Susquehanna Valleys

After a brief 3 hours of sleep, RGBisMe and I woke up to go hiking with Janila and Sepia Slipper. We were tired but had good memories of the evening before. They say that Hallowe'en is the time that the veil between the spirit world and our own is the thinnest. The new solar lights had were dotted through the cemeteries we drove past that night and the next early morning had me convinced of that. They were spooky like they never had been before.

This was the last day before Daylight Savings Time took effect and we hoped to find a good handful of letterboxes while visiting on the trail. The drive to our destination near Halifax had us discussing geocaches and letterboxes. We wondered how the owners of either felt when the clues or write up mentions the other is nearby. I have always found that as a geocacher, if I mention in my online log that a letterbox is nearby (without naming it) it will give a heads up to other geocachers who might either want to be aware, avoid or check out the box. Awareness is a good thing so that the stamp isn't swapped out of the letterbox as a trade item by accident. When a letterbox mentions the location of a nearby geocache in it's clues it can encourage the same kind of interest or awareness but can be a spoiler if the geocache is a multi-stage cache.

With a delay getting our breakfast, we were almost late meeting Janila and Sepia Slipper. We all got to the same location as the sun was high enough to light the way but not enough to warm the mountain chill. We hiked and were successful in finding the first two letterboxes in the golden morning light.

A bit of a drive to the next location allowed me to enjoy the scenic valley. With planning for Scotia's Scary Secrets, I hadn't been too far south for a while and forgot that the trees there might still hold some color.

We drove into the parking area to seek a letterbox series called JEI Conservation Area by teachers' pet. We could hear gunshots in the distance and it reminded us all to keep on our blaze orange for our gentle hike along the many trails of the area. A few ticks started making appearances as odd moving freckles here and there. By the end of the day we knew a full body tick check would be needed.

The well paced loop took us searching for six letterboxes. We had success for all boxes we sought in this park and all were in fine shape. The trails were friendly enough that we could walk at a good pace and still freely catch up with what had been going on in each other's lives. Finally, the last box brought us near our cars and we drove on to find a snack and some gas before heading on to another park and then into Harrisburg.

We were royal slack boxers in town. We had only planned on having time to hike the trails but the speedy and efficient Janila and Sepia Slipper shared their clues with us so that we could prolong our visit and check out some boxes of the Booshmen we had been wanting to see. Speaking of the Booshmen, who did we meet right after stamping into a couple of their new boxes? The mighty Booshmen themselves! They were up for a nice visit right there on the lawn and made time to exchange with Janila & Sepia Slipper. We had been talking about them earlier on the trail as to how we felt they were such conscientious letterboxers. This showed in the way they cared for each stamp they took impressions of and didn't get discouraged if letterbox or personal traveler clues weren't quite coming together. They were careful and patient and we were glad to see them again on their own turf.

As the sun finally started to fade, we tried to find a location we were a little vague on it's starting place. My feet were tired and we had 10 more boxes than I had ever thought we would have that day, but Janila's positive, "What do we have to lose?" made us game to try. A wrong turn was fortuitous in that it dumped us right into the parking lot we were looking for but the final box was not to be found.

We parted ways with Sepia Slipper and Janila. I look forward to the next time we can get together because they are not driven by number of miles or boxes but by the good times we are having during the time spent.

We ran into the Booshmen in three parks that afternoon and we waved farewell to Janila as we stood and talk to them for a good spell. The younger Booshman was interested in taking advantage of one of my PTs and I was glad to comply. It gave us a chance to get to know each other better and share letterboxing styles. I was getting hungry and asked how to get back to a nice Mexican restaurant I had seen by an earlier park. The elder Booshmen was glad to tell us that the same folks owned another restaurant just blocks away. Our initial take on them has been reinforced, they are thoughtful Booshmen indeed.

Our evening ended with a very good meal. Not even the tick I spied on RGBisMe's arm could spoil the good memories of the day. He took it outside, put it on the curb and returned to finish his warm meal as we looked through the stamp images we collected. Each one holds a different memory of a day spent in the valleys near the Susquehanna River.

Samhain 2008

If you could have been in downtown State College on Friday night, you would have seen hundreds of crazy folks. They were all dressed in costume for Halloween and and walking outside in the mild weather.

Although we walked around one block to check it out, RGBisMe, Mososo Kruppe and I spent most of our evening at the Elk Creek Cafe. We had a nice supper and stayed for the costume judging. Nick won second place with his awesome Green Man costume and I got an honorable mention with my Alec from A Clockwork Orange.

Scotia's Scary Secrets

This past June, letterboxers from all over Pennsylvania were solicited by the Crayola Posse for stamps representing their secret fears. As of yesterday the fears are no longer a secret!

In August, an invitation went out through the Central PA Letterboxing yahoo group to attend Scotia's Scary Secrets to debut 24 letterboxes planted in Scotia Barrens. Scotia is one of Andrew Carnegie's legacies, this area's very own mining ghost town.

