Hawk Mountain Sanctuary - Kempton, PA.

Hawk Mountain Sanctuary is the world's first refuge for raptors and other birds of prey. This is an important step in the world of conservation. The sanctuary offers a variety of activities for any bird-watching or outdoor enthusiast.

HMS is located just outside of Kempton, along the border of Berks & Schuylkill counties & only 5 miles from Lehigh county. To give you an idea of where it is, the 2 closest large towns are Hamburg & Pottsville. It is located about 10 minutes from the Cabela's off of I-78.

Trail admission is only $5 ($7 on weekends in the fall -- discounts are available for seniors & children). The money goes towards maintenance & conservation programs. To access the trails, just go to the visitor's center to pay your trail fee & receive your ticket before proceeding to the trails. The visitor's center is very informative and has souvenirs throughout. The sanctuary also provides free trail maps which can be put in a drop box to be reused on your way out. Below is also a .pdf version of the map from HMS's website.

There are 3 main trails in HMS. There is the North Lookout trail which is the most popular. It has roughly 10 lookouts, depending on whether or not you take the Express, Escarpment, or Regular trails. The first lookout, South Lookout, is handicap accessible and provides a view east and south of the mountain ridge. The view overlooks farmland in Berks county and the rest of Blue Mountain in the Kittatinny Ridge. You can also see the River of Rocks to the southeast. Many lookouts along the trail provide a different angle of the same view. At the top of the mountain you can hangout on North Lookout, which is where many people watch for raptors. To the northwest you can see windmills, to the north you can see the ridge continue forward, & to the southeast you can see the rolling farmlands of Berks county. The climb has about a 200-250 ft gain over 1 mile, but the view at the top is worth it.

From the North Lookout you can take the Skyline Trail, which connects to the Appalachian Trail but involves climbing over & around boulders. The Skyline Trail also connects to the Golden Eagle Trails which lead to the River of Rocks Trail. You can also access the River of Rocks Trail from the North Lookout Trail.

HMS also allows people to buy a yearly membership, which gets members free admission to the hiking trails & helps to fund research and the protection of raptors. HMS welcomes all people to volunteer their time. Without volunteers, HMS would not be accessible to the public.

Even though the fall colors have already passed, the views are still amazing & worth being checked out. Maybe if you're lucky you'll see part of the hawk migration.

For more information:
* Hawk Mountain Sanctuary
* Hawk Mountain Sanctuary Hiking Trails Map [note: .pdf file]
* Appalachian Trail Conservancy




The view from South Lookout, 1280 ft.

The view from North Lookout, 1490 ft.

The Amazing Maize Maze at Cherry Crest Adventure Farm - Ronks, PA.

Fall is here and so is the harvest. It is the time of year for fall foliage and pumpkins. But in Pennsylvania, fall is also the time during which agritourism booms. Corn mazes, hay rides, haunted Halloween attractions, & festivals galore occur across the state. Lancaster county is one of the major agritourism hot spots where people come to see the Amish. However, there is another hidden gem that people travel from all over the country & world to see...

For the second year in a row we went to Cherry Crest Adventure Farm for the flashlight corn maze. (We choose the flashlight maze because, as college students, time is scarce during daylight hours & so is money!) This year's theme: 100 Years of Scouting in honor of the 100th Anniversary for the Boy Scouts of America. For those of you unfamiliar with corn mazes, a corn maze is a maze that has been elaborately planned and carved out through several acres of corn. There are many corn mazes across the state & they all follow the same general procedure. Usually you are given a map & told to find your way out. But they do things different at Cherry Crest Adventure Farm. It is considered an interactive corn maze. This means that when you enter, they hand you a blank map. How are you supposed to find your way through a maze with a blank map, you ask? Read on to learn more.

Upon entering the maze we received our blank maps & proceeded to a small section where they fill you in on the rules of the maze and how to complete the different challenges. So about this blank map. Why blank? Well it's the maze goer's job to wander around blindly & find the pieces of the map which are located in mailboxes throughout the maze. As you find more pieces, the map becomes clearer & easy to read. This can get tricky if you are there for the flashlight maze as the dark can be a very disorienting environment for some people. But the darkness is part of the fun! On the map are also crossword puzzles, for which hints to the answers can be found throughout the maze.

