Thu Jul 3 16:57:52 2003
Rollers -- Burlington, PA

This town was actually named after Burlington, VT, believe it or not! Founded in 1790. Pop quiz: When was Burlington, VT founded?

I forgot to mention in my entry yesterday that we stopped on Tuesday the 1st at this great bar/restaurant in New Jersey for a pizza lunch. The bartender (Hi Terri!) was wonderfully friendly and wanted to know all about our trip. We told her about it, and I promised to write a postcard from California. She and all the regulars came out as we were leaving to wave goodbye to us.

Wednesday, leaving Carbondale, we started the first of the rolling hills that will evidently be with us through the rest of PA. We asked one fellow at the post office whether Pennsylvania ever got flat, but he told us it was hills all the way through. He also told us that on the way into Coudersport, PA, they claim there is the only uphill marathon in the U.S. Twenty-six miles of straight uphill cycling await us in the next couple days. Needless to say, we're terrified.

We spent last night in Tunkhannock, where we met this great precocious little eleven-year-old. When I caught up with Emily, she was sitting by a parking lot, watching this freckled kid tear around the lot on his dirt bike, doing wheelies and seat-stands. He told us he was about an hour from home, but he wasn't worried about getting home; he'd either ride or go to a friend's house and have them drive him. Emily met him because he simply started following her after she stopped at a fruit stand. He told us that he's already driven his family's truck several times (how else is he supposed to learn to drive a truck?) and that he's had twenty-one girlfriends and kissed them all. He followed us a little while longer while we rolled through town, then split off after we went to look for camping. We were going to try and get a bit out of town to camp, but we saw this one lawn that looked so inviting we had to try it. So we went up the hill to ask the folks that lived there. We asked the wife first since she was nearest, and her response was "Let me ask my husband." (What is that all about?). But her husband said okay, and we wound up with a beautiful campsite.

After dinner we took a short walk into town and had raspberry pie at a place called "The Filling Station."

Today was more rolling hills and more heat. But I'm having a wonderful time. This trip was the best idea ever.

Tonight we intend to camp somewhere near Troy, PA. Tomorrow we expect to stop early in Mansfield, PA to celebrate the Fourth of July and watch fireworks.