Into The Rain

York County, PA, Indian Rock Campgrounds & The Heritage Trail

July 25, 2009

It's been a pleasantly cool, but rainy week for us in York County, PA.

We left Virginia early morning of the 17th under cloudy skies. Our route took us back onto S.R. 608, which we followed to Route 24 and headed West into Roanoke. By the time we connected with I-581 a steady rain began. The majority of our trip was North on I-81 and, unfortunately, defined by constant rain; at some points outright downpours. What should have been a pleasant journey through the foothills of the Blue Ridge & Allegheny Mountains proved to be a very long, difficult drive. As we made our way East along Route 30 through Gettysburg towards York, PA the rains continued, leading to several leaks throughout the rig. By the time we reached the campground there was a steady drip through the front, overhead console and the bed was completely soaked from water forced through the AC unit while driving through the heaviest downpours. Oh well, some of the minor hassles of living in a motor home.

Our latest stay is at the Indian Rock Campgrounds located in farm country about 3 miles from the town of York. It is a private grounds with 30 RV sites and open areas for primitive camping. It is clean, quiet, friendly and has a wifi connection. Surprisingly, for this part of the country, it is open all year and there are about six full-time RV residents throughout the property. We had originally reserved for 7 nights, but have decided to extend for another week. It's comfortable and very reasonably priced. Although we have had a lot of rain, the cool nights have been great for sleeping.

A nice surprise was discovering that within short walking distance there are two places for local produce and meats. One is Miller Farms (pictured above) where we can find fresh from the field corn and tomatoes. The other is Miller's Meat Market which offers not only some of the best meats anywhere (both fresh and smoked), but also a wide variety of homemade soups, salads, slaws, original sauces and gourmet spices. We are eating very well.

Another perk is close access to the York Heritage Rail Trail. Dedicated in 1999, this trail runs along sides of train tracks that were originally part of the North Central R.R. system. The entire trail is 21.3 miles in length, starting at the Pennsylvania/Maryland border and ending in downtown York. One of the many historical aspects along the trail is the 370' Howard Tunnel; one of the oldest working tunnels in the world. The track is still used for rail transport, but very infrequently. Deb & I walked about 6 miles along it into York yesterday. It is nicely surfaced, well maintained and can be used for hiking, jogging, biking and horseback riding. We passed through hardwood forests, along steams and historical old farms and enjoyed numerous varieties of wildflowers lining the path. A highly recommended "point of interest" if you're ever in the area.

Studying the history of York County over the past week has been fascinating. In almost every way possible, this area has been in the center of major events that defined our country's early history.

It was first settled in 1729 by family and friends of William Penn. Based upon abundant natural resources and close proximity to major waterways, the region quickly developed into a thriving industrial and agricultural region. During the years 1777-1778, the 2nd Continental Congress convened in York for drafting the Articles Of Confederation. Later, the area became a major supply center and medical treatment outpost for the Civil War. It was frequently visited by early Presidents who passed through on the few railways then leading North out of Washington D.C. Abraham Lincoln utilized these railways for delivery of his Gettysburg Address. Unfortunately, it was also a part of his funeral train that passed through on April 21, 1865 where thousands of people lined the tracks waving American flags.

Hopefully, the weather will be less rainy for us over the coming week. I'll update you later on our activities as time and wifi access allows.

Photos by Deb

copyright 2009 Lane A Geyer