2017-24 Confluence to Burnsville West Virginia

2017-24

Rifle Run, the camphosts have been at work decorating the place

Confluence Pennsylvania
Burnsville West Virginia

Campground: Outflow COE. $10 senior rate. 50 amp electric. Water near site. Dump-station on exit.

Odd little park, two camp loops with each site facing into the loop, grassy sites/gravel parking area.

My site faces a parking area, providing lots of space to use for backing into site.

Distance traveled: 89 miles.

Confluence Pennsylvania would be a great location to venture over to Frank Lloyd Wrights “Falling Water” as it's only about 8 miles from here. But having been there twice in recent travels, I'll see if anything else might be in the area as well.

Good trout fishing year round in the river below the dam. This was a short stop and not much to explore in this area other than Falling Waters.

Distance traveled:  114 miles

Campground: Rifle Run COE. Burnsville West Virginia. $15 senior rate, full hookups 50 amp electric, deep in a valley/hollow behind the lake and dam. Three deer pranced around on the pavement near the entrance to the campground, unafraid of the vehicles passing by.

I've arrived at Rifle Run and was able to get a site before the Labor Day weekend. Being that most campgrounds fill up or are booked way in advance, it was nice to still find an Army Corp campgrounds that's still set up as a “first come first served” no reservations site. On top of that, it has full hookups which I haven't had all summer. Unfortunately, it is missing the modern day Rv-ers requirements, they have no over the air Tv stations, no cellphone coverage, no wi-fi, in other words no internet until one drives back to the Interstate.

With rain in the forecast for 3+ days, I'm scrambling to find access to the internet so I can plan my next leg of my journey. This is more or less a stop over at a site I've been to previously, so I'm not anticipating much in the way of touring the area.

Rifle Run COE Burnsville WV

large campsites but no tv/internet/phone

After reviewing my maps and stopping at the local library in Burnsville I was able to check on a few things. The next day, I drove down to Flatwoods where there are a few shops, a small Walmart and a Fiesta Ware outlet. Boy, I figured out quickly why we all purchase cheap stuff from China and overseas. The prices they were asking for each piece of Fiesta Ware were outrageous. $28 for a bowl, a single dinner plate $19, really.... After having lunch a drove a few miles further south to a small derelict town called Sutton where I would check out their library and spend more time planning my upcoming travels.

First off, I do understand that many times libraries have kids programs and it can get a bit noisy. Though many places have a separate room for such functions. The Sutton library did not use their extra room since the children's section basically in the main library area. I was able to enjoy along with the kids, a program on animals given by a park ranger. It was excellent, as I was able to hear it all the way across the library where I was sitting with my computer.

The noise level kept getting louder and louder as the kids got involved, the adults raised their voices to maximum volume and apparently no one had been taught how to use their “indoor voice”. One of the library staff was especially animated with describing a system of “tickets” the children would be receiving for reading books, getting prizes, etc. I assure you, all the the patrons in the library were able to hear the announcements that seemed to go on for 20 minutes or longer.

A short trip to the town of Buckhannon to get an oil change and tire rotation at the local Walmart, I stopped in the community art building.... the "painted shoes" belong to a gregarious gal who painted those shoes a couple of years back and they've held up quite well.  Telling me about the little town and the improvements going on. Some of the largest display of summer flowers I've ever seen in a small town.  My sister Ann would love it here. 

though the town doesn't have too much to offer except a
few antique shops, it's trying hard to reinvent itself

colleges, hope for the future....

one of the many flower displays throughout town
and leading into town

what a stunning summer display

Through all of this I was able to get some information on campgrounds at my next destination, The Greenbrier Resort, where a secret underground bunker was built to house Washington's elite in case of war. It is now open to the public for tours and I've always thought it would be of interest to see it. It should be a most interesting tour and I can't wait to get there.

I walked around the depressing remains of the town of Sutton with it's empty buildings and vacant store fronts lined up along a forgotten main street. Walking past one store front, I was surprised to see a set of sculptures done obviously a local artist and obviously an expert at his craft. The display covered in a light layer of dust having been placed here how many years ago. No information in the window as to who the artist is. A flea market and indoor garage sale were also going on in the area, but nothing of interest.

Sutton WV, a small town between rivers, mountains and hollers

among the many empty store fronts, I found this display

artist, unknown

artist surely lives in the bldg/apt

strange building along the main street

I head back to the campground knowing I have a plan for my next exciting adventure in a few more days. And the sun has finally come back out. Love those blue skies and the warmth of the sun.

