Overnight trip at coal mine this coming year????? (1 Viewer)

[shmukster]

I had an email from Mark Woytovich, one of the Gotham City guys who has been running the annual coal mine event fro a long time. He asked if I thought anyone would be interested in setting up an overnight trip from the Twin Grove campground. during the 2018 event. I don't know of an legal trails where I could lead/recommend such a trip but maybe somebody else in our club might. I pasted below Mark's own words so feel free to comment, make suggestions or whatever. I can furnish Mark's email address is anyone wants to contact him directly. Let's see where this goes!!!!

Along these lines I have been thinking about asking the powers to be at Anthracite if they might allow a small group to enter the western property, make camp somewhere on that side of the road, and exit the next day. Yeah that's right wheel the day, make camp and stay overnight, and wheel and explore and exit the following day. The western property is HUGE- no way you could drive around the entire property in the short (gotta exit by 3PM) days AAOA allows you to access that property. Crusha and I have discussed this a bit and I think it's be a great way to really get to know the western reserve better. I know a lot of you guys like overnight camping so jump right in here!


Marks' words: I WOULD be interested to hear if any of your overloading buddies has any ideas on some 1-2 day trip launching out of Twin Grove during CMCC….even if it was mostly interesting 2 lane blacktop with only a small amount of dirt roads missed in… along with some primitive camping… Please see if anyone has any ideas.

 

[dci blair]

For what it’s worth I know Kyle from off-road consulting is doing night runs at aoaa. One of my buddies works at quadratec and is quite friendly with him. He had said Kyle was working on some night wheeling/overnights. Not sure how everyone would feel about a guided tour, but it could be an option.

 

[Stumpalama]

I am not a fan of forced "guided tours", as a general rule. Something about having the decision process taken out of my hands. It dulls the aspect of the adventure.

I do, however fully support the idea of doing an overnight trip into the Western Reserve and would be on that in a heartbeat. As a matter of fact, we were talking about exactly this during our run in the WR during Fall Crawl.
Perhaps, developing a proposal detailing our plan, to include personnel and truck count etc... Would give them a sense that we are serious, mature (some of us, anyway) and can be trusted in the Backcountry unsupervised.

 

[woytovich]

Thanks Gary for reaching out for me here. As Gary mentioned, I'd like to find out if anyone would be interested in helping to plan and maybe lead an overlanding trip in conjunction with CMCC. I know there are some folks that would like to do that sort of thing rather than the Rausch/AOAA rock crawling thing.

It won't be along the lines of a Colorado/Expedition Overland etc trip but I was thinking there might be some off-the-beaten-path spots to explore and maybe some state forests for camping.

If anyone is interested chime in here or via a conversation...

Mark

 

[jamarquardt22]

So I truthful don't see much of a point in camping overnight. I'm already paying for twin grove. And now I'm not sleeping there. The only way I like this idea is if there is night wheeling.

 

[Stumpalama]

So I truthful don't see much of a point in camping overnight. I'm already paying for twin grove. And now I'm not sleeping there. The only way I like this idea is if there is night wheeling.

Unless, of course we did the overnight thing Thursday to Friday... Knowing that at this time, the WR is closed Fridays, but if they are making one exception, why not another? That way you wouldn't have to check into TG until friday. And thus no $$ lost.

 

[Stumpalama]

@woytovich, perhaps an entirely separate overlanding event would be in order.
There is a thread in the CLCC clubhouse about alternative event ideas.

I certainly interested in getting out and wheeling between the bigger annual events.

 

[woytovich]

As far as paying for Twin Grove if you are tent camping there is no need to pay. Of course if you have a cabin reserved that's another matter.
And to expand on Stump's thoughts maybe earlier in the week... Wednesday night, Wed & Thursday nights out?

 

[woytovich]

@woytovich, perhaps an entirely separate overlanding event would be in order.

For the moment I'm trying to add another dimension to Coal Mine... I think the people doing the expo trip would make their lodging plans at TG/etc accordingly. I could even see the expo group going out on Wednesday or Thursday and returning Saturday in time for the BBQ.
Are there "rustic" PA/northern VA destinations: coal mines, the burning town, state parks worth visiting? I think there would be folks that would like to do a Toyota/Expo thing with a little lower overhead than a full-on trip through the Yukon... baby steps.

 

[brian]

pioneer coal mine tunnel.
gives an interesting look at a few of the major pa coal veins.
centralia isn't worth the time.there is not smoke and fire. it's not like it's an abandoned town. it's an abandoned town, that has been bulldozed.

 

[joabmc]

Tiadaugton and Bald Eagle State Forest are the biggest in the area. You could possibly map some routes and if really wanting to cover some ground, push towards Wellsboro and the PA Grand Canyon.

 

[woytovich]

Abandoned & overgrown in Pa.: 16 strange spots from theme parks to trolley graveyards

Abandoned in Pennsylvania

These 10 Abandoned Places in Pennsylvania Are Terrifying Yet Incredible

 

[jamarquardt22]

I didn't see the flight 93 memorial near Somerset, Gravity hill. (Cars role up hill) or the "goat path" in Lancaster.

 

[jamarquardt22]

Also the Shoe House in York county

 

[joabmc]

I didn't see the flight 93 memorial near Somerset, Gravity hill. (Cars role up hill) or the "goat path" in Lancaster.

Gravity hill is a waste of time. Was working in that area several years ago and decided to check it out.
A) damn near impossible to find.. on a narrow TWP road
B) it’s slopes downhill but a very slight percentage to give the optical illlusion as if you are traveling up hill. Pulled the equipment out of the back to verify.

 

[woytovich]

Anyone else?

 

[dci blair]

Abandoned & overgrown in Pa.: 16 strange spots from theme parks to trolley graveyards

Abandoned in Pennsylvania

These 10 Abandoned Places in Pennsylvania Are Terrifying Yet Incredible

I’ve been to a few of those places by me (fricks lock, limerick industrial park, eastern state) and they are either not worth the drive, a tourist trap, or private property you can’t trespass on. Ive also been to Centralia a few times and it’s really not worth the drive unless it’s close, and then it’s still lack luster and they are really cracking down on trespassers. I do know (not to harp on it) that off road consulting was offering self guided tours through some of the state parks. One of the ones is loyalsock state forest. I’ve backpacked through one of the trails there and it’s pretty rad. I have no idea if the trails are nothing more than fire trails, but my buddies cabin is right around the corner from there and i know the area pretty well. About an hour thirty from aoaa. The abandon town of masten is right there and the only thing left is an old chimney.

 

[Cass007]

Also the Shoe House in York county

Pretty sure Fireball and I pass this every day on the way to work. It's a house that looks like a shoe and occasionally they sell ice cream. It is right off route 30. Not sure what else is nearby worth doing. There used to be a place to wheel by the river called Saginaw, but I have never personally been there. It may or may not be blocked off now.

 

[caz]

I think Bald Eagle is probably your best bet. Start from Rt 192 near Mifflinburg and work your way over to Poe Paddy. Get a permit to camp out in the boonies overnight.

You could visit some places like Woodward cave and T&D's cat's of the world on the way if you wanted to see something interesting....

The Purple Lizard map of Bald Eagle is pretty good.

 

[woytovich]

Bald Eagle Lizard Map