okay, here's the home stretch, love of my life and gem in my heart... Central PA. coming down from Buffalo, i opted for my path to go through the Allegheny National Forest. you know how i love mountains. well, after crossing I-80, those hills open up into lovely rolling farmland with a nice dash of trees and warm sunsets. US-322 plopped me down right off Atherton at my uncle Mike's house in State College. oh, it's nice to finally rest, and what better place?
the next day i went with my cousin Mike to help his girlfriend, Sarah, and her roommates move into a new apartment. it felt nice to do something for someone else. also, since i used to drive a Silverado with an 8ft bed, i'm quite accustomed to moving people's stuff. i liked the whole crew from the start and it was a very productive day. By afternoon i had gotten a tour of town and dinner from Big Mike. then me and my cousin hung out at the new apartment late into the night.
July 8th was an laid back birthday. i found a card on the table since the Mikes left before i woke up. i looked up a camera store in the phone book and made my way to Beaver St. to check out downtown on my own. the shop was just a hole in the wall with nothing i needed, so i walked the entire loop and bought myself a pair of sandals on sale at this neat shoe store on College Ave. it was my birthday. i deserved an easy day and a nice treat. i found a grocery store and stocked the fridge with a few things. i fixed a rice and veggie dinner for me and Little Mike, going out to a local brewery for a couple pints afterward. not a big shindig, but very satisfying. the next day was devoted to the task of replacing my car's headlights and finding a place to fix my laptop.
i started the day using my two hours on the public computers, trying to catch up on the blog. then i found a foreign parts store in the phone book and came home to tackle the task myself, only to find that the front end of a Bug is packaged so tightly that i would probably have to take off the fender. that is definitely more than i can chew. i called the dealership in the area and the soonest they could schedule was the following Thursday. understand, i have been without both headlights for most of this trip and am sick of using my brights the whole time. i called a place i had passed by a few times and they were like "oh, you have the parts? we'll do it for free." apparently they couldn't do it either and referred me down the street a ways. that shop was booked 'til Tuesday. after that, i just stopped at every auto shop i saw until i found someone that worked on Volkswagons. i ended up paying more than it would have cost at the dealership, but at least the job was done.
anywho, after getting all wound up and nixing the effort for looking up computer shops, i had to drive out of town. the nice thing about State College is that all you do is turn a corner and you're out in country. i guess the past two days put me in travel withdrawal. off on 26 towards Rothrock State Forest i went.
the next day i went with my cousin Mike to help his girlfriend, Sarah, and her roommates move into a new apartment. it felt nice to do something for someone else. also, since i used to drive a Silverado with an 8ft bed, i'm quite accustomed to moving people's stuff. i liked the whole crew from the start and it was a very productive day. By afternoon i had gotten a tour of town and dinner from Big Mike. then me and my cousin hung out at the new apartment late into the night.
July 8th was an laid back birthday. i found a card on the table since the Mikes left before i woke up. i looked up a camera store in the phone book and made my way to Beaver St. to check out downtown on my own. the shop was just a hole in the wall with nothing i needed, so i walked the entire loop and bought myself a pair of sandals on sale at this neat shoe store on College Ave. it was my birthday. i deserved an easy day and a nice treat. i found a grocery store and stocked the fridge with a few things. i fixed a rice and veggie dinner for me and Little Mike, going out to a local brewery for a couple pints afterward. not a big shindig, but very satisfying. the next day was devoted to the task of replacing my car's headlights and finding a place to fix my laptop.
i started the day using my two hours on the public computers, trying to catch up on the blog. then i found a foreign parts store in the phone book and came home to tackle the task myself, only to find that the front end of a Bug is packaged so tightly that i would probably have to take off the fender. that is definitely more than i can chew. i called the dealership in the area and the soonest they could schedule was the following Thursday. understand, i have been without both headlights for most of this trip and am sick of using my brights the whole time. i called a place i had passed by a few times and they were like "oh, you have the parts? we'll do it for free." apparently they couldn't do it either and referred me down the street a ways. that shop was booked 'til Tuesday. after that, i just stopped at every auto shop i saw until i found someone that worked on Volkswagons. i ended up paying more than it would have cost at the dealership, but at least the job was done.
anywho, after getting all wound up and nixing the effort for looking up computer shops, i had to drive out of town. the nice thing about State College is that all you do is turn a corner and you're out in country. i guess the past two days put me in travel withdrawal. off on 26 towards Rothrock State Forest i went.
[outside McAlveys Fort]tell me that's not one of the most pleasant looking landscapes. for about thirteen years, i spent my summers in PA with my grandparents and now i realize how long it was since my last time. most of what i remember is lots of driving through the countryside. that's probably why the act of driving is so comforting for me.
[familiar scene through my windshield]i went past Whipple Dam and Greenwood Furnace 'til i ran into US-22 and took 45 back towards town. no photos in the hills. there's not really a place to pull off and i enjoy the winding roads too much. ;) along 45 i found an Amish barn that was in the process of taking down. don't know when i'll come across that situation again.
[Amish barn skeleton]scattered in all the rural stuff, you'll find huge luxury homes too. my favorite find are old stone houses, though.
[somewhere around Graysville]the drive helped me get my head on straight again. insert philosophies on the journey of life and the stress relief of not knowing the destination. =)
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