Introduction:
We live in such a wonderful time and place! A time when the hills and valleys of the Keystone state which once lay quiet, now rush with rivers of craft beers and cheer with culinary acclaim. This is also a grand new era of the coffee shop, when young and old alike can sit for hours chatting, working, writing and delving into everything from poetry to politics.
Here’s a place, the heart of Pennsylvania, where we have a bounty of restaurants, pubs and cafés, independently owned and operated by our friends and neighbors. In State College for example …there’s a brewpub whose beers are amazing. These same beers are proudly served at other area restaurants that believe in and support them (no wonder it’s called “Happy Valley”). Along Route 6 in Wellsboro, you’ll find a classic stainless steel diner that serves some of the best home cooking and fresh made pies this side of heaven. Down the road from Port Royal, there’s a vintage 1940s luncheonette where they offer a completely vegetarian menu. And here in my quaint village of Boalsburg there’s an excellent restaurant with a giant statue of a bull on the roof.
This is truly a time to take the time to experience the unique eats, cool pubs and cozy cafés we have all around us, and to seek out and support the independent and creative men and women who own them. It’s also the time to just say NO and break away from the “chain gang” of fast food places and try something creative, fresh, independently owned and damn good.
I’ve had some of my greatest adventures over the years finding these places. Along the way and while enjoying incredible food and drink, I’ve met some of the nicest and most interesting people you can imagine. I’ve seen amazing things and have felt the awesome spirit of la vie. Through this book I want to share it all with you, to inspire you to take an adventure and to experience, taste and be filled with the goodness that’s around us.
Now, get in your car or roll out your motorcycle. Grab your sweetie and unfold your map. Turn off the cell phone, start your engine and allow me to bring you to this world of lovingly prepared foods, wonderfully handcrafted beers, fresh coffee and the cool places that serve them. All right here in central Pennsylvania and all found just by going LOCAL!
Enjoy…
About The Book:
This is more than a guidebook – it’s a journal, travelogue, memoir, fact, fiction and hopefully a good resource and read as well. In fact, I’ve written it more like a journal. It’s about my experiences as I’ve traveled over this great state and even beyond in some examples, and the places I’ve discovered and folks I’ve met along the way.
Most of time these journey’s are with my favorite travelling companion and source of transportation, The Mighty Steed, my sweet 1994 Harley Davidson Sportster. Don’t be surprised if I write as though I’m with another person sometimes, but when you’ve logged as many miles together as I have with The Steed, its hard not to think of him as a friend. He’s always ready to go on an adventure and never fails to give me all he has when I roll back on his throttle to get there. Not only do I humanize my bike in this book (and in real life), but I tend to do the same with roads. However, they are of the female persuasion. Especially the sweet, wild and dangerous ones! But I digress (as you will notice I do a lot).
My intention as we travel together on these adventures is to be an advocate not a critic, a scout and messenger rather than a reviewer. Also, just a lover of la vie (the life), whose experiences and discoveries will be like an adventure and discovery for you too. This book is not meant to honor one place more than another and is not a definitive work. I wanted to save some for another edition and I also wanted you to find some on your own – using your map, asking locals, and by just hitting the road to discover what’s around the next curve.
I live in a cabin that I built with the help of some great local guys. The massive and beautiful logs came to me as the result of a wrong turn on a back road. However, there was nothing wrong about where that turn took me. This seeming error turned out to be one of the sweetest blessings in my life, which is exactly what I desire for you – to be blessed by what’s down the road and around that next curve.
Please keep in mind though as you are reading, that I will ramble, digress (like above), go off on tangents, get on soap boxes, pretend I’m an historian, share experiences, spin tales, make stuff up and have a lot of fun! Also, I’m not really a writer. In fact, my elementary school teachers told my mom and dad that my English skills were dismal and not to expect much from me in that realm or any other. I was put in learning disability classes in junior high and my folks heard the same. So to be able to bring this book to you despite some spelling, grammar and punctuation errors and a total lack of literary skill, I, as well as my mom and dad are quite thrilled.
