Cycling Stony Valley Rail Trail and the Union Canal Tunnel

Located in PA State Game Lands 211 

outside of Jonestown, Lebanon County, PA

the Stony Valley Railroad Grade is pretty isolated. 

One end, close to where we started, 

is the Lebanon Reservoir and dam. 

The other end, 20 miles later, 

is near Ellendale Forge. 

But other trail users, 

and there were not many,

said you could get to Dauphin 

along the Susquehanna River from there as well.

The best sight along the trail was above...

do you see it?

There were several of them. 

Beaver Lodges. 

We saw 3 from one vantage point. 

We didn't see active beavers though.

This trail tends to be a little rough. 

My husband did not like it 

and was ready to leave way before me 

and I'm the one without shock absorption. 

We totaled 20 miles which means we 

completed half the trail. 

(20 mi is my mental limit 

unless motivated by something else...

ice cream maybe?)

I don't think either of us is in a hurry to 

complete the other half.

For trail info click here 

Since we were in the area we stopped to see the 

Union Canal Tunnel

which can be seen from a park with said name. 

The Union Canal Tunnel boasts being the oldest in the USA 

and was built 1825-1827. 

The mules used along the towpath made their way over top the tunnel 

while the boats were poled through it. 

For more canal info click here.

I would not go out of my way for either 

the rail trail or the tunnel, 

but if you are near it 

the tunnel is a nice stop.

Click here for my additional images.

First Timer's Impression of Smokey Mountain National Park

A common scene through the park

We love our national parks. 

So when an opportunity presented itself 

to visit The Smokies, 

we took it.  

Little River Gorge Rd.

Wow, it was not like the other National Parks 

we have visited. 

It was soooooo crowded.  

And everyone was in their cars! 

?!?!?!?!?!?!?

Another common scene through the park. 

We approached from the east 

via a small section of the 

The Foothills Parkway 

and arrived into honky-tonk Gatlinburg, TN  

which was very crowded also. 

View from the Foothills Parkway

Our 4 night stay was in the 

Holiday Inn Express 

which was free if we sat through 

a 1 hour time-share sales pitch. 

My husband almost took the bait but   

I kicked him back to reality. 

Can you find the bear?
Cades Cove Loop Road

We started out with the go-to attractions:

1. Roaring Fork Motor Trail 

(We did this early to avoid traffic.

We hiked along one of the trails.)

View From Roaring Fork Motor Trail

2. Cades Cove Loop 

(My advice, drive there early or later, 

and instead of doing the whole loop, 

take one of the two other roads off the loop. 

Rich Mt. Rd. or Parson Branch Rd 

to the Foothills Parkway 

and explore.  

We did not do this 

but I wish we had. 

I am sure there would have been a lot less people 

and a lot of beauty.  

View from Cades Cove Loop

After spending a lot time stuck in traffic - 

and god forbid someone sees a bear...

because then the traffic is standstill for miles - 

we found an off the beaten path section of the park

 that WAS off the beaten path. 

But yikes...the potholes! 

It was good we had our Pilot 

and not the Accord. 

Ramsey Prong Road

Our off the beaten spot took us down 

*Ramsey Prong Road*, 

across a couple bridges to a parking location. 

From there we decided to explore...

we heard there was a waterfall. 

The early trail was easy going 

and that was all we planned to do.

But the call of the falls beckoned us on 

and we went despite having no water with us. 

After hiking up an very steep and rooty trail 

and over lots of boulders 

we arrived at 

Ramsey Cascade Falls.

Ramsey Cascade Falls

  

What a beautiful and refreshing sight. 

Photos do not do this 100 foot cascade justice! 

In person, it was beautiful. 

Hike to Ramsey Cascade

The trail is 16 miles round trip and 2,000 feet uphill from the parking location. 

It took us over 3 hours up and 2 hours down. 

When we got back to the car, 

I was exhausted. 

We guzzled our water, 

showered the dirt off our tired bodies, 

and went to Bennet's BBQ for dinner. 

I ordered a blackberry sparkler 

after which my husband said I 

was basically sliding off the chair 

into a puddle on the floor. 

Smaller cascades along the trail.

My recommendation is to spend a day in this section of the park. 

It is located in the Greenbriar area, 

6 miles east of Gatlinburg.

 The 4.5 miles drive to the parking area is scenic 

but also on unmaintained roads 

so it is slow going. 

You will find others there 

but nothing like the main section of the park. 

There is a picnic area with restrooms. 

(If this hike sounds too strenuous for you, 

check out the 4 mile round trip hike to 

the 50 ft. Fern Branch Falls.)

 

Cades Cove View

A one time visit to Gatlinburg 

was enough for both of us 

so we probably won't be going back, 

but at least now it is off the bucket list. 

More photos are stored here. 

Have you been to the Smokies?

Tell me what I SHOULD have done. 

A Spring Visit to Bryn Athyn Cathedral

One quick glance from the street 

and you might think you are in Europe. 

The gothic styled Bryn Athyn Cathedral almost

seems out of place in this suburban neighborhood. 

The Swedenborgian cathedral is one of three buildings on the landscaped grounds. 

Along with the cathedral, 

initially funded by John Pitcairn, 

you can tour 

Glencairn Museum and Cairnwood Estate. 

These three buildings are considered the historic district of Bryn Athyn

which itself is very small. 

The Swedenborgian faith 

is based on the theology of 

Emanuel Swedenborg. 

I do love to visit the gardens there. 

If you go, try to make it in spring or summer. 

The grounds are really beautiful.

This location is on my top ten list of 

scenic places to photograph in 

Montgomery County, PA.

