Moved to NEPA transplants and opinions (Philadelphia, Pittsburgh: crime, movie theater, colleges)

[Gerania]

When I was in my early 20s, Wilkes-Barre to the Jersey Shore was a day trip. Not happening now.

[mr.magoo]

In the early 1990's I could be @ Betty n' Nicks in Seaside Park 42 minutes after I left my house in Suburban Trenton.
Now with development towards the shore, it is a 70 minute ride for me.
There are hardly and 'back roads' anymore.

[Chefkey]

I agree with both of you Gerania and Mr Magoo. It takes 3 hours now to get to my old stomping grounds in Belmar, NJ. I used to be able to do it in about 2 hours. 2 hours each way for one long day I am willing but that extra hour each way is a killer. That's the good time too, if you hit a traffic problem other than the now normal traffic you are looking at 3 and a half hours.

[mr.magoo]

Yeah, Chefkey, I can still get to Belmar in 35 minutes..my cousin lives one house in from the beach, he was lucky to inherit the house from my Aunt and Uncle when they passed away.

He runs a Charter Fishing Boat out of Belmar.

Actually, Belmar was the first place I saw the ocean/beach when we moved out of Wilkes Barre...
Up to then it was strictly Sandy Beach @ Harvey's Lake. lol.

It was either the summer of 1958 or 1959.
We went the my Aunts house in Belmar and we were to spend two weeks there during summer break from school, then go to my Grandmoms house in Wilkes Barre for the remainder of the summer.
We got to spend ONE day on the beach..man, we fell in love with the Ocean and Belmar..

Next day, we got up walked to the beach all excited, only to see everyone yelling and pointing at the water...there were 4 or more sharks feeding on a dead dolphin..man, they were tearing that poor thing to pieces..

They closed the beach down for the two weeks we were there.

[Chefkey]

Spent many a day there back in the day, I used to ride my bike there almost every day in the summer and went walking in Spring Lake in the winter a lot as long as it wasn't too cold. Funny, I don't miss it much though. Getting back on topic I always was more enamored with the forests like we have here in NEPA. I spent a good number of days driving through and hanging out in the Pine Barrens looking for the Jersey Devil LOL. If I ever feel nostalgic for the waves I take a trip out to Wallenpaupack and sit on a bench for a bit and watch the water. On a windy day at Wallenpaupack it reminds me of the ocean waves in Belmar. I still though would rather take a ride out to Moon Lake or Nescopeck or Promised Land and stroll along the lake. Something about the fresh woodsy mountain air that invigorates more than the ocean ever did.

[mr.magoo]

Well, I like the Mountains as well as the ocean..I still enjoy coming back to Nepa every year.
The mountains definitely have a special place in my heart.

When I was in Germany I learned a word, or phrase from an old German guy..We were remarking how beautiful the Alps looked in the distance..and he said 'Bergsfriede'
loosely translated, I think it means 'the peace of the mountains'

My family had a cabin in the 'Northeast Kingdom' of Vermont in a small town called East Burke, perched on a trout stream called Flower Brook.
we sold it after my parents past away in 2001...sold it in 2004.
It was a 7 hr. ride from NJ.
Will post a pic soon.
After my first trip to Hawai'i I became a beach/tropical person..that is still my primary focus..
couldn't afford a place on the beach in Hawaii..but swung one in Puerto Rico.

It took a hit in both huracáns, but it is still standing.

edit: pic of the cabin, built by a father/son team by hand circa 1913 rocks for the chiminey and fireplace pulled out of the stream by hand, all logs hand sawn.
When we bought it in 1974, there was still twig and split log plank furniture still serviceable.
http://www.city-data.com/forum/membe...ic145189-a.jpg

[okaydorothy]

Oh That is an awesome cabin.

[mr.magoo]

Originally Posted by okaydorothy

Oh That is an awesome cabin.

Thanks, My brothers and sis and I spent a good deal of time there in the late 1960's / late 1970's.
Summer and Fall.

It was on a logging road, impassable except by foot in Mud Season and winter.

No heat other then the fireplace., wood burning kitcen stove, we drew water from the stream..it was a lovely stream, full of Native Brookies, and a fantastic swimming hole under a small waterfall.

By the late 1970s my siblings and I all had little babies, and Bought houses, I was restoring an 1865 Farmhouse, working full time and getting my graduate degree in the evenings, playing in a band in bars abd clubs on some weekends.

So the cabin didn't get much visitation except for local hunters who used it as a warming station..

When our kids were teens and early 20s they went up quite a bit..but that trickled off too.We still had to maintain it and that was becoming a long distance chore.

We received an offer from a neighbor we couldn't refuse, he bought up all the other properties as well as our cabin with the 10 acres..
Good part about it was he just wanted to keep everything status quo..just wanted more land around him.

7 years ago he put in a proper road and bridge over the stream...haven't seen it, haven't been back,
win-win for everyone..
he uses our old cabin for his guests.

will post more pics when I find them.

[okaydorothy]

Originally Posted by mr.magoo

Thanks, My brothers and sis and I spent a good deal of time there in the late 1960's / late 1970's.
Summer and Fall.

It was on a logging road, impassable except by foot in Mud Season and winter.

No heat other then the fireplace., wood burning kitcen stove, we drew water from the stream..it was a lovely stream, full of Native Brookies, and a fantastic swimming hole under a small waterfall.

By the late 1970s my siblings and I all had little babies, and Bought houses, I was restoring an 1865 Farmhouse, working full time and getting my graduate degree in the evenings, playing in a band in bars abd clubs on some weekends.

So the cabin didn't get much visitation except for local hunters who used it as a warming station..

When our kids were teens and early 20s they went up quite a bit..but that trickled off too.We still had to maintain it and that was becoming a long distance chore.

We received an offer from a neighbor we couldn't refuse, he bought up all the other properties as well as our cabin with the 10 acres..
Good part about it was he just wanted to keep everything status quo..just wanted more land around him.

7 years ago he put in a proper road and bridge over the stream...haven't seen it, haven't been back,
win-win for everyone..
he uses our old cabin for his guests.

will post more pics when I find them.

I love places like that. Its so hard to find now and many new buyers want to tear them down. Years ago I was a nanny in Manhattan for a super rich fashion lady. She bought a summer house with 16 acres ; it was an old farmhouse but she redid it up fantastically, then changed all the stables to little guest houses. The house next door was for sale with 17 acres and a headland and she bought that also and did the same. It is just a wonderful piece of history and I absolutely loved going out there.

[mr.magoo]

Originally Posted by okaydorothy

I love places like that. Its so hard to find now and many new buyers want to tear them down. Years ago I was a nanny in Manhattan for a super rich fashion lady. She bought a summer house with 16 acres ; it was an old farmhouse but she redid it up fantastically, then changed all the stables to little guest houses. The house next door was for sale with 17 acres and a headland and she bought that also and did the same. It is just a wonderful piece of history and I absolutely loved going out there.

We need more of that type of preservation.

I am across the Delaware from Bucks County, lots of old stone farmhouses, barns, stables where the owners repurpose the outbuildings to guest houses, studios etc.