5. Scenic roads in southwestern Pennsylvania
Day 13 - Friday, June 30, 2000
Hurrah - a day without a drop of rain!
A pleasant night, a quiet campground, outside temperature in the high fifties. Woke up at 7 AM, but dozed off again and didn't get up until 9 AM. A great shower in the comfortable bathhouse, a rich breakfast, used Sprint PCS for e-mail, updated the journal, used the office phone for a modem connection and uploading, dumped grey water, cleaned the cabin - it was 12:15 PM before I hit the road.
Took US 11 north through the pretty little town of Williamsport, MD then SR 68 (mostly scenic) to I 70 (also scenic) then US 30 east and SR 915 (very scenic) through Pennsylvania's Buchanan State Forest. Beautiful valleys, easy mountain roads, SR 26, US 30, and finally US 220 on the way to Johnstown.
Visited the Johnstown Flood National Memorial (documentary movie is shown evey hour on the hour) and drove along what once was the shoreline of the infamous South Fork Lake. When the dam broke in 1889, some 3,000 people were lost.
Found pretty little backroads that ultimately led me (after many detours) to the Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site. Definitely worth a visit. The visitors center is a "must see" in order to appreciate the engineering feats that had to be accomplished to cut the travel time from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh from 23 days to 4. One would take a packet boat from Philadelphia to Hollidaysburg. The boat consisted of three sections, wich were taken apart in the Johnstown canal basin. Each section was then loaded on a railcar (passengers remained on board) and the railcar was then portaged across the Allegheny Mountains using cables and stationary steam engines, steam locomotives, and horses. The boat sections were then reassembled in Johnstown and continued their journey on the Main Line to Pittsburgh.
My next stop was the Horseshoe Curve National Historic Landmark. The curve opened in 1854 and revolutionalized rail travel - the Allegheny Mountains had been conquered and the portage railroad became obsolete overnight. The two sides of the arc are almost parallel. There is an observation area at the center of the arc - it is reached by a funicular ride or 194 stairs. Guess which way I went up . . .
There wasn't much rail travel, just some helper engines and a couple of freight trains.
When railroads were at their peak, more than 200 trains a day would use the four tracks to go through the Horseshoe. There are only three tracks now and fewer than 70 trains per day. Trees have grown along the right-of-way, so it's no longer possible to sit in the first car and watch the people in the last car appear to go in the opposite direction.
Followed the tracks down to Altoona, once a major railroad town, now struggling to find a reason for continuing to exist. Then headed north on US 220 to SR 350 and the Bald Eagle campsite. Nice sites, fairly private, fire rings and picnic tables, electricity but no water, modest bathhouse, $15.00.
Was on the road for 6 hours, drove 195 miles. Enjoyed scenic southwestern Pennsylvania.
Day 14 - Saturday, July 1, 2000
The last day of this trip - and perhaps the weather gods were trying to make up for all the grief they had caused me. A clear and cool night, a morning temperature of 52F, and then the sun came out and raised the temperature into the seventies.
Slept well until 8 AM, ate whatever breakfast food was left, and hit the road at 10:45 AM. Took the rather pretty US 220 north to I 80 and then I 80 east home.
The drive through the Poconos and then the Delaware Water Gap was quite scenic. Eastbound traffic was rather light, but not westbound. Approaching the Delaware Water Gap from the east - 14 miles of stopped traffic.
Took a photo from one of the overlooks in New Jersey - I thought you might like to see that New Jersey isn't only toxic waste dumps and freeways.
Pulled into my driveway at 2:45 PM. Drove 225 miles and was on the road for four hours.
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Epilogue
Traveled 3,020 miles over 14 days. Burned 192 gallons of gasoline, at a total cost of $300. Averaged 15.7 miles per gallon. Stayed at 13 campgrounds at a total cost of $189.
I hope you have enjoyed this journal and your virtual trip with me. Why not send me an e-mail and I'll be happy to let you know whenever a new or modified journal (section) has been uploaded. Just make sure that I always have a valid e-mail address for you.
Rev 08/24/03