Between the river and the railroad tracks in Montgomery lies a small cemetery, with a marker stating "A Body Guard of George Washington Buried Here"
Friday, April 26, 2019
Thursday, April 25, 2019
Sights To See - The Index
Seven Sights Without A Hike
The 8 Wonders Of The Keystone State (in 1857)
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Where To Find The....
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Wednesday, April 24, 2019
Where To Find The Dinner Specials
These are all subject to change - check the details before you go!
Mondays -
- wing night at the Turbotville Hotel - from 2-9pm, 12 wings for $9.95
- 5-7 pm at Buzz's In Watsontown - buy 2 large cold subs, get 1 small sub free! cold subs only!
- Any Small Sub At Fetters $3.29
- Free Dog Ice Cream with regular ice cream purchase at Becky's in Milton
- Two Dollar Tacos At Gram's Eatery In Lewisburg
Wednesday:
- Two For $20 Italian Meals at The Italian Terrace In Milton
Thursdays
- 1/3 lb burger of your choice, small deli side & 12 oz can of soda for $5.99 At Fetters in Milton
- Between the Buns 4pm-8pm - $5 sandwich specials At Gram's Eatery In Lewisburg
- Half Price Pizza Night at the Italian Terrace In Milton
Saturdays:
- Any Large Subs At Fetters are $6.49
Every Day Lunch Special At Buzz's In Watsontown -
LUNCH from 11:00am til 1:00pm, Monday thru Friday only gets a small cold sub, 50 cent chips, and a fountain drink for just 4.99 for dine-in or 5.25 to go! https://www.facebook.com/buzzspizzaandsubs/
Varies:
- Check The Union County Sportsmans Club - They have great steak specials!
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Monday, April 22, 2019
The Thousand Steps Trail
The Thousand Steps Trail
William Penn Hwy, Mapleton, PA 17052
Two hours to the southwest of us is the Thousand Steps Trail. A hiking trail of 1,000 stone steps straight up the side of a mountain. It's a serious climb, but years ago, this was merely the miners commute to work.
The Harbison Walker Corporation began mining for sand on Jacks Mountain around 1900. The sand was used for silica, heat resistant, bricks. Workers were originally required to walk up the mountain each day to work, but the trail zig zagged and made the commute much longer than necessary.
In 1936, workers build a stone staircase straight up the mountain, using just over 1000 stones to climb 1,00 feet.
This is a tough climb for many of us today, but there are spots to rest along the way, and it is a really beautiful hike. This is definitely one of my top 10 favorite hikes of all time. Partially that may be from the sense of accomplishment in completing it, but the incredible views and variety of things to see also play a large part in my love of this trail.
The trailhead is at large parking lot on the right hand side of highway 22 about 3/4 mile outside of Mount Union. GPS Coords - 40.41680°N 77.8994°W. In this photo, I'm standing near the start of the trail, looking back towards the parking area.
We were here on Easter Sunday, making the drive after sunrise service at church and arriving around 12:30 in the afternoon. A group of teenagers arrived at the same time, and they got started right away. I changed my shoes, we got the dogs in harnesses, Dan looked for the nearby geocaches... so we did start a little bit after the teens, but still, we laughed when they passed us coming back down, when we were barely half way up. The boys were running the steps.
Although not crowded, there were quite a few people on the steps that day. We stopped often for families to pet our two dogs, and to "wait for that group to get down" before we headed up the next section. That wait was a great time to catch our breath!
We talked with a lot of different people that day. An older gentleman hiking for the first time, a young family struggling to keep up with their young son who was climbing with ease. A family who does the trail every Easter as a tradition, and a young athletic looking crew who weren't sure they were going to make it to the top. We passed an Amish couple who were not even slightly out of breath, and a couple of teenagers who were having severe second thoughts less than 200 steps in.
Woohoo! The 1,000th step!
Middle aged, overweight, and out of shape - we took well over an hour to reach the top. A lot of that truly was waiting for groups to come down a section before we headed up, on a day with less people, I think we could have made it in less than an hour. (I know that many in much better physical shape than us, can complete this easily in 30 minutes.)
Wait - why are there more steps??? Although this is called the 1,000 Steps Trail, there are somewhere around 1,040 steps. I didn't count for myself, and I have found articles stating there are anywhere from 1,032 to 1,046... It's definitely more than 1,000 and less than 1100.
At the top of the steps turn right and go less than 1/4 of a mile (much less) to this beautiful view.
While there were a lot of people on the steps, we saw almost no one on the trails to the overlooks. To climb all those steps and not see the overlooks... how sad. However, I know we could have seen a lot more than we did too - there's just so much to see up here.
Along the path to the Dinkey Shed.