In the back NW corner of the maze is the café area. In this area you can grab a bite to eat, grab a drink, use the toilet, or just sit down & take a break. The café is also a good place to get to because you can enter several different sections of the maze from there.

What happens if you get lost? Do you panic?! No. There are guides walking around among you who can help you find pieces to your puzzle & get you back on track. In the flashlight maze you can also ask for directions from the watch tower, who can use spotlights to guide you in the right direction. There is also a quick escape route from the maze in the event you cannot continue, so there is no wandering until you happen to find the way out.

The maze is both parent & kid friendly. However, beware of some rocks that may stick out of the ground ready to trip you (be especially careful in the dark). If you go during the day, there are many, many other activities to participate in around the farm. There are pedal karts, wagon tours, a fudge shop, an obstacle course, giant slingshots, & many other activities.

Cherry Crest Adventure Farm & the Strasburg Railroad also offer combo passes to both places for a discount. This is a great deal for people wanting to spend a full day or weekend in Lancaster County. For others making a day or weekend trip out to Lancaster County, the farm has food on site. Food is also available at the Rockvale Square Outlets, the Tanger Outlets, & several locations along Route 30. Lodging is also available at the Red Caboose Motel & along Route 30.

The maze is only open until Saturday, November 6, so grab your friends & head out to the corn maze. It's loads of fun & if you bring enough friends along, you can race in teams!

For more information:
* Cherry Crest Adventure Farm
* Lancaster County Tourism
* Strasburg Railroad
* Rockvale Square Outlets
* Tanger Outlets
* Red Caboose Motel

Pictures may be added at a later date, don't want to give away too much of the fun!

Susquehannock State Park - Drumore, PA.

Nestled along the Susquehanna River in western Lancaster County is a small park with enormous beauty by the name of Susquehannock State Park. This small park is loaded with wildlife observation & geological opportunities. From bird watching to wild flower identification to hiking to picnicking, this park has something for everyone.

I will begin with a little bit of park history which can be found more extensively on the DCNR page listed below. As the name implies, the park was named after the Susquehannock Indians meaning "people at the falls" (they were also called Conestogas). They controlled the trade routes along the Sasquesahanough, or Susquehanna, River but were eventually driven out of existence by English settlers. The history between the settlers and the Indians is a brutal one. In 1850 the property was under the ownership of James Buchanan Long who built the Landis House (note: this building is UNSAFE and CLOSED to ALL visitors). This house was a stop on the Underground Railroad. The Landis House currently resides next to the park office.

If you are into birdwatching, this is an excellent park for you! You can see Mount Johnson Island Bald Eagle Sanctuary from the Hawk Point Overlook. It was the first eagle sanctuary in the world. Because of this close proximity, it is not uncommon to see bald eagles soaring through the air along the river. Other birds of prey that can be seen are turkey vultures and osprey. Song birds can also be seen in the park, but most birdwatchers come to see the birds of prey.

If you are into geology, you will find all sorts of minerals at the park, the most notable being olivine. Olivine is green in color so these rocks will stick out like a sore thumb on the paths, especially after it rains. I personally have picked up several olivine rocks because they are so interesting. If you are interested in geology, you will also like studying the mountains around & along the Susquehanna River. The park is approximately 250-300 feet above the river. That alone should be enough to tell you there are amazing views...

If you are into hiking for amazing views of nature, you're in for a double whammy. This park has two overlooks: Hawk Point & Wisslers Run. Hawk Point provides an excellent view south and west of the park. To the southwest you can see Peach Bottom Power Plant. To the south is Mount Johnson Island Bald Eagle Sanctuary & the Pennsylvania-Maryland border, also known as the Mason-Dixon Line. To the west you can see several islands housing cabins & York County, a mile across the river. To the northwest you can see more islands & the Holtwood Dam on a clear day. Follow the Overlook Trail to Wisslers Run and you will have excellent views to the west & north of the park. West provides the same views as Hawk Point but from a different perspective. North provides you with a closer look at the Holtwood Dam and the Muddy Run Storage Plant and railroad tracks.

