Pennsylvania: The Blogstone State
Next month we can follow the adventures of six wild bloggists roaming around Pennsylvania and recording their experiences for the Department of Tourism's Visit PA promotion.
The department says PA is the first state to promote tourism through blogging.
There's Elliot, the extreme bicyclist. Manisha and Preethi, the culture-vultures. Robert, the history hobbiest. Mike & Tamara, the NY cityfolk in Amish Country. Tom, the Harley dude. And the Krugers, a family of four looking for amusement parks.
I don't know about you, but I'm starting with Manisha and Preethi, who look like the most fun. From their bio:
We've been living in Pittsburgh for almost two years, but we've been so busy with graduate school that we haven't had time to discover all that the Steel City has to offer.
We must help these ladies. They seem to have a swell summer planned. A visit to a luxe spa south of the 'Burgh. The New Hope Winery. The Philadelphia Museum of Art. We've got to show them The Trestle Inn: "Dress Code Strickly Enforced."
Tom the biker is a maintenance man from Butler. For his first of three roadtrips, he's going to ride his Harley Softtail Custom east on Route 30. Having looked at his picture, I will not be making any fun of Tom, and wish him Godspeed.
The Krugers of Pittsburgh say, "We're packing an SUV and we're not afraid to use it!" Mom, Dad, two pre-teens are headed for Splash Lagoon water park, Presque Isle's beach, Thunder Valley Stables, "and maybe we'll even rent a cabin in the Allegheny National Forest (the boys want to see a Pennsylvania Black Bear)!" Be sure to leave a nice trail of honey grahams leading to the tail gate.
Michael and Tamara are the Hipster Trippers, a couple from Queens, hell-bent on authentic experience. Tamara wants to milk a cow. Just remember, they walk on all fours and can be found loping around hollow logs, campsites and SUVs.
Robert of Chalfont is the serious one, hoping to dig a little deeper into historical matters at Valley Forge, Gettysburg and Fort Pitt. He brings the right attitude:
I have no doubt that these trips will be fun - beer is sold throughout the state.
Elliott is a Philly guy . He has just turned 30 and is obviously trying to kill himself. His goal: 300 miles in 30 hours. He's packing 10 pounds of essentials, including a knife, a blow-torch and 3,000 calories of GORP, bagels, cheese, and sugary treats. Don't forget your laptop, bro.
They promise to blog and take pictures and movies, and post it all on the Web to celebrate the commonwealth's stuff, starting June 1. These are real people, by the way. The state wil be looking for more after the summer. We should come up with more recommendations to show all sides of the Keystone State.
"Tom the biker is a maintenance man from Butler. For his first of three roadtrips, he's going to ride his Harley Softtail Custom east on Route 30." Have him detour over to Rt 741 at Gap - it's a lot nicer run than Rt 30 east of Lancaster - goes through some nice Amish country and Stroudsburg, and then joins up with 30 west of Lancaster. Unless, of course, he's wanting to hit the outlets...
Who do you think is hotter - Preethi or Manisha? I vote for Preethi. Although, Tamara is pretty cute too!
3 or 4 Yuenglings might seem like a lot to you, but I suspect Tom could handle more than that. Even I could. I think it'd be good cross-cultural material if Tom and I crossed paths on our roadtrips. Maybe he'd let me take a spin on his hog. He could try on the powdered wig I wore for the website photo shoot. Maybe we'd end up writing a song together.
Ah, the history hobbiest, we flushed you out! Welcome. Please know we are interested in reading about your travels - official stuff and cutting-room floor material. Weigh in from the dusty places from time to time.
Robert, the PA site says you're the history buff. http://www.visitpa.com/visitpa/roadTrippers.pa?action=bio&name=history I say that's a buff wig you're wearing, and you'll need some serious adhesive to keep it from flying off your head if you ride on Tom's hog, otherwise your rug will look like some lab-rat roadkill. Seriously, welcome to eastern PA. There are plenty of historical sites to visit other than the obvious ones on Independence Mall. If you're adventurous, take a side trip to Germantown where several historic homes are worth a visit. Here are two: http://www.cliveden.org/ and http://www.wyck.org
yes - well i hope i can produce something entertaining in my blogs beyond grammatical errors and strained metaphors. I appreciate the recommendations for Germantown. I intend to get off the beaten path as much as possible. I'll put these places on my radar.
Ouch! Robert, go easy on us. You're a public figure now. Pleasant journey.
i was referring to my own writing.
