July 2008 Archives

... what? I'm always amazed by how many people I meet (some of them campers themselves) who have never heard of mountain pies.

Me, I grew up with the hot pies cooked between two slices of bread inside a hot iron mold nestled in campfire coals.

We typically made them in the evening, after dinner, so we used peach, apple (add cinnamon to make it extra yummy), cherry and blueberry pie fillings inside for a warm dessert.

But you can also fill them with pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese and toppings for a fresh, hot, homemade pizza pocket. Or ham and cheese. Or whatever combination you think sounds yummy.

Two years ago, while camping with college friends, I learned that S'more mountain pies are not among those I prefer to make. Not only are they way too much for me (if i want a s'more, I want the real thing, not a s'more sandwiched in cooked bread), but they're also awfully messy. I think I might still have burned marshmallow stuck to the sides of my molds!

Here are my suggestions for a magnificent mountain pie experience:

I hate the way my voice sounds, but other than that, I think this video of me flying on a trapeze in Baltimore two weeks ago is pretty freakin' cool.

All credit for its coolness goes to YDR photographer/videographer extraordinaire Paul Keuhnel, who captured my airborne frustrations and success (note, that's success, singular!)

Keep your eyes on the Living section of the paper in August for the full story and another video.

Have you ever tried this? Would you?

Normalville! Ha!

Makes me want to knock on the doors and interview the residents, maybe hang around town for a few days to see what normal looks like, you know?

And then there's the whole philosophical discussion of what is normal, anyway?

Seriously, if you need to check it out for yourself, it's in southwestern PA, not too far from Ohiopyle State Park. Let me know what life's like in Normalville! :)

To continue with the string of posts from my weekend in and around Ohiopyle State Park, I offer you this crazy example of man versus nature.

Two friends and I were enjoying the natural waterslides (more on that later) and swimming in the river when we saw

This sign above the restrooms in the Ohiopyle visitor's center (a former train station -- see photo below) had me totally perplexed.

As I waited my turn in line, I thought about it probably a little too much. How would flushing the toilets in the station restrooms be affected by whether the train was there or not:? Afraid that I wouldn't enjoy the rest of my afternoon without knowing the answer, I had to ask.

The answer wasn't pretty.

Jen generously donated me some blog time to share about my weekend camping trip to Ricketts Glen State Park, which is about 30 miles north of Bloomsburg on Route 487..

Sitting here in my cubicle, the camp-fire smell is still in my hair, a few bug bites are a bit itchy and my quad muscles are still sore from a hike to see most of the park's 22 named waterfalls ... but those are my biggest complaints about the weekend.

A couple of friends suggested the park as an ideal spot for camping, and I wasn't let down.

The online travel community Dodo.com is offering to fund an expedition of up to $7,500 for the person who submits the most extraordinary travel itinerary in the most exotic destinations.

The grant will be awarded to the applicant who best exhibits the following criteria:
*The planned journey contains an exciting route far from mass tourism and gives insight into cultures and way of life.
*The applicant demonstrates that he/she will be able to contribute to dodo.com regularly with updates on the adventure
*The content added to dodo.com is interesting, well presented and benefits the online community.

Deadline to apply is Aug. 28. The winner will be announced Sept. 1. Visit the Web site for details.

Spotted in the town of Ohiopyle this weekend. Strangely enough, it wasn't anywhere near a fire department or ambulance association or other emergency service provider location that I could tell. It seemed to be a residential alley.

It isn't every day you see fathers letting their toddlers play in the middle of turnpike lanes. Or strangers seated on a towel on the shoulder, tossing cards between them in an impromptu game to pass the time. Or friends playing Frisbee on the side of the road.

As I returned from a weekend of camping with two friends early Sunday evening, we screeched to a stop on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, just east of the Somerset interchange. For nearly three hours, that's where we stayed.

We had magazines, snacks and had just used the bathroom, so we managed OK. But I felt

Find the offbeat attractions near where you're traveling next at this site: www.roadsideamerica.com.

I'm not sure how thorough or useful it will be though because the only attractions listed for the York area are the Weightlifting Hall of Fame and the Haines Shoe House.

What about Mister Ed's Elephant Museum? Why isn't Geppi's Entertainment Museum listed for Baltimore?

Who knows. Maybe they're not weird enough.

When you gotta go, you gotta go.