If you are into hiking for the sake of hiking, there are several trails in the park:
- Overlook Trail (easy) 0.55 miles - connects the overlooks
- Rhododendron Trail (hard) 1.2 miles - goes down into the Wisslers Run valley
- Pine Tree Trail (hard) - goes down into the Wisslers Run valley
- Five Points Trail (moderate) 0.7 miles
- Holly Trail (easy) 0.5 miles
- Fire Trail (easy) - short logging road
- Spring Trail (easy) 0.4 miles - has pawpaw trees
- Nature Trail (easy) 0.3 miles
- Phites Eddy Trail - leads out of the park
- Landis Trail (easy) 0.6 miles - connects the Overlook trail & Landis House.

Susquehannock State Park has pavilions which can be rented for the day by calling the office or used by day users for picnicking. The park is open to horses. There is no individual camping allowed at the park (pre-approved groups only). Park information & maps can usually be found in the kiosk board by the parking lot. There are currently 2 geocaches in this park.

With fall foliage just around the corner schedule a visit to this park ASAP! Although it is beautiful in all seasons...


For more information:
* Susquehannock State Park - Drumore, PA. [DCNR official webpage]
* Drumore Township, Lancaster County, PA.
* Mount Johnson Island, Bald Eagle Sanctuary, PA. [note: .pdf file from PA Audubon Society]


View of the Susquehanna River from Hawk Point Overlook in summer.


View of the Susquehanna River from Hawk Point Overlook in winter.

Green Lane Park, PA.

Green Lane Park is an area surrounding the Green Lane Reservoir in northern Montgomery County. It is a local jewel, known mostly to only the residents in the surrounding area. There are several activities to chose from within the park including: boating, bicycling, camping, fishing, geocaching, hiking, & horseback riding.

There are many miles of trails throughout the park which are shared by hikers, bikers, & horses alike. So hikers, watch out for horse poo while walking. The park also contains the northern end of the Perkiomen Trail. The Perkiomen Trail starts in Green Lane & continues 20 miles to Valley Forge National Historical Park. Currently there are 9 geocaches hidden throughout the park (at the time of publication) to find while hiking the numerous trails.

Fishing can be done at Deep Creek Lake or Knight Lake. There are fishing piers (a designated couple of spots on the bridge) at the northern part of the lake or you can fish from the shore at either of the two day use areas.

There are 2 campgrounds, one is equestrian equipped.

There is also a Nature Center in addition to the 2 day use areas in the park. Occasionally the Nature Center gives family friendly guided tours and is a popular place for school & scout field trips.

At Green Lane Park this past weekend was the annual Scottish-Irish Festival. It is $5 per car for parking. They have demonstrations such as Highland Games, Sheep Dog Demonstrations, Dance Group performance, as well as the usual children's activities found at most festivals.


For more information on the places mentioned in this post:
* Green Lane Park (Montgomery County Parks)
* Annual Scottish-Irish Festival
* Perkiomen Trail
* Valley Forge National Historical Park


The reservoir at Green Lane Park as the area is approaching drought conditions.

Pine Grove Furnace State Park - Gardners, PA.

Nestled in Cumberland County is Pine Grove Furnace State Park. Like all state parks it has trails, trees, and lakes. But it also has some more unique features to it as well. We started off our day by eating lunch next to Fuller Lake. The water was kind of on the green side but it is late in summer so that is to be expected. There is also an area roped off for swimming, which is nice, considering you can't swim in the lakes at many state parks! There was also a nice (read as "new") facilities building with bathrooms & changing rooms.

