Haunted Highway

About 2 hours West of where I grew up, and about 40 minutes west of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, there is an old stretch of highway that has been desolate and abandoned 4 the last 40 years or so. This stretch of highway is simply called the abandoned PA Turnpike, because that is exactly what it is. Always curious for more urban exploration, I decided to go and check this place out for myself.

For the backstory of this 13 Mile long stretch of highway, it was first commissioned around since 1941 by the Pennsylvania highway agency. It served as a main route for transportation until the 60s, where it was deemed impractical because it became so heavily trafficked due to the bottlenecking of the tunnels at Sideling Hill, Tuscarora, Rays Hill, and blue hill made traffic and absolute nightmare. Around 1964, a plan was laid down to expand the turnpike, which was partially followed through, until the highway was eventually shut down with the construction of the new Turnpike in the 80s. Although the tunnels and Highway roads have not been maintained for over 30 years, the tunnels are still intact, and parts of the highway and Turnpike themselves, although littered with graffiti, are still approachable.

And so, two of my friends and I set out on an adventure to check out as much of this Turnpike as we possibly could. We first came up on a stretch of road in Buchanan State Forest called Oregon road,

where we parked in a lay-by and climbed to the top of a tunnel to see the first stretch of abandoned highway. Other than a beautiful place to take a few pictures of the surrounding Forest, there wasn't much to see in the ways of graffiti. However, this is where my GPS deemed the tunnels to be, and this is where my first stop was. We consulted a few other blogs before moving forward with our next destinations.

One blog suggested we take 30 West through Chambersburg until we get to Blue Mountain Road followed consecutively by Pump Station Road. And so we did just that, getting to another section of Turnpike that was just as Bland as the last. However, we still did not see any tunnels. As a last-ditch effort, we drove to a location called "Pike to Bike", a non-profit company run by the community that is going to be turning the abandoned turnpike until public domain Rail Trail. It started sleeting, and my shoes were soaked, but we found a pair of joggers about a mile into our walk down the road then insured us that we were about threequarters of the way towards one of the bigger tunnels on the turnpike. So, now that we knew that we were on the right track, we forced on words.

This time I was about 18 minutes from Rays Hill Tunnel, so I believe it was the Tuscarora tunnel in Breezewood Pennsylvania. Walking 5 minutes into it, we saw a lot of graffiti, and we were still just as it, we saw a lot of graffiti, and we were still just as close to the light at the end of the tunnel as we were at the beginning. Although we can see the light, we determine if there was an incredibly long tunnel. There was a rusted maintenance room in Boiler Room nearby, as well as an observation tower, but all the doors were rusted shut, so even upon entry by crawling through a broken out window, we couldn't see much.

After dropping a few pieces of metal and running through the dark like bumbling idiots, we decided to depart from the turnpike. Whether or not it is haunted remains to be seen, but one thing is for sure; I will be going back to see the tunnels another day.

Looks inviting, right?

Another Park in York

Gifford Pinchot state park is a large State Park and central Pennsylvania dedicated to family usage. Several events are held here every summer regarding concerts and camping trips, as there is a lot of land and a lot of camping they can be done. In the center of the park is a large lake, which you can feel free to rent out a kayak and go on, or bring your own kayak. They also have rental paddle boats there, which can be used to take a swirl around the lake.

Surrounding the lake and the park itself are several miles worth of hiking trails, as well as a starting point to the northern part of the Heritage Rail Trail. The hiking is very light and family-friendly. When hiking, you can also see a large outdoor Frisbee Golf Course as well as some of the camping locations, cabins, and Yurts. If you are into Pokémon go, there are plenty of Pokémon that are found there as well, especially rare ones.

So ladies and gentlemen, pack your bags and picnic baskets, visit the Nature Center, go on a hike, and learn about the wonders of environmental chemist Gifford Pinchot. Because of this man's Legacy, York has a large portion of land dedicated to recreational use, to be untouched by modern life. Come by for a hike or a campout when you get the chance, and enjoy the process of slowing down.

