Photo TR: Derek and Nicole take a walk

[DerekRx]

With nothing on the agenda for today and wanting to do some exercising, I decided to take Nicole to one of our area parks since it was a pretty warm November day and the weather was nice. What started out as just wanting to walk a little bit turned into a 6 mile walk. Here's some pictures, with historical information to boot. There, now you can say you learned something.

getting home, my biggest souvenirs were 2 lovely blisters and sock fuzz. Yay!

as winter approaches, the Canabians try to get away from Paul, Jerkki, and friends and chill out here for a bit

This bridge here is Rt. 222, which would take us all the way to Dorney, if we wanted to go there. But it's closed for the season, so we're not going

woohoo, only 30 miles back to where we started! (or 3 if people hadn't picked off the decimal points)

another shot at the creek, this is where the Plum Creek met up with the Tulpehocken

another bridge we crossed was Rush's Iron Truss Bridge, constructed in 1905 and moved to this location from Oley Valley

Nicole on some random bridge

the inside of the lock, full of duck weed

Nicole takes a turn as locktender. After a month of this, she'd make between $1 and $10, depending on when during the canal's operation days

it actually moves!

This is lift lock #47E. It was restored back in 1976.

Prepping for winter, squirrels were frantically gathering nuts all over the path and make a whole lot of noise

This home on the banks was owned by the Machemer family, who used to take grist from up the creek into Reading via a barge back in the 1830s. I don't think he installed the sky-lights, that was probably a more recent owner

another shot of Wertz's Covered Bridge over the Tulpehocken Creek

This is the Berks County Heritage Center, including the Gruber Wagon Works, Melcher's Grist Mill, and Reeser's Farm House, as seen here, among other things

Lots of covered bridges are believed to be haunted by people who killed themselves on them or from them. Lots of the sounds though are just the water combined with wind and the wood

Walking thru the bridge you see lots of wood, and hear creaking noises. No cars are allowed to drive through these anymore, as another one up the creek was destroyed back in the 1960s when a truck over the weight limit attempted to cross it. He failed

Notice the Hex sign on top. This came from the Pennsylvania Dutch influence in the area and warded off evil spirits

Sometimes called Red Bridge, Wertz's Covered Bridge is the longest of Pennsylvania's surviving single-span covered bridges, measuring 204 feet

I never knew Wayne Manor was so close! The area of the trail around here is supposedly haunted by Mrs. Bissinger, who killed herself and 3 children by jumping into one of the locks with some rocks tied to her because her husband was a player.

This is Tulpehocken Creek (local Native American for "land of the turtles"), part of the Union Canal that used to take coal from Harrisburg to Philadelphia way back in 1828

Our starting point, Gring's Mill, which was a grist mill back in 1811. This building was actually the home.

[christianscoasters]

That was very fun to read! We don't have anything like that here

[SharkTums]

This bridge here is Rt. 222, which would take us all the way to Dorney, if we wanted to go there. But it's closed for the season, so we're not going

 

Wait are you saying that you would go to Dorney if it was open!?!?

[Scaparri]

This TR reminds me of a why I like Pennsylvania so much. The scenery is just awesome. Cool take on a photo TR, Derek.

[Carnage]

Nice TR.

 

I like the pic of the covered bridge, with the light bouncing off making the water look red.

[moinab]

Beautiful photos! Makes me homesick for the northeast.

 

Sucks, about the blisters, though. Ouch.

[arrowfanman]

It could just be the history dork in me, but I envy the amount of heritage that surrounds you. The city in which I live just celebrated its 20th anniversary. To think that some of that stuff is nearing 200. Very impressive to me. Thanks for sharing. It was very interesting!

 

-Jahan

[Hattuchili]

This was really a different Photo-TR. I liked it and thanks for sharing it with us, Derek.

[Moose]

Thanks for all the Bridge P.orn. It really was nice to see!

[mcjaco]

It could just be the history dork in me, but I envy the amount of heritage that surrounds you. The city in which I live just celebrated its 20th anniversary. To think that some of that stuff is nearing 200. Very impressive to me. Thanks for sharing. It was very interesting!

 

-Jahan

 

That's because most of California sucks.

 

I keep waiting for Abra to tell me she's got a business trip to Philly so, I can come out and do some sightseeing and drinking.

[arrowfanman]

^ California has a history that predates the rest of the United States, beginning in 1532 when Cortez sent an expedition to explore it. And Drake declared the charming land "New Britain" decades before the emergence of "New England" on the east coast.

 

 

Not that you care.

 

I'm just saying, Santa Clarita doesn't have any cool old factories, locks, or bridges to take for granted. Maybe if I get some time off and am bored, I'll do one of these PTRs. Until then, I can only thank Derek!

 

 

 

-Jahan

[dandaman]

As winter approaches, the Canabians try to get away from Paul, Jerkki, and friends and chill out here for a bit.

 

There is no escape; half the country tends to move south along with them.

 

Nice historical PTR, Derek.

