Day Sixty-Four & Sixty-Five - A Summer of Bluegrass, Camping and Friends - Sunday 6/30/2024 - Monday 7/1/2024

I enjoyed my last walk on the grounds. They are so big that I never had an issue getting my 4-miles in and I could vary my route everyday!

The thunderstorm the night before, left a few things ruined. These are just a few things that did not survive the storm!

We departed the Grange Park in Centre Hall late morning. We had to take a different route, because the 2nd annual 70.3 Happy Valley Triathlon was using Mount Nitney as part of the bike course! We had a couple choices and decided to take PA 45 east to Route 15A. We took this route to see Jack & Jackie and Dwight & Marie, earlier in the week.

Charlie likes this route, he said it feels like he is driving on Route 20 in NY.

Woodward Camp is a sleep away summer camp. It was founded in 1970 by Edward Isabelle, who was an All-American gymnast, and head gymnastics coach at Penn State in State College, PA. However, in recent years the camp is attempting to become the global leader in action sports and axed the programs (gymnastics and cheer) because they are not complementary to the core of action sports. Notice that the sign has 4 black rectangles, but only 2 sports shown. At it's world-class facilities they are currently offering summer camps and weekend retreats for skateboarding, multisport, BMX, scooter, and parkour. It costs around $1,500 for a week at Camp Woodward!

 

It was Sunday, so no Amish working the fields or laundry hanging out, but we did see a few coming home from church!

How many times have you driven down the road and seen a roadside spring? Typically located along hillsides, low-lying areas or at the base of slopes. These springs, for generations, have served nearby residents or wayward travelers. Some have been prettied up with stone or concrete to give them a manicured look.

Hickernell Spring is one of several natural spring-fed water sources that people use to fill water bottles for free, likely assuming that water quality is sufficient because it comes from a mountain spring. Interestingly, at Hickernell a sign is posted that reads: “Warning: This water has not been tested. Drink at your own risk.” This natural spring along Route 45 near the Union-Centre County line tested positive for chloroform in 2013 and had a higher than average pH level.

We headed north on Route 15 in Lewisburg. This is a familiar route to us, as we have traveled north on it many times since moving to Florida almost 20 years ago. Once we got to the top of the hill near Harrisburg, you can see the rain off in the distance!

We spent out overnight in Ives Run in Tioga PA. On Monday morning, I enjoyed my last walk at Ives Run for this year. After some coffee and breakfast outside, we headed into Mansfield for haircuts and a bit of grocery shopping.

We decided to stay true to our desire for two lane roads and took PA 287 West to PA 249 North. PA 249 turns into NY 36 at the PA / NY border.

The small towns along this route are very patriotic! Normally you see these banners in the towns. These were along Route 36 for miles!

There were also several Amish farms and homes along this route!

It was a pretty drive, but also a walk down memory lane for Charlie.

We went through Jasper. Jasper was a town where Charlie's Grandpa lived. When his Grandmother passed away, Charlie and his family moved into Grandpa's house to help him.

Between Jasper and Canisteo is a local bar called the Kill Buck Inn. It is not a place Charlie frequented, but it is a marker for Charlie. 

About a quarter of a mile beyond this establishment is where as a young child, Charlie fell out of a car. HE went out of the car with such force, his buckle shoe was pulled off, but he did not break any bones. He spent several days in the hospital and was not released until he was able to run up and down the halls! He has a memory of the event, but the scar on his forehead is the biggest reminder!

We came into the town of Canisteo. Canisteo is the home to the World's Largest Living Sign. As noted by the Registry of Historic Places in 2004. It was a historic civic project built by Ed Childs and Harry Smith and donated to the Canisteo School District. The sign has an almost perfect north/south axis and is still used today as a navigational aid by the armed services to orient the true north when flying over it. The living sign was originally laid out in 1933, and Scotch Pine seeds were planted in 1934. Unfortunately, it had to be cleared in April of 2016 due to the number of dying trees, and replanting began a month later, in May 2016.

Charlie's Aunt Cora lived in Canisteo and he said he once dated a "wild girl" from Canisteo.

We traveled through Hornell. His Dad was in St James Hospital in Hornell when Charlie and a couple of his brothers and sisters got into a car a drove straight back from Colorado. Charlie's sister Mary has some great stories about this fast trip back to New York.

In Arkport Charlie used to buy his snowmobiles here. Between Arkport and Dansville are the muck fields. We always called them muck, now they call it "organic soil." Either way it is some of the best soil to grow vegetables and other crops.

On the right is acres of muck.

In Mt Morris there are several murals. There is a mural that honors first responders.

Another mural features two monarch butterflies, along with many brightly colored flowers.

We turned off Route 36 onto Route 20. We arrived at Darien Lakes State Park, our home for 6 nights. Again, Charlie got his shade!