My hope though, is that this book will inspire and encourage you to break away from the chain gang (chain restaurants) and fast food places, to experience for yourself the rich blessings of indie (independent) owned eating and drinking establishments that we have here in Central Pennsylvania. I fear that if we don’t support our local businesses and the old school mom and pop places, they will fall by the wayside and be forgotten.
Other blessings here in the heart of our state are incredible natural resources, areas of pristine beauty, wonderful roads, sweet byways and little towns and villages that are like a kind of utopia for everyone – especially those from urban areas. One thing though as I was writing this book and something I feel needs to be addressed is how do I tell you about all these amazing places without ruining them at the same time? This is a major quandary for me that I will dig deep into with a real-life story later on. But I must admit I hope this book is as much about preserving these utopias as it is about opening the doors for you to enjoy them.
Along with that, this book is about a desire for you to enrich your life through the great experiences of food, drink and the places that serve up both. I want to encourage you to slow down and take time to share these experiences with your sweetie, friends, kids, folks, or even a stranger. And, to inspire you to have your own adventures and maybe write your own stories as well.
Above all though, this book is about going LOCAL! and supporting the indie sole proprietors that were the foundation of our country. The chains are a new thing within the past 40 years, and how in the world did people survive before them? I’ll tell you how, by shopping at their local markets, stores, shops, pharmacies, other businesses and dining at there neighbor’s restaurants, pubs or cafes. By supporting them they will in turn support you.
So there ya go – keep it local and keep it alive! That’s what it’s all about.
How it Works:
The map starts with two small circles in the center. From there, my area goes approximately 70 miles (as the crow flies) out and 360 degrees around, to form a larger circle of about 140 miles in diameter. Then I thought of a way to divide that large circle into twelve regions so that you could easily picture them in your mind. It’s like a combination clock and dartboard.
I figure everyone can visualize the state of Pennsylvania, a center point, dartboard and clock. I also think we all understand the concept of directions according to the numbers of a clock. Here’s an example: If I say something’s at 12 o’clock, I mean straight up. If it’s at 6 o’clock, then it would be straight down. And, if I said to look to 9 o’clock then you should look directly to the left. The dartboard part simply refers to the center circles and lines that divide the area and create a pie shape for each region. Within these regions will be towns, next to them will be numbers which will correspond to the pages where the places I’ve written about can be found.
I’ll begin the book with two regions which are the circles in the center. The tiny circle (bull’s eye) is for a region titled “Boalsburg, My Home,” and is represented in the Table of Contents as Roman numeral I. A small circle (representing about 10 miles) around that will be called “Happy Valley, My Neighbors,” and will be Roman numeral II. Then, the pie shaped region at 1 o’clock will be represented in Chapter 1. Chapter 2 is the 2 o’clock pie-shaped region and so on. At the head of each listing, there will be a little PA state icon indicating the region by a shaded piece of the pie.
Sound confusing? It’s not, just dive in and start reading, find a place you want to try or region you would like to visit, unfold the map and have fun.
What are you waiting for?
Excerpt:
It’s so easy to blast right past the exit to this sweet winding route that leads you up through the beautiful Pine Creek Gorge into the Grand Canyon and the Cinque Terra of PA. One of the main routes to get to this beginning is 220, a four-lane highway running east to west and a main thoroughfare for cars and trucks traveling across the state. Fortunately there are no huge flashing signs along 220 telling travelers where to turn on to this beautiful road, only a normal exit sign. Spotting it, I leaned The Mighty Steed into the exit and crossed over from highway to a rural byway. Rt. 44 and her little sister 414 are
comparable to some of the roads I’ve navigated in the mountain regions of Europe (I will touch more on that a bit later). For now though, as she (Rt. 44) rises out of the river valley north of Jersey Shore, she’s straighter, flatter, less curvy and not as wild and dangerous as little sister a few miles ahead. The day was brilliant, the air chilly and The Steed was running like the wild mustang he is. As I poked him with a spur of throttle, he reared up and the two of us flew like the wind. The great northern Appalachian range was rising in front of us and with every long sweeping curve they drew nearer and began their caress. This was a special moment and special place indeed. With every mile that passed, I could feel the stresses of life slowly peel away, swirl and get lost in the jet stream of a boy and his bike.
That’s all ya get. Go buy the book and read the rest.
