OHIO (238 miles)

The roadway is both I-80 and I-90 across Ohio and all but a western slice of Indiana. The Interstates brush the north edge of Youngstown and pass just south of Cleveland, Sandusky and Toledo. Thus, the traffic and the edginess of the drivers. There seem to be about 10 semis for every car, and about every third car has New York tags. I am, after all, only 388 miles from the Big Apple as I embark on this odyssey.

For breaks, we toll-road captives jam into the plaza waysides. But, oh my, what elegant pit stops! Someone clearly forgot to tell someone that federal regulations require toll-road plaza coffee to be made once at 4 a.m. and then held over high heat for the remainder of the day. I have a Starbucks latte at one plaza and a Panera Bread Company asiago focaccia sandwich at another.

At Youngstown I escape the rat race for a 15-minute detour south into town and Mill Creek Metro Parks. This big (2,600 acres), densely forested oasis on the city's southwest side is among the most unexpectedly pretty and quiet places I've ever come across. And yes, there is a gristmill, Lanterman's Mill, dating to 1846 and still grinding grain today, plus a covered bridge.

Back in the urgency of the I-80 traffic, I find myself having trouble taking breaks (thanks, Dad). But it's comforting to know that from Cleveland west to Sandusky I'm never much more than a 10-minute drive from a Lake Erie beach. If you need a break with a view, consider Lorain, Huron and Sandusky.

Leg-stretchers and gasoline alone can't fuel a road trip. At Toledo I detour 15 minutes north into the city and Tony Packo's. The star attraction of this famous eatery? The Cadillac of coneys-each a length of smoked sausage nestled into a homemade bun and topped with beanless chili. A display of buns on the wall protected by plexiglass showcases the signatures of notables ranging from Zsa Zsa Gabor to Gary Richrath, who was a founding member of REO Speedwagon.

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