Mt. Jewett PA | The Beauty Around Us

Posts tagged ‘Mt. Jewett PA’

An Afternoon Spent with Tom and Heather

We have two families – the families that we were born into and our Vulcan Riders and Owners Club (VROC) family. We have strong ties to both families. We spent yesterday afternoon with Tom and Heather, two members of our VROC family, whom we met briefly at the Wolfman’s Wandering Rally in June 2009.

Tom and Heather at Wolfman’s Wandering Rally 2009

Tom was looking at me, as I took this picture. Heather is sitting beside Tom, behind her mother. Although we had not seen either Heather or Tom since June 2009, we kept in touch via blogging and Facebook.On June 18 I received a Facebook message from Tom. He and Heather were planning a short camping trip to Evangola State Park, which is located along the shores of Lake Erie in New York between the cities of Dunkirk and Buffalo. Tom expressed an interest in riding through the Allegheny National Forest on Saturday and asked if I had any tips as to what is a must-see while around that area. I replied to Tom’s message the next day, providing him a list of places to see while in the Allegheny National Forest. I told Tom that Bob and I would be happy to ride with Heather and him, if they wanted to meet up with us. Tom replied to my message that same day. He and Heather would definitely like to meet up with us.Tom and Heather arrived at our house around 11:15 AM this past Saturday. Soon after their arrival we departed for downtown Warren. After Tom and Heather had topped off their fuel at Kwik Fill and took a few photographs of downtown Warren, we were on our way to the Allegheny National Forest.We followed the Allegheny River to Kinzua Dam.

Our first stop was at Kinzua Dam.

Our second stop was at Rimrock Overlook, which provides a lofty view of the Allegheny Reservoir.

Bob, Tom and Heather at Rimrock Overlook

Heather, Bob and Tom on stone stairway that leads to the base of Rimrock Overlook

Stone Stairway

Leaving Rimrock Overlook we backtracked a little ways to Jakes Rocks Overlook. Here we enjoyed one last look at Kinzua Dam.

Tom and Heather at Jakes Rocks Kinzua Dam Overlook

Leaving Jakes Rocks we took Longhouse Scenic Drive (FR262) to SR321, where we turned right towards Kane. Before reaching Kane we stopped for lunch at Bob’s Trading Post.

After lunch we rode through Kane and Mt. Jewett to Kinzua Bridge State Park.

Tom and Heather at Kinzua Bridge State Park
In the background is what is left of Kinzua Bridge.

It has been 8 years since Kinzua Bridge was blown down by a tornado. Remnants of the bridge still lay on the forest floor. I wrote a blog post about the Kinzua Bridge in September 2009. If you are interested in reading that post about Kinzua Bridge and seeing a few more photographs, you may do so by clicking here.

From Kinzua Bridge State Park we made our way to Quaker Lake at Allegany State Park in New York, where we said our goodbyes. I’m so happy that Tom contacted me about his and Heather’s plan for riding through the Allegheny National Forest. Bob and I enjoyed Tom and Heather’s company and enjoyed riding with them. The chilly and wet weather couldn’t put a damper on the good times that we shared.

Tom uploaded a blog post about our ride through Allegheny National Forest as well. Please visit Tom and Heather’s blog, “Tales from the O.C.”, to read his description of the day’s ride as well as view additional pictures from the ride.

Click here for a map of Saturday’s ride.

An Autumn Ride

Bob and I went for a 90-mile motorcycle ride yesterday afternoon. We rode to Kinzua Bridge State Park, which is located near Mt. Jewett, Pennsylvania.

We had perfect riding conditions. The sunshine was brilliant, the sky blue with only a few clouds in view, and the temperature in the upper 60s or low 70s. We enjoyed the beauty of the red, yellow and orange colors of the leaves that surrounded us during our ride.

Kinzua Bridge State Park

It has been 7 years since Kinzua Bridge was blown down by a tornado. Remnants of the bridge still lay on the forest floor. I wrote a blog post about the Kinzua Bridge a little more than a year ago. If you are interested in reading that post about Kinzua Bridge and seeing a few more photographs, you may do so by clicking here. Prior to the tornado of 2003, Kinzua Bridge was a prime spot to enjoy the Autumn colors.

