July 19, 2021 “Grand Canyon” Of Pennsylvania

Canyon Country Campground Wellsboro, Pennsylvania

I woke up and could hear Tim outside tinkering.  I waited until I thought there might a warm fire and hot coffee ready before I crawled out of my warm sleeping bag.  The coffee was delicious…the fire never quite got started.  It was really dewy and foggy this morning.

We drove back to the RV and showered and unpacked.  Not much later, we were on the road again.  We traveled several hours east, passing through small towns with main streets and town squares.  We passed lots of barns and churches too.

We arrived this afternoon in Wellsboro.  This is the home of the “Grand Canyon” of Pennsylvania or the Pine Creek Gorge.  The Indians called this place the “River of Pines.  In the 1800’s logging operations began and the pines along the creek are long since gone. 

We took a one-mile hike from the campground to the overlooks at Leonard Harrison State Park.  The canyon rim sits 800 feet above the water.  It was hazy today but the views were still expansive.

In 1933, Franklin D. Roosevelt, having just been elected, initiated the program of the Civilian Conservation Corps.  This program fed and clothed men who in turn helped to build state parks and plant trees. 

I had fun trying to capture images of the buzzards catching thermals.

Tim was happy that I made salmon cakes for dinner…one of his favorites!

July 18, 2021 Finally…Tent Camping!

Kane RV Sites AND Jakes Rocks

We woke up and it wasn’t raining.  The forecast was for a cloudy morning with gradual clearing.  We got our morning exercise finished and then we packed for an overnight roof top tent camping adventure.

We stopped at Kinzua Point for lunch.

We went back to Jakes Rocks and found a nice site tucked back off of the road.  We enjoyed a peaceful afternoon with a couple of short walks.

Tim found this hollow log.  It made a perfect chimney for our fire. 

The evening was pleasant and peaceful.  We made omelets for dinner accompanied by some sangria and some good conversation.  We were glad to be able to enjoy the forest in this way appreciating the complete quietness of it!

July 17, 2021 Roadblock

Kane RV Sites Kane, Pennsylvania Day 3

More rain…relentless, heavy rain…all morning!  I could have wrapped up in a raincoat and taken an umbrella to go out and walk but it was sheets of rain…yuck!

Tim went to NAPA and was able to find the parts and then fix the headlight.

At 12:15, the rain stopped.  I got ready quickly.  The forecast showed a dry window until about 2pm…on your mark, get set, go!

I decided to make two laps around the park and get 4 miles in.  I knew that it was supposed to rain again all afternoon.  I did 3.33 miles in 60 minutes.  I did an additional mile but at a slightly slower pace and finished 4 miles in just under 73 minutes.  I am starting to move faster and that is COOL!

Tim was ready to get out of the RV for a while.  We went for another Jeep ride on forest service roads…still in search of the perfect tent camping site. 

With all the recent rain here, the streams are running fast and muddy!

We drove through the forest for about two hours and we still hadn’t found anything worthy.  We were ready to go back and it was intermittently raining.  The first road that should have led us out of the forest and to the main road was gated.  We found another way out.  We were less than a mile away from the highway when a driver coming from the opposite direction stopped us to tell us that the road was impassable.  A tree, he said, had fallen across the road, obstructing our route.  We wanted to go and see it for ourselves.  It was actually 4 large oak trees.

The ground is so saturated that the trees just tipped over.

Just as we had resigned ourselves to a really long drive back through the forest, another truck approached from the opposite direction.  The guy in the truck had called his cousin Joe, and he reported that he was the calvary on the way to rescue us.  Now this guy was weaving and bobbing and sipping a beer.  My vote was to start back.  It was a really long ride…maybe an hour and a half.  If the obstruction was removed, we were less than ½ mile from the highway.  Tim wanted to wait and see what happened next.  Cousin Joe showed up in about 20 minutes.  It was immediately clear that he knew how to use a chainsaw.  His chain was sharp and the saw cut through the large trees like butter.   

In 15 minutes, the road was clear.  Tim and the other guy worked to move the debris from the road and finally we were on our way again.   

On the way back to the RV, Tim suggested dinner out.  This is the third night in a row…that NEVER happens.  We returned to Table 105 where we enjoyed another delicious meal. 

