Pennsylvania March 2014 Daycation | The Beauty Around Us

The Two T’s

Bob took off work Monday and Tuesday. I planned Monday’s activities; Bob was in charge of Tuesday’s activities. As one would expect, Monday was filled with photographic opportunities. I am sharing the fruit of those photographic opportunities with you throughout this week.

We departed home (Warren, PA) around 9:00 am. We didn’t return home until 9 hours later! We drove through several western Pennsylvania counties. Our first stop was in Clarion, PA. Our second stop was at Brady’s Bend Overlook and East Brady. Our third stop was in Parker. We made a few photo stops while on the road between Parker and Cranberry. We ate lunch at Bob Evans Restaurant, while in Cranberry. After lunch, we drove to the Kennerdell Scenic Overlook. From Kennerdell we drove to Oil City. After leaving Oil City, we made two more stops along the Allegheny River — at Tionesta and Tidoute — before returning home.

This was our route back home from Oil City.

Tionesta Boat Access Area

Allegheny River, as viewed from Trek and Rec Trail
Tidioute, PA

We departed Route 62 in Tidioute, choosing to return home via Route 337. We saw three deer and a few turkeys, while on this route.

Deer

Turkeys in a Field
You can see in the snow where the turkeys had been scratching.

This blog post concludes Monday’s activities.

Bob had Tuesday off work as well. Bob was in charge of planning Tuesday’s activities. On Tuesday morning Bob watched our granddaughters at their house for a short time, while Stacey ran to the store to pick up a few groceries. Throughout the afternoon and evening we watched a variety of shows on TV. Tuesday was mainly a lazy day. It is good to have one of those types of days every now and then!

A River Flows Through Its Downtown

Bob took off work Monday and Tuesday. I planned Monday’s activities; Bob was in charge of Tuesday’s activities. As one would expect, Monday was filled with photographic opportunities. I am sharing the fruit of those photographic opportunities with you throughout this week.

We departed home (Warren, PA) around 9:00 am. We didn’t return home until 9 hours later! We drove through several western Pennsylvania counties. Our first stop was in Clarion, PA. Our second stop was at Brady’s Bend Overlook and East Brady. Our third stop was in Parker. We made a few photo stops while on the road between Parker and Cranberry. We ate lunch at Bob Evans Restaurant, while in Cranberry. After lunch, we drove to the Kennerdell Scenic Overlook. From Kennerdell we drove to Oil City.

Oil City is in Venango County, Pennsylvania. The city is located at the confluence of the Allegheny River and Oil Creek. Foothills surround the city. We have passed through Oil City numerous times since 1998, the year that I moved to Warren. Until Monday, we had stopped in Oil City only one other time, way back in June 2008. We stopped at a coffee house that day, while on our way to Pittsburgh. That stop in June 2008 was short. Monday’s stop, although for a longer period of time, was too short as well. I would like to spend more time in Oil City.

Photo by Timothy Rudisille (Please click on image to view larger size.)

With the city surrounded by foothills and the Allegheny River flowing through its downtown, Oil City is very picturesque. The photograph displayed above was taken by Timothy Rudisille. I know Tim from Facebook. Tim is an outstanding photographer. You may see more of his wonderful photographs at Timothy Rudisille Photography.

Center Street (Route 8) Bridge
Oil Creek Ice Jam

View from Petroleum Street (Route 62) Bridge
The Allegheny River is in the foreground.

On our way out of Oil City, we stopped at Murray’s Scenic Overlook on GrandView Road.

The overlook provides a spectacular view of the Oil Creek Valley upstream.

At the overlook, there are picnic tables for sitting, a telescope for viewing, interpretive plaques for reading, and a hot dog restaurant for eating (in season). Oil City played a key role in the initial exploration and development of the petroleum industry. After the first oil wells were drilled nearby in the 1850s, Oil City became central in the petroleum industry while hosting headquarters for the Pennzoil, Quaker State and Wolf’s Head motor oil companies. The plaques contain information about the early refineries and the flood and fire of 1892 where, according to a Wikipedia article, some 60 lives were lost and property valued at more than $1 million was destroyed.

After leaving Oil City, we made two more stops before returning home. I will share photographs from those two stops in my next blog post.

Allegheny River Overlook

Bob took off work Monday and Tuesday. I planned Monday’s activities; Bob was in charge of Tuesday’s activities. As one would expect, Monday was filled with photographic opportunities. I am sharing the fruit of those photographic opportunities with you throughout this week.

We departed home (Warren, PA) around 9:00 am. We didn’t return home until 9 hours later! We drove through several western Pennsylvania counties. Our first stop was in Clarion, PA. Our second stop was at Brady’s Bend Overlook and East Brady. Our third stop was in Parker. We made a few photo stops while on the road between Parker and Cranberry. We ate lunch at Bob Evans Restaurant, while in Cranberry.

After lunch, we drove to the Kennerdell Scenic Overlook.

The overlook was a short 10-mile drive from Bob Evans Restaurant.

Hundreds of feet down from the Kennerdell Scenic Overlook is the winding Allegheny River. This photograph consists of eight images, which I stitched together using Adobe Photoshop.

Monday’s day trip began at 9:00 AM. We arrived at the Kennerdell Scenic Overlook a little bit before 3:00 PM. We were 1 1/2 hours from home. It would take another 3 hours (and more stops) before we returned back home. Our next stop was in Oil City, the subject of my next blog post.

