October, 2018, Day 16...Back in Jersey

Day 16 Saturday October 27, 2018

     The original plan for the day was a lazy drive through North-eastern Pennsylvania and into North Jersey.  However, three days prior, Hurricane Willa had come ashore in Mexico as a category three hurricane.  The final remnants were passing through the area bringing a slow and steady rain. 

      So, I didn’t stop for the various lakes outlined with autumnal colors.  I didn’t stop in the Delaware Water Gap for the waterfalls.  But, no complaints.  Instead, I got to spend the morning with my sisters Maggie and Mary as well Steven and his wife Rhonda.  We don’t see each other that often and mornings like this one are always welcome.

      I gave Mary a life from Hawley to the train station in Summit, NJ before the short drive back to the old home town of New Providence.  Downtown was unusually busy and there were police directing traffic. 

      There were also quite a few kids in costumes trick or treating in the businesses downtown.  It was pretty busy, even with the rain.  There was just one stop I knew I had to take. 

      The Avenue Deli  hasn’t changed much over the years.  This used to be in the front window.  Now it's on a wall in back.


And the turkey sloppy joe was just as delicious as I remember it.  As you can see, in North Jersey, a sloppy joe isn't meat and tomato sauce.  Mine was turkey, swiss cheese, russian dressing and coleslaw.  There's nothing else quite like it.

       After checking into the motel, I had some time.  It took a few attempts, but I found someone at the LG help center who didn’t seemed stumped by the dead phone.  She explained how to restart it and have it default to the factory settings.  Of course this meant I would permanently lose all the phone number and all the photos.  To get a working phone again, I was okay with that.

      In the end, this still didn’t solve the problem.

      The evening’s plan was another get together at our usual haunt, the Stirling Hotel.  Due to conflicts and work scheduled, there were only three of us this evening.  But, that worked out extremely well.  Jeff and I had an hour before Jean arrived.  And Jean and I had an hour after Jeff had to go.  Once again, some quality time with some of my favorite people.
     The waiter took a few moments to figure out the Powershot.  

Coming up,
Chatting up the Politicians

October, 2018 Day 15...Carlos and Becca's Wedding

Day 15 Friday October 26, 2018

     On the previous day's drive into Hawley, I passed a number of trails and places that seemed like they could be interesting to explore for a while.  But, It's rare when at least four of us five kids are in the same place.  It felt good to just linger around the house catching up.  Maggie had to slip away and do some Mother of the Groom stuff.  Mary and I hung out and yucked it up.  My brother Steven and his wife Rhonda arrived and it turned into a really great gathering.  
      While the rest of us were back at the house, Maggie would periodically text us photos.  I'm not saying my nephew is tall, but...



    Eventually, it was time to head out.  We piled into the car and drove out to the wedding site.  Carlos and Becca had planned an outdoor ceremony.  A few days earlier, Hurricane Willa had come ashore as a category three storm in Mexico.  It's remnants were headed our way.  But, once again the weather gods smiled on them and the rain held off until much later into the night.
    We arrived just in time to catch Becca and her bride's maids getting ready.

 

      

My brother doing a reading

      The guests went inside and mingled while the families did the photos outside.  I haven't seen the pictures, but I heard they did get their sunset shots.
      

   

Atop the wedding cake

The Mother of the Groom dance...

    Ordinarily, I would have sent a lot more photos.  Not wanting to bring the big camera, I just used a pocket sized Canon Powershot.  I didn't realize it at the time, but a whole lot of photos came out soft.
    But, the wedding was perfect and the rest of the night just a whole lot of fun.  Best of luck to Carlos and Becca!

Coming Up,
Where else but Jersey

October, 2018, Day 14... Culinary Nirvana

Day 14 Thursday October 25, 2018

      There’s an old saying that good or bad things often come in threes.  The cell phone was one.  The car overheating was two.  For number three, remember that brand new Garmin GPS I bought for this trip?  I’ve had it for about a month.  When I tried turning it on later in the day, all I got was an error message saying, “system software missing.”   So, basically, it was now just a paperweight.  I tried calling the Garmin folks, but the wait for a person was way too long.

      But, the day started better.  I did check into that trail and decided a five mile hike was just the right thing to start the day.

      The trailhead is just a few miles north of the inn.  It was 8:30A and thirty-four degrees when I left the car in the parking lot.  The name Loyalsock comes from the Native American word Lawi-Saquick, which translates out to middle creek.

   The guidebook listed this one as easy.  Other than the first stretch down the hill, I would agree with them.  A few minutes later, I was standing on the old rail bed from the Williamsport and North Branch Railroad.  Other than the stretches of mud, the level trail was welcome.

     Eventually, the trail curves off to the right, towards the river. 

