Over Labor Day weekend I was faced with a decision to make. Do I go to the beach with everyone else on the east coast, fighting traffic across the damaged Bay Bridge, OR do I go somewhere quiet, secluded, and full of trails and peace? It wasn't a hard decision to make honestly. I looked at a map and chose the area in Northwestern Pennsylvania called the
Allegheny Plateau. The name itself sounded intriguing, and I have never explored this area, and so the adventure began.
The drive took several hours since there are no major highways for the majority of the trip. Driving through hilly and windy back roads is something I have become used to and actually enjoy doing. I arrived at the tucked away
camping area in the evening and didn't do a whole lot besides look at maps and decide where I was exploring for the following 2 days.
That night I met two older gentlemen who were astronomers and very interesting to talk to. Around 10pm they had their huge telescopes set up and the next thing I know I was looking at the rings of Jupiter and various nebulas and constellations. This inspired my attempt to photograph the stars. Little did I know, some areas in this region are known as the best places for stargazing on the east coast. I would have to agree. The night sky was filled with twinkling white stars and the Milky Way was clearly visible. Shooting stars were zooming by and satellites slowly drifted through the sky.
The next morning I awoke to terrible pains which slowed my day and forced me to change plans. I ended up hiking the
Hickory Creek Wilderness Trail for a few miles. The vegetation was thick and huge pines soared upward creating a sheet of darkness above passing hikers. Needing medicine, I headed into Warren, PA. The smell of natural gas was present in the atmosphere. Wells were scattered throughout the landscape, and refining companies are located along the Allegheny River. I drove around the plateau into New York seeking photographic views.
That evening I rode my bike on some trails, picked delicious blackberries, dodged swarms of flies, built a fire, shot the stars, and met some interesting people.
Monday came and it was time to head home. On the way I stopped at some parks in hopes to see some Elk, but had no luck. I checked out the Wallace Sphagnum Bog. The drive to the bog seemed endless and almost too secluded.. almost like something out of a horror movie. I'm glad it wasn't dark and raining when I approached the area. Full of butterflies, bees, and strange plants, the bog was different than others I have visited.
Despite my physical discomfort, strange huts in the woods, and swarms of bugs, the trip was great and exactly what I needed. I would like to return to the area perhaps during the autumn season when the leaves up there are stunning shades of red and orange.
