Not-so-quick trip

When I said it was a quick trip to Ohio I meant that I was not there a long time. Actually getting there was not so quick.

I got to the Ontario airport, usually an echo chamber, one hour before my flight and the security line was all the way past the baggage claim and starting to wrap back around. I was worried about making my flight but figured if I missed it I could take a flight a couple hours later that went to Cleveland by way of Phoenix, a flight I had intentionally not chosen because I was worried about a heat wave in Arizona, which would not have been unusual for mid-September. What I didn't realize was that if I missed my flight I would have had to buy another ticket since it would have been my fault for not getting to the airport two hours before the flight.

I was so happy to get to the gate as my group was boarding. I was so happy that I got a seat I like (up front, I have no problem with middle seats) and my seat mates were friendly. When we arrived at Chicago Midway I didn't mind that our plane couldn't get to the gate right away because I could see that my next flight was delayed. It was a beautiful day, but it had been foggy earlier.

As we pulled up to the gate I checked to see whether my departing gate was close to the arrival gate. Cancelled. Reload. Cancelled. Aagh. I got off the plane and asked the airline representative what to do and he told me which gate to go to so I could put my name on standby. I was feeling okay about it until he muttered that there would be twenty people ahead of me.

That was optimistic. My next long line of the day was to put my name on standby. At least I had the sense to write to D. ("Help, help!"). He found trains, planes from O'Hare, and rental cars. Meanwhile I started asking around to find out who else was going to Cleveland. One guy closer to the front of the line got on a flight through St. Louis, but it meant missing the baseball game (bummer, since it was win number 22 in their big streak). Two other people were put on the next flight and not standby. That left me and the guy going to Oberlin to plan his 50th college reunion. Off we went to the car rental place.

Wow, third long line of the day! But thank goodness D. had reserved a car because some agencies no longer had any. The ones that still had cars were raising the prices, according to the people behind me, one of whom had a dad who went to the same high school I did. Small world.

Finally, on the road! I appreciated that my travel partner was willing
to drive out of Chicago, which turned out to be easier than expected.

Our first stop was in Indiana to change drivers and get some dinner. We were in such a rush to get out of the airport that I didn't even get any popcorn! I was amazed to see a smushed penny machine, but it took my quarters and not my penny so I have only this picture. The options included an Indy car, the US flag, an Amish horse and buggy, and a four-leaf clover.

Our next stop was to switch drivers in Ohio (don't you just love driving where the states are small so you can be in three in just a few hours?) and it was a much nicer facility. Plus there was another smushed penny machine. This one was more expensive, but it took bills and provided the penny. Success. Options for this one included Ohio State Buckeyes, Blue Heron, a deer with an enormous rack, and The McCoys and Hang On Sloopy. 

My new friend and I were both a bit sad about not having tickets on the turnpike anymore. We also talked about how we spend our days, studying languages, and how good it was not to be sleeping in the airport! I might have arrived at Cleveland Hopkins almost eight hours later than I originally expected, but I got to sleep at my parents' house. All is well that ends well!