The trip on Thursday to Brady’s Leap had one bit of excitement for us. A hawk honed in on lunch was almost taken out by our Yukon. The near miss didn’t seem to bother the hawk as he hit is prey in the median of US 23.
We passed the first plaza on the Ohio turnpike and saw the contingent from Michigan parked there for lunch. Diane Flis-Schneider’s Packard developed an engine problem and they had a prolonged stop at the next service plaza. Attempts to correct the ignition problem failed and she had to make arrangement to have a friend bring down another tow vehicle on a flatbed and exchange the Packard for it. Hopefully she will be able to catch up with us before we leave Brady’s Leap in the morning. We feel sorry for Diane. The Bowlus/Packard combo was something to behold. She had gone through so much to get everything ready for the trip and then the mechanical problems reared it ugly head. I will get some pictures of the combo so our readers will get a chance to see just exactly how amazing the combo is.
Pennsylvania Route 6 Heritage Corridor
Named “one of America’s most scenic drives” by National Geographic, Route 6 encompasses eleven counties, stretching over 400 miles across northern Pennsylvania, connecting many of the Keystone State’s historic treasures and scenic places.
Route 6 in Pennsylvania enjoys a storied past. The route can be traced back to 1807 when state officials mandated that a road be cut through the Moosic Mountains to enable easier travel to the western parts of the state. As the state and nation grew, so too did the road. Carved out of hundred of miles of wilderness, the road eventually united all the county seats of the northern tier. The fledging highway quickly became a vital link between the industry in the west and the railroads in the east. Along it length sprung up charming villages, plentiful farming communities and thriving towns.
In 1925, US Route 6 was incorporated in to a highway system that would connect the United State from coast to coast. Named US Route 6, the road stretched from Cape Cod, Massachusetts to Long Beach, California. It became one of America’s first transcontinental highways. Today the road remains one of the longest highways in the nation.
On June 30, 1937, the remaining members of the Grand Army of the Republic, veterans of the Civil War, along with the Sons of the Union Veterans of the Civil War successfully lobbied Congress to honor their sacrifice by naming the newly formed Route 6 as the “Grand Army of the Republic Highway” in all 14 states.
Route 6 in Pennsylvania bears witness to this illustrious past. From the shores of Lake Erie to the heights of the Pocono Mountains, the road has seen many historical firsts: the first underground mine, the first electric trolley system, the first lighthouse on the Great Lakes, and the first Dark Sky Preserve in Pennsylvania. But along Route 6, the scenery is as rich as the history. The road passes through the heart of countless state parks, state forest, natural areas and the only National Forest in Pennsylvania.
Come see for yourself why the Harley Davidson Company places PA Route 6 on its list of 50 best touring roads in the United States and the Department of the Interior designated Route 6 a National Recreational Trail. Car & Drive Magazine even called PA Route 6 “one of the top 10 scenic Route 6 in America”.
US Route 6 in Pennsylvania, through the eleven counties of Crawford, Erie, Warren, McKean, Potter, Tioga, Bradford, Wyoming, Lackawanna, Wayne and Pike, is the focus of an effort to preserve, enhance and promote the transportation heritage of one of the nation’s first transcontinental highways and to sustain and enhance the small rural communities linked by the highway.
Milestones
January 13, 2005 – PA Route 6 is designated by Governor as a PA Heritage Area