July 16, 2021 Kinzua Skywalk

Kane RV Sites Kane, Pennsylvania Day 2

A pleasant morning walk in a pleasant town.  From the campground, all the way through town, past the train depot, and around Evergreen Park and back.  A good three-mile walk. 

Wolf pride is everywhere.

It is also obvious that the people here care about the town.  It is clean and places are well kept.  There are very few businesses that are shuttered and those that are have artful displays in the windows.  There are lots of churches and posters advertising outreach programs.  It seems like a thriving community!

The campground is directly across from the hospital…we thought we might hear ambulances but it is very quiet here. 

Old truck along the way.

We spent our morning at Kinzua Skywalk.  This railroad viaduct was built in the late 1800’s.  At that time, it was the longest and tallest bridge of its kind; 310 feet above the stream below. In 1900, the bridge was rebuilt to accommodate heavier and longer trains.  The bridge stayed in service for a long time afterward and a state park was built to showcase this engineering marvel.  In 2003, an F1 tornado sheared the anchor bolts and in two minutes, one half of the bridge was destroyed.   The bridge was repurposed as a skywalk supported by the remaining bridge pillars.  We walked to the end and peered out over the gorge.  The debris from the damaged portion of the bridge lays in the bottom.  It was left as a sobering reminder of the power of nature.

We drove from the viaduct to Twin Lakes.  We had a simple lunch, protein bars and water, and then took a walk around the lake.

It rained this afternoon…of course it did!  It was a time for resting and for making phone calls to family.

We had planned to cook tonight but we decided to get out for awhile instead.  We had our dinner at The Lodge and it was fine.

After eating we took muddy Jeep trails in the rain…still searching for a tent camping spot…if we ever have a dry day!

July 15, 2021 Welcome To Kane – A Star In The Forest

Kane RV Sites Kane, Pennsylvania

What a gorgeous morning for a walk.  The camp host told us that today was the first dry day in the past four weeks. 

I did 3.25 HILLY miles in 60 minutes.  A little itty-bitty snail was my only walking companion. 

After breakfast, we drove the Longhouse Scenic Byway all the way to Kane.  The campground is unremarkable but it had a spot for us and because all of the state parks and national forest campgrounds are booked on the weekends…we feel lucky to be here!  We needed to be in town anyway to get laundry done and shop for groceries and that is how we spent our day.

One of the things we really like to do when we are in a new town is to shop in unfamiliar stores and find things to try.  People come from hours away to shop at Bell’s Meat Market.  They boast a selection of 40 different kinds of sausage and something they call grillers which is chicken breast stuffed with Virginia baked ham, Swiss cheese, and sausage all wrapped in bacon and ready for your grill!  Needless to say, we steered clear of all that unhealthy stuff.  We saw this jar of pickled turkey gizzards and although we like to try new things…we left them on the shelf!

It is also nice to have internet and cell service.  We were able to make some calls and get some cleaning done as well.

We went into Kane for dinner at Table 105.  We both had delicious meals…thanks mom for the birthday dinner!

After our meal, we walked through town. 

The high school mascot is the wolf and most of the area businesses had wolf flags and posters in their storefront windows.

This statue of a mama wolf and her pups sits on the corner and is dedicated to E. H. McCleery, the father of the endangered species movement.

We stopped at That Natural Store and bought some museli and some homemade organic lemon pomegranate super bars. 

It was a lovely evening for a stroll.

July 14, 2021 Morrison Trail

Dewdrop Campground Allegheny National Forest Warren, Pennsylvania Day 3

We slept in and then I took a short walk in the campground while Tim did his morning workout.  After breakfast, we drove up to Jake’s Rocks to post the blog and check the weather.  We wanted to hike the Morrison Trail today…but it was raining…of course it was raining!  The weather forecast indicated that once this rain passed over it was going to be a nice day…hallelujah!

The Morrison Trail is a 5.8-mile loop.  Our original intention was to walk in for 2 miles or about 45 minutes and then retrace our steps and return to the Jeep.  This trail was so pretty though.  It followed Morrison Run.  We were feeling good, and having an adventure and so we decided that we would hike the whole loop!  Everyone knows that it is NOT a proper adventure if there isn’t an element of challenge…we found ours!  The trail followed the stream into dense forest with lush ferns and tall hemlocks and white pines. 

