The Alleghenies Day 2PM & 3: Along the Mason-Dixon

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We crossed the border into Flintstone, MD where we fed the thirsty Ingrid some much needed gasoline. In the backcountry hills of Bedford, one could easily run out of gasoline if not careful. Not much to see in Flintstone but it was a relatively important town to the Imes family simply because it was nearest significant junction on the National Pike.

Cumberland Fireworks

We drove on to Cumberland which was readying for the Fourth of July Festivities. A quiet mountain city with great historical character and reasonable efforts at reviving the downtown, something which lacked in the smaller Bedford and yet smaller Everett. We stayed at the Bruce House Inn, located in the historical mansion quarter of the town. They put on a decent fireworks show which we got to watch after we struggled with our very kind innkeeper to find a place to eat that was not your typical chain. We ended up at City Lights which is complete overpriced garbage (my placeholder for a series of insults) but had waffle coned custard at Queen City Creamery which Jennifer rated as A-okay so it must have been good, I wouldn't know, tasted fine to me.

West Vurjinnie

Never been to Morgantown, it is the most talked about place in West Virginia that sounds interesting so I made a point of stopping us through there. Not much going on there, okay school is out but this is definitely "moutaineer" country, they're all up in the hills too. Also, there's signs everywhere for the stadium, but we never found that dern thing. Of course, everyone knows that since these guys play in the Big East, they don't REALLY have a football team, kind of like the Big Ten. We had lunch at a new Olive Garden located at the most happening retail location, a crappy open-air power center hybrid blah-blah that is completely disjointed and up on a hill. But if you saw the nicer mall in town, you would understand why they like this new place.

We cut back through Pennsylvania to reach Wheeling and I-70 so we stopped at Ryerson Station State Park which was much needed since the roads are so windy and crazy back in this area. I somewhat regretted getting off the highway. But the park is actually pretty nice except for the fact that they don't tell you how long the trails are and we could easily have ended up wandering in the woods for days with no water . . . as usual. But we didn't thanks to my great navigation skills. Jennifer would contest that she doesn't get lost because she would just ask someone for help. Great. I hope the squirrels can talk and that they don't have a pact with the bears out here. Yeah bears. We didn't see any but I wish I had taken a photo of Jennifer carrying around her big stick for miles.

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Photos

4th of July Concert
In Cumberland, MD.

City Lights Restaurant
Yeah right, more like "Hillbilly Bonfires".

Queen City Creamery
Damn good custards and actually open when there's business to be made . . . what a great combo!

4th of July Fireworks
They sure did put on a good show in Cumberland, MD. Seems like the whole county had come into the "big city" to watch the show.

Cumberland at Night
Wonderful Federal style and Victorian buildings in the city.

Historic House
Relocated to this little agglomeration of historic homes near the impressive Castleman River Bridge.

Casselman River Bridge
This was the stone arch spans 48 feet wide and carried the National Pike across the eponymous river.

Canadian Geese at Ryerson Station State Park
Waiting for another A321 to fly by.

Potentially Tasty or Deadly Shroom
If anyone knows, please send us a message.