Tales from the Road: Memoirs from a Lifetime of Ohio Travel, Television, and More

“A sparkling gem of a book . . . Intermingled with the pratfalls, hijinks and practical jokes are bittersweet stories of love and romance, tragedy and triumph . . . a remarkably well-written book.”— The Morning Journal

After a million miles and four decades as a TV reporter, Neil Zurcher (longtime host of “One Tank Trips” on WJW TV8 in Cleveland) has a lot of great stories to tell . . .

He met Prince Charles in a bathroom, and tripped and fell on President Gerald Ford. He raced on an elephant, piloted a glider, and hung from a trapeze. He survived a hotel fire, a tornado, and countless stunts for the camera. He was tear-gassed at an anti-war protest and almost trapped inside the Ohio Penitentiary during a riot. He drove in a day-long high-speed police chase from Cleveland to Kentucky, and got lost in the middle of Lake Erie.

He rode in jet boats, jet fighters, sternwheelers, a World War II tank, and almost every other kind of vehicle imaginable (most frequently his trademark red and white 1959 Nash Metropolitan). He was ordained as a minister in the Free Spirit Association Church and even officiated at a few weddings. And he would do almost anything and go almost anywhere for a good story. And in the process he became one of the most popular personalities on Cleveland TV.

In this book, with his familiar folksy style, Neil shares dozens of his favorite personal stories from a lifetime in Cleveland television. Many will cause a chuckle, some will surprise, and all recall an era of television and of Northeast Ohio that was full of color and characters.

These adventures from the Buckeye State are also a snapshot of Cleveland television in its golden age.