There were several stream crossings.  The water was really rushing due to all the recent rainfall.  We had made about a dozen or so.  As we made progress the stream became wider and deeper.  It became trickier to find a good place to cross.  At this bend, there was no good place to get across and keep our feet dry.  We finally took our shoes off and looped them around our necks.  We tucked our socks into our pockets and we forged our way in the icy cold water.  It was fun!  We were on an adventure after all…if we wanted an easy walk, we could have found a sidewalk or a treadmill…this was a challenge!

We got to the second place where the water was wide and we removed our socks and shoes again.  The third time we found ourselves contemplating whether to take our shoes off yet again, then the heavens opened and it started to pour.  We stood against some bigger trees and we were protected from most of the rain.  We knew that taking our shoes off at each crossing was taking a lot of time.  We still had 3 miles to walk!  So, at that third crossing, we slogged across the stream in our shoes.  It turned out to be a good choice because there were six other deep and wide crossings after that!  We just hiked with water oozing out of our shoes.  We were still having fun!  We were in a beautiful place by ourselves and we were adventuring! 

We saw a frog.

Flora of the day.

This fungus was about 18 inches in diameter and about 2 feet high. 

I have more than 21,000 steps today.  I feel tired but I feel good! 

July 13, 2021 Rimrock Trail

Dewdrop Campground Allegheny National Forest Warren, Pennsylvania Day 2

It was raining again…I put on Tim’s raincoat and when the rain slacked off, I went for my walk.  I think that we are going to start mildewing or sprouting moss; it is so very moist here!  It did stop raining and I was able to walk my three miles after all.  Sometimes, you just have to make yourself!

A campground host with a sense of humor….soft tacos…hahaha!!!

Later in the morning, we hiked the Rimrock Trail.  It was rated easy to moderate.  Although the climb was initially gradual, it was 1.3 miles up the hill.  We saw several deer.

So many moths flying about today.

And a chipmunk that was very brave and quite close to the trail.

The last quarter mile was particularly steep and there were small steps to climb to get to the overlook.  It was pretty albeit cloudy. 

Breathtaking views from the top.

We were standing on the rocks at the top and Tim considered climbing down when he noticed a ball of snakes.  We think they are ribbon snakes.

Tim caught me peering over the edge at the snakes…such a cool thing to find!

Lots of cool mushrooms…wish I knew which ones were edible…neither one of us wanted to be a taste tester!

We went back to the RV and packed lunch and took it back to Jake’s Rocks.  This is the only place that we have phone service.  We needed to make reservations for the weekend and we had other calls to make as well.  We also posted the blog.

It was late afternoon when we got back.  We had wanted to have an overnight tent camping experience but the forecast was for rain and we decided to try on Wednesday instead.  We were very glad that we changed our plans.  At 5pm there was thunder and lightning and heavy rain.  It rained all evening. 

We have been lucky to spend at least part of everyday outside.  Hopefully tomorrow we will have some sunshine!

July 12, 2021 Happy 65^th Birthday Tim!

Dewdrop Campground Allegheny National Forest Warren, Pennsylvania

It rained most of the night. At around 8, it was only occasionally dripping so I went to go for my walk.  Everything was soppy and damp but I was able to get it done.

It was a soggy morning as we headed out.  We were headed into Allegheny National Forest and we hoped to find camping.

On our way, we stopped at Kinzua Dam. 

At Dewdrop Campground, there was an open, first come first serve, non-reservable site with no hookups.  It was a large wooded site and it was perfect…and the best part…$10.00 a night with Tim’s senior discount!

We packed a lunch and left to go and see Jake’s Rocks.   The view of the Allegheny Resrvoir was gorgeous from the overlooks.

What kind of bird is this?  We have no service so I cannot use my app.

We hiked at the rocks. 

Ghost pipe.

A bird flew right out of its nest from the hole in this rock.

We took a few forest roads; we were looking for a tent camping site for an overnight adventure.  When it began to rain again, it was time to go back.

