Camping With Bill

Visiting Shanksville

Two years ago, near the anniversary of 9/11, we had the opportunity to do some sightseeing around Johnstown and Shanksville while on a camping trip. We checked out the Johnstown Flood Museum. The video they showed was so impressive, we bought it to bring home and show our family.

We lucked out in that the weather was beautiful – upper 70s and sunny the whole time. Perfect for walking around outside.

You can get a map from the Visitors Bureau in Johnstown that lists I think 15 historic covered bridges in the area. We decided to check some out. It was kind of like a scavenger hunt. Some of the bridges were well marked and out in the open, some we had to find on old dirt roads, back in the woods. It was a lot of fun. Some are used for storage, some are used for walking, and one we even were still able to drive over.

This particular one in the photo needed a lot of work – on the other side was what looked like it was once a picnic area, but now is overgrown. The bridge was used to store what looks like a wagon used for hay rides.

But the highlight of our trip was definitely visiting the Flight 93 Crash Site in Shanksville. If I say one thing about seeing this site, it’s that it was very humbling. It was very sad, but afterward I was so grateful that I went there – I think everyone should.

You drive down a narrow, one lane residental/farm road through the woods. Suddenly you turn left onto a small road – if you blink, you’ll miss it. Then, suddenly, there it is. You come out in an open field and you can see the chain link fence with all of the memorials stuck to it.

You can see waaayyy out in the field (see photo below) a single American Flag that markes the exact spot the plane went down in.

There is a small shack with photos of the event and we had a guide there telling about some little known facts that made me appreciate those heros on that plane even more.

Right on the other side of that line of trees behind where the plane went down is the only school Shanksville has – K-12. The entire future of Shanksville missed being hit by mere yards.

Anyway, I don’t want to depress anyone, but I really feel this is a place everyone should visit. Ground Zero in NY is of course, humbling as well, but this was a whole different type of feeling. Really brings back pride in your fellow man and our country.

Fall Foliage Trips

Fall in PA

Well, it’s official. Summer is over. What a drag. But with the fall comes a whole new set of things to do and see. Crisp air, the smell of wood smoke from fireplaces (mostly mine because I can’t light a fire to save my life).

And if you happen to live in the Northeast, you get the treat of seeing the fall foliage colors. Depending on where you are and what type of summer it’s been, the colors can be not so hot (last year) or beatiful (the year before).

This photo was taken driving near Johnstown, PA. We went camping in the Laurel Highlands of PA and drove through the area on the covered bridge tour. You can get a map that’s marked with the covered bridges and then go on a scavenger hunt to find them. We had a blast. The leaves were just starting to change, it was still warm enough to walk outside without a jacket, and the weather was beautiful.

Fall is a great time for camping. There are a lot of places to go in PA, NY, and New England. I love camping in the fall. It’s cool at night, so sitting around the camfire is so cozy. We spent four days at Jellystone Campground near Ohiopyle, PA. We spent one day touring Frank Lloyd Wright’s Falling Water, about a mile from the campground. But at this time of year, make reservations early, because they book up fast!

Laurel Caverns

We spent another day in the Laurel Caverns. It rained that day, and the higher in the mountains we drove, the foggier it got. It was so foggy, we barely found the caves. You can get a tour that takes about an hour – the guide has lots of great information, and the price is reasonable. If you are really adventurous, you can do the “extended” tour – you even get a hard hat with a light on it. That tour takes you to parts of the caves that are not light, and don’t have handrails or safety features. That tour takes about four hours and I’m too claustrophobic to brave it

We took the tour two years in a row, it’s a fun place to bring people who haven’t seen the caves before. We picked up some cool souveniers, too. Too bad the weather was so bad that year – apparently the view is amazing from the entrance to the caves – accross a deep valley full of fall colors. Maybe next year.

Visiting Shanksville

Fall Foliage Trips

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Visiting Shanksville

Fall Foliage Trips

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