You know sometimes you plan and plan for something big, something so momentous you are on the edge of your seat. You have researched, you have mapped, you have packed the bags, charged the good camera. You have a full tank of gas and you drive there, miles ticking past, closer and closer, and then bam...you are there. And, guess what??? The location is TOTALLY off limits. Maybe it is too hard to get to. Maybe it is on super Private No Trespassing property, maybe police are nearby, or maybe the location has been leveled. Call it a combination of a few of these, but we got to the Waverly Mines in Smithton, PA, and it was just a location that didn't have enough going on to risk the Secured by Video Surveillance signs. So we looped around and just began to drive. I am really not very sure where we were at most points of the next 3 hours, but I will tell you what we got to experience.
First, it started off with the following guidelines: 1. we would stop at all and everything we saw today because nothing was worth skipping over, 2. Little Girl must experience it all because these past few trips she was not with us and she was upset she missed out on things, 3. we would try not to break any laws and 4. and the most important try to stay on roads that have no lines. You end up getting the best things found on these roads.
So, we drive. And this is what we found.
1. Though not a big deal, but super fun we found a huge model of the Space Shuttle. You just do not see that everyday, so that is exciting.
2. We found these amazingly rusted old trucks and cars on this one piece of property. It was a brick road that was very covered with dirt, mud and leaves. I knew it had to lead to somewhere cool. I made Mister F follow the road. It said Private Property, but there was no one around. Half way up the road, past the trucks and cars, a shell of a stone home loomed overhead. I only got to explore for moments, the ground was terribly wet and muddy and the foundation did not seem very secure. Safety first, sometimes.
3. We drove further, ended up in a town, Ruffs dale. We found the Dillinger Distillery. I gained access through the front, but was looking more like the back by the rail tracks. I was actually going to climb in the window, until I looked in and realized the window I would have climbed into was actually on the top of the building on the other side, meaning there was a good 50-75 foot drop. It only looked like 4 feet when I walked up to it, but the rest of the building was on the downhill. Good thing I didn;t go up there. The insides were empty, but hollow, the only sound I would hear was dripping water onto the floor. Creep factor - 1000!!!
4. Drove some more, a road that followed the PA Turnpike near New Stanton. To quote me, "You take a road like this and you are bound to find something abandoned." Not 10 minutes after this statement, we pulled up to a wonderfully abandoned home. No roof, no steps, no floors, just basement window access and a great look around. Fireplaces, built ins, additions, all there, all in terrible state, but beautiful. Doors hung crooked, windows stayed in place with out all the sides. It was so cool. Little Girl got to really explore this site. She loved it. "Look, my dream came true. I got to be in an abandoned house today." Okay!!! Glad to accommodate!
5. Lastly,as we finally decided after 5 hours of driving it was time to head somewhat in the direction of home, we took one more no lines road. It had the word turkey in it. Promising. And it was. We found a series of three homes, all stone, all in this one wooded area, all barely standing, all abandoned. The one with the most standing had a huge beautiful fireplace.
Muddy, soggy, a little cold and super excited, we drive some more, ended up running into the PA Turnpike and decided to just hitch a quick ride home. Hunger and waiting football games were calling. That an some homemade chicken soup. All that planning, all that research, all that work...maybe it was not so worth it, but this adventure was certainly one we won't forget.
First, it started off with the following guidelines: 1. we would stop at all and everything we saw today because nothing was worth skipping over, 2. Little Girl must experience it all because these past few trips she was not with us and she was upset she missed out on things, 3. we would try not to break any laws and 4. and the most important try to stay on roads that have no lines. You end up getting the best things found on these roads.
So, we drive. And this is what we found.
1. Though not a big deal, but super fun we found a huge model of the Space Shuttle. You just do not see that everyday, so that is exciting.
2. We found these amazingly rusted old trucks and cars on this one piece of property. It was a brick road that was very covered with dirt, mud and leaves. I knew it had to lead to somewhere cool. I made Mister F follow the road. It said Private Property, but there was no one around. Half way up the road, past the trucks and cars, a shell of a stone home loomed overhead. I only got to explore for moments, the ground was terribly wet and muddy and the foundation did not seem very secure. Safety first, sometimes.
3. We drove further, ended up in a town, Ruffs dale. We found the Dillinger Distillery. I gained access through the front, but was looking more like the back by the rail tracks. I was actually going to climb in the window, until I looked in and realized the window I would have climbed into was actually on the top of the building on the other side, meaning there was a good 50-75 foot drop. It only looked like 4 feet when I walked up to it, but the rest of the building was on the downhill. Good thing I didn;t go up there. The insides were empty, but hollow, the only sound I would hear was dripping water onto the floor. Creep factor - 1000!!!
4. Drove some more, a road that followed the PA Turnpike near New Stanton. To quote me, "You take a road like this and you are bound to find something abandoned." Not 10 minutes after this statement, we pulled up to a wonderfully abandoned home. No roof, no steps, no floors, just basement window access and a great look around. Fireplaces, built ins, additions, all there, all in terrible state, but beautiful. Doors hung crooked, windows stayed in place with out all the sides. It was so cool. Little Girl got to really explore this site. She loved it. "Look, my dream came true. I got to be in an abandoned house today." Okay!!! Glad to accommodate!
5. Lastly,as we finally decided after 5 hours of driving it was time to head somewhat in the direction of home, we took one more no lines road. It had the word turkey in it. Promising. And it was. We found a series of three homes, all stone, all in this one wooded area, all barely standing, all abandoned. The one with the most standing had a huge beautiful fireplace.
Muddy, soggy, a little cold and super excited, we drive some more, ended up running into the PA Turnpike and decided to just hitch a quick ride home. Hunger and waiting football games were calling. That an some homemade chicken soup. All that planning, all that research, all that work...maybe it was not so worth it, but this adventure was certainly one we won't forget.