How to mess up a trip to the United States

Driving to Ohio

One should really make a check list before leaving on a vacation or just travelling in general. Not just a mental list in the head but a physical piece of paper with a list of details of what to bring. I had spent the last day packing. That involved charging batteries, cleaning the camera gear, and actual packing things into two cases and a bag.

It wasn't until I was on the 1pm GO bus that it hit me about 15 minutes on my way to Hamilton, Aaahh!, I forgot my passport at home. I could see it sitting in the ziplock bag with some American money on the table next to where my laptop was. D'oh! I'd be in Hamilton an hour early before the meet time (3pm) but not early enough to take a bus back, pick up my passport, and get back to Hamilton ans still make the 3pm meeting. It would be about two hours minimum. With rush hour traffic probably more like 4 hours.

Thankfully the roller girls I was travelling with were pretty understanding, saying it was a typical guy thing, and to ride back to Toronto (in the opposite direction) from Ohio was a doable thing. I offered gas money and dinner to soften the blow and to cover their inconvenience.


The Denny's waiter.

Dinner was at a Denny's along the way just after the border crossing. Some of the girls had already eaten so there were only four of us that ordered anything.

We arrived at the Motel 6 around 1:40am. about 40 minutes after the gas station stopped selling beer. The gas attendant gave us directions for the local 230, a drive in beer store, located about 15 minutes away by car.

The intersection we were given was pretty deserted. We wondered if the directions were to a car chop shop. Streets in the States are pretty dark and pretty much void of any humans walking around. It's kind of creepy. Down the street there was a bar called the cotton club. It was such a contrast to just a block away. There were tons of people standing around and milling around the parking lot. Right next to it was the 230.

A guy came up to our window to take our order. By the time we drove in and got near the end of the room, our two cases of beer were being pushed into out back window. Wow, talk about efficient.


The beer drive through entrance


The 230 beer drive through


A happy Hoof Hearted with a case of Bud.