Sat as I prepared to leave the van @ the Albuquerque airport my phone rang, a recording informed me that the plane needed to get from Houston to Columbus was taken out of service. My revised travel plan is to consist of a hotel stay for night, first flight out @ 7AM flying to Chicago, change planes and airlines to fly finally to Columbus. The airline even threw in $7.00 food vouchers for dinner and bfast. I called the inn for the shuttle which arrived almost 40 mins later. I got on and the route continued making 2 round trips to the other terminals before it arrived at the hotel. The same inn had an economy unit and a more pricey one that passengers that weren’t flying economy were put up in. Got up @ 4:30. No breakfast until past security. This flight was a 767, my seat was the in the last row. I walked my small duffel bag and worn fanny pack threading between the narrow seats to the back. The next plane was a small regional jet with a single aisle, 1 seat on the port and 2 on the starboard. Finally Columbus. Picked up rental car, a Kia Soul, then drove up I-71 to sister Lynn’s in Mansfield, Ohio. I stayed there for my duration.
Sister Lise, the youngest sibling took a turn for the worse causing her to be medically admitted to a hostel about 25 mins away. I visited her Sun, Mon, and Tues. She has terminal cancer: lungs and brain. Heavy morphine protocol. We enjoyed each other’s company. We visited while both of us were lucid. Tearful good bye as are paths are never to join again.
Quite a few thundershowers dumped lots of rain. Each day it was broken rain clouds. Dual Hs: Heat and Humidity. The airplane flights were bouncy.
The route back west went east to Charlotte, NC on a regional jet then an A319 to Albuque. Last row both flights. Walked out to van while hoping it wasn’t broken into. Safe. I gained 2 hours clock time. Body time I was 2 hours down. I drove from airport heading towards Santa Fe to a FS XG out of town. I was counting on seeing rec signs towards the ski slope which is up the road further. I missed any. I drove further out of town on I-25 till I finally bailed and started looking for a sleep spot. I found one just along side a dead end road. Nice to be back in my bed. I got up early because I was unsettled about the spot. A gas station was across the road. I drove in and filled my tank: 25.8 mpg. A Sheriffs car pulled in from where I slept. He didn’t see me where i slept if there was to be a foul.
Next stop is Salida, CO where I am parked outside Mark and Brenda’s house.
I am interested in Carnegie Libraries. I found a web site that lists the libraries. Last year I visited the Richland County that I borrowed from while I lived at home. It is on the register but the building front does not display the name. I queried the archivist to learn that in is 30 years working in this department he has never seen the Carnegie name. Back in 1903 $35,000 was given to the library. I haven’t learned how much the building cost. Pretty ornate. Research lead to reading about Mansfield’s history. My Dad was active in the community earning him many listings in the local newspaper.
Senator John Sherman of mansfield authored the Sherman Anti trust act. Back in 1890. Ohio senator Sherrod Brown is making statements that might create a corporate greed act. His family lived 3 houses away. We went to different high schools.
Lynn’s house is old built it times when Mansfield was prosperous.
Mark and Brenda live a few blocks from downtown. I watched a deer amble across a fenced yard.
Salida is host to a river fest and Bike the Rockies, going to be packed.
Snow is still on Monarch Crest above town @ 12,000′. Salida is 7251.