Thirty letterboxers from all around Central PA came to Scotia on a day that was made for us. A huge deluge the day before made sure the wetland areas were not just dried pits.

Wood ducks, deer and beaver all made appearances that morning according to JFA, RRA, KEA and jbzfarm.

Early birds came to Scotia and started out onto the trails in the golden morning light. RGBisMe and I had arrived just at day break to put in place a dozen letterboxes just for the day. Scotia's Scary Pumpkins worked as sign posts for the many unmarked trails in this section of State Game Lands 176. They hung from trees so that kids and adults alike could have a quick check of where they were on the maps we made of the area.

At noon the event was in fill swing and those who were inclined to dress for the event had their costumes paraded and judged. Not everyone was in the group shot. The Bloomies, jbzfarm, Aquinna, Team GeeZee and JFA, RRA, KEA were on the trails at this time.Mososo Kruppe, true indigo & RGBisMe of the Crayola Posse kneeling with the Barghest, feralgyrl, Archaeobirder, D-Ant/D-Superfly, Gratefulmorte, HolyCowboys, Angrist, The Booshmen, Wanting Snow, XS Baggage, Maga11, Ms Beachys kneeling with Max, Puddleby, Stonefly standing above Fiona & The Cookie Monster

The head quarters at Hecate's Crossroad was never dull. There was always someone stopping by to either exchange wtih those who were around, check in before heading down another trail or to just sit down for a while. Maga11's cootie catcher made sure that no cootie was tossed unwanted into the abyss. Gratefulmorte of the HolyCowboys and XS Baggage shared some tasty snacks along side of the doughnuts Maga11 brought to go with the early morning coffee. The Crayola Posse spent most of our time there making sure everyone had the clues they needed and informed other hikers, geocachers and horse back riders of what we were doing. Occasionally we would take a spin on our bikes to check on letterboxers who had been on the trail for a while. I tried to remember to take water along to offer and to make sure the clues were clear enough. From what I could tell, no one had any problems with the map or clues.

As the day wound down everyone returned from hiking the trails, a few last exchanges and stamping of personal travelers wrapped up. Generous donations of time and resources were given and we want everyone to know how grateful the Crayola Posse is for your time and funds. An event like this could not have happened without everyone who came together yesterday. Thank you all for being a part of it.

Clues to the letterboxes planted for this event will be posted sometime after October 31. We know you will enjoy them as much as we have.

Company B

You MUST check out today's, October 23rd, Arts section of the NY Times!! Pick one up!! Page 10 - our son's spotlighted photo takes up 1/4 of the page! Online New York Times. review and photos are similar but not as impressive as holding the paper in your hands.

...But the whole troupe dances “Company B” with skill and understanding.

Nothing in “Company B” corrupts the innocence of that opening. Subsequent images, however, tell us that these men are going to war, are being injured by gunfire, are dying, are memories. At the end these people are no longer quite a community. Each is leaving the stage alone, sober. The togetherness of the earlier episodes was part of the giddy excitement of wartime. Now it’s goodbye to all that.

“Company B” shows no grief or even suffering. Arron Scott in “Tico-Tico” is all speed and impulsiveness... - Alastair MaCaulay for the New York Times.

then again a week later...

"I praised the very exciting young Daniil Simkin in “Company B,” his “Tico-Tico” role was played with yet more forceful detail by Arron Scott in the first cast."- Alastair MaCaulay for the New York Times.

Scott's "Tico-Tico" showcased him perfectly and his gentle bravado was both exilerating and moving. - Mary Cargill for Dance View Times.

"Tico-Tico", a solo for a male dancer, was performed this night by Arron Scott. An ingenious piece of choreography, the dancer isolates his upper body parts into small bits that jiggle and undulate, pop and quiver as if he were in the throes of St. Vitus Dance -- or, to be current, maybe post-traumatic stress syndrome. Scott was so good that I've got to name him as my second most memorable dancer of the evening. - Marga Anto-Raudsepp on Ballet Talk.

In "Company B," which is new to ABT, the dancers' lightness, stamina and gestural clarity were a revelation, highlighted by Arron Scott's intense and soulful rendition of "Tico-Tico." - Robert Johnson of the Star Ledger.

above photos by Sarah Sterner

in the wing

Spring Creek Canyon

We walked seven miles yesterday through the Spring Creek Canyon. Except for once a year it is closed to the public because a long stretch of it is on Rockview State Penitentiary land.

When Ravenboy still lived in town, RGBisMe and he would take long bike rides out to Fisherman's Paradise. It would be torture to be so tired and know that if only the few miles through the Spring Creek Canyon were open to the public that the ride home would be so much short and along the nearly level creek.