[mcjaco]

^ California has a history that predates the rest of the United States, beginning in 1532 when Cortez sent an expedition to explore it. And Drake declared the charming land "New Britain" decades before the emergence of "New England" on the east coast.

 

 

Not that you care.

 

I'm just saying, Santa Clarita doesn't have any cool old factories, locks, or bridges to take for granted. Maybe if I get some time off and am bored, I'll do one of these PTRs. Until then, I can only thank Derek!

 

 

 

-Jahan

 

Which is why I said "most" of California sucks.

[speedracer]

^ Why I love my NorCal, so much more history and natural beauty preserved up here than SoCal. Many history parks and small towns up here that have remained intact exactly as they were in the 1700's-1800's. Plus I wouldn't trade my 100yr old classic seaside amusement park for anything in the world, even a big corporate rollercoaster park like CP. Seems like the planners down South didn't care about preserving much of SoCal's history, bits and pieces here and there, but nothing like we've got up here.

 

Really beautiful pics of PA, wish I would have had more time to enjoy the surrounding scenery on my 1 visit in and out of Hershey.

[Wood Dragon 1988]

Very nice PTR. I really like the state of PA. Got up there 3 times this year and went to 4 different amusement parks. It's hard to believe I avoided the state for the last five years and I only live one state south of it! Trust me, I will not avoid it for that long again.

 

I'm pretty sure I'll be transferring schools next year from a college in the southern-most part of Maryland to a university about 15 minutes from the PA border!

[BarryH]

Great photos!

 

I know what you two did in the bushes. *wink wink*

[Ccron10]

It could just be the history dork in me, but I envy the amount of heritage that surrounds you. The city in which I live just celebrated its 20th anniversary. To think that some of that stuff is nearing 200. Very impressive to me. Thanks for sharing. It was very interesting!

 

-Jahan

 

We do have a lot of heritage over here. Even though Berks County isn't the biggest tourist trap, IMO its a hidden treasure. Did you know we have a pagoda?!

[AllenA07]

I'm just saying, Santa Clarita doesn't have any cool old factories, locks, or bridges to take for granted. Maybe if I get some time off and am bored, I'll do one of these PTRs. Until then, I can only thank Derek!

 

-Jahan

 

Alright for some really interesting things that you could careless about when it comes to Santa Clarita...

 

First there was a decent size Spanish American war battle fought near a hill in Valencia... Today that hill is Samuri Summit.

 

Secondly under the 5-14 interchange is where I believe (I could be wrong, and I really have no intentions of looking this up) the peace agreement was reached in the above war.

 

To be fair though, not much history in that area to really tour that would be much fun... There is a train that FDR rode that is sitting over in Newhall.

[coaster05]

This bridge here is Rt. 222, which would take us all the way to Dorney, if we wanted to go there. But it's closed for the season, so we're not going

 

Wait are you saying that you would go to Dorney if it was open!?!?

 

coming home from NYC we drove right past Dorney, with CF passes in hand, and just drove right by to play mini golf with Derek instead.

[Bubba83]

It could just be the history dork in me, but I envy the amount of heritage that surrounds you. The city in which I live just celebrated its 20th anniversary. To think that some of that stuff is nearing 200. Very impressive to me. Thanks for sharing. It was very interesting!

 

-Jahan

 

Have you been to Yosemite?

[arrowfanman]

^ That's natural history. That doesn't count!

 

 

I'm just saying, Santa Clarita doesn't have any cool old factories, locks, or bridges to take for granted. Maybe if I get some time off and am bored, I'll do one of these PTRs. Until then, I can only thank Derek!

 

-Jahan

 

Alright for some really interesting things that you could careless about when it comes to Santa Clarita...

 

First there was a decent size Spanish American war battle fought near a hill in Valencia... Today that hill is Samuri Summit.

 

Secondly under the 5-14 interchange is where I believe (I could be wrong, and I really have no intentions of looking this up) the peace agreement was reached in the above war.

 

To be fair though, not much history in that area to really tour that would be much fun... There is a train that FDR rode that is sitting over in Newhall.

 

Erm, the Spanish American war was fought in the Philippines and in Cuba. Not in California. And if you're referring to the Mexican American war, no peace agreement was reached in the Newhall Pass. That war ended in Mexico City. But dont worry...one of these days I WILL do a SCV history PTR.

 

 

 

 

And Barry...that bushes comment was just creepy!

 

-Jahan

[shesaidboom]

Mmmm blisters!

 

Tell those Canabian geese to stay there!!! I hate them. They're all over my university, pooping on people and attacking them and stuff. Getting chased to class by a goose is not my idea of Monday morning fun.

 

Pretty pictures, especially the ones of Micole

[AllenA07]

Wow... I did just place the Spanish American war in the middle of California... That's what happens when we don't look back over our facts before posting something! Yeah I'll take your word that the war wasn't settled in the Newhall pass, something of significance did happen there, but I can't remember what for the life of me. My speciality was in Constitutional history so mexican American war is a bit out of my comfort bubble. Again sorry for the mistakes.