stranded in Ohio
I remember last year going to Cedar Point with Yasaswi, Vikram and Michael. We all agreed it had been a blessed day - overcast but not stormy, not brutally hot but warm enough at that a water ride wouldn't kill us, small crowds and short lines for all the coasters we could handle. Perfect.
This year I have not had such luck.
Well, I didn't think it would be as fabulous - I went with Keith and Rachel Van Campenhout, as well as two of her friends, and Rachel and Keith and I all worked till about 12:30, so it was around 3 when we got to the park. We did a few good rides, making Maverick a priority, but after waiting in line for the Raptor it was closed for maintenance - blargh. Yes yes, typical Cedar Point, we still had tons of fun and ran into a few people from P-C, including David Maycock who hitched a ride home with me and Keith.
And this is where the trouble began. On the way home, the engine started to overheat and the power steering apparently decided to take a day off. Growing more freaked out by the moment, we pulled over at a service plaza on the Ohio Turnpike and checked under the hood. We were greeted with steam and bubbling noises. The fan belt was off, in some twisted pile we could barely make out in the dark cavity. And it was maybe 11:45 pm. At least we thought we knew the problem, but unfortunately it wasn't something we could fix ourselves, and Keith doesn't have roadside assistance, so after a few phone calls we were left waiting around for his mom to come pick us up. (She's a saint.) It was an interesting experience and all but not such a great ending to a long, hot, tiring day. It was after 3 when we got home. Just recounting it makes me want another nap.
Tomorrow I'm departing for Chicago and returning on Tuesday. I was looking forward to training it both ways but Amtrak called to announce maintenance on the tracks so I'll be catching a bus to Kzoo Tuesday morning and switching to the train there. Amtrak, I just want you to know that I am shaking my spiteful, spiteful fist at you.
But I'm ever so excited to get out of the mitten for a few days! And to a state whose flag isn't cloven like the hooves of Satan, at that.