But if your only option is a scuzzy cement-block room in the back of a gas station you might think twice about how long you can hold it. Especially if you're traveling with others and you've already used up your alloted number of bathroom breaks.

Here's a solution: www.thebathroomdiaries.com. Before you snap your seatbelt, check this site for safe, clean restrooms along your expected route -- just in case. Or, print them out and bring the list along.

If nature's call catches you off guard and you find yourself pleasantly surprised by the facilities, add it to the list and help out another traveler.

In case you didn't know, we're in the midst of national ice cream month. If you know anything about me, you know it would be a crime for me to let the celebration pass without mention.

Anyway, I saw this list of the top 10 best places in the world to enjoy the frozen treat, according to

Last summer, more than 300 people came to Gifford Pinchot State Park for a free sailboat ride, free munchies and a day of fun courtesy of the Pinchot Sailing Club.

Saturday, they'll do it again.

Come to the Conewago day use area dressed to get wet between 9 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. and you can float around the lake on a club member's sailboat. A picnic lunch will be provided free for those who sail, beginning at 10:30 a.m.

For details, visit www.pinchotsailing.com.

When you're about to go insane in the car with your kids, there isn't much you can do.

Savvy moms can plan ahead to ward off some of the chaos and unhappiness by visiting
www.momsminivan.com. There, you'll find a variety of games and activities to keep kids occupied in the car, using basic materials such as string, paper and aluminum foil.

I especially like the part about how to make a cootie catcher!

If you use any of these, shoot me an e-mail and let us know how the ideas worked out!

York Catholic High School graduate Steph Carr, 18, of Windsor Township recently returned from a seven-day cruise to Bermuda with her family as a graduation present. She loved the beautiful pink beaches at Horseshoe Bay.

Her travel tip: Wear a hat and/or plenty of sunscreen. Carry lots of water and wear comfortable shoes to navigate uneven terrain. Take advantage of a $1 ride to the top of Horseshoe Bay and get free Internet access at both the post office and library.

I was looking through some posts on our online forum, The Exchange and came across this plea for help with summer vacation plans.

Who has an idea for him? Post a comment here or add to the thread on The Exchange.

I wasn't too surprised to read this story about how hotels in and around Beijing aren't exactly booked for the upcoming summer Olympics.

For one thing, it's expensive to get there. A quick check on Expedia.com this afternoon showed that a roundtrip ticket from Baltimore to Beijing leaving Aug. 2 and returning Aug. 16 costs $2175. Not that all the Olympic visitors would come from Baltimore or even the US, but still....

Plus, every time I read about Beijing of late, it's something about the poor air quality or how athletes aren't going to mainland China until the last possible moment before their events to preserve their lung functions.

Then there's the whole Tibet thing. And the communism issue. And, well, the list goes on.

Still, it's THE OLYMPICS. It only happens once every four years. It's a worldwide showcase of athletic prowess and talent. An event where dreams are realized and dashed. It's drama at its best. You'd think more people might go.

What's your take on the hotel vacancies? Anyone from around here planning a trip?

I thought I'd share a couple more photos I took Thursday when I spent much of the evening on or near the Susquehanna River in Harrisburg.

Thursday evening, some friends and I went to check out a new event called Jazzin' on the Pride.

From 5 to 9 p.m. each Thursday, you can enjoy live jazz music, a full cash bar and free snacks and wings on the Pride of the Susquehanna riverboat.

This is an awesome option for folks who are fond of hanging out on the waterside decks of places like The Waterway in York and Duke's in Wormleysburg.

The boat stays docked at Front & Locust streets on the Harrisburg side of the river for the duration of the event, so people can come and go as they please. Best of all, it's all free (except any drinks you buy at the bar).
Since it's so new...

The folks at the Recreational Vehicle Industry Association say that despite the gas-guzzling tendencies of RVs, recreational vehicle rentals and campground bookings are higher this summer than last.

They say it's because people have had their fill of long security lines, lost luggage and other hassles of flying.

Because the RV triples as transportation, lodging and restaurant for those who use them, the association says folks save money overall.

Do the statistics reflect what you're seeing? Do you have an RV? Are you using it more or less these days?

A PennDOT press release that landed in my inbox says they installed 73 "wayfinding" signs in support of visitpa.com's Civil War Trails in six counties.

Thirteen are in York County, 11 in Adams County, 18 in Cumberland County, 4 in Dauphin County, 20 in Franklin County and seven in Lancaster County. They confirm for motorists that they are on a Pennsylvania Civil War Trail.

