After yesterday’s torrential rain we were more than happy when we got up to sun, despite the humidity, which caused it to be very sticky.

Before going to bed last night we had both received an alert on our phones that there was flash flooding in the area, so weren’t quite sure what we would get up to this morning! We were staying within a forest, adopted as a State Park, and there are several villages within the boundaries of the park.

This is West Virginia, where they say “How y’all doing”?, and have a wonderful way about them, a kind of casual efficiency which is very charming.  The waitress this morning couldn’t wait to tell us there was a tree down on at least two of the roads on the way into the park, although they had cut it up and removed it by the time we left.

We set off in search of covered bridges today, as Ohio is famous for them (amongst other States), and we found the first at Shades Corner, sadly full of graffiti, and the second at Scottstown, unable to drive through but beautifully preserved.  This one was built in 1874.

The countryside we went through was truly luscious and green again today, farmland, and lots of tiny houses or trailers where people are living.

We are still following the route of the Ohio river, it’s source begins in Ohio and ends 900 miles later at the Mississippi river.  It is a beautiful wide expanse of water, some places used only for pleasure, sometimes as a resource for the many factories that have been built in towns along the way. 

Our stop tonight is at Franklin Furnace, and just as we rode into town there was a railroad train passing through with 5 engines, and at least sixty wagons.  Obviously an essential way of moving goods and food items around these vast lands.

Rest day today, spent in the pouring rain, watching the wildlife.

This is our fourteenth day today, and we are now beginning to start our journey West.  We saw a sign on a brief pop over into Ohio today that said Gateway to the West.

The day was overcast, and the roads fairly quiet today, so we had a clear run. We are using the Interstates as little as possible, opting instead for the more picturesque state roads.

One thing to remark on is that, this far we have been totally astounded by is the lack of security that appears to be required in all of the States we have visited, which is now New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia and Ohio. When bikes pull up to a bar, restaurant, in the street, they leave all their helmets, jackets and bags on the bike and walk off. The same with cars, they will leave the engines idling at the Gas Station whilst they pop in.  We have also seen boats, rvs, bikes, motorcycles all proudly displayed on people’s front lawns in a way that just doesn’t happen at home.  We really weren’t expecting that, it’s amazing, and makes us feel pretty comfortable (whilst still taking our normal safety precautions).

Our stop tonight and tomorrow is in another State Park in West Virginia, in a lodge.  These parks here are truly huge, and have plenty of room for activities, camping and lodges.  I’ve already seen a beautiful bird just outside the window already.  Very peaceful.

After a brilliant few days staying with Marc and Ang in Gladwyne, today was the day for us to move on, and start heading West.

It really has been an enjoyable week, catching up with family and friends, who were all able to give us some really helpful insights into living in America.  Things such as being allowed to make a right turn at the traffic lights when they are red! Or crossing on the crosswalk (zebra crossing) when the hand says not to go (as long as there's nothing coming of course!), and the drivers having to yield (give way) to pedestrians on their turns.  There is a also a rule at a four way crossroads.Each approach has a Stop Line. At home there would most definitely be a mini-roundabout in place, but here the drivers are all supposed to wait, and then make their moves in an anti-clockwise manner.  All very different, and strange to get used to, so very helpful to be given insider knowledge. So many stop lines, so many traffic lights!

We'd also been struggling a bit to find gluten free foods in the roadside diners where we had previously travelled, and now feel a bit better equipped with knowledge about where to go, what supermarkets are good, that type of thing.  It seems gluten free is still quite an unusual thing here, so I'd had a lot of buffalo chicken wings and salads, until we were fed so well this week.

Moving through today, we still saw glimpses of the Amish community, so at odds with the City life we had recently seen. There is such a diversity of people that we've already seen, but they seem so far to all have one thing in common, they all want to talk to you, and share their part of the Americn Dream.