Location: 1005 Cathedral Rd., Bryn Athyn, PA 

Tours: Tuesday through Friday between 1:00-4:00 pm, $5

Cycling Cape May New Jersey With My Camera

Cape May is located on the southern tip of NJ in Cape May County,

on an island south of the Cape May Canal. 

Cape May Lighthouse
215 Lighthouse Avenue, Cape May Point State Park, Cape May, NJ 08204

The Historic District encompasses Cape May City 

where there are many preserved Victorian homes. 

I definitely recommend a little extra time exploring 

the streets of this city. 

Cape May City (Historic District) 

Our 13.9 mile ride started and ended along the beach at Sunset Pavilion. 

Here are the details of our ride: https://goo.gl/maps/Wfs2JDykinFN8oMd8 

and here is a screen shot of the map. 

The ride is in the busier areas of the island 

so off season in April was a perfect time. 

I would not attempt this ride in peak season. 

Oh, and Cape May has clean public restrooms along the beach! 

A Beachfront Gal Gets a Lift

We've been to Cape May so many times, 

but only to the Lighthouse, Sunset Beach and the Lobster House. 

Riding the streets was new to us 

and finding all these beautiful Victorian homes 

was a delight. 

Fishing Boats, Cape May, NJ

But what impressed me most was 

the Fishermen's Memorial. 

Fishermen's Memorial, Cape May, NJ

I had never given much thought to the hidden cost of seafood. 

The fishermen who risk their lives to bring seafood to our tables. 

The list of names lost at sea here gave me great pause - 

And often many from the same family lost together.

The disabled Motivation returns by power of a tug. 

When I came home I researched some of those wrecks, 

but so far have only found details of a few.

Here are details of one from 1921

11 FISHERMEN LOST OFF JERSEY COAST.

Cape May, N.J., Nov. 1. -- Eleven fishermen were drowned last night off Anglesea, when they went out to take up their nets for the Winter. They were employed by the Hilton Fishing Company of Anglesea. Two boats, lashed together, went off shore to pull up the pound net poles, which are sixty-five feet long and weigh over one hundred pounds each.
It is supposed by Captain James A. Price of the Coast Guard Station of Anglesea, they pulled up the poles and started in shore when the heavy seas on the Anglesea bar caused their boat to fill and capsize. The seas were running high on the Anglesea bar at the time.
Augustus Hilton, former Mayor of Anglesea, President of the Hilton Fishing Company, notified
Captain Price that the men were missing at 8 o'clock last night. Despite the heavy sea running, Captain Price and his crew put to sea and searched the coast from Sea Isle City to Cape May for the boats. Not a light or a boat could be seen. At daylight the Coast Guard crew put back to the beach. Captain Jesse Hearon of the Coast Guard station at Stone Harbor on being notified put out to sea, but after an all-night search failed to find the boats.
Those in the boats were:

CHARLES STEVENSON of Dennisville.

RICHARD STEVENSON, a brother of Charles Stevenson.

JOHN LUNDY, Anglesea, whose body came ashore at Wildwood Crest, as did the bodies of the STEVENSON brothers.

Captain ANDREW HANSON, of Anglesea, commander of the two boats.

CHARLES JOHNSON, Anglesea.

Captain GUNNY JOHNSON, Anglesea.

JOHN JOHNSON, of Anglesea.

Captain GEORGE NICHOLSON, of Anglesea, who leaves a wife and two small children.

HARRY KEEN, of Brooklyn.

N. T. DALSTROM, of Brooklyn.

TONY DOMNICO, of Wildwood.

Crowds of anxious watchers lined the beach all day hoping that some one would survive the big seas and heavy tides that have prevailed on the New Jersey coast. Only the three bodies have washed ashore. It is thought that the southerly breeze now blowing will set the bodies on the Delaware shore.

New York Times New York 1921-11-02

And here is a link to another lost at sea story from 2009. 

Vintage Bath House, maybe? 
Sunset Beach, NJ

We lunched at the Lobster House Take Out, and at on their pier. 

It was a little more somber experience having just visited the memorial. 

Fishing Boats at the Lobster House, Cape May, NJ

Yes, I've watched Deadliest Catch, 
but that is in the Bering Sea. 
I had never thought of that with respect to Cape May, NJ! 

WW II Lookout Tower, Cape May, NJ

There are more photos from this set here 
which includes photos of the names lost at sea
and of course more photos of Victorian homes. 

Cape May Harbor, Delaware Ave. Cape May, NJ

Mostly flat on road ride. 
13.9 miles + exploration. 

Allow 1/2 day to include exploration 
or about an hour +  for the ride 
without stops. 

I Pulled Over for This: St. Mary's Russian Orthodox Church

Really, I did. 

Wow! 

This was an unexpected find 

along some backroad in New Jersey. 

How gorgeous are those domes? 

And this door. 

Swoon. 

Not being Russian Orthodox, 

I did look up the symbolism of their style of cross.

BridgetoMoscow.com 

explains is like this:

The top bar symbolizes the sign that was hung above the head of Christ, 

it was written: "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews"

The middle bar was where Christ's hands were nailed.

The lower bar is the foot-rest. 

According to the Russian Orthodox tradition the feet are depicted as being nailed 

not at one point but individually at the two sides of the footrest.

The slanted line reminds us of the two thieves on both sides of the cross. 

One of them to the right of Christ ascended to Heaven, while the other one sank to Hell. 

Thus bottom bar of the cross is like the scale of justice and its points show the way to the Hell and Heaven.

Another interesting fact is that the upper point of the slanted beam always show the way to the North. 

Thus a church cross can serve as a compass.

And I did not overlook 

this lonely grape hyacinth 

standing alone in the cemetery.

St Mary's Russian Orthodox Church

Jackson, NJ