2017-23 Altoona and Johnstown Pennsylvania

2017-23

been on a lot of country roads lately

Altoona Pennsylvania
Johnstown 

Campground: Noel's Trailer Park. 35 minutes from Altoona, $25 for 30 amp electric. No water or sewer at site. 6 over the air TV stations(poor), good Verizon signal. This is an old trailer camp, most sites are seasonal and a few full time live-ins. Overhead electric wires hang low and a worker directing me to my pull-thru site kept a watchful eye on the top of my camper to make sure I cleared each set of wires.  Electric cut out about 4 times and was weak.

It will do for a couple of nights, but I would not recommend the park.

Noel's Trailer Park, a really old trailer park
my campsite, behind the dumpsters

Noel's is a really old trailer park

lost electric power about 4 times
and it's a weak, the a/c didn't like it at all

anyone need storage?

Distance traveled: 102 miles

Stop! wait, proceed slowly
lots and lots of road repairs

I picked this campground mainly because it's approx. half way between Altoona and Johnstown. Both areas I thought might be interesting to tour. With that said, I headed into Altoona the next day. My GPS giving me good directions if a bit on the exciting side. The route chosen went on up over one of the many ridge lines of the Allegheny mountain range. And descending down the mountain on a 14% grade was quite a thrill as the road traveled along the edge of each heavily forested drop off. Thank goodness I didn't have my camper in tow. My fellow Rv-ers will understand fully what a 14% grade means. Even without towing the camper downshifting and breaking periodically are essential.

from detailed train layouts of Altoona
The Railroaders Memorial Museum 

to exceptional vintage photo's
and lots of innovative displays 

Altoona was once one of the main centers for the Pennsylvania Rail Road and still is. New train engines were built and tested here. The Railroaders Memorial Museum and the famous horseshoe Curve, approx 5 miles away are well worth the drive over the mountain. My first stop was at the Railroaders Museum and I wasn't disappointed. Exceptional displays telling the life of a railroad worker, the enormous man hours put in to research the best products to be used on the railroads. An example being the testing of various Florida oranges to determine which would produce the most orange juice for the diners, or the testing of light bulbs to determine which would last the longest and produce the most light. Constant upgrades to the rail road equipment for communications and safety were ongoing. Many of the displays described what impact the trains had on local lives.

I highly recommend the Altoona Railroaders Memorial Museum.

views from the Train Museum, into downtown Altoona

museum is on three levels

over 100 knobs, levers and switches 

comics hit on the popularity of trains

each display covering another
aspect of the train life and worker

The Chairman of the board
explains that he's got to make a profit
for the share holders

this is the era when everything was
tested for efficiency and maximum use
testing how much juice each type of Florida
orange produced, to be served on the trains

special devices created to test light bulbs brightness and longevity 

excellent displays

life in the late 1800's

The news boy is off screen, activated by motion sensors
he appears as you approach the display to tell his story

As a former Government worker I was taught early on that every job had it's fringe benefits. For the railroad worker, it meant their families could ride the trains often for free or for a minimal amount of money. Including being able to travel on other railroad lines as well, since many had reciprocal travel agreements. It was nothing for a wife and children living in Altoona to hop on a train and go into Pittsburgh, Philadelphia or even New York to shop and dine out. They could even take a vacation by rail all the way out west to places like Yellowstone National Park.  Now that's a good fringe benefit.

Train enthusiasts will recognize the Horseshoe Curve

trains pass through every twenty mintutes

just coming into horseshoe curve

it wraps around this reservoir and viewing park 

even Abraham Lincoln traveled on a train around this bend
still heavily used today

these cars are garbage scows sending trash from as far away
as Philadelphia and New York, heading west

and around the bend, eliminating the need for bridges
keeping the train at an even level for the tracks 

The horseshoe curve was and still is an amazing accomplishment in railroad history. Due to the numerous mountain ranges in Pennsylvania, the original design of the first railroads was to put down tracks where they could, transfer passengers onto canal barges and back again to trains just to travel across the state. The horseshoe curve enabled the construction of a rail line along the ridge of the surrounding mountains completing the rail line from one end of Pennsylvania to the other. In conjunction with the museum, there's a wonderful park in the center of the horseshoe curve for viewing the trains as they loop around the mountain range.

