Regular readers may recall that I have said on numerous occasions in the past that Altoona, Pennsylvania will always be my home regardless of where I physically reside. I grew up there, I went to school there, I got married there (twice, actually). I tried to make a life there doing all the things you're supposed to do with varying levels of success. Life, however, seems to enjoy disrupting the schedule whenever it wants, and sent me to Columbia, Missouri in 2003, and then to Athens, Georgia in 2009.

The distances involved, (Columbia is 800 miles away, Athens is 700 miles away), limited my visits home generally to once per year with an exception here and there as dictated by the circumstances. Visits became much more frequent after my mom's cancer diagnosis in late 2010. I added a lot of miles to the odometer of my 2004 XJ8 during this time until her passing in 2011.

I've been home only twice since then. A long weekend in April 2012 allowed me to catch up with my brother and visit a few friends before heading to the Spring Carlisle event in Carlisle, Pennsylvania where I had a nice visit with a college friend I hadn't seen in more than a decade.

My last visit in 2014 was work-related and very brief. One of our UGA rental vans was chartered for an excursion to the south central part of the Commonwealth and through a series of unfortunate events, ended up spending 6 weeks at Brenner Nissan's Body Shop in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. Rental office supervisor Joe knew I was from PA and suggested that I would be the perfect person to pick up the van and return it to Georgia. Fleet Manager Cris agreed and made a few spur-of-the-moment plans for that upcoming Friday in May 2014. I only had Saturday afternoon available for a visit with my brother before the journey back to Georgia the following morning. So I rented a new Jeep and made the 2 1/2 hour drive from Mechanicsburg to Altoona to catch up and enjoy a Prime Sirloin Buffet dinner.

So I haven't been home since 2014, and actually had no plans for a visit anytime in the immediate future. But like I said before, life loves to disrupt the schedule regardless of how you feel about such things. In this case, the reason for this visit was for my uncle's funeral. This trip was completely "last-minute" in nature after I received a call from my cousin telling me that my uncle had passed away.

Second shift at the UGA Automotive Center consists of myself on the technician side and Jamie on the rental office side. It's just the two of us, meaning I can't just arbitrarily schedule time off. Someone has to be there to cover my shift out of safety concerns, (at least two people must be in the building, not as much for Jamie, but in case idiot Todd drops a car on top of himself). Uncle Tom's Memorial Service was scheduled for the upcoming Friday. Unfortunately, that only gave my day shift coworkers, all of whom are married with young families, 2 days notice.

Luck was with me when I started asking around. Day shift tech Matt likes having a morning available every now and then to get stuff done that requires daylight, and volunteered to work Thursday night. Parts Manager Paul enthusiastically volunteered to cover Friday. His middle school-aged daughter was having a sleepover that night, and this provided the perfect excuse to get him out of the house. Awesome ! I'll take whatever I can get.

I turned in my leave form and marked my dates on the calendar. A few mouse clicks reserved a hotel room in Altoona. The only thing left was for me to actually get there. My Beautiful Disaster Jaguar XK8 convertible is a drama queen, and likes to throw a fit on occasion. Any normal person would have stopped dealing with this behavior long ago. But I am by no means "normal," or (depending on who you ask), "smart." I am, however, "me." So driving is the only option, a boring car is prohibited, and the roof will be down.

October 13, 2016: I am happy to report that the first 700 miles of this adventure were completed without the assistance of a tow truck !

The roof was down from the moment I pulled out of my driveway in Georgia until I pulled into the parking lot of the Econo Lodge in Altoona. The Front Desk personnel look at you funny when you do this in 40 degree weather. But I embraced my eccentricities long ago. The roof would have to stay up the next morning, however, at least until the frost melted.

October 14, 2016: Living in Georgia for the last 7 years has reinforced my dislike for all things "winter," and made me appreciate the warmer climate of the south. Mother Nature was quick to remind me that I was in the northeast in mid-October. I woke up Friday morning to 34 degrees F and frost on my roof.

The good news is that Altoona was forecast to be in the upper 60s with lots of sunshine. The roof would be down regardless (after the frost melted). But it's nice to know that I wouldn't have to bundle up as much.

Uncle Tom's Memorial Service was held on Friday. Despite the somber occasion, I got to catch up with friends and relatives I hadn't seen in a while.

With the memorial service on Friday evening, I had a lot of time to do some local sightseeing and visit with friends before heading back to Georgia on Sunday. What follows are a few highlights from my visit home.

The modern traveler doesn't give a second thought about how to get from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh, a journey that takes roughly 1 1/2 hours by aircraft or about 4/1/2 hours by car. Two hundred years ago, however, this journey took 23 days via stagecoach not because of the distance, but because of Pennsylvania's topography. The center part of the Commonwealth between Altoona and Harrisburg is dominated by the Ridge and Valley Province of the Appalachian Mountains. The term "Ridge and Valley" is just what it says: A series of many long and continuous ridges sit parallel to one another thus creating a series of long and continuous valleys in between.

Navigating the valleys was no problem. But in the days before motorized transportation, east-west travel across the ridges was nearly impossible. Crossing a ridge at a point other than one of the ends just couldn't be done. Travel was made even more challenging by the fact that the ridges, as seen in the map above, could reach more than 80 miles in length.