After our lunch we set out to climb Pole Steeple Trail. It leads about half a mile up a 400 ft incline to... well, Pole Steeple. Pole Steeple is a set of rocks (for the geologists, it is made of dolomite, rhyolite, & quartzite) which offers incredible views of the surrounding Michaux State Forest. There are 2 overlook areas adjacent to each other that each offer their own unique view. Beware that if you set out to try this hike, the trail is relatively difficult. It is also very rocky & steep so strollers are not feasible. Also, for those of you who geocache, Pole Steeple is an Earthcache! [EDIT: 3/31/12: This earthcache has been archived, but you should still visit anyways. Life is about the journey!] ... Why is it called Pole Steeple? Well, I had to do some research to find out! After reading Falcon Guide's Hiking Pennsylvania, I now know why it is called Pole Steeple! Way back, Boy Scouts hiked up to the steeple (definition: a pile of rocks) to mount a flag pole on the cliffs. The flag is long gone but the name stuck & the view is still great!

After climbing we went down to check out Laurel Lake which also has a swim area sectioned off for day use. Both Fuller & Laurel Lakes were used in earlier times as iron ore quarry which have now filled up with spring (cold) fed water. It's a welcome site on a hot day.

Other local attractions include the Appalachian Trail. The park actually marks the midpoint of the AT for those attempting to thru-hike it. Rumor has it that it is tradition for thru-hikers to eat an entire half-gallon of ice cream when they reach the halfway mark. The AT can be accessed from several places throughout the park. Maps can be found at the park information center. There is also an A.Y.H. Hostel in the park which is mainly used by AT hikers.

Another local attraction is the Appalachian Trail Museum. It is the only one of its kind! It opened June 5, 2010 and is seeking to preserve the AT Heritage. They are looking for item donations from people who have hiked the trail & laypeople who just want to help out. They are closed Nov. 1 to Mar. 31 so now is the time to go if you don't want to wait until Spring! The museum is located near the AT midpoint.

So if you ever find yourself in Cumberland County, PA needing a peaceful retreat (although most of the county is pretty peaceful to begin with) head on over to Pine Grove Furnace State Park for a picnic, a swim, a hike, or a history lesson.


For more information on the places mentioned in this post:
* Pine Grove Furnace State Park, Gardners, PA.
* Appalachian National Scenic Trail.
* Appalachian Trail Museum.
* Appalachian Trail Conservancy.



The view of Laurel Lake from Pole Steeple (~400 ft higher).

Shikellamy State Park, Selinsgrove, PA.

On August 9, 2010, we headed west from the Delaware Valley towards Harrisburg. That in itself isn't very exciting. However there was an adventure awaiting us just north of Harrisburg.

First, anyone who has ever been on route 322 heading towards Penn State has seen the Statue of Liberty in the middle of the Susquehanna River. This replica statue is 25 feet tall & she is the second version of the statue to stand there (the first one was carried away by the river in the 1990's).

From there we crossed the river & headed north on 11/15. We went past the purple dragon & the Moccasin Trading Post. Perhaps the best part of our trip to Selinsgrove was being along the Susquehanna River while squeezed between mountains for an hour. The views were nice & the river was calm. The vegetation was green & the water was clean. There are many boat ramps & wildlife management areas along the river to promote environmental awareness & outdoor recreation.

Upon arriving in Selinsgrove we did a quick drive through of Susquehanna University. The old style buildings & trees on campus were a nice touch in what would otherwise be an urban cement prison in many other places (at least in the minds of college students). Heading still farther north we were surprised to see so many chain stores & restaurants along the highway after seeing none for over an hour.

We stopped for lunch at a place called Skeeter's Pit BBQ. It was the best BBQ food I have ever eaten in my life. In fact, I would make a special 2.5 hour trip out there just to eat the food again. I got the pulled chicken sandwich & it was absolutely delicious. The atmosphere of the restaurant was pretty mellow for a BBQ place. It had calming country music (not played so loudly you can't enjoy your company). It also provided both indoor & outdoor views of the Susquehanna River from atop the hill. The place also has strange but interesting looking bathrooms. Good strange, not bad.

After lunch we headed out to Shikellamy State Park. There are 2 portions to the park, the overlook & the island (Packer's Island). We went to the overlook first. The overlook part of the park has 3 overlooks at different elevations, ranging from about 700-800 ft, or approximately 100-200 ft above the local road & river. We started at the lowest one & worked our way up to the highest one. Although each overlook provided essentially the same view, each overlook provided it from a different perspective. It is probably important to note that the overlook area of the park is closed from late-October to early-May.

