Pine Creek Gorge of Northern Pennsylvania

     I think someone with great marketing skills came up with the misnomer, "The Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania", to attract tourists to the Pine Creek Gorge. In my opinion it has no unique outstanding qualities. The gorge was on my way to upstate New York. So I visited and biked 35 miles round trip on their Pine Creek Rail Trail from Ansonia to Blackwell.

Looks like State Highway 6, doesn't it? The first seven miles of this trail is dual-purpose; horses on the right, bikes on the left.

Tourists can pay for a two-hour "covered wagon" ride.

There were a handful of dry creeks that spilled down to Pine Creek.

Here's another one with a tiny waterfall.

Sporadic bed of ferns here and there.

Kept hoping the scenery would improve but all I got was a dirty and more dirty and very dirty bike.

Saw this big bird perched high above Pine Creek. Anybody know what it is? Golden Eagle?

Saw this approximately 4-inch radius survey marker. Click here for information.

On the bright side, there was an outstanding sunrise the next day! In fact, the "red sky in the morning" correctly called "sailors' warning" because it rained and blew hard later in the day.

The Lehigh Gorge in Northern Pennsylvania

     Since my favorite sports are paddling, riding and hiking, I signed-up for a "Big Day Out". Pocono Biking would provide three meals, a 25-mile bike ride, an 8-mile rafting trip down the Lehigh River, and a hike to an overlook. There were 40 of us. We all got fitted with a rental bike. Yes indeed I can ride a regular non-electric bike!

     Within the first 100 yards of the Lehigh Gorge Trail, I was smitten. Many rock outcroppings, little water falls, and zillions of Rhododendron blooms.

For the next 25 miles, blooms and more blooms and more blooms.

And fantastic outcroppings. The tree is straight, the rocks are crooked.

And pink colored rocks.

And pretty tree trunks.

And fern-infused hills. 

All 40 of us stopped here; this little lady couldn't turn off her iPhone.

We visited an old lock and dam along the river.

This was an interesting pair.

See anything dangerous in this retaining wall along the trail?

Here's a close-up of the Timber Rattler.

Click here for an explanation of why rattlers are symbolic on flags.

We finished our bike ride at an abandoned railroad tunnel and began our hike.

And the hike too included zillions of blooms!

When we reached the overlook, folks crowded for their chance at the overlook ledge for the pre-requisite photo.

Then all 40 mostly novice paddlers boarded rafts. Fortunately, the section we paddled didn't require any experience.

I would have preferred to paddle my ski and be with these folks however.

The next day, I returned to do the northern section of the bike trail; eight miles up and back. It wasn't as nice, but it was woodsy.

No Rhododendrens, but these flowers were a good consolation prize.

Looked for a moose in a pond called "Moose Lake".

The classic woodsy ferns were everywhere.

I said "Adios" to the Lehigh Gorge, a beautiful part of Pennsylvania, and then headed north through the Susquehanna Valley.

    From the quaint historic town of Jim Thorpe, driving north, I eventually found myself in another historic town called Towanda. I stopped in Towanda to use their library to write this post. From the moment I crossed the Susquehanna River and drove into Towanda, I was amazed at the well-preserved historic buildings. They're repairing the courthouse's rotunda. Inside, it's beautiful but they wouldn't allow cameras inside.

     This town is not only revitalizing its historical buildings, but lots of folks are walking downtown. It appears to survive with little mom and pop businesses. The town's library where I am writing this post, has a slate and copper roof.

Here's the front of the library.

Frank Welles had a successful career with Western Electric in Belgium and France. His grandparents built this home in 1814 across the street from the library.

     On my walk to the library (there is no parking lot), I approached a group of kiddies and their teacher on the sidewalk and asked if that building was the library, because it sure didn't look like a library to me. They assured me it was the library (belatedly saw the explanatory sign in front). I casually asked where they were all headed this beautiful afternoon. They said "Swimming at the Y". I stopped in my tracks, "There's a YMCA pool here?" And they said Yes! Well, well, well . . . I think I'll spend another day here!

History Lesson on the Road

     I love back roads. This morning on a little country road approaching the historic little village of Alburtis (south of Allentown, Pennsylvania), I saw an unassuming sign "???? Furnace Park". Unassuming things always get my attention, so I turned around and entered the woodsy little driveway. What is a furnace park, I asked myself? What I saw eventually made me more curious. It all resembled Greek ruins.

     Initially I couldn't figure what it was all about. But it looked ancient and purposeful at one time in the past.

This sign below explained a lot. I could imagine hundreds of local citizens working here at the Lock Ridge Furnace (click for fascinating story of its history).

And while it may have been dangerous to work here with hot molten iron (poured as pig iron), the "perks" were good.

This sign shows all the buildings, engines and stacks that were once here, and those that remain are "white-filled".

Surrounding this wonderful ancient complex is a loop trail.

It was a reverent meaningful walk through history. As I walked back to La Lair, a train tooted its horn.

Beating the Heat Wave

     When I said "au'voir and adios" to my parents, sister and brother-in-law near Baltimore, Maryland, I was looking at a stretch of 90-degree heat before me.  I had planned to bike the Torrey C. Brown Rail Trail just north of Baltimore, but the heat was oppressive. I stopped at Bicycle Connection in Cockeysville where the trail begins. I asked them if the trail was shady, scenic and worthwhile on such a hot day. They said "Yes!" on all three counts. So that sealed the deal, I would bike despite the oppressive heat. I parked at the busy trailhead. But oddly, I didn't see many folks on the trail for the next three hours.

What a pleasant surprise to feel cool thermals on this trail with ferns.

Several rock outcroppings, too, with more cool thermals!

A very pleasant shady woodsy bike ride, 20 miles up to the Mason-Dixon Line, and 20 miles back.

Several bridge crossings, too, over streams and creeks. Saw a few paddlers and tubers, too.

Lots of little villages along the trail with old historic homes.

Between these little villages with historic buildings and homes were woodsy country roads with one-lane bridges.

Stopped at one of the cute little villages, Parkton, where I met these two bicyclists.

The "pedestrian-only" bridge is over 100 years old. A woman who lived near the bridge was decorating the bridge for an upcoming "Bridge Party".

It was an enjoyable 40-mile bike ride to beat the heat.

Let's Get Away From It All

Sing along with me, "Let's take a plane to Nassau . . . .

Let's take a boat to a Bahamian reef . . . .

We'll SCUBA dive from reef to reef . . . .

This time we'll look at the clouds too . . . .

No need to come back at all!