America's Capital City

When I was halfway through college I took a day trip to Washington, D.C. I had been here before in middle school, but this time, I came with just two other friends to enjoy the city and some museums. For this post, I'm going to reflect upon past experiences in the city, as well as my trip in my twenties.

When I first went in 8th grade, I was socially awkward. I had like three good friends, and I was constantly trying to mack on the pretty girls in my 8th grade class. Unfortunately, all of this was to no avail. I did, however, make some friends, see a lot of the major monuments, and managed to get lost once or twice. This was my first experience having a cell phone as well, so I had my best friend's number on speed dial for this reason. Seeing the Washington Monument and Jefferson Memorial and Natural History Museum were all quite entertaining, and the Air and Space Museum blew me off my feet as well.

But I returned later in life, I learned that it made more sense to take the subway everywhere instead of driving through crazy traffic, and to plan time for two or three really excellent museums. And so, that's exactly what I did. I hopped in the car for my friend’s house in Westminster Maryland, and from there we headed for the nearest DC subway stop. We got a special deal on cost of parking (which always comes in handy, mind you), bought a day pass for the subway line, and headed for center city.

Upon arrival, we were blown away by the sheer amount of stuff that there is to be found in the city. I came back a few months later to experience the National Zoo and see their beautiful pandas again, but even this was not quite as awesome as being lost in the big metropolitan DC. We staggered around, eventually stumbling upon the Native American History Museum. We thenceforth went to the Space Museum, learning about astral science and whatnot.

At both museums, there were massive gift shops, and a plethora of history lessons. If you are reading this, understand that science is an important part of our evolutionary past, and that it is important to understand the world around us. Also understand that if you're looking to understand the world around us and the science behind it, going to the Smithsonian museums in Washington DC is a perfect way to do so. They are fun, competitively inexpensive (with most of them being free), and also very relaxing. In actuality, I would argue that the museums and history are probably the number one reason to visit Washington DC.

If you're still not sold, know that there are plenty of clubs and bars, good restaurants, movie theaters, concert venues, and other exciting things. I can personally attest to the National Zoo and concert venues there, as I've been to both and give both very good feedbacks. The capital of America is a city to be experienced for and by yourself, and absolutely worth a day trip. I am lucky that I only lived about two hours away from the state capital, so it was pretty cost-efficient to spend a day there.

Along the Heritage Rail Trail

 The Heritage rail trail is a 40 mile trail that spans from inner city York to Hunt Valley Maryland. It is a Scenic byway that was established after the York Pennsylvania to Hunt Valley Maryland train it was shut down, and the nature nearby was turned into footpaths and preserved for recreational usage. It is still an excellent way to get exercise and get from one small town from another, as it goes between York, Glen Rock, Seven Valleys, New Freedom, and Hunt Valley.

Somewhere along the rail trail...

 Every summer, there is a charity event held by the Cancer Association of America in which proceeds are raised by biking miles on the rail trail. So every September throughout high school and the first two years of college, I participated in that event, biking a total of 10 miles on the rail trail with my boy scout troop to raise money and commemorate my father who passed away from cancer.

...And from the top of it.

 The trail itself is massive, and starts on a low point and ends on the low point. Altitude increases from the starting point up until you get to the Midway point in New Freedom, and then decreases going the other direction. One summer, my friend Brett and I decided to be dropped off in New Freedom and bike 25 miles back to York. Not only was a great exercise, but I also could hardly feel my legs after that.

There's a lot of beautiful scenery along the way, There's a lot of beautiful scenery along the way, including a kayak Hut, a park, some fields, small towns, lots of foliage, a few Bridges and tunnels, and some Crossroads. It is a great way to get exercise for any body type at any given point of the year. The trail also picks back up around Gifford Pinchot State Park, which I detailed in another post, and continues for a few miles back towards York. So if you ever find yourself ambitious and needing some fun biking routes in southern York Pennsylvania, the rail trail is a great place to go to.

