On the road again—and this time Ohio was calling. We fired up the RV and pointed it toward the Buckeye State, first stop: Revere School. Why? To watch our grandson, Brandon, take the field as team captain for the Aurora Greenmen. Number 3 on his jersey, number 1 in our hearts. There’s something special about middle school football—equal parts grit, nerves, and oversized shoulder pads. Watching Brandon and his teammates reminded us that leadership starts young, and pride swells big in the stands. We may have been sitting on bleachers, but in our hearts, it was the playoffs. From there, we pulled out and rumbled down the road, grateful for family, football, and a grandson with the heart of a champion.
By the time the sun set, we were chasing headlights into our campground. The road wound dark until we finally arrived at Jellystone in Akron-Canton. And who was there waiting for us? None other than Yogi Bear himself, standing tall and waving like an old friend. You haven’t lived until you’ve been welcomed to a campsite by a cartoon legend under the stars. Yogi grinned, we laughed, and Chris, Charlie, and I were reminded that road trips are equal parts destination and surprise detours. We parked the RV, tired but happy, and called it a night. Sometimes you measure a day not by miles traveled but by the smiles you collect—and we were already piling them up.
Morning brought us to General RV, bright and early for a 9 a.m. appointment. The mission: get the refrigerator fixed. The part was in, and we were told it should only take an hour. Ah, optimism—RV life has a way of humbling you. After a little head scratching and paper shuffling, the tech sheepishly admitted they couldn’t find the part. Just like that, our quick repair turned into a rescheduled 660-mile round trip for October. Ain’t that the way it goes? Owning an RV teaches patience, perspective, and the fine art of laughing when things don’t go according to plan. Besides, it gave us another story for the campfire. Refrigerator still unfixed, spirits still high, we headed onward to our next adventure.
That led us straight to Berlin, Ohio—the heart of Amish Country. Rolling hills, horse-drawn buggies, and a pace of life that slows your breathing the minute you arrive. We treated ourselves to dinner at Soloway, the town’s only Ukrainian restaurant, run by Roman and his mother, who started it two years ago after escaping the war. Their food? Outstanding. Their story? Even better. A reminder that America is still a place where hard work and courage create something beautiful. The day wound down at our campground near Millersburg, where Chris, Service Dog Charlie, and I took a quiet walk through the trees before settling in for the night. One of those days where family, food, and faith all came together on the road—and isn’t that the best kind of journey?