The "Dinky Shed" is a stone structure that serviced the Dinky trains. It's located less than a 1/4 of a mile to the left of the top of the 1,000 steps.
Inside the Dinky Shed.
To the right of the dinky shed are more steps. More. Steps. Not too many, but enough. Climb up them, and follow the trail to the left. It's worth it, I promise.
Once up the steps past the dinky shed, there's a beautiful, flat, less than a 1/4 mile trail to the overlook. You will walk right along the edge of the mountain. We saw hawks and turkey vultures flying beside us, or slightly below where we could look at their backs as they flew.
Photos really do not do this view justice at all. . You can watch trains wind along the river and see the church in the town below. There's a large rock here, perfect to sit on and admire the view.
Molly and Max, helping Dan check out the geocache container they found nearby.
We went on to find a few more geocaches on out the trail, and I very much enjoyed that walk - but from the top of the steps to this overlook was my favorite part of the trail.
And then, after exploring the area, finding the geocaches, and admiring the view... it's 1,000 steps back down.
Down was much faster than up. We passed fewer people, and even with stopping to find two geocaches on the way down, and stopping to talk to others at least twice, it took us around 45 minutes total. Down is a different kind of hard than up. Going up I was out of breath. Coming down, my knees and feet hurt - a walking stick was a big help!
We were sore and tired by the end (and even more so the next day...) but not so miserable that we couldn't tackle a second, much shorter, climb up a nearby mountain, to see the Three Sisters rocks before heading home.
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Text from this sign is transcribed below:
Welcome to the Thousand Steps. Here, amidst the rugged grandeur of Jack’s Narrows are important remnants of regional industrial and transportation history, tangible reminders of a work ethic which helped transform a nation and a story of a community partnership that coalesced to preserve the tract for future generations.
The Juniata River carved a strategic east-west passage through a chain of mountains known to geologists as the Ridge and Valley Province. Native American paths, stagecoach roads, an early 19th century turnpike, the Pennsylvania Canal, the Pennsylvania Railroad and the William Penn Highway have all utilized Jack’s Narrows below.
Abundant reserves of ganister, a Tuscarora sandstone used in the production of silica bricks, led to the construction of three refractories and Mount Union’s position as the “Silica Brick Capital of the World.” The heat resistant refractory products were crucial to the steel, iron, glass railroad and other industries. Harbison-Walker utilized quarries on both sides of the Narrows between 1900 and 1952. Miles of dinkey railroad grade and six inclined planes were used to remove the ganister to the refractory. At their peak, Mount Union’s refractories employed 2,000 people and produced an estimated 500,000 silica bricks per day.
The Thousand Steps were constructed about 1936 by Harbison-Walker employees. A challenging hike today, the steps were a commute to a long and difficult workday in Ledge Quarry. It is to the memory of these workers and their brethren in Mount Union’s refractories, the the members of the Save Our Steps Committee pay special tribute.
The Committee was formed in 1996, when loss of public access to the property was imminent. Thanks to a partnership that included the Central Pennsylvania Conservancy, Mount Union Area Historical Society, Keystone trails Association and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania among others, public and financial support was rallied and the Thousand Steps and the surrounding 669 acres were preserved for future enjoyment. The project would not have been possible without the financial support of those listed on the opposite side of this sign.
Today the tract is managed by the Pennsylvania Game Commission. It includes threatened species, unusual fossils, a diversity of plant and wildlife and several miles of the Mid-State Tuscarora Link Hiking Trail. Please respect the fragility of the natural and cultural features and enjoy your visit.
A COMMUNITY
CONSERVATION PARTNERSHIP INITIATIVE
Funding assistance from
Keystone Recreation, Park and Recreation Fund
Administered by the
Bureau of Recreation and Conservation
Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
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Thursday, April 18, 2019
Gram's Eatery - Places To Eat
In the Old Cherry Alley Cafe Building in Lewisburg
They run all sorts of specials throughout the week - watch their facebook page for details -
Go for the Korean tacos. Trust me. Korean Tacos, pork, on flour tortillas. They are amazing! I always want to try other things on the menu, but I love these too much to not get them! I did have a panini here once, before I tried these tacos, and it was very good. But these korean tacos... they are simply amazing!
And the breakfast burrito - which like several menu options, comes with avocado!
The only thing I would recommend avoiding is lunch on Sundays. The college kids swarm this place, and finding a seat was near impossible when we stopped here on Sunday - it was an hour wait to get our food to go.
Normally service is very fast here - it was only on Sunday that we had to wait so long.
More breakfast...
Spinach & Mushroom Crepes
More breakfast...
The Avocado Smasher. SO good, and this is definitely two meals! It's huge!
