camping in pennsylvania, 2005

This July I met up with Derek Wasnock, Todd Schoen and Derek's colleague Javaid in Pennsylvania to camp. The weekend was excruciatingly warm and humid, but we had a good time. We scrapped plans to climb a mountain and went river tubing and caving instead.

20050716-001 - Pennsylvania camping - Todd's foot in Todd's tent at Pequea Creek Campground
Todd awakens and starts to emerge from his tent, foot first.
20050716-002 - Pennsylvania camping - Marina near Susquehanna River
We took inner tubes called River Rats and rode them down the Pequea Creek to the Susquehanna River, where we ended up at a marina surrounded by private property. This is that marina.
20050716-003 - Pennsylvania camping - Colemanville Covered Bridge on Pequea Creek
Near the campsite is the reconstructed version of an old covered bridge called the Colmanville Bridge.
20050716-004 - Pennsylvania camping - Colemanville Covered Bridge on Pequea Creek
Looking into the Colemanville Covered Bridge in Pequea, PA.
20050716-006 - Pennsylvania camping - Todd with Derek in Javaid's car near Pequea Creek
Todd and Derek prepare to depart the campground for our caving expedition.
20050716-007 - Pennsylvania camping - Javaid at entrance to Wind Caves in Marticville
Javaid stands at the entrance to the Wind Caves. On a 90-degree day with 100 percent humidity, the best place to be is underground. Or so that strange old man at the grocery store claimed as he laughed maniacally. When we came close to any cave opening we could easily spot it because the cool air coming out of it condensed, creating an eerie fog.
20050716-008 - Pennsylvania camping - Warning sign at entrance to Wind Caves in Marticville
We had hoped to vandalize the cave and kill cave bats for fun, but this sign dashed all our hopes.
20050716-009 - Pennsylvania camping - Derek entering Wind Caves in Marticville
Derek enters the Wind Caves. These caves, according to a Google search, are tectonic caves, meaning that they were not carved by the forces of erosion but rather opened up by the moving of massive rocks. Fortunately none of the rocks moved while we were present.
20050716-010 - Pennsylvania camping - Todd, Derek and Javaid in the Wind Caves in Marticville
Todd, Derek and Javaid deep within the Wind Caves. The caves went so far that we actually had a map.
20050716-011 - Pennsylvania camping - Javaid deep inside the Wind Caves in Marticville
Javaid and I went deepest into the caves. For the most part they were extremely cool, a relief from the outside weather. We did find one section of the cave that was unusually warm, but it may simply have reflected the outide temperature.
20050716-012 - Pennsylvania camping - Ed deep inside the Wind Caves in Marticville
Me in cave.
20050716-015 - Pennsylvania camping - Todd down chimney of the Wind Caves in Marticville
The first fifty feet of the caves were not pitch black like the rest because they had openings onthe trail high above. I walked up to have a look at where it opened, and noticed Todd.
20050716-017 - Pennsylvania camping - Derek, Todd and Javaid along Susquehanna tracks
We followed some tracks along the Susquehanna River back to the car.
20050716-019 - Pennsylvania camping - Cracked mud along Susquehanna tracks
This serves no purpose, except I thought the mud cracks looked cool. I had to delete a photo of a rat skeleton to make room for it.
20050717-001 - Pennsylvania camping - Colemanville Covered Bridge on Pequea Creek
My last view of the Colemanville Bridge on the way out of Pequea and back to Lancaster and beyond. Unfortunately my honeymoon photos filled my gigabyte card, so I did not have room on the smaller card I brough with me to Pennsylvania to take photos of the three Amish carriages that made me drive slowly south of Lancaster or the Philadelphia Museum of Art, which I visited on the way home.