The PA Covered Bridge Tour, complete with food & shopping, happened despite Ivan on September 18, 2004. Survivors:
Jim & Kitty Beachy
Chuck (Gibby) Gibson
John Kannard
Dr. Stan Bise (aka The Flying Doc)
John Garner
Some roads and covered bridges we saw:
Countryside along the way to covered bridges Covered Bridge #1
Covered Bridge #2 Covered Bridge #3
Covered Bridge #4 More Countryside
Covered Bridge #5 Covered Bridge #6
Completing the tour was Three Mile Island (TMI) site of the '79 nuke disaster:
The Radioactive Bar & Grill, just a few miles downstream from the TMI placard
The sun sets over the nuke towers, while the Wings are parked across the street
A horse and buggy makes its way through the country; a team in the field bales hay
Thanks must go to:
Jim & Kitty Beachy for the weather telephone.
Gibby for measuring the water depth (only one thin enough)
Dr Stan Bise for having the navigational equipment for the detours
(also, having a doctor on call was very useful)
John Kannard for knowing the historical events of the area
Stan had the trial run of his toy box trailer and stayed over. On Sunday, we did
ride thru the mountains and a few covered bridges, and saw first hand some of
the flooding. Just before the day was out, we rode by a flooded farm. The cows
were on an island, seeming to enjoy what amounted to a new swimming pool. Too
bad I did not have the camera ready for this one.
Monday, Stan, Sharon & I toured the battlefield at Gettysburg, PA before the
Flying Doc went on to continue his tour on the way back to TN. I think he's
going to stop by Gibby's place to drop off a meatloaf dinner.
Despite Ivan, we managed to have a good time. In a few years, I'll have the
route reworked and we can do the ride again, without rain. Until then, I'll let
all think when in September to try this. It will be before the 3rd weekend for
sure!