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Weaver's Pizza & Ice Cream
This is one of those places I forget to take enough photos, or ever write about. It's just part of our lives. We used to order pizza here almost every other week when the kids were home, and it's still a favorite for us. Not only is the pizza fantastic, AND they have birch beer in the cooler, but it's also a really neat place with so much to see!
Leo's Pizzeria - Places To Eat
We have a lot of great options for pizza around here. Brick oven pizza from the Italian Terrace (half price on Thursdays in April!) Super cheesy pizza from Weavers in Allenwood, unique "sub" pizzas from the Tasty Corner in Turbotville, and gourmet wood fired pizzas from Herman & Luthers in Montoursville, just for a few.
So is there room for one more? We think so! Leo's Pizzeria opened this week in Milton, and I think they are going to be a great addition.
Located in the the old Mirella's building on front street, they have 4 large tables for seating, and a good view of the prep area, where you can watch your pizza being made.
He even does the traditional dough toss! I didn't get photos of the dough in the air, but he does indeed toss it in the air.
The pizzas are not your typical OIP or Pizza Town pizza. I think of them as a more "rustic" pizza, with a medium to thin crust, light sauce and cheese, and a variety of great toppings.
The Meat Lovers (a small)
The meats on this, including the grilled chicken, were GOOD. They would have been good on their own as a tapas dish, not just as pizza toppings!
The Greek Pizza Special (a small)
For the month of April, the special is a greek pizza, and it is done so well! Ricotta, feta, lamb... it was a perfect blend of greek flavors.
Their menu is not just pizza, there are a lot of things to try here -
and I suspect they are all worth trying.
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Places To Eat - The Susquehanna Smokehouse
Along route 405 outside of Montandon, near the boat launch, is a little restaurant that used to be a bar, but is now a family friendly smokehouse (with a bar). Go past The Fence restaurant, and look for the pig - you can't miss him!
The bottom meal is the beef brisket, the top was a tenderloin special.
Both were fantastic, and HUGE meals. We took half of this home for lunch the next day!
The meats were nicely smoked and very good. The fries were fantastic! The mac & cheese is smoked as well.
I can see us picking up the brisket meal to go, along with a couple of rolls and having a picnic this summer while kayaking... the boat launch is very near by!
The Menu:
(But watch facebook for their specials too!)
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Wednesday, April 17, 2019
The Camels On 405 (Between Watsontown & Montgomery)
Camels grazing in a pasture along the Susquehanna river, near Montgomery Pa.
If you are driving up 405 from Watsontown to Montgomery, before you get to the river bridge, you may see an unusual sight in the pasture to the left. Unlike most local farms, this fence holds not cows, but camels. Yes, camels, being raised right here in central Pa!
Humpback Market is now located at the camel farm, selling produce, flowers, and crafts
"The camels have a very unique milking system. To survive in the harsh desert, camels can turn their milk supply off to conserve energy. To produce milk, a calf must be at its mother’s side and the camels only produce milk for 90 seconds. The camels are milked twice a day with a conventional milking machine. Each camel produces a half gallon or four pints per milking."
https://www.paeats.com/feature/lancaster-county-farm-specializes-in-good-for-you-camel-milk/
Camels only can be milked while they are nursing a baby and they only will give up so much of their milk in a session, he says.
“A camel will allow milk to be withdrawn from their udder for only 90 seconds,” he says. “They have like a spigot on their udder, and if they choose not to give milk there is really not much we can do.” - http://amishamerica.com/amish-milking-camels/
Camels do well here in the Pennsylvania summers, but our winter climate is too harsh for them, and they must be kept indoors and fed good quality hay throughout that season.
"Camel’s milk is not as creamy as Jersey cow milk and it tastes like skim milk, only slightly saltier. It is 50% lower in fat and saturated fat than USDA cow’s milk, and a great source of calcium, vitamins B1 and C, iron, protein, potassium and phosphorus. It is easy to digest and is a natural probiotic that promotes gut health. It is a rich source of insulin. It lacks two allergens found in cow’s milk, making it easier to consume for people who are lactose intolerant." https://www.paeats.com/feature/lancaster-county-farm-specializes-in-good-for-you-camel-milk/
"A camel’s pregnancy is 13–15 months and most often she will have one calf. There is not a very high demand for camels in the United States, which made it difficult when the co-op wanted to purchase a new camel in 2013. They only found one seller in Texas, who wanted $50,000 for the milking momma and her baby, double what the co-op has paid in the past.
Whereas a camel would cost around $100 in Saudi Arabia, shipping to Pennsylvania would cost closer to $20,000. Even then, the camel would have to be quarantined for a year or two upon arrival. According to Desert Farms, there are 18,000 cows in the U.S. for every one camel." https://www.paeats.com/feature/lancaster-county-farm-specializes-in-good-for-you-camel-milk/
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