Thereyet, I suspect you'd be traveling in the back of an ambulance after Tom would get done with you after "three or four Yuenglings." Three or four? What is this, high school? I'll bet Tom can put away a case of that over-priced, average beer. He may only eat three or four of the bottles. Just yanking your chain. Robert seems just a little off-center to me. Any man wearing a powdered wig in this day and age most certainly has a duck suit and a hundred pairs of flamboyant sunglasses in his dresser drawers. Preethi or Manisha??? WHY CHOOSE!!??? It's like Betty or Veronica? Ginger or Maryanne? Wilma or Betty? Justin or Nick? There is no wrong answer! Otis J.
Don't forget about Tamara, man, she is hot!! OK, she's my wife, can't blame a guy for try'n. I wouldn't want to mess with Tom. Is it just me, or does he make Buddy Lee look soft? Is he reading this?
Mike & Tamara: I am so pleased that you are coming down from the Big Apple to visit us hayseeds. But I am worried that will exhaust yourself by carrying your wife on your back as shown in the photo. Here in Pennsylvania, we use wheelbarrows to carry our spouses.
Gotta give the state credit. This might be a big hit for visitpa.com.
I like the wheelbarrow idea. Great photo op, although T might not go for it. Perhaps after a few rounds of Jagger from the state store.
Mike, Pardon me for not including your Mrs. - She is indeed Babilicious. I'm just not the type of dude to blog-leer at another man's woman. I think I just invented a word...blog-leer. Daddy like. The wheelbarrow idea looks good on paper, but the standard one does not fit through the standard state store door. And after a few times getting her feet smashed into things around the Keystone state, your woman would be tired of your bad steering self. I like that you've taken to our "state store" phenomenon. I am sure you're used to getting your booze at a liquor store manned by a guy in a turban and an Knicks jacket, wedged in between a bodega and an electronics store that always has "going out of business - big sale!" signs in the window, but never really goes out of business. Or maybe you get your stuff right at the bodega. I hope you enjoy PA. Just watch out for the Amish. Not everyone is lucky enough to have the same experience that Harrison Ford had with them. Otis J. Peace out yo.
I just browsed the entire visitpa.com site more closely. Impressive. But here's a question for the roadtrippers: Where exactly can we locate your blogs?
mine is in the process of being redacted to the point of leaving only prepositions. Actually they don't post until June 1 - as i understand it.
Hmmm. Will you have full freedom to write what you please, or, because it's a promotional site, do you have to submit your comments through a filter and stay positive and upbeat? And at risk of being rude, do the roadtrippers get compensated?
Did Monica Lewinsky change her name to Preethi? Here's a new category: The Senator. Follow "Rick" and his dog on their Blogstone State adventure as they run the length of the turnpike trying to distance themselves from Rick's incendiary "Democrats are the equivalent of Adolf Hitler" remarks.
You're in luck, Chris. Blinq just started a thread down that line: http://blogs.philly.com/blinq/2005/05/things_we_tucke.html#comments
No - we have free reign. Of course we'll need to stay within the confines of propriety, but I don't know think that's too restrictive. Happily we decide our own itinerary and write what we want. That freedom is the big attraction for me. We are being compensated a little bit for our time and effort, basically to cover expenses and such.
That's right Bob, fair to say we're in it for the love. Still got my day job, although this is certainly more fun. A shout to my man Otis J, pardon the late response, time are busy. Good to know we've got a friend in Pennsylvania.
right...it would be nice to simply take road trips and write about them. Maybe PA should send us to Europe or at least other states as ambassadors of the Keystone State. We could spread a little PA around the country, each in our own way. Better than working in the gulag.
As you might guess, Blinq has a huge bankroll. Worldwide tour? You need only ask. Anyone for Bucharest?
Bob, I enjoyed your commentary on Pickett's Charge at the Battle of Gettysburg. You said it was possibly the most pivotal point in American history... I give you another. In December of 1753 when a young man named George Washington was returning from Fort LeBouef (Waterford, PA), an Indian guide turned around and shot at young George W. and missed. Decisions made by the young man in 1754 and 1755 led to the French and Indian War's start in western PA and, ultimately, to the unfair taxation by the English that sparked the American Revolution. The Shot That Missed... another pivotal moment in a series of them. Best regards from Kittanning, PA., where Richard Gere and Laura Linney starred in the filming of Mothman Prophecies and I MAY have been visible 1/10th of a second in the final cut. On the other hand, I might not have been in the final version, either.
Right. I agree, that's quite a significant one. And there are a number that can claim such distinction, I suppose. I'll be focusing on the French and Indian War and Western PA next month so we should be able to share more on the subject together. I'm particularly excited about this leg of my roadtrips because I grew up in WPA (Beaver).
Very useful comments - good to read Casino, Tragaperras: http://www.tragaperras-es.com