Trains travel this route about every 20 minutes and I was able to see two pass through. The last one being a very long train of garbage containers, taking garbage from either Philadelphia or New York. I was able to see the entire trail as it looped around the big curve, completely surrounding us in a 360 degree view. What a fun experience, one that any train enthusiast must see.

Another day I toured the Mishler Theatre, built twice, the first time in 1906 and the second time in 1907. Although the first one built had many fire protection features including an asbestos curtain and sprinklers to put out any fire, it was a fire next door to the theater that quickly got out of control that took it down. The owner had already used most of his money and was not sure he could rebuild. Local citizens put up the collateral and it was rebuilt in record time.

Even though it was not a major city, because it was on a direct rail line from Philadelphia and New York, many entertainers, shows and plays would stop here first, before going across country. George Burns, the famous stand up comedian titled his memoirs “They loved me in Altoona”.

Unlike many historic buildings, this one did not remain empty but for a couple of years. It would eventually be purchased by a local non-profit group that has done an exceptional job renovating it and bring back live theater, music and other events.

downtown Altoona PA

Inside the Mishler Theater

lobby 

downtown Altoona PA

The Altoona Trust, now a Comic book store 

The Mishler recently opened a bar in
the basement, with a really cool vibe

I even stopped in for a peak at the large cathedral on top of the hill close to the theater. A mass was being performed, but I was able to take a picture from the back of the modern day structure, with a picture of Pope Francis at the entrance. Grand yet understated in it's design.

light and airy interior

Johnstown PA

town wiped out in 1889 including two more floods

Johnstown PA

Well, what a mess I made of attempting to do a bit of touring in this city that has been devastated by three major floods. The largest one being back in 1889. The story goes that a number of wealthy industrialists had purchased land surrounding a man made lake, including owning the earthen dam that held back all the water. They built large cottages secluded amongst the treed shoreline and enjoyed the summers in their own little piece of paradise, away from the lower class workers.

The dam having gone through two previous owners before the new wealthy industrialists took over.  It was not well maintained. Heavy rains rapidly overflowed the dam and spillway, as a couple of feet had been removed from the middle of the earthen dam to make it easier for the cottage owners to travel across the top of the dam with their carriages. Creating a second point for the overflowing water to travel.

The dam burst and flooded all of the towns downstream with Johnstown being the largest town at the end of the valley where three rivers intersect. With the lake gone and the valley towns destroyed, the wealthy owners of the cottages would never return to their summer homes.

the Red Cross had it's first major event
in Johnstown, spending many months coordinating help

Well I started out saying what a mess I made of attempting to tour the area. I did of course tour the Flood Museum, but only after being directed by signage away from what looked like a perfectly good parking lot, over a bridge and to a dirt parking lot at the Amtrak station. It was under renovation, but conflicting signs indicated it was for museum parking and another sign indicating for Amtrak employees only. Being the museum was back across the bridge, I drove back over in that direction and ended up getting street parking/w parking meter. Once again limiting my time for touring.

My second attempt was to take a ride on the “steepest vehicular Incline plane” in the world. Well, my faithful GPS did take me to the site, but not to the base of the ride, no I ended up driving to the top of the hill 900 feet almost straight up. Turned out ok, because on Fridays and weekends, the venicular train doesn't run until late morning and afternoons. So I was able to enjoy the views and see this suburb in the sky before once again descending back to flood plane level.

By then I was eager for some lunch, but not being familiar with the town, I couldn't find any visitor parking in the busy downtown shopping district. I'm sure there were some places to park, but all I saw were parking lots designated for various bank building employees only and other businesses, none for visitors....

Though there were a number of very interesting places to tour in the area, my stomach won out and I headed out of town in search of a restaurant with a parking lot.

A note: I did download a Johnstown app to my phone that was supposedly designed to give a listing of all the interesting places to visit and a map showing ones preferences of places to visit. Unfortunately, after I selected my places of interest and retrieved the custom map, it had little dots on the map, that one needed to open to see what the location marker was for. After clicking on a few of them, I noticed the app added additional places of businesses and shops/restaurants along with my selections. Needless to say, it was not of any help.... good idea, just not helpful.

So a short report covering only a 4 day stay before heading out to an Army Corps campground, my last stop before exiting Pennsylvania.

More photos:

Altoona Pa Train Museum

Altoona, Mishler Theater and Cathedral 

Johnstown Pa