We are 2,361 miles from home, and it’s 34 degrees out this morning with ice on our windows. Our first stop is at the Hopewell Cultural Historic Park which features 23 mounds built almost 2,000 years ago right here in what would become Chillicothe, Ohio. The Hopewell people thrived in this area from about 200 BC to AD 500. In the desert, it’s a rare day that we see fog, but this morning, there’s a thin layer over the mounds and a bit more drifting over the nearby Scioto River.

These are the kind of views we live for, well, these and a million others. We’re not far from Laurelville, where we met and talked briefly with a guy who collects hornet nests as a hobby. We’d never seen one before and found them quite interesting, but why someone would collect them, we didn’t know. He also makes apple cider, which is why stopped in the first place. Along the way, we dipped in at Hocking Hills State Park for a pit stop, unaware of what amazing spectacles were hidden in the park. Someday, we must return to Hocking Hills State Park: MUST!

Caroline and I agree this is one of the worst photos we’ve ever taken of ourselves, but it’s the only one we have with the kiln while visiting the Nelsonville Brick Plant. This place was built back in 1877 and closed in 1940.

I feel like we’ve landed on the real Main Street America, seeing downtown Nelsonville.

This is part of the McConnelsville, Ohio, lock and dam project on the Muskingum River. Back in another age, this place was plied by steamboats. Out on the water, away from the falls, fishermen in small boats can be seen enjoying the day, hopefully as much as we are.

This photo was taken somewhere along State Route 60. We are traveling roughly south-easterly toward Marietta, Ohio.

This was our first encounter with the “Mail Pouch Tobacco” brand. Turns out that this or a slight variation is emblazoned on barns throughout the area. This one was just north of Marietta, Ohio, as seen from State Route 60.

Notice the strict pose from the German after reading the sign, “DO NOT TOUCH ANY CONTROLS PLEASE.” Caroline was not going to be accused of violating international law and being a bad steward of travelers’ diplomacy by acting out of line. This was taken while we were visiting an old steamboat at the Ohio River Museum in Marietta, Ohio.

As an added attraction, you get to feed carp with bread next to the boat. They get downright greedy! Right after I took this photo, the fish asked, “Why you take my photo, human?”

We took quite a bit of quality time to explore this little corner where the Knowlton Covered Bridge still stands. It was built back in 1887, is 192 feet long, and is only open to pedestrians.

Another one of these locations where we won’t be stopping for a selfie in front of the “Welcome To Our State” signs. This sign even has its own cool bridge, so we get over the disappointment quickly as we drive under this big green arch. For the sake of knowing precisely where we are at this juncture, we crossed the bridge on State Route 2 between Dilles Bottom, Ohio, and Moundsville, West Virginia. On the radio, we are listening to some bluegrass from the Jolly Brothers.

More welcoming from the front seat of our speeding car. All state borders should have a pullout for selfies. Vote for it. Welcome to Pennsylvania.

Pittsburgh at dusk as we are heading for parts north of here.

Five days to make it to New York. It must be due to my being born here that I was drawn to get here sooner rather than later.

Before we got our first look at Lake Erie here in Dunkirk, New York, we stopped in Ripley for dinner at the Plummer’s Tavern. We tried the lemon fish with coleslaw and would return if we were to travel up this way again.

Not exactly the kind of thing you might want to see when you’ve been out on the road for the better part of 16 hours, but there she stood, “The killer doll girl from the 50s – Dolly Dimples.” Not to besmirch this almost famous roadside attraction, but it did make us ask, WTF is this? Turns out she’s connected to Valvo’s Candies in Silver Creek, New York, and yes, her name really is Dolly Dimples. The next stop is Buffalo, New York – my birthplace.