Tonight, we celebrated.  First, we got an email from the cardiologist.  She and I have been playing phone tag since Thursday evening.  I knew that the preliminary report for my arterial CTA scan was “fine”.  What I did not know, is what that meant.  I had lots of questions and when it became apparent that the doctor and I were not going to have an actual conversation, I sent her a list of my questions.  My scan really was fine!  My calcium score was 3 and there was no narrowing of vessels.  The doctor doesn’t think I ever had a silent heart attack!  What an incredible relief…I feel so grateful!

Secondly, we celebrated Tim’s birthday.  I am so very fortunate to be doing life with this good man.  Everything good in my life begins with him.   

The Best Part Of The Day

July 11, 2021 Chapman State Park Clarendon, Pennsylvania Day 2

We knew that the forecast was for rain.  I walked the perimeter of Chapman Lake, 2 miles all the way to the end and then back.  Good rolling hills and beautiful views of the water made it a really great way to start the day. 

Canadian geese are park residents, much to the chagrin of the rangers and the people who come to use the beach.  The geese really like it here and consider this their home.  They can apparently become quite aggressive.  There are flyers posted in the park encouraging visitors to be “Goose Busters”.   The rangers have tried several legal ways to get the geese to leave.  They have used pyrotechnics, trained dogs, and other aversive methods.  Each works for a while and then, once the geese become accustomed to whatever nasty noise or visual disturbance, they go right back to it…frightening guests and claiming the beach.  Rangers want people NOT to feed the geese and instead to harass them, by clapping, waving arms, and yelling at the geese.  People are also welcome to return during hunting season…

The geese like to sit on the overflow dam.  Yesterday every step was filled with geese.   Today, only the top step was occupied.

As I got back to the campground there were a few drips of rain.  Tim finished his workout and then hopped on his bike to cycle around.

We decided to drive into town which wasn’t very much and then we drove a little further into Warren.  This is the home of a large oil refinery.  We found a small grocery store that had decent produce and we found a wine store and our shopping was done.  It started to really rain.  We debated having lunch in town but we knew that we could eat a lot healthier if we went back to the RV instead.

It rained all afternoon.  A nice day for reading and embroidering and napping.

Hearts Content

July 10, 2021 Chapman State Park Clarendon, Pennsylvania

I had an energizing morning walk in the woods.  The healing and restorative powers of nature allows us to leave the worries of the past several weeks behind…and breathe.  Tim has always sworn that we will live longer because we spend this time outdoors, traveling the way that we do.  It must be good for blood pressure and I know that I feel better when I walk someplace lovely.  Oh, and these hills are going to be really good for the gluts!

The state park campgrounds were very full this weekend.  We did plan ahead and reserve a site at Chapman State Park before we even left home.  We made the short drive from Cook Forest and had lunch by Chapman Lake while we were waiting for our campsite to be ready.  We had picked up sweet cherries from a produce stand along the way and we ate them with tangy goat cheese and rosemary flatbread.

After some quiet time, we took the Jeep out to explore.  We took gravel forest roads and some muddy dirt roads as well…old logging roads and roads that led to defunct oil rigs.

We stopped at Hearts Content Scenic Recreation Area, aptly named because it certainly makes my heart happy when someone long ago decided to preserve something for future generations.  This 120-acre parcel was given to the state by a logging family.  Here 400-year-old timber stands undisturbed for “inspiration and scientific study”.  The forest was dense and dark and almost chilly and smelled of earth and pine.  The logs and rocks were covered in thick layers of moss and fungi.  The trees were white pine, hemlock, and hardwoods. 

We hiked through, in awe of the size and majesty of these big old trees. 

The tiniest orange mushrooms stood out in stark contrast to the lush greenery.

We learned that the ferns in this forest are abundant because the deer do not eat them.  The deer population here is large and the deer eat the new shoots, shrubs, and new saplings.  There is concern that as old trees die, new ones will not survive to replace them.

We grilled Mediterranean chicken and ate it with fresh corn on the cob and cantaloupe. 

This evening a volunteer gave a lecture on the timber rattlesnake in the amphitheater.  He was an excellent teacher and we learned a lot.