Where Time Stood Still

When I was a senior in high school and in honor's choir, our group got invited to go to New York City for a day and a half to perform and see the city. We also got to see a musical, Once. Our hotel may have been in New Jersey, but we lived pretty much the entire trip in New York City, besides travel time of course. Everything about my experience was a trip to remember.

I awoke on a Saturday morning around 6:30 in order to catch the bus from Frank's Theaters in York. There were about 50 of us who were going on this trip, all of us very talented, experienced singers and aspiring musicians. Five of us were coming from West York to go on this trip, myself included. Previously, the five of us had gone to the farm show complex in Harrisburg every year with our select vocal Ensemble to sing Christmas carols and more. This time, we would be putting on a small concert in St John's Cathedral, the largest church in downtown New York City.

The bus ride lasted four and a half hours, and included the pit stop for coffee and a bathroom break halfway through. They had Burger King at this gas station for whatever reason, so I picked up some hash browns and a sandwich to tide me over until we ate dinner. This was my first time ever setting foot in New York, much less New York City. As soon as we came through the tunnel that led into New York City and Lower Manhattan, all of us started cheering with enamored excitement.

The city was huge. The people were everywhere, and all of them usually friendly. You could literally go up to anybody on the street and strike up a conversation. It was the biggest cultural hub I ever seen, even more so than Paris and Switzerland. It was incredible. And who would have known that it wide Just a few hours north of me?

Normally, the honors choir goes to New York City and sings in the Rockefeller Center, and sings for a big audience. We weren't as lucky, and I had not gone there before. Simply because of monetary constraints, I was only able to go this one year. 

When we got to the cathedral, our mouths were agape after seeing how big the church was. We performed at 10:30 in the morning to a room of mostly parents. Our first song was "O sifuni mungu", an African spiritual, and we really got a feel for the sheer dynamics of this cathedral. The ceiling was 120 feet high, and echoed like mad. We hit our last chord and our next song, "Lux Aurumque" by Eric Whitacre, and our director pulled out a stopwatch. 8 Seconds. Our last chord run out in the cathedral for 8 Seconds. Chills ran down my spine. A tear ran down the face of the person beside me.

The powerhouse of a cathedral that we sang in.

The guys ensemble sang hello "Mary Lou" , a barbershop ensemble song, and the girls ensemble saying "mouth music", an Irish spiritual. We sang a song of joys, and mixed meter cantata. We sang a few more songs before ending our set with "Why We Sing", followed by an encore of "Let the River Run", as re-imagined by Carly Simon. This powerful song was originally a Quaker spiritual, but now would become the most powerful song I have ever song in a choir. There were four percussionists, including myself, but only two of us went on the trip. We slammed our drums loud and proud. 

What an incredible concert, only to be followed by a tour of Times Square, a few picture opportunities, and then our first Broadway show. We saw the musical ones, and it immediately became my favorite musical. I broke down about the soundtrack, as everything about this single stage single set  Broadway show was incredible and Unforgettable. Although I performed in musicals in my own I was never the biggest fan of them, until this day.

We then ate at Hard Rock Cafe, making sure to purchase souvenirs. I had a collection of drumsticks from Hard Rock, and this would be a addition number 5. We then had two hours to ourselves to roam around, where we checked out the Nintendo store, and their biggest candy store. We then met up in Time Square around 6 at night.

At this point in the trip, we all looked at each other, happy to be alive. Our director put up a high sign to get us all together as a group, and said that he had a wonderful idea to stand in the center of Times Square and start an impromptu acapella version of Let the River Run. And this is the magical moment where time Stood Still.

Some friends and I in Times Square. Wait for it...

As you may be aware, Times Square is one of the busiest parts of New York, and  New York City is one of the busiest cities in America. There is hustling and bustling and lots of cars honking their horns everywhere. Lots of advertisements on the big screens in the Big Apple, mostly for musicals and products that are up and coming. When we started singing though, the crowds gathered at the outdoor Amphitheater at Times Square all came to a quiet halt. There were no words. No cars honking. Just the Euphoria of the moment, and at least 400 people listening to a group of high schoolers sing Carly Simon, recording us on their cell phones, taking pictures, and listening. 

