Explorer's Guide: Philadelphia And Amish Country -- July 27, 2023

Explorer's Guide: Philadelphia and Amish Country, 917.48RAN.

This should be fun.

First time I've visited Lancaster, PA, but I've come close on earlier trips.

In 1973 (?), I hitchhiked from Williston, ND, to NYC, to catch a flight to Europe, where I spent the summer exploring Germany, Italy, France, Spain, and Portugal.

In 1971 (?), I visited Philadelphia briefly with a friend. We were working in New Jersey for the summer and took a short break to visit Philly.

Back to 1973, hitchhiking -- my route eastward through Pennsylvania:

• I-76 to Harrisburg
• it is only now that I catch the significance of "I-76"
• Harrisburg: driver dropped me off on the west side about 9:00 p.m. local time
• I walked through the entire city of Harrisburg -- straight through the center at midnight
• when I asked a policeman (or policemen) for directions, they said to go around the city; too long, I knew I would never make it
• through the center of city at midnight, the police said I would never come out alive
• east of Harrisburg, a driver picked me up; I've long forgotten the details; would have to get out the journal
• Harrisburg, PA, to Westfield, NJ, a bedroom-suburb of NYC, via Allentown
• 149 miles, 2 hours 29 minutes (google maps)
• I-81 / I-78 to Watchung, PA (140 miles)
• US-22E (Plainfield Ave, Bonnie Burn Rd, US-22 E) (6.4 miles)
• at the time, I knew nothing of "Plainfield"
• by the end of the summer I knew Plainfield well, it shared a border with Westfield
• how I got from the turnoff from I-78 unto Plainfield to the Clark Street address in Westfield, I will never know
• urban, four miles, no map (?)
• the only option: to walk it -- about one hour
  

Lancaster, PA

• 70-some miles west of Philadelphia
• Philadelphia: southwest of Westfield, NJ
• home to one of the country's largest Amish populations
• covered bridges
• heart of Amish Country
• Bird-in-Hand, Intercourse, and Paradise