It is not clear if the area will open to the public permanently. There has been much debate and a lot can be read about the Spring Creek Canyon Master Plan online. Clearwater Conservancy has put a lot of energy into educating people on how important the area is to conserve.

When an area is opened to the public a lot of changes can happen. The area of Millbrook Marsh has been owned by Penn State for years. When they decided to lease it to Centre Region Parks it was developed in many ways. Hopefully the public's use and education they are getting is worth the impact it has had on the land, fen and globally rare plants on it.

RGBisMe and I enjoyed a peek of this area that we have longed to see for years. People were enjoying walking fishing and a few bikers buzzed though the area between Fisherman's Paradise and Benner Springs fish hatcheries. It wasn't the time of year for many wild flowers nor did we see a lot of wildlife but we had a nice walk and conversations with other locals on the trail.

To Quantify or Qualify

Another autumn day spent with my dearest friend. The plans we made for the weekend were carried out to a certain extent. We spent the morning letterboxing, hiking, biking and for what is probably the final weekend of the leaf peeping season for us.

One of my favorite parts of letterboxing is the navigation. I have always loved maps and the challenge of discerning exactly where to best start a hike or just how far on that log road we might be able to bike is like brain candy for me. The down side is that I am constantly agonizing over whether or not I have made the right choices and it sometimes gets in the way of enjoying the moment. It is one reason I prefer the planning stages of many activities.


Sometimes I can shave off a mile or two of a hike by choosing a different and lesser used trail head. Typically this means a steeper ascent but we revel in the road less traveled.

We hiked the entirety of the Bob Weber Trail to Wolf Run Bald. The comments in the trail register almost always included exclamations about the length of the trail along side of the written marvels of the view. It is less than 2 miles to Wolf Run Bald Vista but quite a workout. Most folks think the distance was under estimated but, according to the track on our gps, it is not.

This trail is a perfect example of what we love about a hike. It has stunning vistas which can be argued to be better than any we have seen along the length of PA's section of the Appalachian Trail, Mid State Trail, or Quehanna Trail. What makes this little hike tops for us was the lack of foot traffic it receives. I realize not everyone signs into the trail logs but it is really only a handful a month even in the summer and fall. Unlike many sections of the AT where you have to step to the sides to avoid multiple day hikers, back packers and Scouting troops we only ran into one other hiker all day. He was through hiking the Black Forest Trail and seems rather shocked to come across a couple of day hikers even on this perfect Autumn day. The trail heads are so easy to get to but don't draw in the vast numbers of vista gawkers that have scrambled up the hill from Cabella's. Thanks to the Bloomies and jbzfarm for introducing us to this great location.

We ended our explorations before we had done everything that we had planned. I tired out much more quickly than I had expected and I realized that the rest of the afternoon was not going to be enjoyable for me if I continued to push. My understanding partner was ready for a Coke break and we grinned across a table at each other. We agreed that a break was much better than griping at letterboxing clues that weren't coming together for our tired brains just to add on six more miles or finds or peaks or vistas. We opted for the road more frequently traveled and traveled home to look back on another glorious day spent together in the heart of central Pennsylvania.

Tico Tico

Ravenboy will be performing the solo role of Tico in American Ballet Theatre's Premiere of Paul Taylor's Company B. The first performance will be this week at Bard College then they will perform it at City Center in NYC.

Photos below are from his rehearsal today.

Indian Summer

Indian Summer is an inexact term for a spell of warmer weather sometime after the first frost. Some say it has to be a stretch of about 7 days after the Autumnal Equinox where the temperature is above 70°. It's never easy to predict if we are going to get any more warm weather before the chill of Autumn sets in in earnest so I am calling this Indian Summer.

The leaves are nearing peak color in this area with the Dorrito trees having been harvested last week. Maga11 is coming today to help me plant 8 letterboxes for the Scotia's Scary Secrets event in two weeks. I am looking forward to some time walking around Scotia Barrens with her this morning. RGBisMe and I are happy with a map we have designed to help navigate this area.

We enjoyed some time in the car and hiking a few places this past weekend. A nice drive through Quehanna showed us vibrant leaves and bold elk. Dropped apples near a tree were hiding one of the largest yellow jackets we had ever seen. Mososo Kruppe battled for the muddiest foot award (votes will be tallied in comments section below.)

I chatted online with a good friend who took advantage of the weather to hike and letterbox with her sister. She is only getting out once a month for such an outing but chose the perfect weekend. She was kind in wishing us the same type of weather in a couple of weeks for the Scotia's Scary Secrets event.

I am blessed to live in an area of the country that has such a great representation of each season. The lack of sunlight can be a real drag to those of us who tend toward seasonal affect disorders but I will try to embrace it as a little hibernation this winter and look forward to accomplishing some indoor tasks. Until then, the Autumn foliage is what I will feast my eyes upon to get me through the subtle shades of the oncoming Winter.