Beginning in the early 1820s, work began on a way to speed the 23 day journey up a bit. Pennsylvania lawmakers passed the Main Line of Public Works legislation in 1826 that established the Pennsylvania Canal System, a series of east-west canals whose purpose was to improve transportation between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh and all points west. Canal boats that carried large quantities of good and people made their way through the Commonwealth via a system of canals, dams, locks, and aqueducts.

The map above shows where passengers traveling west from Harrisburg used the Juniata Division of the Main Line from Harrisburg to Hollidaysburg. The Western Division would take travelers on to Pittsburgh once they reached Johnstown. The area in between Hollidaysburg and Johnstown, however, was somewhat of a problem, specifically how to get across the Cresson Summit in Allegheny Mountains. Engineers overcame the mountains by using the then-new concept of the railroad.

Construction began on the 36 mile long Allegheny Portage Railroad in 1831 to connect the Hollidaysburg and Johnstown divisions of the Pennsylvania Canal, (both cities can be seen on the map above). Boats traveling on the Canal were loaded onto railroad cars. Horses could pull the cars along the flat stretches of track. Getting over the Cresson Summit was accomplished via a series of ten inclined railways, (five on either side), that utilized several stationary steam engines to either pull the car up an incline or lower it down the other side.

When completed in 1834, the Allegheny Portage Railroad was the final piece of the first direct route between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. Travel time had been reduced from 23 days to 3 - 5 days depending on weather conditions. But by the 1850s, advances in steam locomotive technology made the Canal system obsolete, and the Allegheny Portage Railroad was no more by 1855. Its history is preserved at the Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site.

The remains of Incline Plane #6 are located along US Route 22 near the Cresson Summit.

I've driven by Incline Plane #6 many times when I lived in PA, but never stopped. Today seemed like a good day to check it out.

This area is one part of the much larger Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site that includes several exhibits in various locations throughout the area.

The monument shown above and below was erected in 1934 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the opening of the Allegheny Portage Railroad.

Monument for the "Old Portage Rail Road" at Incline Plane #6.

The monument features a description of the railroad.

It also features a replica of a painting that is housed at the Blair County Historical Society. The relief seen in the photo above shows the Samuel Lemon House along with Engine House #6, both of which sit about 1/2 mile up the steep incline from where I was standing.

The main attraction of this location is the Skew Arch Bridge.

A Skew Arch Bridge is an arch bridge that allows for a crossing at an angle other than a right angle.

If you look carefully at the photos above and below, you can see where the "X" formed by the overhead crossing and the path underneath are not at right angles to each other.

The Allegheny Portage Railroad often ran parallel with the Huntingdon, Cambria, and Indiana Turnpike Road, a road used by wagon teamsters for hauling goods and materials. At this particular point, the turnpike road intersected with the railroad. This necessitated the use of a bridge so the wagons could cross. But a 90 degree bend was quite difficult for a large wagon to negotiate. A compromise was reached in the form of a Skew Arch Bridge.

The term "Skew Arch" refers to the placement of the stones to allow for an angle other than 90 degrees.

Looking up at the arch of the Skew Arch Bridge.

Looking up at the arch of the Skew Arch Bridge.

Looking up at the arch of the Skew Arch Bridge.

The Allegheny Portage Railroad passed underneath the arch.

Wagons crossed over the railroad on top of the arch.

Wagons crossed over the top of the Skew Arch bridge.

This Skew Arch Bridge was built in 1832 - 1833 and was considered an engineering marvel in its time.

The bridge was stabilized/repaired in 1979.

After passing under the Skew Arch Bridge, the railroad continued up the steep incline which can be seen in the photo above. That path is Incline Plane #6. At the end of the path seen above sits the previously mentioned Engine House #6, (which housed the stationary steam engine that pulled the rail car up the steep grade), and the Samuel Lemon House, (a tavern built around 1830 - 1832 that served passengers traveling on the Allegheny Portage Railroad and the Turnpike wagon road). The view in the relief at the Skew Arch Bridge Monument I mentioned earlier shows the Engine House and the rear of the building shown below where passengers embarked/disembarked.

I hopped back in the car and headed up to the Lemon House.

Ownership of the Lemon House passed to Samuel Lemon's sons after his death in 1867. It was sold outside of the Lemon family in 1907 where it passed through several owners and purposes until the National Park Service acquired the property in 1966. A major restoration was completed in 1997 that returned the house to its 1840s appearance

From the Lemon House, I headed to my next destination - the lookout at Wopsononock Mountain, a place I haven't visited since I was a kid. Wopsononock Mountain, or Wopsy Mountain as it's known locally, is a 2,500 foot mountain peak on the western side of Altoona that is steeped in local history. Wopsy is famous for its "lookout" that offers spectacular views of the entire region. A small hotel was built to take advantage of the view in the mid-1800s. A much larger 3-story resort replaced the original hotel in 1891. Amenities included a 4-story lookout tower, dance pavilion, bowling alley, baseball field, shooting range, merry-go-round, and lawn tennis courts. The resort even had its own narrow-gauge railroad for transporting passengers to/from Altoona. All was well until a forest fire destroyed everything in 1903, and the hotel was never rebuilt. The railroad operated until 1919, and the lookout tower was destroyed in 1921.