I haven't seen any of them yet (although apparently there is one on Main Street in Mechanicsburg near where I live.) Have you? Where are the York County ones?

Arlene Schmitt of York Township stands in the Galleria in Milan during a 10-day trip to Italy last fall. She also visited Rome, Florence, Pompeii, Capri, Venice, Lake Lugano and Sorrento.

Her travel tip: If you are traveling with a companion, pack half of your things in each other's suitcase. That way, if one suitcase is lost, you each have enough to get by for a few days.

Deb Forry snapped this photo of her husband, Art, and grandson, Brendan Minton of Tempe, Ariz., "standin' on a corner in Winslow, Arizona," just like the line in the Eagles hit "Take it Easy" during a March trip.

They were returning to Tempe from a petrified forest and meteor crater.

Their travel tip: If driving here from Phoenix, you might want to consider booking a hotel/motel because it's a 5-hour drive and you'll want plenty of time to enjoy the desert.

Doris King of Windsor Township stands at the highest point along the Blue Ridge Parkway during a motorcycle trip through the Blue Ridge and Smoky Mountains in June. She traveled all 469 miles of the Parkway.

Along the way, she toured Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va., ate shrimp at the Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. in Gatlinburg, Tenn., enjoyed saucer-sized biscuits and amazing home fries at Floyd Restaurant in Floyd, Va., and rode and walked to the top of Clingman's Dome. She used a GPS unit to locate the nearest food, lodging and gas.

Her travel tips: Keep a digital camera close by at all times. Make friends with motel clerks - they are a wealth of information. Talk to the locals to find some out-of-the-way points of interest. Don't over-plan your trip. After all, it is a vacation.

I snapped these photos of fireworks over the Susquehanna River in Harrisburg Sunday evening with my little point-and-shoot camera. I wasn't sure how they'd come out because I had never attempted to take firework photos with a point-and-shoot and without a tripod.

I snapped this picture on the highway coming home. It's Philly's Boathouse Row on the Schuylkill River. I kind of like the motion blur of the patriotic colors.

I was in Philadelphia Thursday evening for the city's Fiesta on the Parkway, featuring one of my favorite (albeit old) salsa groups, DLG (Dark Latin Groove), when I saw this banner.

After a few minutes trying to figure out what "jonron" meant, then wondering why I didn't know this word, it dawned on me....

I was reading a post on the ProTraveller site and saw this list of the world's worst airlines.

I think they missed one: Aerolineas Argentinas. I spared you my horror stories in the posts I did from my February trip, but seriously, I was surprised it didn't make the list.

Tuesday's drowning in the Yellow Breeches Creek along the York-Cumberland county border really shook me up. I can't tell you how many times I tubed on that exact same stretch of water growing up.

Now that I spend most of my water time in a kayak rather than an inner tube, I've been itching to hit the Breeches, but haven't because I don't have a stream map (like I do for other area waterways) and I don't feel comfortable going without knowing where lowhead dams and other dangerous obstructions lie.

I thought this might be a good time to remind everyone of some tubing safety tips experts shared with me in July 2004 when I wrote a story about great spots for local tubing excursions. Here's what I wrote then:

I went to eat a sandwich in the lunchroom this afternoon, and when I returned, my desk looked like this.An unnamed coworker (perhaps the features editor herself?) put gummy worms everywhere -- in my bag, inside my notebook, on my keyboard, my calculator, atop my computer monitor and calendar.

I had brought in some of the cherries I picked last night to eat for a snack, and said coworker mentioned how she used to pick and eat cherries on summer afternoons as a kid. Then she went on to elaborate about how she'd find little white worms in them sometimes.

I was delighted that my final assignment of the day Monday took me to Monaghan Township. I had seen an ad in a community newspaper for pick-your-own cherries at Elicker's Orchard in the northern York County municipality (E. Ridge Rd.) and wanted to check it out.

Now, I'm no stranger to the pick-your-own game. I gather strawberries at some local farm or another nearly every spring. The summer after my junior year of high school, I worked picking strawberries five mornings a week to help pay for a plane ticket to visit my penpal (pre-Internet term) in Spain.

But I had never picked cherries.
Half an hour after I pulled into the orchard, I had purple-stained fingers and half a pail. That's probably more than I can consume before they go bad, but at $1.25 a pound, how can you skimp? I'll share.