YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - (6:54 p.m.)

We've been at the hotel for a while (after making new friends with a local older lady who didn't like our particular driving habits). No real issues with the trip, and we've already found a place to have dinner and wind down from the first part of the drive. We're an hour away from Allegheny College, so we'll get a good night's sleep and be on the road at a decent hour Saturday morning. Howard's just about ready to get something to eat. We'll talk to you tomorrow.

WESTERVILLE, Ohio - (2:30 p.m.)

One more brief stop and we're headed north on I-71.

No, we didn't stop for gas, we stopped for wine and pastries.

That's right, wine and pastries.

I'm travelling with Howard, so you know there has to been some wine discussion somewhere. It seems there is a new wine shop opening in Westerville soon, and Howard wanted to stop to see when they'll be ready for business.†

The only problem was, we couldn't find the place. We stopped at a group of shops and picked up some pastries. We asked about the wine shop, but the young ladies didn't know of any new stores. So we boldly ventured into the beverage shop we could find.†

Lo and behold, we found plenty of wonderful wines and a manager, Brian, who was extremely helpful. Now I'm not a "wine guy," but Howard certainly is. So I got to sit back and listen to Howard and Brian discuss their favorites before we left the shop with a Spanish tempranillo garnacha from Navarra (a 2005 in case you're wondering). I'll let you know what I think of it when we have a glass at the hotel this evening.

And you thought this trip would just be about football!

CLAYTON, Ohio - (1 p.m.)

I'll give you moment to find it on the map.

Give up? Look near Dayton. I'll warn you, however. You can go to Clayton, you just can't go back!

After a quick lunch in Clayton we're back on the road. Heading through Indiana we played the "Guess which artist is singing the duet with Tony Bennett" game. Good music (although not normal fare for some I'm sure) to enjoy as we hit the Ohio border. Being good Hoosiers, we began blasting John Mellencamp after our stop in Clayton.†

Maybe Todd Yohn Fish & Paint ("orange barrels orange barrels every where I see,
orange barrels orange barrels why can't I be free") would be more appropriate. We've been making these trips across Ohio for nine years now since joining the North Coast Athletic Conference. Has there been a time Dayton hasn't had road construction?!

We're just headed out of Dayton toward Columbus. As tempted as we are to stop at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and see if they would let us take some photos of Hanger 18 and the UFO that's there. Oh well, maybe on the way home.†

More later today.

On The Road Again - (10:19 a.m.)†

456 miles. That's what Mapquest says the mileage is from Crawfordsville, Indiana to Meadville, Pennsylvania. Howard Hewitt and I made our first quick stop of the morning (beverages and some snack items --- because you just can't make this trip without some ice cream!!!). Now we've hit I-74 and are pointed toward Indianapolis.

We won't be making the entire trip tonight. We learned two years ago that while Meadville is a wonderful place to visit, you wouldn't want to stay there! Youngstown, Ohio is our final Friday destination (another wonderful place to visit, according to Jared Bogan '07 and assistant football and baseball coach Ryan Flynn).†

If you've travelled I-74 lately, you know it's less interstate and more parking lot due to all the construction currently in place. We're stuck behind a construction truck just waiting to get past Brownsburg were Howard can "kick the tires and light the fires."

We'll keep you updated throughout the trip thanks to the wonders of technology (a cell card for the computer and the wonderful power plug converter for the car).