06/12/06. 23:05:50 A full moon is shining in the western horizon, it's moonlight turning the landscape bluewish. An invigorating and soothing breeze is blowing through the forest, making the trees sway back and forth. High up here in the mountains of Penn, it is quiet and calm. I can breath the fresh air, and the shadow of the mountains makes my heart melt with wonder and amazement. I wouldn't mind living up here. I wanna take a hike up there to the summit of the mountain tomorrow. Driving up the mountain in the dead of the night, it was scary, and dangerous. Etc. Camping here through the night, I will be refreshed when I wake up.
'Having been refreshed and partially forgotten my experiences from last night (driving steep inclines, negotiating sharp curves at the edge of a mountain) I decided to spend the day hiking. Hiking the Allegheny Mountains here in PA is an unforgettable adventure. Specifically, I was a at the point where they first crossed the mountains when they were building the railroad/canal back in 1831. In order to connect Pittsburg to Philadelphia, the Allegheny Mountains had to be crossed. They chose to build canals from both Pittsburg and Philly, and instead of digging through the mountains, they came up with an ingenious way: Boats would come on canals, and when they reach one side of the mountain, they would be ferried on rail-road tracks up and down the mountain, and then get deposited on the canal on the other side of the mountain, and off they would go to Philadelphia. This method was used for 20 years, until the real rail-road took over the Pittsburg-Philly connection, when they had powerful locomotives that could climb the mountains. I had fun while up the mountain, and seemed I was the only tourist at the park! Talk of staying off the beaten path! The birds chirping in the pine forest, flowers hanging by the sidewalks, and grass on my feet inspired me to hum, for this was the best life could give.
My journey through rural America will continue for the next few days. The good thing is that I'm now traveling west, meaning I'm getting closer to Chicago by the minute. I will be in Columbus/Toledo later today. Will be in Chicago by Thursday…
