The 1908-feet long Salisbury Viaduct is a spectacular crossing of the Casselman River Valley. My…read morehusband Rick and I rode across it as part of our Cumberland-McKeesport ride on the Great Allegheny Passage Trail. It was one of the scenic highpoints on the ride. Of course Salisbury Viaduct wasn't originally built to take cyclists and hikers across the valley. It was built in 1912 for the Western Maryland Rail Company. The construction of that rail line through mountainous Somerset County required numerous bridges, tunnels, and viaducts--nearly all of which you can ride your bicycle on or thru today. The construction of the viaduct took many years, a lot of men, and even cost a few lives. Remember that back in 1912 a lot of the work had to be done with mules, wagons & wheelbarrows. When the viaduct opened on January 18, 1912, hundreds of local families gathered to watch the first train cross. Newspaper reporters and photographers from all over Pennsylvania and Maryland were there too. Company officials and the spectators all cheered when the first train crossed. In 1975, the rail company abandoned much of its line and on May 21 of that year, a special passenger train operated over the viaduct giving company officials, railfans, and the general public one last ride over the line and the viaduct. Twenty three years in 1998, Salisbury Viaduct was renovated for trail use, with a special deck being added for cyclists, hikers, and equestrians. Today it provides an incredible view of the Casselman River Valley. It spans the river, old US #219, the modern four-lane US #219, and the CSX Rail Line, which Amtrak's Capitol Limited train runs on (you can see the viaduct from the train). Rick and I stopped and enjoyed the terrific view when we crossed.

Definitely the highlight of our 10-mile walk-about in either direction of the Meyersdale Train…read moreDepot/historical society. You can see for miles and miles..... Awesome! Unless you're freaked out by bridges and heights...in which case I would not recommend the Salisbury Viaduct! The little Meyers family cemetery at the one end of the viaduct provides an interesting historical resting spot!

Another slice of Roadside Americana pie in Bedford, Pennsylvania. Bedford is a historic community…read moredating back to the 18th century. George Washington's Whiskey Rebellion was headquartered here. "The Big Coffee Pot" as it's known was created by David Koontz in 1927. It was actually once a lunch stand and after that it became a bar. It now sits on the Lincoln Highway and has become an historical landmark much like the town and the highway it sits on. The pot is a museum and it also has a little gift shop. A must-see if roadtripping through the area.

This is a nice, quick stop on a visit to Bedford. When I moved from California back to the east…read morecoast, I stopped in Bedford and snapped a few photos before making the final stretch to my new home. I have fond memories of the place, and it reminded me of so many roadside Americana spots I would see in Southern California where businesses turned to these types of structures as advertising opportunities for products and services (think big barrels, gigantic donuts and yes a big coffee pot). It's well worth a stop just for the fun of it all.

Kings Covered Bridge is an absolute gem of a historic stop in Somerset County! Since it's closed to…read morecars, it is completely peaceful to walk through and admire the incredible, old-school woodwork and architecture up close. The surrounding park-like setting right next to Laurel Hill Creek is incredibly scenic, and the picnic pavilion makes it the perfect place to pull off the road, stretch your legs, and soak in a little bit of Pennsylvania history.

This covered bridge is one of 10 covered bridges that currently exist in Somerset County…read more I included it on my list for a day trip driving from West Mifflin, PA (outside Pittsburgh). You can't drive through the bridge but there is space to park near it and you can walk inside it. It is a good photo opp, especially was on this blue sky day. It is within a quick 2 mile drive of Barronvale Covered Bridge so make sure to include that one while you are in the area.

Tower of Voices was the first project to be completed at/near the Flight 93 crash site and was…read morededicated on Sept 11 2011. This is the most iconic for Flight 93 in my opinion, a must especially since it's short and easy access for anyone from the parking lot. It's also the first landmark you would see from Lincoln Hwy Rt 30 if you navigate to Flight 93 National Memorial. Don't follow the Visitor Center sign which is over 2 miles away - if you want to stop by this amazing memorial first. It's really an amazing design, incorporating so many meaningful elements. For example, there are 40 wind chimes, representing the 40 voices; each chime tube is separated by a wing flap, etc. One can spend some time here admiring the structure and reflecting on the heroical tragedy. And if there happens to be a gusty wind greater than 12 mph, you might actually hear the chimes. We weren't so lucky. The passengers and crews of Flight 93 will forever have a voice; their heroic actions will be forever honored.

A truly meaningful and moving monument of respect to the fallen heroes of Flight 93, the Tower of…read moreVoices is located at the Flight 93 National Memorial. It is visible on the way to the memorial's visitor center and other features, and has its own parking lot, making it easy to pull off and visit. The tower itself features 40 chimes, one for each of the passengers and crew. It requires wind speeds of just under 15 mph in order to generate the sounds, and signage helpfully provides a link/QR code to a recording if it is silent at the time of visit. We were fortunate to be able to hear some soft chiming. It was very nice. A small seating area is available near the base. This is a beautiful part of the memorial, all of which is well worth a visit.

