First 400 nm xcountry

Gosh Bob, you must have arrived about the time I was departing Don
Scott. I had to fly to Oakland-Troy Michigan (7D2) to pick up my wife
that afternoon. I departed OSU at 4 PM. I filed IFR due to the thick
haze. Up around Mansfield (KMFD) there were a couple of buildups with
the bases at 6,000 MSL. In-flight visibility was 8 miles with no visible
horizon.
I departed Oakland-Troy at 8 PM to return to OSU, again IFR. Night,
thick haze, no horizon. This was not a flight I would have made VFR,
given the conditions.

Sorry you encountered our "nasty" tower operator. That guy is so surley
we are filing complaints with the FAA. OSU has had a contract tower
since the late-80's or early-90's. That guy is the worst I have ever
come across, anywhere... well, except maybe Wakashau WI.

The area between Latrobe and Harrisburg is notorious for making its own
weather. That was one reason the old FSS's were set up so close together
at Pittsburgh, Johnstown and Altoona.

You forgot to tell your wife that the drive time was 9 hours each way,
for a total of 18, more than double the 7 hours by air.

Thanks for the write-up.