrill rides. They sure did attract a lot of attention!

 

Walking around a bit more Darla and her hubby, and Bob and I headed for the first coaster called "Gemini".  That was a fun one! The way I screamed going down the drops made Darla laugh.  By the third roller coaster I had a complex about the way that I screamed so I tried not to.

The one coaster that I really didn't like besides the drop on the log ride that was *conveniently* left out before I got on it, was called Blue Streak. Boy did that ride have a lot of negative G's. I could imagine that's what it feels like to be high on crack.

I could swear there were duckies in this pond when I took the picture.

 I absolutely refuse to get on a ride with a rise and drop that is higher than the statue of liberty. Not to mention that the drop was just about 90 degrees down from that height. Fuck that shit.

Anyway, Dar and her hubby took a proud picture after another successful conquering of the ride.

At the end of the evening we rode something that had the word "Dragon" in it. I can't quite remember the exact name, but that one was fun. Pooped out and tired it was time to go back to Darla's place and then get a good night's rest for the next day when we would head over to meet Marcy and her family on the eastern part of Ohio.

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...On our way to Canton, Ohio...home of the Pro Football Hall of Fame and, by golly, a Joe's Crab Shack! Our visit to Ohio was mainly to meet my little online sweety, named Mary, and my good buddy-pal Darla on the way over. Mary is still in school and we have a great relationship. She's a bright shiny star in a big, big sky! Anyhow, here are some pictures of the trip to meet Mary and her mother, Marcy.

When we got to Mary's we drove up and her mother, Marcy was there in the driveway talking to Darla on the telephone! Bob and I were told to go upstairs to her room where we were met with an ear-busting scream and lots of hugs.  We then exchanged some gifts that Bob and I had shopped for together the day before leaving to Ohio. Mary got a digital camera so that she could send us pictures,  a doorbell to stick on her bedroom door, and a souvenir cup from Cedar Point from the day before when we were at Darla's.

Here is a pic of the three of us together. Boy do I look dark in this picture! All that time I thought I needed a tan and all I had to do was hang around folks that weren't as dark as me! (That's the ticket!)

After we got settled in, Marcy was kind enough to cook us dinner. That day we got a tour of the house, especially Mary's room, and then went out to go check out what Canton, Ohio was all about! After returning, it was time for bed.

[That part is Under Construction]

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