Carsonville Hotel Ride  

Hosted by Rick Shirk

Brief Report on the Carsonville Ride 1999.

We met at the Sheetz off the corner of PA 114 and US 11 (Carlisle Pike).  After a brief meeting of the Squad wannabes, Rick set off on the lead of a route with some very cool roads.  We opted for the early lunch at the Carsonville Hotel.  If you travel this part of PA, don't blink: first you'll blow right through the hard left turn that defines Carsonville (two did it screeching to halt just over the crest) and second you'll miss the Carsonville Hotel (wonder if they have any rooms for rent?).  I tried to buy Rick's lunch, but I was "too damned slow" and he picked mine up instead; thanx Rick, I owe you.

From there, it was off to the hinterlands of Pennsylvania to where coal was king.  I was surprised at the number of Anthracite mines still in operation.  I counted three or four in Shamokin alone.  Over the Susquehanna, boy it's low, and onto the farm country of central PA.  The small tanks were forced to fill up mid route at New Berlin (pronounced burlin).  Then up over Penn's Creek Mountain (attention trout fisherman: they're here) and Thick Mountain, back into the fertile valleys of Amish country.  For those not familar with the Amish, they live thoughout most of the state not just Lancaster County;  there is especially large group in central PA who are fairly friendly with the "English".

I split off when we got to the Juniata; got rained on for a bit, it was a refreshing change from the dry spell we're in.