After spending some time with the overlooks, we went down to Packer's Island, which is between the towns of Northumberland & Sunbury. Being in the middle of the river, the island had a nice breeze. The island also has a marina, several boat launch ramps, a butterfly garden, picnic areas, & walking/jogging paths. We stopped at a cement platform called The Pinnacle to take pictures & enjoy the nice breeze. (Did I mention the nice breeze? On a day where the heat index was in the high 90's, the breeze was very welcoming).

For the ride home we decided to avoid the Harrisburg rush hour traffic & go through the coal region.

Overall we had a nice peaceful day along the river with a delicious lunch.

More information on the places we stopped at:
* Skeeter's Pit BBQ
* Shikellamy State Park




The view of the overlooks from Packer's Island.


The view of Packer's Island from the overlooks.

The Lincoln Highway - The All Pennsylvanian Experience.

I am starting out my blog with a write up of a trip I took in 2009 across the southern half of the state.

There is just something about the Lincoln Highway that creates a strange desire to seek out anything weird. Not weird in a bad way, but weird in a corny, touristy way. And that same desire struck my boyfriend & I as we traversed the Lincoln Highway through Pennsylvania. But first, I will tell you about the reactions we got from people BEFORE going on the trip.

Among the many reactions we got upon telling people where we planned to go were:
- "What's the Lincoln Highway?"
- "Where is that?"
- "But there's nothing there!"
- "Why would you want to do that?"
- "But the turnpike is shorter."
But the answers to those questions are easy.

What is the Lincoln Highway?
The Lincoln Highway is the first transcontinental highway in the United States. It ran from New York City to San Francisco. It was the first chance for motorists to see America while staying on one road. Today that road is now somewhat in disrepair & roughly overlaps several major state & federal highways.

Where is that?
In Pennsylvania, it roughly follows Routes 1 & 30, which is probably only a hop skip & a jump away if you live in the southern portion of the state. In fact, once you get west of York County on Route 30, you encounter many red, white, & blue signs with a penny (Lincoln's head) on it that lead you in the right direction of the Lincoln Highway. You really can't miss it, unless of course you are blind, but then you wouldn't be driving. Onward.

But there's nothing there!
Oh, quite the contrary. I assure you, the Lincoln Highway is home to MANY things you simply cannot see anywhere else. You just can't. So unless you also have Gettysburg or a giant pied piper in your backyard, you are wrong to think there is nothing there.

Why would you want to do that?
Why the hell not? Just because it's not the beach, a roller coaster, or ridden with alcohol doesn't mean it can't be fun. In fact, it was a very fun trip that I would definitely do again.

But the turnpike is shorter.
Okay now granted the Pennsylvania Turnpike takes about 3 hours off the trip. But then you don't get to see anything exciting on your ride, except for maybe the wind farms in Somerset County, depending on your definition of exciting. Also, the Turnpike from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh has quite a toll on it. Over $21, depending where you get on & off . So why not put that extra $21 towards gas & take the exciting route? Why pay an extra 13 cents a mile if you don't have to. Besides, the turnpike is too cliché.


Now that we answered those ridiculous questions, I will tell more about the desire to seek out the weird. I came up with the idea, basically from reading the book Weird PA by Matt Lake. If you live in PA, & have not read this book, go borrow it from the library & you will have a desire to seek out the weird too. And it's not boring, it has lots of pictures, if that's any encouragement. Throughout the book I noticed that most of the strange & corny attractions were along the Lincoln Highway. So I consulted my boyfriend to see if he wanted to go, & he said yes.

Fast forward 3 months. We finally set off! We hopped on route 30 in Downingtown & headed west. At first it just felt like we were heading to school, & that's rather depressing. But once we passed the Millersville exit & crossed over the Susquehanna river, it began to feel more like an adventure. Once we got past York, PA, I was no longer familiar with the area, which made it feel more like an adventure, seeking to quench my thirsty desire for the unknown.

