Day 3 on the Road: Journey from Buffalo to Cleveland through Ohio Traffic, Country Music, and Exhaustion

After five hours of confinement at the Buffalo bus terminal, I finally boarded the bus heading for Cincinnati. Akron was my transfer point for the final leg to Cleveland. This transport felt significantly more comfortable than what Greyhound offers. The cabin was cleaner, and the seats were softer.

All my gear was on the verge of death: my phone held only 30 percent charge, and my power bank had died back near Rochester. Salvation came in the form of a USB port by the seat — life was getting back on track.

A woman heading to Nashville took the seat next to mine. Hearing her destination, I immediately recalled that it is the capital of country music. I admitted to my fellow passenger that I love Taylor Swift, Alan Jackson, and Willie Nelson. We chatted about music, American life, and our respective routes. It was a pleasant distraction after a heavy morning.

Race Against the Clock

Soon, I drifted into a two-hour sleep. My body was taking its toll. The layover in Binghamton, the long waits in Rochester and Buffalo, and the lack of proper food over the last day made themselves known. Fatigue was obvious. The sleepless night in Belgrade's airport and the morning dash across the entire state of New York negatively impacted my physical condition. Waking up already approaching Binghamton, I felt how badly my legs had fallen asleep — I had to stand up to stretch.

I dozed off on the exit out of Buffalo and woke up again in Pennsylvania, this time right next to Ohio.

In Youngstown, we made a brief technical stop. On the way out of town, traffic jammed up due to roadworks. Glancing at the clock, I began to realize I was at risk of missing my connection in Akron. However, I knew there were still two more buses in reserve, and even if things went according to the worst-case scenario, I would still be in Cleveland by nine o'clock in the evening.

After the traffic cleared, the driver hit the gas: the speedometer froze at 70–80 miles per hour. It was precisely thanks to this speed that I managed to arrive at the transfer point on time.

At the station in Akron, the needed bus to Cleveland was parked first on the left. I ran out, flashed my ticket, and collapsed into an empty seat. Luckily, my fare allowed me to sit anywhere. This race is won! All that remains is to reach the final point — the city where the Barons Bus headquarters are located.

On the way out of Akron, I texted the president of 4Cities4Peace, informing him of my arrival time. An instant reply came back: he will be at the station shortly. The evening promised to be calm. There were only slight concerns regarding check-in at the dormitory, but now I knew for sure: there is a person there who can help.

David Polyakov (Special Correspondent from Cleveland, Ohio, USA)