Tuesday, July 14, 2020

Wellsboro

Along the Pine Creek Trail.


I'm the fella who last wrote on this blog that ". . . 
we're lucky to not have the barriers to travel that so many have: we're healthy, we get around easily, we have ample vacation time, our kids are good travelers. Now it's time to put these great destinations in a good, useful order."

My, how civilization can change. 

Our vacation this year was to take us to Italy but that is, of course, off now. Had you told me in January that we're not going to Italy because Europe won't permit us on the continent, I would've told you that you were nuts. But you're not nuts. 

The year 2020, however, is most certainly nuts. 

We did get away briefly this weekend, though. It was a regenerative little trip to a small slice of paradise in north central Pennsylvania. Wellsboro is the quaint town that serves as the seat for Tioga County. It's a well-kept town, evidence of wealth from the lumbering era, adjacent to one of the more gorgeous wonders in Pennsylvania, the Pine Creek Gorge. It's more commonly called the Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania. And it boasts a bike trail through the gorge that is simply wonderful to ride. 

Pine Creek Gorge, looking south.

A double rainbow visible from our hotel parking lot Friday.

Caroline and Sherry arrive at a stop on the Pine Creek Trail. 

That may be an entrance to a beaver lodge. 
Pine Creek Gorge, looking south (again . . . but from the western rim)


You may be interested to know, though, that 2020 just has to be like 2020. We left after dinner Thursday evening and were within 15 minutes of the hotel when the alternator in my van gave out. The car died nine miles south of Wellsboro at about 10 pm. It took about an hour for a tow truck to come to our rescue. Coming to our rescue also was the fella manning the desk at our hotel, for he was nice enough to come down at the end of his shift and give Sherry and the kids a ride back. 

I'm grateful for so many silly little things. I'm grateful that our kids kept their cool when our van sputtered to a stop in the middle of nowhere. Thankful that Sam and I both had flashlights. Thankful that I, for reasons I don't understand, threw a bike lock into the van at the last minute (it came in handy keeping our bikes secured while the van was in the shop). Thankful that a shop was able to fix the van before dinner time on Friday.

Where our van spent the first day of our vacation. 

The bikes were locked up on a rack near this sign.
 

Thankful that we had a weekend where we were stuck in an area of the state that felt like it was a completely different area of the country.