     This is where the trail gets interesting. 

   It’s up and down over rocks and roots to a place they used to call the Haystacks.  Back in the day, the lumber companies would float logs downstream.  When they got to these rocks, logjams were a regular occurrence.  They tried blowing up the rocks with dynamite, but had little luck. 

     According to the note at the trailhead, geologists aren’t completely sure how these rocks came to be here.  They're much harder than the native sandstone and their makeup doesn't match anything within hundreds of miles.

      The return trail is still fairly easy.  Of course since you hiked down, you have to hike back up again out of the gorge.  All things considered, it still wasn’t too bad. 

       When you get back to the rail bed, you can either climb out to the parking lot, or walk a little further.  There’s another easy trail part way back into the gorge to Dutchman Falls. 

      All in all, a great way to start the day.

      There was still plenty of time to get to Hawley, so I pulled out one of those free local tourism magazines and quickly found some interesting things.  Less than a half hour away is the town of Forksville, named for the prominent fork in the river.  Their covered bridge was originally built in 1850.  It's been renovated and strengthened over the years and is still the only way to cross the river for miles.

      On the other side is a small general store with a restaurant. 

      It was still a little early for lunch.  But, I could pick up a sandwich for later.  Based on the smells wafting from the kitchen, I had made the right choice.  I even met Big Mike, the owner.  He looked and sounded a lot like the late actor Philip Seymour Hoffman.  He's a real italian guy who makes real italian subs.  They even wrap them in white waxed paper before handing it to you.  

      The sub went on the passenger seat while I drove out to Hwy 97 and Hwy 6 to the town of Nicholson. 

     When I was a kid in Jersey, we had an italian deli up the street from the house called Brigantis.  The moment you walk in, the smell of the place hit you.  It’s something I’ll never forget. My car was developing that smell.  It was like a little piece of heaven.  I just wanted to pull over and devour the sandwich.  
    I had to wait until I pulled into the town of Nicholson.  By then my car had the full on italian deli smell.  My mouth watering, I dove in.  As far as sandwiches go...culinary nirvana.  But, I digress.
     The real reason I came to Nicholson was to see the Tunkhannock Viaduct.  Construction began in 1912 by the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad.  At 240 feet, it was the largest cement structure in the world.  To reach the bedrock, they had to dig, some places as deep as 130 feet.  And yes, it's still in use today.

       

       I was still on schedule when I pulled into the outskirts of Hawley.  I had the address where my sister had booked.  My AAA map had Hwy 590 only goes west.  So, when I came to the Dollar General, I turned right following the signs.  After driving through downtown, the road peeled off again and started heading up into the hills.  I had driven for a while when I started thinking I had gone way too far.  So, I turned around and drove back into downtown Hawley.  With no GPS and just a flip phone, I gave up and texted my sister for help.
      Though it's not on the map, Hwy 590 does indeed go east.  A few miles down the road is Woodloch Resort. This is where my nephew's wedding would be the next day.  My sister had rented a house and I finally made it, just in time for rehearsal dinner.

Coming Up,
Carlos and Becca's Wedding

      

October, 2018 Day 13...A Day in Ricketts Glen

Day 13 Wednesday October 24, 2018

      Since this is the first place I spent two nights, it felt weird not having to pack up the room.  Definitely no complaints. 

      My one goal for the day was Ricketts Glen State Park.  R. Bruce Ricketts owned the land and ran a hotel here in the 1890's.  He built the first waterfall trail alongside the hotel property.  His heirs sold the land to the state of Pennsylvania.

      It was thirty degrees when I left the inn.  I picked up a coffee and some gas along the way and worked my way to the park. 

     The Falls Trail is a seven and a half mile loop starting from a parking lot on Hwy 118.  The guidebook lists it as strenuous.  Based solely on the number of stone staircases, I would have to agree.  However, it’s very well maintained and marked.  My legs definitely felt it at the end of the day, but it was well worth it. 

     For no reason, I chose to do the loop counter clockwise.  This turned out to be a good move.  The tallest falls were saved for the last leg of the loop. 

     By the time I had finished the hike, the temperature was in the upper forties.  Just a bit chilly indeed.  But, it really felt good.

     Taking a different route back to the inn brought me back to Hwy 220.  Funny how different it looks in the daylight. 

     My late lunch was at a place called D&D Brew Works.  The food was decent and the beer list interesting. 

     One of the hikers I met suggested another trail close to the place I was staying.  I even considered it.  It was only five miles round trip.  In the end I decided not to go.

     Instead, I made my way back too the inn.  I was in desperate need and they have a free guest laundry.  Exciting, isn’t it.   But, as we all know, at least with laundry, you have something to show for it when you're done.

Coming Up,
Because bad things come in threes