An Interlude

Bob took off work Monday and Tuesday. I planned Monday’s activities; Bob was in charge of Tuesday’s activities. As one would expect, Monday was filled with photographic opportunities. I am sharing the fruit of those photographic opportunities with you throughout this week.

We departed home (Warren, PA) around 9:00 am. We didn’t return home until 9 hours later! We drove through several western Pennsylvania counties. Our first stop was in Clarion, PA. Our second stop was at Brady’s Bend Overlook and East Brady. Our third stop was in Parker. Today’s blog post showcases photographs taken while on the road between Parker and Cranberry, where we stopped for lunch.

There was no ice jam on the Allegheny River in Foxburg, PA.

Owl sculpture near the border of Venango and Clarion counties

According to a Weird Pennsylvania article, this owl sculpture sits in a field near a cemetery. I didn’t see a cemetery. I did see a picturesque barn, though.

Barn located across the owl sculpture, along Route 38
I believe this is an Amish barn,
as there were wagon wheels in the snow leading to the barn door.
I like the fancy window at the peak of the roof.

Continuing along Route 38, we saw a most colorful sight.

Multicolored caterpillar,
located near the intersection of Routes 38 and 322
in Cranberry, PA

We ate a late lunch at Bob Evans Restaurant in Cranberry. We each ordered one of the 3-course dinner selections. I chose the Potato-Crusted Flounder entree served with fresh steamed broccoli, a Farmhouse Garden Salad with Ranch Dressing, one slice each Banana Nut Bread and Chocolate Bread and, for dessert, a fresh fruit dish. Bob chose a steak entree (if I remember correctly) served with vegetables, a Farmhouse Garden Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing, two slices of Chocolate Bread and, for dessert, a double chocolate cookie. Bob Evans breads are high in calories and carbohydrates, but they are very delicious!

From Cranberry, we drove to the Kennerdell Scenic Overlook — the subject of my next blog post.

Parker Ice Jam

Bob is on vacation. He took off work Monday and Tuesday. I planned Monday’s activities; Bob was in charge of Tuesday’s activities. As one would expect, Monday was filled with photographic opportunities. I am sharing the fruit of those photographic opportunities with you throughout this week.

We departed home (Warren, PA) around 9:00 am. We didn’t return home until 9 hours later! We drove through several western Pennsylvania counties. Our first stop was in Clarion, PA. Our second stop was at Brady’s Bend Overlook and East Brady. Today’s blog post showcases photographs taken while at Parker.

Before departing East Brady, Bob programmed the GPS to take us to the city of Parker.

The city of Parker was in the news at the end of February, due to an ice jam. The Allegheny River was still very much jammed with ice, when we were there on Monday.

This bridge carries the Allegheny River Trail over the mouth of the Clarion River. The bridge is located about half way between Parker and Foxburg. The Allegheny River is in the foreground; the Clarion River is behind the bridge.

Stay tuned for more photographs and details of our Monday drive in my next blog post.

Brady’s Bend Overlook and East Brady

Bob is on vacation. He took two days off work, yesterday and today. I planned yesterday’s activities; Bob is in charge of today’s activities. As one would expect, yesterday was filled with photographic opportunities. I am sharing the fruit of those photographic opportunities with you throughout this week.

We departed home (Warren, PA) around 9:00 am. We didn’t return home until 9 hours later! We drove through several western Pennsylvania counties. Our first stop was in Clarion, PA. Today’s blog post showcases photographs taken while at Brady’s Bend Overlook and East Brady.

It was a short drive, 31 miles, from Clarion to Brady’s Bend Overlook.

Brady’s Bend Overlook provides a spectacular 1,500-foot panoramic view of a bend in the Allegheny River.
This photograph consists of eight images, which I stitched together using Adobe Photoshop.

Continuing on Route 68, East Brady is 1 mile east of Brady’s Bend Overlook. Upon reaching East Brady and crossing over the Allegheny River, we turned right onto Seybertown Road. You can see Seybertown Road, on the other side of the Allegheny River, in the photograph shown above. Neither Bob nor I had never been on that road. The remaining photographs in this blog post were taken along Seybertown Road.

Look up at the top of this photograph.
You can see Brady’s Bend Overlook from here.

You may have noticed a break in the ice in the photograph I took at Brady’s Bend Overlook. Here is that break in the ice at river level.

See the snowman?

Continuing upstream, our next stop was in Parker–the subject of my next blog post.

Clarion County Courthouse

Bob is on vacation through Tuesday (March 4th). I planned today’s activities; Bob will plan tomorrow’s activities. As one would expect, I filled the day with photographic opportunities. I will share the fruit of those photographic opportunities with you throughout this week.

We departed home (Warren, PA) around 9:00 am. We didn’t return home until 9 hours later! We drove through several western Pennsylvania counties today.

Our first stop was in Clarion, PA.

Clarion is the county seat of Clarion County.

Clarion County Courthouse

The Clarion County Veterans Memorial Park is across the street from the Clarion County Courthouse. The park includes a large gazebo plus the Clarion County Veterans Monument, the Civil War Memorial, the WWII Memorial, the Korean War Memorial, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, and the POW/MIA Marker.