4 Days in PA

It was the last week of the summer vacation and with a week before Jeff arrived we decided that a journey over the border and into the USA would be a good option. There were numerous reasons for this trip but high on this list was the need to renew our US Visa waiver to make a trip to watch the Buffalo Bills during Jeff's visit. Other Aussie's we'd been speaking with had horror stories of long waits to get this "Green Card" renewed and we wanted our time with Jeff to be as trouble free as possible.

So it was back into the CuRVy and past the only bear that we've seen in Canada. Oh well this bear is very photogenic and apart from that, the unnamed building behind it does sell a cheap coffee and muffin and although not a Montague Roasters coffee it is reasonable and the muffins are OK and low fat. "What more do I want" lol!!


Our destination for the evenin was Francesca and Ken's place at Waterdown. A good evening with entertaining host's followed. Ken is an exchange teacher who is working at a high school. Whenever we get together a fun night follows.

Up early the next morning up early, coordinates of the next night's accommoddation into Mrs Garmin and off to the border crossing at Lewiston and into the short lineup.We must have been lucky or perhaps it was Julie's smile but we were greeted by a friendly border guard who directed
 us into the Border Security building. Upon entering the building we greeted by another smiling person who had the forms filled in for us and only needed a signiture and US$6. Too easy!!!! What a good start?

With the early start we had forgone breakfast and we decided to head into a "restuarant" for a coffee and a snack. There were two alternatives and the option of Tim Horton's coffee we chose Checker's. The coffee was better than Tim's but I can't really get excited by "drip" coffee. Oh well the food was nice.

Avoiding the "Interstates" we headed through small towns and through the fertile farmlands of New York State towards the Pennsylvania Welcome Centre at Tioga after buying some wine at the Great Wester Winery. Wine was average but we bought a bottle. One thing that is noticeable about the small towns is that the quality of the housing is at its best in the centre of town and declines somewhat as you leave. Another  interesting thing is the number of "Adult Shops and Gentlemen's Clubs" that appear just outside of town.

Oh well the United States is a place of great diversity and that is just one of the many reasons I like visiting.

Crossing the Pennsylvania boder at Tioga we were remainded of another reason. The USA is a place of great natural beauty full of friendly, helpful people. The Visitors Centre, aopart from being a great resource for information was in a great setting. And there are often great homemade treats available...

When we decided on this trip we didn't really expect to be winding through steep rock cuttings and dense, deciduous forest along Highway 15. Surprising and delighting us we started to become aware of just how wild, rugged and diverse Pennsylvania was. Hunger pangs forced the next stop and although a Subway lunch is not unusual the setting for lunch was. http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/team1/page.jsp?ymd=20050517&content_id=6823&vkey=team1_t449&fext=.jsp&sid=t449 Bowman Field had a great picnic area just outside what looked a great place to be any time the Williamsport Crosscutters were playing.

Unfortunately the Crosscutters weren't playing until the evening and we had a long way to go. So after watching some fielding practice and enjoying some food sitting outside on a lovely day we boarded the CuRVy and headed south along the valley of the Susquehanna River.

We headed through Harrisburg to the Hotel Carlyle which would be our accommodation for the next 2 nights. After a swim in the very nice pool and some exercise we headed further into Carlyle for a meal at a local Greek Restuarant.



Home for bed after a long, enjoyable and enlightening day.....