Ohio!

After what seemed like a never ending cycle of postponements, (weather as well as just not having everything together) I packed my one bag and made my way to the airport. In order to start the trip off with some kind of plan, my father offered to fly me the first leg, to Ohio, where I met up with a friend. It took us about three hours of smooth flying over the clouds and playing with the avionics before we reached the snow laden grids of Ohio.

Arriving in Ohio, my first impression was slightly desolate. The airport looked practically abandoned, and I became quite certain then and there that the trip was over. My father would get back in the airplane and go home. Day after day I would return to the airport looking for a ride, and day after day I would fail. These thoughts were practically cemented when an airport attendant came out to fuel our airplane. He barely even lifted his arms to direct us. When I walked into the airport however, every turned around. I met Jim, the friendly worker behind the desk who took his job with the enthusiasm of a salesman. The second I told him what my plans were, he pointed out two possibilities for the morning of people he knew would be going west, as well as the possibility of an air cargo company a couple miles north who fly all over the country all the time. If I connect with them, I might possibly open up a network all over the country. He told me to keep the courtesy car (nicest one I have yet to drive) all night, and he would be back in the morning to help me.

The town itself is extremely flavorful in that it has not been overrun by corporate America, I did not see chain restaurants or convenient stores, and when I asked where I could eat, I was told a place called the Barn. The Barn is an actual barn that burned down in the 30's I believe, and was rebuilt. It is now a beautiful multi-level restaurant, with waitresses out of the Little House On The Prairie, decked out with the bonnet and smile. Everything in the town was covered in snow possibly feet of snow, and glistening. The plows were either backhoes or lawn tractors with a plow.

All in all, the first day has gone by as smoothly and successfully as possible. The two hardest things were taken care of for me, a flight and a room, but now I have the confidence to see what tomorrow will throw at me.

This has been day one of my adventure on February 7th, (which also happens to be my mother's birthday) Happy Birthday!!!