“…above all else, a good leader needs integrity–a deeply ingrained honor, honesty and decency.”— Dwight D. Eisenhower, 17 October 1961 It was fitting that I traveled on I-70 to get to U.S. 15 to go to Gettysburg to visit the Eisenhower Farm, in Gettysburg, PA. Among Dwight D Eisenhower’s many accomplishments as our nation’s 34th president […]
Pennsylvania
Great Allegheny Gap: The Bridge-to-Bridge Ride
A friend and I took advantage of great spring biking weather and rode a short segment of the Great Allegheny Passage (GAP). This was my first ride of the season, so I kept it short, just 10 miles all told. This was my first foray to the GAP, so I wasn’t sure what to expect of […]
A Spirited Stay at Gettysburg’s Most Haunted Address
Gettysburg has witnessed more than its fair share of history, and subsequently, it appears that the small historic town has more than its fair share of the paranormal. I was extremely excited when a good friend of mine suggested we go on an organized ghost hunt at Farnsworth House Inn, in Gettysburg. Ghosts, an overnight […]
Covered Bridges of Bucks County
At one time, more than 50 covered bridges stood in Bucks County, many of them spanning the Delaware River crossing into New Jersey. Bucks County still boasts 13 lovely, historic covered bridges — 10 of which still carry vehicles. Since their construction in the late 1800s, the covered bridges of Bucks County have symbolized the quiet rural life in the area. Bucks County […]
Seeing Birds at the National Aviary
Winter school break looms large over the holiday season. What to do with the kids between Christmas and New Years? Why, take them to the National Aviary, of course! There are few opportunities to get swooshed by a Victoria Crowned Pigeon (the bird is so much more fabulous looking than “pigeon” implies), or swooshed by […]
Just Ducky: Seeing Pittsburgh on Land and by River
If you want a serious tour of Pittsburgh, don’t go on the Just Ducky tours. But if you want to see a little of Pittsburgh by land and by river and have some fun laughing at some corny jokes and quack-quack-quacking at people you drive past, then this is the tour for you! I enjoyed […]
Come for the Battlefields, Stay for Dinner
Exploring Gettysburg and its famous Civil War sites will make a visitor hungry! And where better to go than to one of the region’s 16+ restaurants (discounting fast food joints and chain establishments)? Of course, Gettysburg and Adams County is well known for its agritourism, with its orchards, farm stands, and vineyards. Now, local restaurants […]
Benjamin Parry Mansion
Right in the center of New Hope is a conspicuous and lovely stone mansion — clearly an old building (and therefore, incredibly interesting to me!). We were visiting Bucks County and staying across the street in the Logan Inn, so I was excited when I realized that the Benjamin Parry Mansion was open to the […]
Try the Cider and Wine
The region around Gettysburg — Adams County — is known for the Civil War battle that raged there in 1863. But if you confine yourself to the just an exploration of Adams County’s Civil War sites, you’ll be missing out on a whole array of other wonderful day trip destinations. Long time readers of this […]
Ringing Rocks: One of Pennyslvania’s Natural Wonders
The thought of rocks that do more than just lie around on the forest floor doing nothing more than, well, looking like rocks lying on the ground kind of intrigued me. I learned about the ringing rocks through one of those corny Facebook notifications, which promised, if we visited, that we’d encounter a fascinating “field” […]
Go For Apples!
Adams County, PA is apple country — so go for the apples! During the harvest season, I feel the pull to explore farmers markets and farm stands — fruits and vegetables freshly picked is just exponentially tastier than what we find in most large grocery stores. So why not make it your day trip destination as […]
Exploring Delaware Canal Towpath (New Hope)
The 60-mile long Delaware Canal towpath runs from Easton to Bristol and is a National Recreation Trail. Once trod by mule teams pulling cargo-laden boats along the canal, the towpath is used today by walkers, joggers, bicyclists, cross-country skiers and bird watchers. During our four-mile walk, we encountered dog-walkers galore, joggers, families strolling with little […]
Haunted Pittsburgh: Stories of the Undead, Ghosts, and Bandits
Ghost tours aren’t terribly scary, but they can be terribly entertaining, and the Haunted Pittsburgh tours didn’t disappoint. Never mind the Northside, or the Southside — as the Ghost Tour promises, it takes you to the dark side. Our guide for the evening was Haydn Thomas, a vivid story-teller who emphasized all the right words and held […]
Bowmans Hill Wildflower Preserve
“There is that in the glance of a flower which may at times control the greatest of creation’s braggart lords.” –naturalist and author, John Muir Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve is a nature preserve, botanical garden, and accredited museum located just outside of New Hope, PA, that showcases an extraordinary diversity of plants native to Pennsylvania […]
Pittsburgh’s Toonseum
It’s a catchy name for it — and I had high hopes of spending an afternoon exploring the history of cartoons and comics, and seeing some quirky examples from years past and perhaps an exploration of how cartoons and comics have evolved. Plus the art form — going from black and white to color, where […]