Over the Hills and Far Away

The OBB Mobile Express found its way deep into the hills of Southeast Ohio as Erin and I traveled to Burr Oak State Park. Our goal, talk to agencies and organizations in a part of Ohio that remains underserved by the Benefit Bank.

But that wasn't the story of this trip. The story of the trip was, well, the trip. After going Southeast on Route 33, our GPS spat us out on a slew of county and state highways. Which is fine. They were main drags. Speed limit was 55 and all. No problem, right?

Well, there was a problem. Although the signs were clear as day:


If you go 55 on these roads....You. Will. DIE.

I want to make clear how little I am exaggerating. I am exaggerating zero. That's how little exaggeration. Whether it's the sharp turns on mountains with no guard rails or the blind corners or the teeny tiny lanes, these roads shouldn't be driven much faster than neutral.

At one point - on a 55mph highway mind you! - we were going 25mph into a turn and I had to slam on the brakes. If I stayed thirty miles under the speed limit, DEATH. We went 5mph and that may have been pushing it.

Erin wants me to point out that the drive was ridiculously beautiful and I concede that. We love the mountains. All very nice and lovely. (The tallest mountain Erin summited: Mount Marcy. Mine: Old Rag. If you look at the elevations, you'll see that Erin is way more hardcore about mountains.)

But if you, reader, ever find yourself on OH-78, OH-216, or Hocking County Road 25, please ignore the posted speed limits. Unless you can do this: