Pennsylvania Road Trip - Part 2: A Little History, plus Forests, Winding Roads, Waterfalls, Lakes, Food

Pennsylvania is home to 2,560 municipalities, but the only town is Bloomsburg. There are 956 boroughs, 96 townships, and 57 cities. So during our road trip, the question of what's the next town?" became very confusing.

And once we identified a location to discuss, we had to perform tongue warm-up exercises before trying to pronounce names, which twisted our tongues into all types of contortions.

Here are just a few we saw on our trip. Try them out to see how you do:

Borough of Sewickley

Punxsutawney

Kittanning

Slate Lick

Goheenville

Susquehanna River

Allegheny

Schulkill River

And we didn't see all of these, but they are actual towns, and they are famous for....well, judge for yourself:

Blue Ball

Intercourse

Bird in Hand

Big Beaver

Lititz

Rough and Ready

Besides getting Josh and Ariel settled (See Part I for more information), I was interested in visiting Pennsylvania because three of our country's most treasured documents, and three of my favorites to read and discuss with students, are associated with the Keystone State: The Declaration of Independence, The United States Constitution, and Lincoln's Gettysburg Address.

The word keystone comes from architecture and describes the central web-shaped stone in an arch which holds all the other stones in place. Pennsylvania earned the Keystone nickname as the middle colony of the original thirteen, hailed as "Birthplace of a mighty nation, Keystone of the land," in the state song, and because it has held a key position in the economic, social, and political development of the United States.

We didn't get to visit historical Philadelphia on this trip, so my first travel blog - category Mile Marks, Feeding our Wanderlust - is dedicated to the unique "towns," mesmerizing landmarks, family fun, and amazing food and drinks we discovered on our travels.

Moraine State Park

Gently rolling hills, lush forests and sparkling waters - highlighted by Lake Arthur with 42 miles of shoreline. This park is situated on land that has endured the effects of continental glaciers and massive mineral extraction. We saw miles and miles of trails and Butler County Website boasts hiking, kayaking, horseback riding, biking, snowmobiling, picnicking, boating. We just did a quick drive-through to check out the scenery and photograph the waterlilies - I got some amazing shots.

Winding Roads

Pictures just can't show the majesty of the trees and the curviness of the back-country roads we traveled, nor the feeling that we had traveled back in time - the rural Pennsylvania we saw boasts no fast food, no convenience stores, no hotels. The roller-coaster like narrow passageways were fun for the driver (Spencer), who thought he was in a video game, but harrowing for the passenger (me), who was holding on for dear life during what should have been a peaceful drive.

Kaysi's Cakes Dessert Company and Cafe in Dubois is a small-town, locally-owned must-stop if you are in the area. The owners are friendly and welcoming. The Roasted Tomato and Red Pepper Soup and the Iced Dulce de Leche Latte made my entire day.

Niagara Falls

Spectacular views and cascading sounds. Feast your eyes on the video, but also prime your ears to hear nature's White Noise.

I have to say we were all disappointed in the amount commercialization around the falls, and while the sheer volume of water flowing was mesmerizing, it was somewhat diminished for us by all the folks crowding to enjoy them. We did walk the entire park, and the falls on the back side were much less crowded and just as captivating. We also waited for a part in the crowds to get a couple of posed photos so we blend in with all the other tourists enjoying the beautiful sights.

Pearl Street Grill and Brewery

After our visit to the falls, we headed to our cabin on Lake Eerie via Buffalo where we discovered the Pearl Street Grill and Brewery which boasts 4 floors, 9 bars,hundreds of blooming hanging baskets, Lake Eerie sunsets and countless tap handles serving house-made craft beer from holding tanks in the basement.

Spencer and Josh tried the flights because there were too many choices to pick just one.

I'm not a fan of beer, but I was fascinated by the posters advertising each beer that adorn the walls throughout the massive building. Three of my favorites are below.

If beer is not your cup of tea, I highly recommend the Everything But the Bagel Bloody Mary. It is made with Ketel One and served with a snit of Street Brawler Stout. A-Maz-ING!

Fredonia and Lake Eerie Cabin

If you haven't noticed by now, sunsets and sunrises - and the moon - are kind of my thing. I got this from Spencer's Mom, Melba, who was famous for calling up family, neighbors and even strangers to tell them to get outside and look at the moon... or the sunrise...and the sunset. She really taught me a lot about taking time to enjoy nature.

Anyway, we were blessed to book a cabin on Lake Eerie that totally delivered on the sunset. Check out this photo below - no filters. And I have about a hundred more of the sun in every position as it set over this beautiful water.

Sunset and water always tends to reminds us of all we have to be grateful for - especially each other.

Our time at the lake wasn't all romance. Josh got in a few baseball swings and we taught Ariel how to play 42. Turns out she gloats as much as Josh, if not more, whens she wins.

Allegheny Forest and Jamestown

We drove back to Gram's farm through Jamestown and Allegheny Forest. If you like mysticism and the full-forest experience, this drive is a must-do.

Draft House Food and Spirits, Warren

You might know, or surely have noticed, that Spencer has a thing for draft beer. He prefers it locally-made, delivered in in a spit-and-sawdust dive bar and served up by a bartender who will sit and talk for hours.

He was in hog heaven when we found the Draft House Food and Spirits Bar in Warren. The bartender and waitress bent over backwards to make us feel welcome. The stained glass windows and shades added to the relaxing atmosphere, the beer selection was noteworthy, and the Beef on Weck was amazing.

With Josh and Ariel living there, we plan to visit Pennsylvania again. Our next trip will surely feature Philadelphia and some of our country's most proud history.

Keep following the blog to find out where we go next. And if you enjoy reading, share with your friends.

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