Today, the Wopsy lookout is home to nothing more than a couple of radio broadcast towers. Access is via the appropriately named "Lookout Road." Along with the stunning fall colors, you are supposed to be able to see over a vast portion of Blair County. Unfortunately, the lookout doesn't appear to be maintained, and is now quite overgrown.

The views from the lookout are beautiful, albeit very limited. I was able to zoom in on the Pinecroft exit of Interstate 99 outside of Bellwood, Pennsylvania.

Panning further south brings the 17th street interchange of Interstate 99 into view. The perspective seen in the photo above makes Brush Mountain look huge ! I hung around Wopsy for a few minutes before heading to my next stop.

Earlier, we learned about the Allegheny Portage Railroad and its significance with regard to Pennsylvania's history. This 36 mile long section of railroad completed the first direct route between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh over the Allegheny Mountains, a remarkable engineering accomplishment 200 years ago. Barge traffic via the Pennsylvania Canal was now possible between Pennsylvania's capital of Harrisburg and the entire eastern seaboard (via the Susquehanna River), and Pittsburgh and points west via the Ohio River. The Allegheny Portage Railroad played a major role in opening the interior of the United States to travelers from the east.

But it was not without its issues. The Pennsylvania Canal System worked, but wasn't particularly efficient, (passengers and cargo had to change rail cars several times during the journey). Praised for its "speed" when it first opened in 1834, the Canal System seemed to get slower and slower as advancements in steam locomotive technology became more readily available. But the biggest issue was the fact that the canals froze during the winter. It was only a matter of time before people started searching for an alternative.

By the mid-1800s, steam locomotives had become powerful enough to haul large amounts of people and cargo, and became the preferred method of long distance travel. The Pennsylvania Railroad was chartered in 1846 to build an all-railroad link between Harrisburg and Pittsburgh, effectively rendering the Pennsylvania Canal System obsolete. But there was still the problem of the Allegheny Mountains. Civil engineer John Edgar Thompson, who was responsible for developing Georgia's railroads in the 1830s and 1840s, was appointed Chief Engineer by PRR directors, and given the task of navigating the mountains. Whereas the Allegheny Portage Railroad pulled cars directly up and over the summit, Thompson and PRR Construction Engineer Herman Haupt developed a way to lessen the grade to the summit by filling in an area between two mountain ravines. The 2,375 feet of railroad track laid atop this fill ascended the summit at a maximum grade of 1.8 percent and 9 degrees 25 minutes of curvature. The resulting horseshoe-shaped curve became one of the world's greatest engineering feats when it opened on February 15, 1854.

The Horseshoe Curve was an instant success. Travel time from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh was reduced to around 15 hours. But those hours were direct, (no changing of cars was required). Traffic around the Curve increased exponentially and more tracks were soon needed, (a third track was added in 1898, and a fourth in 1900). The Curve's impact was so significant that it was part of Nazi Germany's Operation Pastorius during WWII. Today, the Curve remains a vital piece of railroad infrastructure and is used by more than 50 trains each day.

The Curve also became an instant tourist attraction, so much so that a park and viewing area were built in 1879. A macadam roadway to the site was opened in 1932, followed by a guest house/gift shop in 1940. National Historic Landmark status was granted in 1966. Renovations to the site were completed in 1992 that featured a new Visitor's Center, parking area, gift shop, and a Funicular Inclined Railway to shuttle visitors to/from the train viewing area. While I had been to the Curve many times during my childhood, I hadn't been to the site since renovations were completed, and decided to check it out.

The Lookout at Wopsy and The Horseshoe Curve aren't that far apart, relatively speaking. The drive between the two sites is quite scenic through the mountains in central PA via several roads less traveled. The route I chose allowed me to approach the Curve site from the west via Coupon-Gallitzin Road that runs across the top of the ridge around 2,400 feet in elevation. The Visitor's Center is located on Glenwhite Road at around 1,500 feet.

The drive down from the ridge is beautiful ! The tunnel seen in the photos above and below sits in one of the two ravines that had to be filled in during the Curve's construction.

The Horseshoe Curve National Historic Landmark site sits immediately after the tunnel which can be seen on the far left of the photo above.

I don't remember much from my younger days when I last visited other than there was nothing here but a few parking spaces and a bunch of steps. Everything was redone in the early 1990s. An old PRR rail car greets those who arrive.

The biggest improvement to the site centered around the train viewing area which can be accessed in two ways, either via the Funicular Inclined Plane that runs at scheduled intervals or 194 renovated steps. I decided to see just how out of shape I was and started climbing.

The view to the east from the train viewing area is pretty impressive.

The ridge in the center of the Curve's arc is known as Kittanning Point, (the Curve, itself is cut into Kittanning Point's rock wall). The body of water seen in the photo above is the Kittanning Point Reservoir, one of Altoona's drinking water sources.

Passengers riding the Funicular arrive in the same spot as those walking, albeit less winded.