Magnus to Mass., with Jamestown Jaunt, Day 8

Wednesday August 13

Woke up to sunshine but the clouds soon moved in. The rain held off just long enough for us to unhook utilities, drive to the dump station, and hook up the jeep. And then it began to rain. We will see what the day has in store for our long-ish drive to Pine Something-or-other in Pennsylvania.

I had chosen a Love’s that was nine miles out of the way southbound, and that seemed silly until I remembered why. I was paranoid about the “Taconic State Parkway” issue which is coming up on the following day’s drive (not today but tomorrow) and I wanted to make sure we had plenty of fuel in the tank. The issue was that RVs and trucks are not allowed on the Taconic State Parkway and the RV lady had warned us about it, plus the website and email warnings told us of an alternate route. And since we were using the trucker app, I did not feel confident that it would choose the shortest alternate route.

On the map it didn’t look like the RV park’s alternate was going to add more than four miles each way to our trip but I was still worried. So I chose to make this leg a 464-mile one and the next one a 434-mile one. Probably unnecessary, but we will see.

We arrived much later than expected, but not due to route issues. The problem was the traffic and the hills. The gas stop took longer than usual—about 25 minutes compared to under 20—because the truck in the parking spot ahead of us dawdled getting back to his truck with coffee and food. It was a shame, because there were lots of spots on either side of us that cleared while we were waiting. No big deal; the usual.

Back on the Interstate, we got behind a really slow truck. There were three cars in front of us who were refusing to pass him, simply because there were so many people continually passing in the left lane and I  don’t think they felt safe getting over. It was stupid, though—even I, the wimpiest driver ever, would have gotten past a lot faster than they did. 

When the truck continued to drop his speed below 45 mph we finally got by him, too.  And then it was about time to exit.

We arrived at Pine Hill RV Park and were checked in easy and breezy. But by the time we were done, it was going on three-thirty. And Hawk Mountain closed at five. But I really, really wanted to go there!

So we went, and I really appreciate Ed’s driving. It poured down on us as we went up and around and over those tiny, two-lane roads that Pennsylvania calls highways. Bleah!

It was no sort of weather to be going up to a mountain-side observatory.  But we did. It stopped raining by the time we got there (only about a 25-minute drive), so we paid our $7 apiece and walked to the South Overlook.

 

 

Of course no hawks were in evidence. The counting season didn’t even start until August 15. But the view was amazingly awesome. Or awesomely amazing. And we weren’t even at the highest point. A one mile walk would have taken us to the North Overlook at the highest point in the sanctuary.

But I was satisfied—it was so grand and silent and beautifully green down below and way, way far off in the distance. I could just imagine the excitement of seeing a raptor coming into sight, far from the north, sailing on the thermal uplift…so grand.

Then we headed back to pick up food at Mark’s Sandwich shop in Kurtztown. Pretty good food, I think. But not a lot of vegetarian options. I would have gotten the tuna sub or the egg salad sub but I didn’t want to chance something that might have been made early in the day and left out. So I stuck with the cooked food, a vegetable flatbread pizza, no cheese. It was a little skimpy but tasted great.

And back to take Molly on a walk all around the RV park’s mowed field. It took an hour to go to the dumpster and back and then circle the field. Huge.

 

REVIEW: Pine Hill RV Park
Expensive and beautiful

At $75 for a one-night stay, it was a little more expensive than we can afford on regular basis. But it was right on our route, full hookup, pull-thru and easy to find. And, as I mentioned, beautiful.

The sites are nicely long with gravel, 50-amp electricity, water, sewer, all well placed and easy to use. We had a picnic table. But nothing fancy like patios or concrete pads, which is okay.  The sites are side by side but not too crowded; about the usual for an RV Park.

But the selling point is that the whole grounds were just plain gorgeous. Big trees scattered around, lots of lush green grass, plantings everywhere even at the central sewer site.  It’s all so clean and tidy and so very pretty, with wide, hilly views to all sides. There are big fields all around that they keep mowed.  I even saw a couple of guys practicing golf shots in one.

Check-in was quick and easy. I didn’t have to pay in advance, just used a card at check-in. Didn’t need to check out.

No dog park, but they do have a poop station and plenty of room to walk dogs in.  And a very pretty kids’ playground.