The (Not so) Rural Pennsylvanian

  • Up, Up and Away

    Valley Forge National Historical Park is home to a model airplane field, a well-groomed grass runway (475 x 125) with a flight line that provides a beautiful view of the park. The field is used by the Valley Forge Signal Seekers (VFSS) Radio Controlled Model Airplane Club. VFSS is one of the largest and oldest clubs of its kind in the United States. Founded in 1959, with over 120 members. The club flies electric, gas, and glow-fuel powered planes and rotorcraft, as well as gliders and turbine powered jets.

    I stopped by a recent event to get some practice shooting fast moving, flying objects, something I don’t get a chance to do very often. We’ll start with a close look at some of the planes on the ground. I am always surprised by how some of these large planes look so much smaller when in flight.

    Now up in the air.

    Love the purple on this one.
    Keeping up with the pros.
    There was some fancy helicopter flying here.

  • A Steamy Day in Scranton

    I ended my visit to northeastern Pennsylvania in Scranton. The Steamtown National Historic Site  is a railroad museum and heritage railroad located in downtown Scranton, Pennsylvania, at the site of the former Scranton yards of the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad (DL&W). Not all parts of the site were open to the public due to maintenance activities during my visit.

    The museum is built around a working turntable and a roundhouse that are largely replications of the original DL&W facilities; the roundhouse, for example, was reconstructed from remnants of a 1932 structure. The site also features several original outbuildings dated between 1899 and 1902. All the buildings on the site are listed with the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad Yard-Dickson Manufacturing Co. Site.

    One of the steam locomotive around the parking area.
    …, and some more.
    Display locomotives around the turntable.

    A lot of looks at the turntable.

    Locomotives on display inside the Roundhouse.

    A look inside the museum at some of the exhibits.

    This is a working rail yard and train rides are available.
    A steam locomotive in action.

  • The Mighty Allegheny

    On my travels I took a drive through the Allegheny National Forest on Route 59. I was particularly interested in the dam, which I did not remember viewing on a previous trip. Forest surrounds the 7,647-acre reservoir that spans the border between Pennsylvania and New York. In Pennsylvania, the reservoir is completely surrounded by the Allegheny National Forest, and in New York State by Allegany State Park and the Allegany Indian Reservation of the Seneca Nation. At normal summer pool level the reservoir is 27 miles long, 14 miles in Pennsylvania and 13 miles in New York, with 91 miles of shoreline, and a maximum depth of 130 feet.

    The vast expanse of the reservoir.
    The dam.
    A pretty, but somewhat out of place, tree near the dam overlook.
    A couple of roadside waterfalls on Route 59.

    The 862-acre Chapman State Park includes the 68-acre Chapman Lake on the West Branch of Tionesta Creek. Adjacent to state game lands and the Allegheny National Forest, Chapman is an oasis of recreational facilities in a vast area of wilderness. There is a lake with swimming, a campground and other activities available.

  • Even More Valley Forge

    Valley Forge is one of my most photographed areas. I just can’t help myself. The first location is Lord Stirling’s Quarters. I have long wanted to photograph these buildings but have not been able until recently. Unfortunately, like most park locations, these buildings are not open to the public and not in good repair. Valley Forge is sadly underfunded, like most of our national park system.

    The next area is known as the Artillery Park. I bird and photograph around here a lot.

    Finally, this foot bridge is near the top of Mount Joy

  • A Detour to the North, Part I

    This October I was fortunate to take a trip to Maine, Nova Scotia and Quebec. Much of the topography of the inland areas, and the fall color, remind me of Pennsylvania. First up is a boat trip from Bar Harbor, Maine. This part of the Maine coast from Bar Harbor to Somes Sound is dotted with the “cottages” of the rich and famous.

    The trip was themed around the lighthouses of the Bay of Maine near the Mount Desert Island shore.

    Here are some boats, buoys, and critters along the way, along with a few looks at Mount Desert Island from the sea.

  • Two Large Lakes I Didn’t Realize Existed

    There are some fantastic locations in Pennsylvania that have escaped my notice, even after all these years. Perhaps, in the case of our next location, it is because it’s almost all the way to the New York State line.

    Tioga-Hammond Lakes are twin lakes in north central Pennsylvania with overnight and day use facilities in a scenic environment, southwest of Tioga, PA and north of Wellsboro on PA on Route 287. The recreation area has camping, a swimming beach, sand volleyball court, playground, boat launches, field sports area, a camp store, trails hunting, display gardens, archery trail, scenic overlooks and picnic facilities including grills and picnic shelters. There area is administered by the US Army Corps of Engineers.

    The lakes were formed by the building of two separate dams, one on the Tioga River and one on Crooked Creek. They are connected by a channel cut through the rock which has its own weir on the Tioga Reservoir side. This unusual arrangements allows acid polluted water to mix with cleaner water from the other stream, increasing overall water quality downstream.

    A view of the channel.
    Near one of the boat launches at the Ives Run Beach Area and campground.
    Some looks out over the reservoirs.
    Tioga Reservoir Overlook.
    The recreation area abuts state game lands near Crooked Creek.
    Unusual and nice osprey nest platform viewing area.
    Fishing the Tioga.
    The goldenrod was everywhere that weekend.

  • Coming Attractions

    Upcoming posts will feature a recent trip to Tioga and Bradford Counties, along with bonus locations. This will be followed by some very special “not in Pennsylvania” posts in Autumn. Stay tuned! In the meantime, here are some random favorites of mine.

    Blue Marsh Lake
    Clinton County hay bales.
    Model airplane field, Valley Forge

  • Looking Back at Fall at Valley Forge

    A November trip to Valley Forge National Historical Park produced better shots than expected due to some late fall color. The hay, culled from the park’s extensive meadows, had just been baled. The park was showing a lot of beautiful gold tones in the trees at this time.

  • It’s Still Fall, Folks!

    The Autumn color seemed to arrive late this year, even extending well into November in the southern tier of Pennsylvania. Valley Forge National Historical Park was still wearing its Autumn color when I visited. The Park had recently cut back some its extensive meadows. Valley Forge has one of the most extensive meadow habitats along the Northeast Corridor. In additional to occasional mowing, the Park also uses prescribed burns to rejuvenate the habitat from time to time. Let’s let Christmas wait a few more weeks.

    Red and orange …
    and yellow.
    Some of the expansive meadows ready for winter.
    Pop of color against the evergreens.
    The mowing lines are clearly visible here on the hill.
    One of the workhorses responsible with part of its haul.

  • Snow, Snow Go Away

    Here are some photos of snowy Valley Forge National Historical Park and Chester County. Snow becomes less agreeable to me as I age, but it still looks very pretty.

    These views of Valley Forge look down the hill from the Varnum’s Quarters area.

    The park was quite full with walkers and sledders under the circumstances.

    A drive around northwestern Chester County follows.

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