Introduction:
We live in such a wonderful time and place! A time when the hills and valleys of the Keystone state which once lay quiet, now rush with rivers of craft beers and cheer with culinary acclaim. This is also a grand new era of the coffee shop, when young and old alike can sit for hours chatting, working, writing and delving into everything from poetry to politics.
Here’s a place, the heart of Pennsylvania, where we have a bounty of restaurants, pubs and cafés, independently owned and operated by our friends and neighbors. In State College for example …there’s a brewpub whose beers are amazing. These same beers are proudly served at other area restaurants that believe in and support them (no wonder it’s called “Happy Valley”). Along Route 6 in Wellsboro, you’ll find a classic stainless steel diner that serves some of the best home cooking and fresh made pies this side of heaven. Down the road from Port Royal, there’s a vintage 1940s luncheonette where they offer a completely vegetarian menu. And here in my quaint village of Boalsburg there’s an excellent restaurant with a giant statue of a bull on the roof.
This is truly a time to take the time to experience the unique eats, cool pubs and cozy cafés we have all around us, and to seek out and support the independent and creative men and women who own them. It’s also the time to just say NO and break away from the “chain gang” of fast food places and try something creative, fresh, independently owned and damn good.
I’ve had some of my greatest adventures over the years finding these places. Along the way and while enjoying incredible food and drink, I’ve met some of the nicest and most interesting people you can imagine. I’ve seen amazing things and have felt the awesome spirit of la vie. Through this book I want to share it all with you, to inspire you to take an adventure and to experience, taste and be filled with the goodness that’s around us.
Now, get in your car or roll out your motorcycle. Grab your sweetie and unfold your map. Turn off the cell phone, start your engine and allow me to bring you to this world of lovingly prepared foods, wonderfully handcrafted beers, fresh coffee and the cool places that serve them. All right here in central Pennsylvania and all found just by going LOCAL!
Enjoy…
About The Book:
This is more than a guidebook – it’s a journal, travelogue, memoir, fact, fiction and hopefully a good resource and read as well. In fact, I’ve written it more like a journal. It’s about my experiences as I’ve traveled over this great state and even beyond in some examples, and the places I’ve discovered and folks I’ve met along the way.
Most of time these journey’s are with my favorite travelling companion and source of transportation, The Mighty Steed, my sweet 1994 Harley Davidson Sportster. Don’t be surprised if I write as though I’m with another person sometimes, but when you’ve logged as many miles together as I have with The Steed, its hard not to think of him as a friend. He’s always ready to go on an adventure and never fails to give me all he has when I roll back on his throttle to get there. Not only do I humanize my bike in this book (and in real life), but I tend to do the same with roads. However, they are of the female persuasion. Especially the sweet, wild and dangerous ones! But I digress (as you will notice I do a lot).
My intention as we travel together on these adventures is to be an advocate not a critic, a scout and messenger rather than a reviewer. Also, just a lover of la vie (the life), whose experiences and discoveries will be like an adventure and discovery for you too. This book is not meant to honor one place more than another and is not a definitive work. I wanted to save some for another edition and I also wanted you to find some on your own – using your map, asking locals, and by just hitting the road to discover what’s around the next curve.
I live in a cabin that I built with the help of some great local guys. The massive and beautiful logs came to me as the result of a wrong turn on a back road. However, there was nothing wrong about where that turn took me. This seeming error turned out to be one of the sweetest blessings in my life, which is exactly what I desire for you – to be blessed by what’s down the road and around that next curve.
Please keep in mind though as you are reading, that I will ramble, digress (like above), go off on tangents, get on soap boxes, pretend I’m an historian, share experiences, spin tales, make stuff up and have a lot of fun! Also, I’m not really a writer. In fact, my elementary school teachers told my mom and dad that my English skills were dismal and not to expect much from me in that realm or any other. I was put in learning disability classes in junior high and my folks heard the same. So to be able to bring this book to you despite some spelling, grammar and punctuation errors and a total lack of literary skill, I, as well as my mom and dad are quite thrilled.
