Slow Travel In South Central Pa.

I just bought a car from a fellow out Newberrytown way. If you’re not from Gettysburg or the surrounding area you may have no idea where that is. Hell, I just went there and I don’t know where it is. But it sure was fun. Exciting at least.

My father-in-law picked me up in York Springs and we met the seller in York. He has a 1988 Ram Charger. Ugly as sin, but it’s tires are real beauts. And drives like a charm.

So we drove up the road to a title office called Runkles and they gave him the business over his name. His drivers license had one name and the title had II after it, signifying a junior. They wouldn’t transfer the title for that discrepancy. My father-in-law had already left.

So we hopped in the oversized jalopy and headed toward Newberrytown where he pulled into the office of an insurance agent/notary. She had no problem transferring the title for us. I guess it helps to be on a first name basis with the notary.

At any rate, the paperwork all done, I had agreed to drop the seller off at his home in York Haven (wherever that is). Another fifteen minutes later and he was climbing out of my brand new old vehicle waving sayonara. I think that’s French for “So long, suckaaahh!”

Well, I had forgotten to bring along the cell phone so that I could call me wife and ask for directions back home. Mr. Newberrytown had told me to head up the road a piece and hit I-83, which would take me to 581. But that’s in Camp Hill and I didn’t think that sounded right. It was the opposite direction from York and I knew where York was. I went up the road a piece and missed my turn beside the fire company. That’s OK, I took the next one – a winding road called 295 that went up and down and around and in and over and under, then across Conewago Creek followed by more unders and ups and downs and arounds until I finally connected with I-83. I got on the highway headed toward Harrisburg.

Thinking it was the wrong direction, I turned around and went back toward York. When I got home my wife told me I was going right the first time. It just doesn’t pay to be from Texas!

Anyways, I made it to York and got to my exit, Hwy. 74, and took the ramp down to the stoplight. My windshield wipers decided to stop working then. And it’s snowing like Christmas. So I got out of the vehicle and manually worked the wipers because I enjoy looking like an idiot. And that worked until the light turned green, at which point I got back in the vehicle and drove for a few more feet until the snow had my windshield covered again. You know, I managed to make it home alive. Ah! how sweet are neck of the woods.

If you’re from out of town and that sounds like a real good time of travel to you, you can have a similar experience. Just hop in your vehicle and drive. Head to Newberrytown or Over There, which is about half way between Here and Yon, and just enjoy the scenery. Boy, Conewago Creek looks awesome through the snowy icy air in a strange vehicle from 500 feet in the air as the Deliverance-style rapids rush by underneath in places you couldn’t find on a map! And if you don’t believe me, just try it. What else did you come to Gettysburg for?

Interesting Experiment Lands Blogger In York Springs, Pa.

As a pro blogger, I’m always interested in discovering new and interesting blogs. I love all things unique and every day it’s easy to find something a little bit different and out of the ordinary online. So I do.

Today I discovered a cool blog based on the concept of randomly pinpointing latitude and longitude coordinates and seeing what historical landmarks may be nearby. The blogger behind this rather quirky, unique concept just two days ago landed in York Springs, Pennsylvania. And what did he find?

Bermudian Creek and the red bridge that crosses over it near York Springs.

I must say, this is one of the most interesting blogs I’ve seen in awhile. You’ll have to see it for yourself to see what his method is. His About Page explains pretty well what he does and why he does it (but it’s rather long). In the end, however, the enterprising gent wasn’t all that impressed with York Springs. I have no clue why. My wife and I love living out here away from civilization.

4 Bridges In York And Adams Counties Are For Sale

The State of Pennsylvania is selling four bridges located in York and Adams counties. They intend to replace the bridges and want to get rid of the existing bridges, which are outdated. Which bridges are they? Here’s the short list (oh, pardon me, it’s already a short list):

• Bridge 193: 88 X 16 feet. Located on Bowers Bridge Road over Little Conewago Creek. The bridge was constructed in 1889.
• Bridge 64: Located on Bairs Mill Road and jumps over Kreutz Creek in Hellam Township. Size: 87 X 12 1/2 feet. Constructed in 1893.
• Gilbert Road/Hall Estates Bridge: Crosses Yellow Breeches Creek in Cumberland and York counties. 104 X 18 feet. Built in 1900.
• Wiermans Mill Road Bridge: This one’s a little closer to home. Located near York Springs in Adams County, it takes Wiermans Mill Road over Bermudian Creek. It’s 93 feet by 13.7 feet and was fabricated by the Pittsburgh Bridge Company.

If you’d like a bridge, contact PennDot. You’ll have to pay all expenses.

Hello world! Welcome To The Gettysburg Pennsylvania Blog

Welcome to The Gettysburg Pennsylvania Blog. I am happy to be blogging about the community of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Now that I’ve lived in Adams County for over two years, I feel like I can make my big splash. If you’re looking for information on the battlefield, there’s plenty of it available. While I plan to discuss the battlefield some, it won’t be my major focus. There are other things in and around Gettysburg, you know.

Yesterday, for instance, my wife and I went to the York Springs Fire Hall for a luncheon. This is something we do every year with her grandparents. It’s an event I don’t expect to see a lot of visitors at, but visitors are always welcome, of course. You have to get tickets and all of the money goes to a good cause – it’s a fund raiser for the volunteer fire department.

To me, volunteer fire departments represent what America is about. These are truly community organizations and the volunteers are doing real community work. Without them, I can’t tell you how many homes we might lose to fires every year, or how many other emergencies might take place without someone to address them. Benjamin Franklin gave us the first volunteer fire department and I think this is one American institution that has stayed the course and deserves to be around for a long time. I really appreciate the volunteers who help us handle our local emergencies.