Our first major stop was Gettysburg. I feel ashamed that I have lived in Pennsylvania my whole life & never once been to Gettysburg. But I finally made it! And I was in for a surprise. I pictured it being quiet & respectful of the bloody battle fought here. But it was kind of the opposite. It was loud & touristy. With lots of drivers who wouldn't drive the speed limit or even seem to notice they weren't the only people there. It's about the same size as Valley Forge Park, but there are many, many more monuments. So many that we didn't get to check them all out for fear of not getting to our next destination in time. It was different than I thought it would be, but I intend to go back & finish being a tourist myself.

Our next major stop was Mr. Ed's Elephant Museum. You might think this sounds ridiculous. In fact you're probably going to close your browser right now, but just at least finish this paragraph first. Mr. Ed's is not your typical museum. First off, it's a tiny shack looking thing on the side of the road. In fact, you might just think it was some shady local candy joint. But good news, they have candy! And it's not shady. If you get a chance, buy some fudge, it's delicious. They also have a kids play room. Yes sounds stupid, but lots of fun for the kid at heart. But when you get into the actual elephant museum you aren't sure what to think. It's so amazing that you really can't even put your thoughts into words. You think, yea, sure, how great could thousands of elephant statues be? But there were so many (besides the fact they were closing) that I don't even know if I got a good look at all of them! Best of all, the magic is free.

We stopped somewhere in Chambersburg for dinner. But that's not important. The important part comes after that. Once you pass Ft. Loudon, your car begins to ascend the first mountain. Tuscarora Mountain - Elevation: 2123 ft. Now if you fear hilly, windy roads, this road is NOT for you. (In fact on the turnpike they warn truckers to beware of route 30 for this mountain. They even use an ellipsis [...] on the sign. They mean business). Also, if you have never driven the mountains before, do not panic if your engine temperature rises, just simply shift it down one gear during the ascent & descent. The views were amazing from the first mountain but the road was so windy that they were gone almost right after you saw them. But they really were amazing. But as the mountain can also tax a car, it can tax your body too. Especially if you are prone to ear popping or nose bleeding. But if you are willing to ignore those problems, then more power to you! We went up another mountain shortly after. Sideling Hill Mountain - Elevation: 2195 feet. But after this mountain you can descend to a hilly but somewhat constant elevation in Breezewood, Everett, & Bedford. In Everett, there is also a giant quarter on the side of the road, begging you to take it's picture.

We spent the night in Bedford. It was strange because the air was so clean compared to at home. Yes we were RIGHT next to the interstate & less than a mile from the turnpike, but the air was STILL cleaner. And it was still quieter, ironically. The next morning we stopped at the Bedford County Visitors Bureau since they never sent me my stuff. We grabbed the usual stuff & an overglorified brochure for Gravity Hill. We saw a giant coffee pot & took a picture of that. Then we headed for the town of Schellsburg. We turned at the only traffic light in town, then set off for Gravity Hill. It wasn't hard to find, but the directions are wrong in the sense that you come up on the end of it instead of the start. So you have to drive a mile or so down this windy narrow road in order to turn around. But we did it, & much to our joy, it works! After that we went back to Schellsburg. We took pictures of the giant Pied Piper statue & some gas pumps. I didn't mention this before but now is as good a time as any!: Along the Lincoln highway, between York & Ligonier (rough estimate) there are 22 vintage gas pumps that were painted for the Lincoln Highway. And there are several murals as well. Worth a look!

Upon departing Schellsburg we began our ascent up the biggest mountain of our trip. Bald Knob Mountain - Elevation: 2906 ft. I later came to find out this is a very well known geological feature called the Allegheny Front. But about halfway up is the site of Grand View Point Lookout. There are plenty of places to pull over on either side of the road. You get out & there is a breath taking view. Supposedly on a clear day you can see 3 states (PA, MD, & WV) & seven counties. And we had a clear day. And there are just so many ridges of mountains that I'm positive we could see WV on that day. This was also the former site of the SS Grand View Ship Hotel. But in 2001 it burned down because the people who owned it felt the need to leave a TV on in there, & it started a fire (that's the rumor anyways). This is also the site of an important geological feature called the Allegheny Front (read as: super steep incline). The Lookout Point is literally halfway up the front... On the way down the mountain we passed a huge wind farm. I'm for wind energy & all, but it just totally ruins any nice views that were previously there. And they are rather distracting being so close to the road. We also passed a giant Praying Mantis statue & a giant Double Bicycle statue.

