Wet and Rainy in PA

Valley Forge

A cold rainy day is the only way to really begin to understand what the Continental Army endured during their winter at Valley Forge, and it was a cold and rainy day we embraced as we arrived at the Valley Forge National Historic site 20 miles west of Philadelphia.

The site is dotted with small clay chinked cabins that were made to resemble the originals built by the army in the fall of 1775. The cold rain and wind were helpful in giving us an idea of the suffering endured by the army over the winter. Of course we had layers of high tech fabrics, umbrellas, and a warm heater in the pickup. So I guess we really didn’t get it.

It was clear though, that if Washington didn’t hold the army together over this winter and spring the independence of our country wasn’t going to happen. A good Prussian, Von Stuben, arrived to train the troops and reinforcements in the spring brought the better trained Continental Army to 20,000 troops and ready to kick some British butt.

More on PA

What is with these early colonials naming their towns? My favorite is the small farming town where we experienced a Dutch PA smorgasbord the other day. The town is called Blue Ball. Complete with the Blue Ball Bowling Alley, the Blue Ball Gas Station, etc..  As cold as it is lately around here, I am beginning to get a sense of why they named the town what they did.  Then there is Intercourse, PA and the Best Western Intercourse Village Inn. Didn’t know there was a best western way of intercourse but you learn something daily on this trip.

The smorgasbord was recommended to us by people in our Lake of the Woods RV park. We were tired and I wasn’t in a cooking mood so we dared it. The place, Shady Maple Smorgasbord, was as huge as were many of its patrons. For 28 bucks the two of us were unleashed on a plethora of cafeteria items, supposedly indicative of Dutch PA cooking. So from this I deduced the Dutch PA folks invented cafeteria food. It was great people watching and we were amazed by the pencil thin lady in booth next to us make dozens of trips to the food bar and consumed 5 plates. Amazing. Suzy thinks she will not eat now for a week and be back next week.

PA turnpikes are something else. So few exits that once you do successfully get off one of them after paying a modest toll, you have to back track over most of the roads in the state to get to your destination. Not real energy friendly.  But a good way to see the backroad areas of this pretty agricultural area.  Lots of Amish farms as noted by the long lines of clothes hanging out and the meticulous grounds, to say nothing of the carriages and the beautiful horses pulling them.  The carriages are fully enclosed with glass windows and blinking red lights behind.  Still see the Amish on their bikes in the rain up the hills.  I feel a bit like a weeny having not ridden my bike in a week cause of the weather.