DAILY DOINGS: Hey, this leg is almost over...we rode into another state today, Pennsylvania, and are excited about a day off tomorrow.  I think a minor league baseball game may be on the schedule for most as the park is about 2 blocks from the motel.  We have 5 new riders coming in tomorrow so hopefully we can get them orientated and their bikes checked out before game time...the staff would like to go root, root, root for the home team.  The Brits are excited about seeing a real baseball game...we'll have to explain the difference in their cricket game...you still hit the ball and run don't you?

We had a fairly early breakfast at Perkins and departed Youngstown in a flurry.  Departure on a Sunday morning is pretty tame as far as traffic is concerned.  I wish every morning could be like this.  I was in the van today and worked my way up track to check to see if the roads were OK. They've had so much rain lately that sometimes the roads are washed out but everything seemed OK today.  No water on the roads, but it was another warm day with mildly uncomfortable humidity again today...not as bad as the last couple days, but a little sticky all the same.  As long as you kept moving you'd be OK, but stop and it would get a bit warm.  Just finding a shady area made it much more comfortable riding, but it was hard to keep the shade going with us.

Our route today took us on some great Ohio back roads and for the most part the navigation was pretty easy as most of the roads were straight north or south until we got to the highway into Erie.  Most everyone was just cruising along enjoying the morning air and each other's company.  The Alabama boys rode together today...Clarence and Johnny.  Clarence said it was the first time the whole ride that he could understand who he was talking to all day.  "It's nice to talk to someone who can say a whole phrase in one word," Johnny explained.  And that talent was used several times today as was witnessed by other riders who didn't have any idea of what in the world was being discussed.  As the boys were leaving town, Clarence used the common southern phrase "werdahekerwe."  Just after he and Johnny had ridden past one of our turns, Clarence asked, "Johnny, here the werdahekerwe?"  Johnny was the only one around who knew just what was up and he fired another salvo back at him..."widgadiga."  "Clarence, we're lost again because you didn't bring your route sheet widgadiga?" Yep, they were in their own little world in the south all day.

Other than being entertained all morning by the antics of the newly formed and soon to be dismantled Team Alabama, it was a pretty boring day from my standpoint...that's the way I like it.  When I'm bored in the van that means everyone is doing fine.  I spent the day going back and forth among the riders taking photos of state line signs, covered bridges, and the root beer stand (left).  The White Turkey Drive-In, about 1 mile short of the Pennsylvania line is one of our favorite stops.  It's an old time open air root beer stand that serves some mean hamburgers and has 60s tunes in the jukebox.  They don't open until 11:00 every day so some of our riders rode by before it opened, but the riders that came by after 11:00 enjoyed the break in the ride and the smiling faces that served up a refreshing mug root beer. 

I think everyone is ready for a well deserved day off tomorrow.  Most everyone has already checked out the town and have made plans for their time off tomorrow.  We'll bring on the new riders and get ready for the last 8 days of the ride.  Tomorrow we'll take a break in the morning ourselves...sleep in...what a concept.  See you Tuesday.  M

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