| Being married to an avid Ohio State fan who's been | | | | we'd hop into the Buick Enclave and spend the day at |
| thousand of miles from her family and her precious | | | | the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. He loved all the |
| Buckeyes since we tied the knot is not an enviable | | | | rides, not to mention the free-flying raptors show. I |
| position to be in. Yeah, I'm a sports fan - but believe | | | | couldn't believe how huge this zoo was - home to |
| me - I've got nothing on my wife when it comes to her | | | | some 650 wildlife species. |
| passion for the Buckeyes. But between our jobs and | | | | The next few days would be spent paying homage to |
| the birth of our son, time just slipped away. So we | | | | all things "Buckeye", and the week was quickly coming |
| decided (for my sanity and hers) that it was time to | | | | to a close. We decided to spend the day in Dayton, |
| take a trip back to Columbus. | | | | about a 60-mile drive from Columbus (any excuse to |
| We thought about driving, but with a four-year-old in | | | | get behind the wheel of that Buick.) Thanks to the |
| tote, we opted to take the easy way out and fly there. | | | | three row seating, the entire family fit with room to |
| This would be my son's and my first time visiting the | | | | spare. First stop was the Dayton Aviation Heritage |
| Buckeye State, so her parents agreed to let us | | | | National Historical Park, which commemorates the lives |
| borrow their new Buick crossover SUV so my wife | | | | and achievements of Dayton natives Orville and Wilbur |
| could show us the sights around Central Ohio. In | | | | Wright. We spent the day wandering through the flight |
| between the tailgating madness, she promised there | | | | exhibits, touring the flying field and, my son's favorite, |
| was a lot of great stuff to see. | | | | checking out 1905 Wright Flyer II (the world's first |
| After a not-so-smooth flight with our 4-year-old and a | | | | practical airplane built by the Wright brothers in 1905.) |
| day's rest, it was time to see the city. My in-law's Buick | | | | We loaded back into the Buick and headed to what |
| Enclave was so much more than the run-of-the-mill | | | | would be our next stop - the Motor Car District along |
| SUV I was expecting. This Buick crossover was | | | | Ludlow Street. This area was once home to several |
| luxurious. With Bose ten-speaker surround sound, plush | | | | post-World War I Dealerships. We toured America's |
| seats, a mahogany trimmed steering wheel, and the | | | | Packard Museum, the only museum in the nation |
| quietest engine I've ever heard - I knew it would be | | | | dedicated to the Packard. The museum features over |
| hard to give it up at the end of the week. | | | | 50 cars on display in the restored 1917 showroom. |
| After a day touring my wife's old Alma Mater, it was | | | | After picking up some goodies at the gift shop, it was |
| time for the highlight of my trip - a tour of the | | | | time to grab a quick lunch in Oakwood before heading |
| Budweiser factory in Columbus. We got to watch the | | | | back to Columbus. |
| brewing, bottling, and packaging processes, from the | | | | While the week went quickly, my wife was able to get |
| perspective of the engineers who make it all work. | | | | the Buckeyes out of her system (for a little while |
| This Central Ohio brewery supplies beer primarily to | | | | anyway), and my son and I got a little taste of what |
| Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and | | | | Central Ohio has to offer. As for turning over the keys |
| West Virginia. That's a lot of beer. | | | | to the Buick Enclave, it was a painful experience. But |
| The next day, I promised our son a trip to the zoo | | | | I'm pretty sure we'll be making a trip to the Buick |
| made famous by Jungle Jack Hanna. So while my | | | | dealership after we get home. |
| wife was catching up with friends and family, I decided | | | | |