Sunday, 11 October 2009
Road Trip Day 53
So, where was I last night? Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, home of the famous weather predicting Groundhog of folklore and movie stardom.
Following My Heart
So, yesterday as I left Pittsburgh I began to drive towards my intended destination of Erie. I glanced at my atlas for a more direct route to Buffalo and there was Punxsutawney staring back at me. Don't be silly I said to myself. You can't go there just because you really like Groundhog Day. I then thought about all the other places I have been just for movie links and it suddenly became a certainty. I rang the first hotel to appear in my Sat-Nav. They had a cheap room so that it; done deal.
An hour or two later, along a much prettier route than the nasty Interstate to Erie, I arrived in the fabled town. My hotel was suitably dated, with a large double height lobby, one slow lift, a dining room from 1974 and bathroom built from drywall in the corner of my room as a hasty conversion from the days of shared bathrooms.
The hotels, restaurants, shops and public buildings all synchronised with the image portrayed in the movie of a sweet, slightly tired town proud of its quirky place in American tradition.
I'd also like to give special mention to my waitress at the hotel, Erin. She was supremely laid back, very slightly surly but in the most endearing way and friendly yet off-hand in an overly familiar kind of fashion. She even had the nerve to recommend the only dessert they didn't have and then, when I had an alternative and enjoyed it, told me the Apple Dumplings would have been better. She was probably right...
As and when I write a screenplay / novel / lavishly embroidered autobiography, I'll be sure to include a laconic waitress named Erin.
But back to Punxsutawney in general, every other shop had a groundhog in the window, in the store sign or stood outside in giant fibreglass form.
There are over thirty of these fibreglass statues of "Punxy Phil" around the town, each one customised to a different theme. The one about is outside a bank. Below is the first one, and only one with a Top Hat. He's outside the Groundhog Zoo where the real Punxy Phil lives... except he was sleeping out back today so no photo of the real Groundhog.
I spent this morning wandering around the town centre, snapping fibreglass Phils as I went and also admiring the small scale architecture. How about this for a place to live? I'll have this one please.
Gobblers Knob
Of course, I could not leave town without a trip out to Gobblers Knob itself, on the outskirts of Punxsutawney. There's a large dais, viewing areas for family and general admission, floodlights, bathroom facilities and, of course, the stump from which Phil emerges each February 2nd to make his famous prognostication.
According to a display there, over 35,000 people turned up in 1976 (if I recall) so it's quite a big event and an even bigger money-spinner for little Punxy.
Symbolic Location
So, why does Punxsutawney feel like more than just a movie related whim? Well, it's symbolic of my situation, representing a desire to live and relive these three months over and over. But wait, now is not the time for soppy stuff. I have 2 weeks and over a thousand miles to go still. Onwards Beast!
Wood for the Trees
A short distance north from Punxsutawney, and another justification for staying there, is Allegheny National Forest. Much of the areas I've seen in Ohio, West Virginia and Pennsylvania have been heavily wooded with the glorious fall colours I have waxed lyrical about already.
But seriously, if there is any way you can get to see these colours for yourself in these states or further up in Minnesota I urge you as strongly as I can to do so. My camera doesn't capture the magnificence of this natural display. So many times I turned a bend and immediately searched for a place to stop and drink in the view.
Rolling hillsides, as far as the eye can see, covered in trees, each one seemingly a slightly different colour is a sight to behold.
My final picture on the tree theme is as much a reminder to myself as anything else. If I forget, can someone please nag me into translating my painting style from pretty girls faces to this leaf, and also some of the many flowers I have photographed with an eye to recreating on canvas.
A Million Miles (I Love You)**
A quick nod here to whichever authority is witty enough to put these signs up in Pennsylvania. A funny way to get the message across.
Oh, and I feel like I've driven a million miles now so can I take mine off?
The Empire State's Back
After "closing the donut" yesterday, today I returned to a state I've been in before; state number one on my list, New York. Of course, the difference between Upstate New York (am I using the correct term?) and New York City is like the difference between Coldplay and a talented group who deserve a great deal of acclaim and admiration.
I'm only a stones throw from Canada, but over 290 miles from the Empire State Building, so whilst I am back in a state I have visited before, it's all fresh territory.
Return of the Dee-Dee
So, tomorrow Niagara Falls from both sides, then for the last two weeks I have the six states of New England to cover before I see New York City again. No problem.
Goodnight.
P.S. The Twins were swept by The Damn Yankees and are now out of the Play-off's and so won't make it to the 2009 World Series. I obviously didn't chew hard enough.
Stats - Day Seventy-Nine
Distance travelled - 194 miles - Punxsutawney, PA to Buffalo, NY via Allegheny National Forest.
States entered - New York, again
State count - 34 (still) + DC + B.C.
Room numbers stayed in - 203, 1, 148, 212, 205, 210, 246, 118, 3, 145, 229, 111, 207, 206, 40, 605, "Cowboy", 35, 11, 18, 262, 216, 208, 430, 216, 59, 226, 115 / 110*, 309, 30, 8, 255, 428, 209, "Spare", 105, 207, 227, 126
*room switch
** 30 Bonus Points to anyone who knows which band have a song with this title.
No comments:
Post a Comment