Day 2: PA >> WV >> OH

I woke up several times overnight. Jerkface never came and snuggled in back. I didn’t have any bug problems though! I didn’t hear anything all night -- no crickets, frogs, cars, or animals stepping on the forest ground. This morning I woke right before six. Henley and I both peed while awkwardly making eye contact. It was much cooler than last night so I left the back door open, lied back down under the light and fluffy down comforter, and stretched out. This time Henley lied with me. The cool air was a relief and we stayed there for almost an hour, just falling in and out of sleep and gazing out the back door, green woods filling the view. When we finally got up, Henley wandered around while I washed up the best I could and changed into denim shorts, a tank, and hiking boots. I reorganized the car, which has proved to be a difficult task. I can reach the stuff in the back of the car through the back door, but the back door can’t be open when I need to get in the roof top cargo box. I have to stand on back bumper to get in the cargo box, which I fall off of when wet. I have to keep walking around the car to get stuff in the driver or passenger seats or to stand in the back seat doors to reach into either side of the cargo box. Plus, I’ve been managing to misplace things even in such a small living space. I need a Volkswagen camper van.

I had been dreaming of making eggs, sausage, and toast over a camp fire. The first issue here was that there was not a fire ring already in place and I wasn’t feeling adventurous enough to make one. Instead, I used my little camp stove -- a metal stovetop burner-like piece attached to the top of a little gas tank -- in the back of my car. Being so small and very top heavy when there’s a pan on it, it needs a pretty flat and sturdy surface to sit on. Plus, it was raining a little (which it has been on and off since I left Boston). Inside my car seemed like the safest option. First I boiled water to make coffee in my French press travel mug. Delicious. Success. Then without oil or anything I cracked a fresh egg into the hot pan and next to it dropped two thawed vegan breakfast sausages. I knew even before I started it was a bad decision, but went on with it anyway. I had dreams to actualize. Using a sock, I took the pan off the burner when the egg was nice n’ burnt to the bottom. While in search of my all-in-one fork/spoon/knife, the pan falls egg and sausage first on the dirt/grass/pine needle/leafy ground. Of course the egg was safe, it was still stuck to the pan. The sausage, however, was covered in forest. I put in the work and ate ‘em up. No waste here. The utensil was still MIA so I continued my breakfast by peeling the egg out by hand and did not waste that either. Animal. 

I then found the utensil. 

I threw on a flannel shirt and baseball cap even though it was too warm but chose protection from the bugs. We hiked the AT for a bit on the other side of the road from last night. After an hour or so we left the woods and headed towards Pittsburgh. Pennsylvania is green mountains, old red barns, silos, and corn fields. We passed the occasional horse and buggy and I bought a quart of green beans for a dollar and jarred sweet peppers from some cute Amish kids with funny accents. This girl couldn’t add my $1 and $2.50 purchases. What are they doing all day besides sewing their own clothes and not learning math? 

Side note: I am ten minutes away from finishing the entire season of the podcast Serial. I am brand new to podcasts, but man, what a way to spend long drives. I highly recommend Serial and podcasts in general.

Pittsburgh seems like a nice city, but we didn’t get much of a chance to explore. I was sipping an iced coffee and thoroughly enjoying a vegan lavender donut at Espresso A Mano in the neighborhood Lawrenceville when I saw that Henley had target-like red spots all over his tummy. I wasn’t too nervous but later decided to show the man behind me who’d been chatting with Henley. He said I should definitely take him to the vets. He made me feel bad for not jumping up and rushing out when I saw it so I then jumped up and rushed out to look like a good mom, right after finishing my donut while he asked the girls working inside about local vets. I drove several miles while worrying they were going to charge me a buttload to diagnose him with symptomless bug bites. They did diagnose him with symptomless bug bites, perhaps he lied on an ants nest, but they charged me nothing. Hallelujah.

We visited Point State Park and the neighborhood Mount Washington that had incredible views of the city and the Ohio River before leaving Pittsburgh and driving another three hours to Columbus. I am grateful the rain has been light for the most part and at times none at all, but the weather has not been good. I would like to start a petition that gets tractor trailer trucks off highways when it’s raining. Even when it’s not raining hard at all, being anywhere near a truck, behind or passing, feels like driving through a lady-named hurricane -- ten-and-two, white knuckles, imagining my sure death.

I drove straight to my friend Heather’s friend’s house in Dublin, right outside of Columbus. Heather is from Columbus, but couldn’t make it from Boston like we had hoped. She hooked me up with a sweet alternative, though! Henley played and I ate homemade pizza, drank wine, took a hot shower in Dr. Bronner’s peppermint soap, did a load of laundry, and am now about to sleep in a clean, comfy bed. 

Goodnight from Ohio  :)  <3

(Pictures have been from my phone. Pics from my camera will have to come later.)

Ohio River, Pittsburgh