Amish land Pennsylvania

[jimnyc]

Went to Pa with my brother to see my Step Mom and Dad. We were basically in a few towns, none of which are Lancaster, even though that's what I call everything!

We were in Ronks, Bird in hand, Strasburg, "Paradise", Soudersburg, Smoketown, my favorite - Intercourse.

I was SO looking forward to the Strasburg Railroad and flying my drone alongside it for about a mile, down to the Red Caboose Motel and back. But the clouds opened up and mother nature stomped on my little itty bitty head.

BUT, they did subside, although cloudy, for about an hour. So I was able to pop up at the station at least and let everyone see my favorite part of the entire area, the trains! Old steam engines on the longest continued steam engine route in North America! Only goes 8 miles down to Paradise and then returns. Across the street is the Pennsylvania Railroad Museum. And in one of my videos, off in the distance, perpendicular to the Strasburg Railroad you see another train. Actually just a small track of Caboose cars making up the "Red Caboose Motel". And of course you can see the beautiful scenery in the farm land. My Dad LOVES the trains, loves Pa and wants badly to live there, visits almost yearly. Drove 1500 miles for 6 days on the road for a 3 day stay in Pa and 1 day in NJ. He refuses to fly.

Anyway, what few pics I took.

Here is my Dad and my brother:

https://i.imgur.com/pqS2Ytnh.jpg

One of my favorite homes out there:

https://i.imgur.com/o9v56aRh.jpg

At "Shady Maple Smorgasbord" for breakfast, and the HUGE cuckoo clock they have! I want this!! I won't tell you about it except that it's HUGE! Like 10 feet high and maybe 6 feet wide? Took 2 photos of it and damn clipped them both too small. :(

https://i.imgur.com/WBZEbj5h.jpg

Small writeup:

https://i.imgur.com/IMU0AfYh.jpg

Christmas Tree in lobby. And EVERYONE out there was SO friendly, everyone says hello and everyone says Merry Christmas!

https://i.imgur.com/i28dIXOh.jpg

First drone video is behind "Kitchen Kettle Village" and my drone coming back at us behind the village. You can see my Dad's drone at the end, was much too close!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UzpkZnT9BY

Second is at Strasburg Railroad, only at station (you can see the museum across the street):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwAb300sMSE

Second at Station area:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFCBGobEI8E

[hjmick]

Intercourse is fine, but no trip is complete without stops in Blue Ball and Virginville as well...

[icansayit]

Before my father passed. They lived in BIRDSBORO East of Pottstown, and Reading.
Not too far from all of those Happy names you mentioned.
Lancaster was the best place to find Pennsylvania Dutch Food with a Smorgasbord that would give you TEN POUNDS just for looking at it. Loved it, and miss it.

All of that area is the prettiest and most natural anywhere.
Thanks for the photos.

[jimnyc]

Intercourse is fine, but no trip is complete without stops in Blue Ball and Virginville as well...

I did in fact cut through Blue Ball at one point! I cut through there to get out to New Holland, do a little reminiscing where we used to go camping when I was a kid. No Virginville for me though. :laugh:


Before my father passed. They lived in BIRDSBORO East of Pottstown, and Reading.
Not too far from all of those Happy names you mentioned.
Lancaster was the best place to find Pennsylvania Dutch Food with a Smorgasbord that would give you TEN POUNDS just for looking at it. Loved it, and miss it.

All of that area is the prettiest and most natural anywhere.
Thanks for the photos.

I get quite familiar with that Pa Dutch food and the buffets every time! Had a huge home cooked meal at Dietter's (sp?) on Friday night, and still full and into the massive breakfast at Shady Maple. Went past Good 'n Plenty as well and got even fuller just remembering how much I ate there last time!! I need the weight, and I sure ate a lot! And also brought home a few pounds of Wagyu beef, sausage, Baum's sweet Lebanon bologna!! My favorite of all! Also 3 loaves of Michael's cinnamon raisin bread. That place is inside the Bird in Hand market. Best homemade bread anywhere!! Some scrapple too, which you really only see out there.

My Dad's final resting place will be on one of his favorite scenic roads out there. Has been his choice for many years.

[Abbey Marie]

Jim, you look just like your father.

[jimnyc]

Jim, you look just like your father.

Really? Never really put pics side by side. Dad was always much bigger than I. But he's only 5'11 but has always been well built. Was in the Navy and used to lift weights all the time when I was younger. I was always just the little one of the family and a skinny kid. But was known as a little crazy at times. More like just wild and moving around, but wasn't afraid of a dare. Ever. :)

It's always so nice to see him but it was over like the snap of a finger and he's already long on the road back to Florida. :(

I grew up camping in Pennsylvania several times each year. We went to all of this places when I was like 5 years old going forward. So lots and lots of memories here. And weird how I still know my way around out there even though most of the time I was a kid. But many many times as an adult now too. Great to be able to go here again with my Dad and I have a graying beard, and Dad is in his 80's. And we started coming here as a family like 45+ years ago. Many funny stories told in that short visit together.