Tony and I were driving down Route 144 West National Pike Road in Maryland near the town of…read moreFlintstone MD when I found the covered bridge on my GPS. Only 5 miles off our track and amazingly in PA...we didn't realize we were that close to PA while driving in Maryland. So I made the right turn and we ventured out into the back roads of PA. It was easy to find, our GPS took us straight there. So quite out there and peaceful. Only life we found was bugs and a mommy deer with her 2 babies. She hid in the bushes, but the babies just frolicked nearby allowing me to photograph. Very lovely area! Great road conditions and easily found off the National Pike Roadway. Highly recommend for you to visit and absolutely Free to enjoy!!!

Hewitt Covered Bridge, Circa 1879 at 88 feet long. The…read moreHewitt Covered Bridge is a historic wooden covered bridge located at Southampton Township in Bedford County, Pennsylvania. It is a 88-foot-long, low to medium Burr Truss bridge with a medium gable roof. It crosses Town Creek. It is one of 15 historic covered bridges in Bedford County.

King's Covered Bridge - Waynesburg, PA…read more Exact location 39.757095° -80.272451° Nice winding country roads on the way there too.

Serendipitous - an adjective that describes accidentally being in the right place at the right…read moretime, like bumping into a good friend in some unusual location, or finding a hundred dollar bill on the ground [vocabulary.com] I've had people give me awesome compliments on yelp about the adventures I take my family on, but I should probably admit that my family doesn't always want to go. Rarely do they even get out of the car when I stop to see covered bridges and I think I maxed them out on this particular road trip because we saw about 15 on our 3 week adventure to Canada. Honestly I don't blame them, but sometimes my determination gets in the way of my common sense. A STORY OF A SERENDIPITOUS ENCOUNTER Take our drive to Packsaddle Bridge for example. Our navigation led us down Pine Valley Road from our comfortable drive on Interstate 70. There were lots of twists, turns and near death experiences to get to Pack Saddle Road and to be honest, Pine Valley isn't a road at all by city slicker standards. It was a mud & gravel pit of the worst uneven surface you would ever expect to find anything other than a SUV trying to cross. I bottomed the car out a few times! My wife gave me the stank-eye nearly the entire time we drove along this road as we were shaken around like we were inside a Mexican piñata. But I kept my focus straight ahead to avoid any eye contact (and of course to watch for any dip in the road that might get us stuck). What was worse is we lost our cell phone signal and were truly on our own on what had to be the back-woodiest road you may possibly find in all of the United States. If I blew a tire or hit a mud pit too deep I was gonna be in some serious stank eye trouble. So it was like an angelic choir began to sing when we finally made it back on pavement @ Pack Saddle Road. Within a few hundred yards the bridge came into view and I knew beyond the shadow of a doubt that asking my wife and kids to get out and see it was gonna result in my decapitation. To be honest, I wasn't entirely confident they might not drive off and leave me there, so I took the keys with me! Hahaha There was an elderly gentleman parked in the tiny parking area near the bridge when I got out to explore and we exchanged hellos. I went about my usual business taking pics and writing notes about what I saw before heading back to my family. As I approached our vehicle, the elder gentleman struck up a conversation with me and told me all about the bridge and how he has been coming here since he was a tyke. He shared with me a beautiful picture he took several decades ago when the bridge was covered in snow. He asked if I was a bridge lover and I said "AM I EVER! So much so that I think I've gotten my family lost and upset with me for going so far off road to find this place." Well, to my surprise, the elderly gentleman handed me the picture and told me he wanted me to have it. He then asked me where was I trying to go and started his truck. After telling him our next destination, he turned his truck around and drove us far enough in the right direction that we would not get lost. Along the way he stopped and showed us a rehabilitation center for elephants, but unfortunately there were no elephants roaming where we could see them. How awesome would that have been! I goggled the place when I got home and found this article: http://www.post-gazette.com/life/lifestyle/2009/07/28/African-elephants-make-themselves-at-home-in-Somerset-County/stories/200907280205 After a few miles he pulled off to the side of the road. A honk of his horn and a wave of his hand informed us we were heading in the right direction and soon after our cell phone signal returned. How good was our fortune that he just happened to be at this bridge when we arrived! BRIDGE FACTS Year Built - 1870, rehabilitated in 1998 (after flood damage in 1996) Builder - Unknown Total length: 48 ft. AKA - Doc Miler Bridge Truss: Multiple Kingpost Crosses: Brush Creek in Fairhope Township Vehicular traffic: Yes Features: Small waterfall, an old outpost building and parking FINAL THOUGHTS To borrow from Forest Gump - Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're gonna get! My family was so excited about the elephant farm that they forgave me for nearly getting us lost and stuck in the middle of nowhere. Truly we had angels looking out for us on this day and I am grateful. Life indeed is a glorious adventure if you'll just drive!

The Glessner Covered Bridge built 1881 near Stoystown, Somerset Co., PA. This lovely Covered…read morebridge is 98 inches long. Water looked so beautiful and clear. There was a lovely old huge barn near by Sunday, May 19th, 2019, Tony and I was driving back home from our short overnight get away. We saw a few COVERED BRIDGES in PA this weekend and they were all painted Barn Red. This is Free of course to enjoy! Hope you get to see this lovely bridge from yester year, one day soon and enjoy it. Can you believe this beauty is 138 yrs old!!!