After four days and nights away from Indiana, traveling to Ohio to cover Ball State Men's and Women's Basketball's MAC Tournament contests in Cleveland, the Daily News Sports crew returned to the Crossroads of America on the fifth and final day of their trip. Waking up and checking out of the hotel was just the beginning of what was a fitting ending to an unforgettable experience.
For the second time in four mornings, the seven students ate breakfast at Denny's, less than 1000 feet from their hotel. Most everyone ordered the same thing as their last visit, satisfied with their previous choices.
Afterward, it was on to Mansfield, Ohio, where the crew returned to the Ohio State Reformatory after taking a look on the way to Cleveland on day one. This time, the facility was open for tours, and the crew made their way inside the historic prison to check things out.
For about an hour and a half, the crew walked around the massive reformatory, taking in the history and awe of the prison where movies such as "The Shawshank Redemption" were filmed. As the building has been standing for over 130 years, the history taken in by the group was overwhelming and unique to any place many had ever visited before.
Then, it was time to head to a restaurant on the group's mind since the trip began: Uncle John's Place in downtown Mansfield. A couple of the group members ordered a Reuben Burger, and called it the best burger they had ever tasted.
Once finished, the group sent out a quick video thanking Ball State donors for making the trip possible before getting back into their two cars and heading for Muncie.
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