6/30/2011
George the stroller is past his prime. His heyday has passed him by. His tires are balding and he is tattered and torn from our various battles against the road. He is looking to retire and enjoy quiet strolls in the park. I find that I’m sharing his sentiment. My shoes, just like his tires, are worn. My body, it doesn’t know what it’s supposed to feel. I bet if I woke up without and ache, I would think something was wrong.
So I started my day at the Mansfield, Ohio Reformatory. I excitedly waited at the gate bright and early. It would be a day of tourism and ghost hunting. The creepy prison was better than I expected. The rusted iron and peeling paint everywhere gave the dungeons a feeling antiquity. The long rows of cells went on and on.
The architect of the building actually created it with a Victorian and Gothic style. From the outside it looks like a castle. He did this on purpose to give the prisoners a sense of spirituality. Of course, style only goes so far. You can tell some pretty horrible things went down in the place. People report hearing voices, footsteps, and rattling keys. They also report being pushed and poked by invisible spirits. Did I experience something??? I felt nauseatingly ill halfway through the tour. I wanted to vomit but the moment I stepped back outside, I was completely fine.
I thanked Susan and Tamy for the great tour and the support of the Mansfield Reformatory then made my way to the open road. I could feel the terrain changing immediately. Without a doubt I’m approaching Pennsylvania. The flat land of the past several states looks like it’s behind me. The hills weren’t extremely steep or extremely long but, it’s just the start. I will cross the Appalachians soon. Then, it’s hello White House!
Leave a reply