My hope though, is that this book will inspire and encourage you to break away from the chain gang (chain restaurants) and fast food places, to experience for yourself the rich blessings of indie (independent) owned eating and drinking establishments that we have here in Central Pennsylvania. I fear that if we don’t support our local businesses and the old school mom and pop places, they will fall by the wayside and be forgotten.
Other blessings here in the heart of our state are incredible natural resources, areas of pristine beauty, wonderful roads, sweet byways and little towns and villages that are like a kind of utopia for everyone – especially those from urban areas. One thing though as I was writing this book and something I feel needs to be addressed is how do I tell you about all these amazing places without ruining them at the same time? This is a major quandary for me that I will dig deep into with a real-life story later on. But I must admit I hope this book is as much about preserving these utopias as it is about opening the doors for you to enjoy them.
Along with that, this book is about a desire for you to enrich your life through the great experiences of food, drink and the places that serve up both. I want to encourage you to slow down and take time to share these experiences with your sweetie, friends, kids, folks, or even a stranger. And, to inspire you to have your own adventures and maybe write your own stories as well.
Above all though, this book is about going LOCAL! and supporting the indie sole proprietors that were the foundation of our country. The chains are a new thing within the past 40 years, and how in the world did people survive before them? I’ll tell you how, by shopping at their local markets, stores, shops, pharmacies, other businesses and dining at there neighbor’s restaurants, pubs or cafes. By supporting them they will in turn support you.
So there ya go – keep it local and keep it alive! That’s what it’s all about.
The map starts with two small circles in the center. From there, my area goes approximately 70 miles (as the crow flies) out and 360 degrees around, to form a larger circle of about 140 miles in diameter. Then I thought of a way to divide that large circle into twelve regions so that you could easily picture them in your mind. It’s like a combination clock and dartboard.
I figure everyone can visualize the state of Pennsylvania, a center point, dartboard and clock. I also think we all understand the concept of directions according to the numbers of a clock. Here’s an example: If I say something’s at 12 o’clock, I mean straight up. If it’s at 6 o’clock, then it would be straight down. And, if I said to look to 9 o’clock then you should look directly to the left. The dartboard part simply refers to the center circles and lines that divide the area and create a pie shape for each region. Within these regions will be towns, next to them will be numbers which will correspond to the pages where the places I’ve written about can be found.
I’ll begin the book with two regions which are the circles in the center. The tiny circle (bull’s eye) is for a region titled “Boalsburg, My Home,” and is represented in the Table of Contents as Roman numeral I. A small circle (representing about 10 miles) around that will be called “Happy Valley, My Neighbors,” and will be Roman numeral II. Then, the pie shaped region at 1 o’clock will be represented in Chapter 1. Chapter 2 is the 2 o’clock pie-shaped region and so on. At the head of each listing, there will be a little PA state icon indicating the region by a shaded piece of the pie.
Sound confusing? It’s not, just dive in and start reading, find a place you want to try or region you would like to visit, unfold the map and have fun.
What are you waiting for?
It’s so easy to blast right past the exit to this sweet winding route that leads you up through the beautiful Pine Creek Gorge into the Grand Canyon and the Cinque Terra of PA. One of the main routes to get to this beginning is 220, a four-lane highway running east to west and a main thoroughfare for cars and trucks traveling across the state. Fortunately there are no huge flashing signs along 220 telling travelers where to turn on to this beautiful road, only a normal exit sign. Spotting it, I leaned The Mighty Steed into the exit and crossed over from highway to a rural byway. Rt. 44 and her little sister 414 are
comparable to some of the roads I’ve navigated in the mountain regions of Europe (I will touch more on that a bit later). For now though, as she (Rt. 44) rises out of the river valley north of Jersey Shore, she’s straighter, flatter, less curvy and not as wild and dangerous as little sister a few miles ahead. The day was brilliant, the air chilly and The Steed was running like the wild mustang he is. As I poked him with a spur of throttle, he reared up and the two of us flew like the wind. The great northern Appalachian range was rising in front of us and with every long sweeping curve they drew nearer and began their caress. This was a special moment and special place indeed. With every mile that passed, I could feel the stresses of life slowly peel away, swirl and get lost in the jet stream of a boy and his bike.
That’s all ya get. Go buy the book and read the rest.
