Central PA June 9-12 2008

Monday June 9

• Larry left Harlansburg at 7:10AM. Pit stop at Ebensburg McDonalds for breakfast. Arrived at Smitty's at 9:50AM. Smitty has Allison's Ford Fusion.
• Picked up Jim Spriggle, headed toward Hershey, PA and the Hershey Medical Center and his 1:00PM appointment. Arriving early (12:10PM), we had donuts and coffee at the Fractured Prune across the street from the medical center.
• Dropped Jim off for his eye appointment; Gene and Larry toured Hershey.
• Picked up Jim at 2:00PM and returned to Harrisburg. Gene needed to stop at a Sears Parts store to pick up an air pre-filter for his tractor. Garmin expertly guided us through the maze of twisty, turning freeways, all alike. Right to Sears, where Gene found his filter.
• We then decided to stop and smell the roses at . . .

FORT HUNTER MANSION AND PARK

• Continuing on, we made a stop in Mifflintown for Smitty to check out Columbia Northwest's Aliner campers at Juniata Valley RV.
• Picked up Jean and had dinner at Boxers.
• Dropped off Spriggles, toured Point Park. Got this picture of the Juniata River with my cell phone:
• Drove to Alexandria and . . .
  - dropped off the Ford Fusion at Allison's, Linda and Terry were there.
  - Paesano's for teaberry shakes.
  - Kurtz's to visit the new car and discovered the title finally arrived!
• Return to Schmitt House via Walmart, purchasing only a package of Reeses PB cups.
  Our restraint was admirable.

Tuesday June 10

• Breakfast at The Cafe; 516 Washington St:
  The Cafe is no longer using Longbottom Coffee because of high shipping costs from Oregon.
  They now get their coffee from Kiva Han in Cranberry, right down the street from the Costco we use.
• We took the nickel self-guided tour of Huntingdon and found they're doing an extreme remodelling job on Smitty's grade school:
• Tried to get to the Loop Tower off Williamsburg Mountain Road, but it was gated shut:
  

  The property is State Game Lands 118.
  Quite a few people have access to it, as can be seen by the number of locks on the gate.
  And the number of towers on the mountain.

  Note that four lock owners no longer have access to the road.

  The DCNR people told us the next day that the Loop Tower is still standing, as shown on their Rothrock map. So a hike up the road might be of interest at some later date.

  
  
• Gene heard that the Juniata Iron Works grist mill had fallen down. So we decided to check it out . . .

JUNIATA IRON WORKS, a.k.a. HATFIELD IRON WORKS
The site is in the National Register of Historic Places.
It's at the end of Berwick Forge Road (T477) off Alexandria Pike (PA4005) about 1.5 miles east of Alexandria. Grist Mill today September 3, 2003 (with terrible lighting and my original digital camera): First Ironmasters Mansion and Store/Postoffice today

• On through Alexandria to Alfarata, where we drove into the Short Mountain section of Rothrock State Forest by following, uhhh, Short Mountain Road. We didn't quite make it to the top because we ran into this gate guarded by a troll: According to the Pixie Tricks web site:

  Troll: This is the Scandanavian term for elf. Sometimes they are described as being hairy and ugly, although they are able to change their shape into anything they please. They are said to have lots of treasure, and live in beautiful palaces.

  Hmmm. That sounds about right. Except maybe about the shape changing thing. :-)
• Tour of back roads off US22 west of Water Street, including Etna Furnace and Lower Trail rest area.
• Subway sandwiches for lunch on the front lawn at the Schmitt House.
• 2:15PM 2002 Suzuki auto title/license plate transactions at AAA Huntingdon.
  
• Visited Dot Pollock in Belleville.
• Smitty made car insurance arrangements.
• Dinner at China Buffet next to Wally World.
• Picked up the new Suzuki, Larry driving the 160,000 mile Suzuki home.
  Gassed up the new Suzuki.
  Admired the new Suzuki.

Wednesday June 11

• Breakfast at Donna's. And Larry's cappuccino fix at The Cafe.
• 10:00AM Jim Spriggle pick up and on to Altoona.
• After backing into a stop sign and scratching the bumper of the new car,
  dropped Larry off at Lakemont Park to photograph their National Historic Landmark Roller Coaster: For the photos and more, click the picture above or: link.
• Concurrently, Jim and Gene went to Five Star Suzuki to ask a couple of quick questions about the newly acquired car. And buy some touch-up paint for the bumper.
• After getting back together, another National Historic Landmark: For the photos and more, click the picture above or: link.
• At Jim's suggestion, lunch at Lena's Cafe, 2000 8th Ave, Altoona. Jim hadn't been there in quite awhile and was afraid it might not live up to his recollections. But the Garmin knew about it and took us pretty much straight there. Jim's concerns were unfounded. Questionable neighborhood, but great Italian food, tasty Chianti and good service. Gene had a nice little nap. Jim and Larry each had two glasses of Chianti. Everybody left the place happy.
• Then to the Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site: For the photos and more, click the picture above or: link.
  
  
• Chased down wind turbine blade route. Found more wind turbines off PA164 close to Blue Knob.
• Ritchey's Dairy stop for a 5:00 milkshake to spoil dinner.
• Drop off Jim.
• Walmart stop for Gene to get el cheapo cargo pants for Bill Skipper.
  Larry also bought cargo pants, a couple of work caps and a fruit salad for dinner.
  Gene had leftovers from previous meals.
  Dinner in the Schmitt House front yard. Nice.

Thursday March 28

• Sheetz breakfast sandwich pickup, then to the Smithfield Township Riverside Park to eat it.
  And there was Red Pollock on his way out for his morning recreation.
  And here's the view up the river from the park:
• After dropping Red off at his destination, Larry's cappuccino fix from The Cafe.
• Spriggles' for a tour of Jim's re-arranged den and latest artwork. Nice.
• Hurley's garage to deliver Bill Skipper's cargo shorts.
• DCNR for Rothrock maps and Walmart for prints of Gene's Fye pics.
• Lunch on Gene's front lawn. Visit with Bob Snare.
• Larry shoves of at 2:10 or so for a 5:00 dinner with Beverly at Hickory Woods Eating Room on US422 in Mount Chestnut. Both arrived within 5 minutes of 5:00. Amazing.