And then all of a sudden, an image of us appeared on one of the Billboards, and the honors choir was on display for all who looked on the other wise illustrious advertisements. We finished our song on a high A from the sopranos and a middle D from the basses, swelling into an uproar, ferociously. A 5-second halt, and then the Applause started like mad. 

That just happened. Time Stood Still. No,;New York City, Stood Still, just to listen to us.

What an Incredible gift we had been given this day. We used our talents to give back in the only beautiful way that we knew how to. Triumphantly, we returned to our tour bus, ready to get dinner at a local pasta restaurant. Because we were part of a group, we got a discounted rate, and all of us got a four course meal out of the deal. Between this and the gracious hospitality, we had to thank them in the only way we knew how. My percussionist colleague Dakota and I started drumming on the table, and once again, the choir was letting the River Run. You should have seen the smiles on their faces.

And so it came to pass, that this would be my first glimpse into the wondrous world that is New York City. This was my first time going there, but most certainly not the last. Until next time I stumble upon the Big Apple, I would always continue to let the River Run. And I would let all of the dreamers wake the nation.

Classified

When I was 19, I had a girlfriend whose mother really likes to travel and see new things, as long as it was cheap. She got US Government clearances and tickets to go for a tour of the Pentagon in Washington DC. The Pentagon is the headquarters for the Department of Defense with the United States military, and it is a highly classified and extremely cool building. There is a mall right next to it in Arlington Virginia called The Pentagon mall, where you can buy some souvenirs if you were one of the unfortunate ones who was not able to go on your tour of the Pentagon. Or, of course, you could go buy stuff after your tour, which is what we did.

Upon entering the building, all firearms must be checked, and verifying information must be presented to the heavily armed security officers. Upon arrival in the main part of the building, we see a massive staircase and some of the largest bathrooms I've ever seen as well. And trust me, I've seen a lot of bathrooms (shameless travel disclosure). We are invited into a waiting room, where we waited for our tour guide to take us on a tour of the portion of the facility that is accessible to civilians.

Our tour guide introduced himself as a sergeant with the United States Marines who was taking a break from active duty to lead guided tours of the Pentagon. He asked all of us where we are from, with only a surprisingly few amount of the people saying they are from the United States. Half of the tour group came from England and the Netherlands. One couple came from Germany, and another from Japan. And all of them came simply because they wanted to learn a little bit about the inner workings of our government and defense policy.

The most impressive thing about the tour, aside from seeing the different military and defense exhibits and displays themselves, would probably have to be the fact that our tour guide led the entire tour backwards. That's right, he was back stepping the entire time while talking to us, only changing directions at the very end of the tour when it was over. While walking backwards, he gave us a lot of history lessons about the Pentagon, where it started, and how it got to where it is today.

Towards the middle of the tour, we got to the section that was destroyed and rebuilt during the terrorist attacks on September 11th 2001. We were asked to sign a guestbook that laid under a wall full of purple hearts, each hard to commit commemorate a fallen citizen. It was a very sobering moment. We admired the topiary that existed in the refurbished Courtyard for a moment or two, and then continued on with the rest of the tour, next going to the naval Wing to learn about their ships and boats.

On the last half of the tour, there was actually a display About the Boy Scouts of America America and their involvement with the Pentagon. We then saw some employees speeding around downstairs, complete with healthy meals obtained from the Central Cafe of the Pentagon. These meals usually included Arby's, Starbucks, and McDonalds. Even in the most locked down building in the United States, there is a deficit of healthy food choices.

A Much younger me at the pentagon. I was holding the wrong wrist, though.

At the end of the tour, we got to stand next to our tour guide and his assistant, noticing that like most military pictures, neither of them was smiling. We looked around, took a few more pictures, got some souvenirs, and called it quits for a day. I wish I could tell you more about what goes on in the lower levels of the Pentagon, but just as for the rest of us, that information is classified.