The Ohio USA connection.

How Ohio State fitted into my planning.

My niece, Tamara, married Jamie who hails from Ohio. He is a good man and has settled into life in Australia. They have three Aussie children.

Jamie's immediate family live in Fletcher, Ohio. He has a brother Adam who has been very kind to me. He offered storage room in his barn for my bike and other gear. During the early stages of planning I was going to buy the bike in USA but that didn't eventuate. Adam has stored the trailer, hitch and several other items I bought in America and had delivered to his home.

Adam sent me a photograph of his home taken during a previous cold December. The house was covered in three foot of snow. He was happy to store the bike but he cautioned that I may experience difficulty getting the bike out of the barn. Apparently everything freezes and he has heating in his garage so his vehicle are drivable.

Collecting the bike late in December was going to be an experience that may have given me a taste of some real 'COLD'. Travelling from the north east corner through the centre of America toward Mexico was going be tough.

Now that I will not have to pick up a bike and trailer my trip initially not include Ohio. Southern California to Mexico will be a more comfortable prospect for myself.