326 miles via I-90, I-471 (around Cleveland), I-71, I-80, OH 53, OH 2, OH 579, I-280, I-75, I-475, US 20, US 127 and Territorial Rd (which became IN 120 when it crossed into Indiana), with refueling and lunch stops. Cumulative TS8 route miles: 851. Cumulative car miles: 907. Miles since the end of Hop 2: 333. The few extra miles were due to my wine cellar visit.
This hop was every bit as difficult as it sounds, given the long list of roads traveled. This was not my original plan. My first mistake was entering the wrong address for my destination in my GPS – the Comfort Inn in Fremont OH instead of Fremont IN. I did not realize my mistake until I got onto the Ohio Turnpike, which was a near-disaster: the EZ Pass lane had a gate – the first gate I had ever encountered in hundreds of EZ Pass tolls. I nearly took it off when it came down in front of me – landing on my windshield. But no damage.
When I got off, to find some lunch, the EZ Pass did not work at all. I had to back up (fortunately there was little traffic) and go to a booth with an attendant. Where I learned that the MA EZ Pass transponder does not work on the Ohio Turnpike! I didn’t have a ticket either, so I had to negotiate with the attendant what my toll would be. A very frustrating, annoying and thoroughly unpleasant experience. I resolved to not re-enter the turnpike after lunch, so I got to the destination via Toledo and a little piece of Michigan. Ooma hated it though it was only about 20 minutes longer than the turnpike route.