Another trip across the state had been planned and so, of course, I started making lists long before our departure date. I always enjoy the preparations made before a trip. It is something I’ve learned to do over the years. Arriving at a campsite as the sun is setting and finding that I forgot the flashlight at home, or even worse, the food, makes me think twice before leaving home. The paper lists helps but still, I always manage to forget something!
I enjoy making lists. Whether it is for a trip to the store or preparing to develop a roll of film, I grab a piece of paper and a pen. Trips; even if it is just a ride out into the countryside and back, I usually make a list. A trip that might involve 4 or 5 days definitely requires one! They aren’t just for things to take; they include sights to see, stores, restaurants or coffee shops to try and the times they open or close. Yah…it sounds a bit anal but it usually pays off.
On this trip, we left on Friday morning. We were going across the state to visit my daughter’s family. We would be taking our “usual” route, crossing the state via rt.22. I have never been a fan of limited access highways, especially when you have to pay to use them. We also enjoy being able to leave the main roads and exploring when we want to.
There was a hard rain the night before but luckily it had passed by and as we started out, the roads were almost dry. A couple stops were made for food and beverages and then soon, the foothills of the Laurel Highlands could be seen ahead of us.
We had a variety of geocaches to try and find on the way. One of the first was at the Cassandra Railroad Overlook. This is an old bridge that used to carry a road across the tracks. Built in 1936 it was closed to traffic the same year. It is now used by railfans to watch trains coming up and down the long hill. Looking downhill, to the west, you can see the trains coming about 2 miles away! We found the cache but unfortunately, we didn’t see any trains. After waiting a few minutes, we returned to the car and our journey.
Coming into Duncansville, we stopped at Connie’s Collectables and Quilts. I did a quick once through and then left Ann Marie in fabric heaven while I walked down the street to take some pictures of an old gas station. The owner had just pulled up and I asked if he minded if I took some pictures. He invited me in and showed me around telling me about the history of the building. Originally a blacksmith shop it later became an auto garage. The current owner lived beside it as a child. Inside were a variety of cars, trucks and motorcycles, some in various states of disassembly along with all sorts of old memorabilia, such as hubcaps, oil and gas signs, old v-belts and even a belt pulley system that used to run the machinery. It was fun looking around!
Down the road a bit further, we came into the town of Hollidaysburg. We stopped at Boro Coffee to refill our empty cups. This coffee shop is located in two 18th century houses where canal workers lived. Looking at the ceilings we could see the hand-hewn beams holding the floors above. The windows looked out onto the railroad yards across the street, where the canal used to be. Hollidaysburg had a large canal basin here. Good coffee, sour-dough bagels and a view of moving trains made this another favorite spot!
Not far away, across from the Blair County Courthouse, we visited the Next Chapter Bookstore. We talked with Dani, the owner as we browsed. Talking with the owners of book shops is usually an experience of sharing similar thoughts and ideas. We discussed books, the store, schools and book bannings among other things. From there we returned to rt. 22. We only stopped for a couple geocaches, anxious to see the grandkids. The next couple days were spent with the family.
On Saturday we watched as Jamie built and launched an Estes rocket and then later, Ann Marie and I spent some time at the Harleysville No Kings Protest. It was a great example of people peaceably getting together and voicing their opinions. That is what America is about! People were smiling and laughing and enjoying the day and the camaraderie. We both found the event touching and emotional.
We ate dinner across the street from the Colonial Theater where an iconic scene from the 1958 movie The Blob was filmed. This movie was Steve McQueen’s first lead role.
Sunday morning we went to Skippack for breakfast and then visited the Pages and Parchment Bookstore. Mallory, the owner is one of Chelsey’s friends. Chelsey was there earlier in the week participating in their Silent Book Club. People bring whatever they are reading and sit, silently reading their books. It was a very nice shop and we ended up bringing home a nice selection of books from there.
Later in the day we went to the Indian Valley Library where Mateo and Nico showed us around their library. As the boys rummaged through the shelves I explored their very nice Pennsylvania Room. The boys selected some books to take home. We were very impressed with their library.
On Monday morning, after saying good-bye to the boys before they left for school, Ann Marie and I started back. We made a stop in Lenhartsville to get some kielbasa and scrapple at Dietrich’s Meats. We usually stop here on our return trips. Walking in the door you are greeted by the smell of smoke. They have a large selection of meats and cheeses along with other Pennsylvania Dutch treats.
Just down the road we stopped at an old furnace. Someone had cleaned up the weeds and bushes around it and we were able to see the walls on the hillside behind it. I have no idea what the purpose of this structure was, when it was built or what it was named. I have seen pictures of it on-line but the people who posted them didn’t know anything about it either.
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We stopped for another refreshment break north of Harrisburg. While we were there I took some pictures of an abandoned “Gentleman’s Club”. Closed in 2019 the place was looking pretty sad. It was overgrown with weeds and trash. There were some really odd pictures painted near the entrance. I would think these pictures would scare people away rather than luring them in!
Taking a chance, we stopped at a restaurant in Lewistown and had a good lunch. We enjoy trying out places that we’ve come across. Most of the time, we find spots worthy of putting on our “return to” lists. Sometimes we strike out, but that’s all part of the fun of the trip. Thankfully, the good places far outnumber the bad.
West of Lewistown, in McVeytown, we stopped for our last, and our most interesting cache of the trip. It was one that neither of us had seen before. It was a plastic pipe attached to the back of a roadside sign. We looked it over, felt around but couldn’t figure out where the cache was. After giving it some thought, we realized that we needed to put water into the pipe and after we did that, the cache, attached to a fishing bobber, floated up to where we could grab it. Very tricky! It is caches like this that make the game so much fun!
Other than a quick stop for gas, the rest of the trip was straight through. I got home just before 5 with 752 miles added to the odometer. It was another great trip through Pennsylvania. We enjoyed the time with the family and we had fun visiting all the various places, but as I’ve said before, it REALLY felt good to fall asleep in my own bed!
P.S. Even though I made a list, I still forgot some shirts at home but luckily, I didn’t need them.
