Still savoring the flavor of scenic Route 6, which had taken us deep into the lush verdant Allegheny mountains through small towns like Wellsboro and Warren that recalled Main Street America of the 1800’s, we weren’t quite ready for the contemporary rudeness we experienced the moment we crossed into Ohio, our seemingly surly neighbor.
The normal driving etiquette when encountering a vehicle with out of state license plates going slowly, obviously lost, should be to either offer assistance or to pass cautiously. In Ohio, however, it seemed that the procedure is to lay on the horn and pull around angrily, waving indecipherable hand gestures out the window.
Grumbling about Ohioans, even dredging up their responsibility in John Kerry’s loss of the 2004 election, our moods lifted when we pulled into our home for the next two days, Geneva State Park, a wooded paradise and a picturesque beach resort, situated along the banks of Lake Erie.
Sunset at Geneva State Park
Arriving at twilight we found a secluded campsite, parked and headed for the beach to watch the sunset. As the sun lowered into the horizon, we noticed a couple on the park bench beside us, basking in the red glow of the waning light. Unable to let such a special instant pass, Manny quickly got up and approached the couple. He asked if they had an email so he could send them a picture, one that truly captured the luminescence of this moment and of their love.
Ohio couple
We exchanged iPhone pictures and email addresses and struck up a lively conversation.
A life long resident of Ohio, Archie was friendly and exuberant, enveloping us with his enthusiasm and warmth. He took great pleasure in sharing his local knowledge of Ashtabula county’s famed covered bridges and several local prize winning wineries we just couldn’t miss.
As the darkness approached and it was time to say our reluctant goodbyes, instead of shaking hands, Archie surprised us with a huge hug. When we told him of our initial bad impression of the state, he commented, “Oh no, Ohioans are huggers.” If Archie is the example, they surely are. Perhaps I should have named this piece, “Archie, the one man ambassador of Ohio.”