At the bottom of the mountain we reached Stoystown & Jennerstown before ascending the final mountain. (Laurel Ridge) Ligonier Mountain - Elevation: 2684 ft. Now by the end of this last mountain my ears had had enough of the pressure/altitude changes. They must have popped a million times at this point. At the bottom of the mountain we passed Ft. Ligonier followed by Ligonier. I hate to admit that for lunch we stopped at McDonald's, but we were starving & it was the first thing we saw that we were sure was cheap food for college kids on a road trip budget. We continued driving & in North Huntingdon Township we arrived at the Big Mac Museum. This is really just a hyped up McDonald's with a bunch memorabilia in glass casing. But we did manage to get a picture of the giant Big Mac in the play place.

We continued our journey into Pittsburgh. My boyfriend wasn't too thrilled about this part since he had seen Pittsburgh 2 other times this summer. But I was excited because I've never been there! We continued to follow Route 30 into West Virginia & Ohio. We went over this super shady bridge (literal & metaphorical). This completed our Lincoln Highway journey.

On the trip we also got lost in a random neighborhood in Pittsburgh which wasn't where we were supposed to be at all. And we did take the turnpike on the way home. But the trip was truly an experience. It was relaxing, but inspiring. It was a side of Pennsylvania that most people don't ever get to see in their lifetime. And sadly, most people don't even know it exists. But the Lincoln Highway is a magical place that I hope to travel again sometime, maybe even in full one day, completely across the country. But for now, I will settle for all the happy memories from the Pennsylvanian stretch of the nation's oldest highway.

More information on places mentioned in this blog:
* Gettysburg, PA
* Mister Ed's Elephant Museum (site does have ads & pop-ups)
* Bedford County Visitors Bureau
* Gravity Hill, PA
* McDonald's Big Mac Museum
* Lincoln Highway Heritage Corridor (for all things Lincoln Highway)

Pennsylvania: The Keystone State.

Pennsylvania is a very diverse state. It has diverse people, food, regions, geography, places, & things to do. Because of this diversity, there is an endless number of things to do throughout the state. The most well known travel site for Pennsylvania (PA if you're a local) is: http://www.visitpa.com/

My goal is to provide a more in-depth look at some of the well known & not so well known places through out the state that mean something to locals & visitors alike.

Now I will start everyone off with some fun facts & trivia about Pennsylvania:
- The name"Pennsylvania" means Penn's Woods, after William Penn.
- Pennsylvania has many nicknames including The Keystone State, The Quaker State, The Coal State, The Steel State, & The Oil State.
- The capital of Pennsylvania is Harrisburg.
- Major cities in Pennsylvania (by population) are: Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown, Erie, Reading, Bethlehem, Scranton, Lancaster, Harrisburg, Altoona, Wilkes-Barre, York, State College, & Chester.... just to name a few.
- Pennsylvania has 67 counties, 117 state parks, 20 state forest districts, & 14 state universities.
- Pennsylvania has 45,000 miles of rivers & streams including Delaware River, Schuylkill River, Susquehanna River, Juniata River, Allegheny River, Monongahela River, & Ohio River.
- At 3213 feet, Mount Davis is Pennsylvania's highest point. The lowest point is 0 ft along the Delaware River.
- Pennsylvania's most prominent ethnic backgrounds are German, Irish, Italian, English, & Polish.
- Pennsylvania is known for many things including cheesesteaks, the Amish, & covered bridges.

I hope you enjoyed some brief facts about this wonderful state & continue to read this blog to learn more about all that Pennsylvania has to offer.

Note: Most of my blogs will have the great outdoors, food, & other corny touristy attractions as their main theme; although, when possible I will incorporate other more or less well known places.