While at Kinzua Bridge State Park, we conversed with a man who doesn’t get “up this way much”. He told us that he lives 100 miles away, in Kittanning. Kittanning, you say? Well, I grew up near Kittanning. We share a few names, people whom we both know. As it turns out this man doesn’t live in Kittanning. He lives near Kittanning, in Worthington. I mention the name of a family who lives in Worthington. We made an amazing discovery! This man lives next door to the family mentioned. This man’s neighbors — Connie and Paul F. — are friends of mine. Connie and I graduated high school together. Wonders never cease! The world is a small place, isn’t it?

On our way back home from Kinzua Bridge State Park we stopped briefly at the Big Bend Recreation Area, along the Allegheny River, for a view of Kinzua Dam.

Bob, with Kinzua Dam in the background

Although Kinzua Dam is located only 6 miles from where we live, this was the first time that either Bob or I had seen Kinzua Dam from this vantage point.

We made one more stop before returning home. An 18-foot tall cast iron fountain was installed recently in Warren. I hadn’t yet seen the fountain.

Heritage Fountain

The new fountain is located at the intersection of Second and Pennsylvania Avenues in Warren, PA. This fountain is the centerpiece of Warren’s Downtown Streetscape Revitalization Project. I’ll be happy when construction in downtown Warren is completed. I believe the Streetscape Project was initiated sometime in 2009; however, construction in Warren has been ongoing since late 2002.

Kinzua Bridge State Park

A fellow blogger visited Kinzua Bridge State Park earlier this year. Yesterday, he posted a photograph of what remains of Kinzua Bridge after it was hit by a tornado. When I discovered that my blogging friend had not seen Kinzua Bridge prior to the tornado strike, I realized the subject of my next blog post. Greg and Dawn, I want to share the marvel of Kinzua Bridge with you as well as with my other readers.

Kinzua Bridge State Park is located in Pennsylvania four miles north of U.S. Route 6 at Mt. Jewett on State Route 3011. (“B” marks the spot on this map.)

The park contains 316 acres in McKean County and features the remnants of a railroad bridge (viaduct) that had been designated as a National Engineering Landmark. When Kinzua Bridge was built in 1881, it was the world’s highest and longest railroad bridge at 301 feet tall and 2053 feet long.

I visited Kinzua Bridge State Park for the first time, with Bob, in May 1998. We visited the park once again in October 1998.

I am standing on Kinzua Bridge.
In May 1998 we walked across Kinzua Bridge.

Autumn colors, October 1998

In September 2001 Bob and I visited Kinzua Bridge State Park with our exchange student from Germany.

Bob and our German exchange student on Kinzua Bridge in September 2001

In August 2002 an engineering inspection of the viaduct revealed potential problems with the structural integrity of the supporting piers, so the viaduct was closed to all access. Therefore, when Bob and I visited the park in October 2002 with Leo, our exchange student from Brazil, we were not allowed to walk across the viaduct or hike below it. We could, though, still view the bridge from the observation deck adjacent to the bridge.

Bob and I in October 2002
Kinzua Bridge in background

On July 21, 2003 a tornado caused the center section of the Kinzua Bridge to collapse. Kinzua Bridge State Park was closed so that cleanup and damage assessment could take place. The park was reopened on August 1, 2003. Bob and I visited Kinzua Bridge State Park on June 20, 2004 — the first time that I had been to the park since the collapse of the bridge almost 1 year ago. I was in awe of the damage done by the tornado and the amount of cleanup that still needed to be done.

No trees obstruct view of bridge from parking lot.

Tornado destruction

We returned to the park in July 2005 with Bob’s sister and her husband. The damage caused by the tornado was still very much in evidence.

Cynthia and Larry at Kinzua Bridge State Park
(July 2005)

July 2003 tornado damage still evident in 2005

Kinzua Bridge State Park is still a prime spot for viewing fall foliage. I am thinking that the park may be one of our destinations this year for an autumn motorcycle ride.