• 

Waking up at the age of seven, knowing that my back-to-school shopping needed to be done wasn’t stressful like it is now. It was full of new animal-print fashions with glittery peace signs and neon colors, unlike the laundry hamper, silverware and endless amount of binders I need now.

     Had you told me ten years ago that I would be working in Justice, then my favorite store, I would’ve been over the moon excited and probably accidentally spit on you while talking too fast from happiness. 

     Around a month ago, one of my closest friends had told me about a job opening where his mom worked. I knew this store was Justice, but that wasn’t going to stop me from applying and possibly receiving $11.80 an hour to live a childhood fantasy. Stocking piles of neon pinks and blues high on a table and folding sequin-clad jeans would be a dream compared to restaurant business. 

     Growing up, my family was always considered middle-class and still is. We make enough to support the family and pay the bills, maybe even go out to dinner once and a while or see a movie. However, we all know that no teenager is cheap, nor do they usually let up on the rides to the movies or a friend’s house. So, of course, my parents told me to either get a job, or find the money another way. Drug dealing wasn’t an option and babysitting was rare, considering everyone in Warren county knows each other already. My last resort was to find a place that would hire a 15-year-old with mild social anxiety and phenomenal hair. I put in my application to New Beginnings, a restaurant about six hundred feet from my house, and I was called the next day. 

     For two and a half years, I was the trusty counter girl and sometimes coffee girl. I made a lot of customers laugh and smile by the time I got out of my shell. I improved a lot in that time and I was bumped up to waitress about six months ago. 

     I love my job there, I really do. My co-workers are fabulous and my bosses are wonderful with my schedule, but this retail job would be so great to have. Especially since Justice is a chain and I can work in Pittsburgh when I go to college in the fall. Also, the less time I have to deal with creepy old men and grease, the happier I am.

     Knowing that this was totally out of my comfort zone, I’d walked into the store with the most realistic looking confidence I have. I wasn’t going to let anyone know that I was freaking out on the inside. 

     The walls were already covered in an array of the classic “tween” clothing. Colors from lime green, sky blue, to lavender, they were all there. Some may say it kinda hurts to walk in there, but my years of shopping here keep me from feeling the burning sensation in my retinas. 

     After filling out more paperwork and getting my locker and Justice lanyard, my boss had regretted to tell me that this would be my training day, and I would basically be staring at a computer for the next two hours. My heart fell and suddenly I knew that if my eyes didn’t hurt now, they were going to in a bit. 

      Ashley, my manager, set me up at her neat desk in the back room. Back here there was a slight draft from underneath the emergency exit, making me feel thankful for the cardigan I’d chosen to wear. Once I had logged into the system, my online training began. The bright magenta, blue, and green logo stared back at me as I went to work on my vigorous computer training session. Ash had armed me that most people take about two hours to complete the training courses. Once I’d began, I could see why. The sessions were almost like little interactive PowerPoint presentations, then afterward, a game to see if you actually gathered any information. While I zoomed right through it, I would have to stop and look away and this is when I started to notice the small little details in the back room. 

     To my left were stacked lockers where my phone, keys and most recent assigned paperwork lay, unsigned. In front of that was a table with a small folding chair and a few larger bags brought from Afton, one of my co-workers. Just minutes before, she had pulled a liquified travel size of squirtable mayonnaise out of the work fridge, noticing how the consistency had nearly turned to water. The girl was already heating up a sketchy-ass sandwich in the microwave, bought from probably the dollar store, and was now asking if the mayonnaise was a good idea. I knew in that moment that we would get along great, not to mention, she had offered me a cheese ball because “Planter’s cheeseballshit different” and I’d never had that specific brand of the cheesey goodness. For quality assurance on Afton’s part, they do, in fact, hit different. Lucky for me, that damn mayonnaise never saw the light of day again, after I talked her out of using it, of course.

     After the mayonnaise fiasco, I grew more comfortable with my surroundings. Not even the huge racks of newly shipped natural-toned tie dye rompers made me feel uncomfortable anymore. I was cracking jokes while leaning back in the oddly-comfortable and plenty used leather spinny chair as I completed my training in almost an hour. I laugh at New Beginings, but it took me almost three months to be comfortable enough to crack a joke and not get looked at. Here, we all have the same crackhead energy, and I was living for it.

     Once I’d finished that and about seven videos about internal and external theft, shipping, and how to pick out a girl’s first bra, I was brought out front to have a shortened tour of the smaller store. I was introduced to the “heart” of the store, where most of us generally will be, because you can see everything and make sure no one tries to nab the new daisy printed leggings. I was also introduced to the cash-wrap, another place where a lot of my time would be spent cashing out customers and wishing them a good day or night. 

     Once my informal tour was over, I was granted the opportunity to clock out and go home, due to the store closing at seven instead of nine thanks to COVID-19.

     Many may think that only rich and priveledged kids shop at Justice, but let me tell you, I was no poor kid. All of my co-workers (that I’ve met so far) are so down to earth and I think we can all agree that you’ll have one mom and daughter that will not take no for an answer. But, then again, there’s satisfaction in knowing that your sense of style might actually be a little girl’s first day of school outfit, or the outfit she wears to her cousin’s birthday party. A big reason why I took this job was to inspire young girl’s like me, shy and uncomfortable in their own bodies, to feel comfortable and love the way they look in clothes, even if it means I gotta help them with their first bra or even tell them about my own personal experiences.

So, yeah, this may not be foreign to anyone else, but this was my first time really stepping foot into such a bright (literally and figuratively) environment on my first day and quite honestly, I can’t wait to go back.

Andrea Sveda

ENG 102 

Professor Miller

3/20/20

Adventures

    The world is full of beautiful places, coming from a small town, there are only a variety of places to see. Getting older makes your availability wider to the places you get to experience. Since getting my license, my friends and I have gotten the chance to see more places. For this assignment, this gave me a chance to once again see a new place and make memories with it. My boyfriend lives in Canadohta Lake. When i told him about this assignment, he said he had the perfect place to show me. At first I was sceptical, but then it occured to me that no matter what it would be a memory and something I would probably never forget. 

    Last weekend when arriving at his house, he was already waiting for me in the car to take me to this mystery location. As we were driving I started to get very confused. There was nothing around me that seemed very different or unique. It was just a bunch of woods and farms. He looked over at me and said “okay we are getting close”. Once again very confused because nothing else changed. We arrived at this farm, nothing special about it. He then said to me “now i know you may be confused, but just pay close attention to this farm”. Now, keep in mind that I am not at all an animal type of girl, therefore, I know close to nothing about animals. We were driving by very slowly and I noticed your typical Horses, Goats, and other animals that you would typically see at a farm. He asked me if I knew what this one big animal was under a tree. Due to my lack of knowledge with animals I had no clue what it could have been. He said “that was a bunch of buffalos” which was weird to me but not that strange. The weird part was when we turned the corner to see the other animals.There was this one section of the farm that had no animals in it. This seemed odd to me until I realized there was an animal. This was nothing like I had ever seen before on a farm. Laying in the shade under a tree, there was a zebra. In my mind I truly thought I was going insane. As I turned to look at Bronnan and said “am I insane or is that a fucking zebra”. That comment made him laugh a little because that was just about the reaction he was expecting. He was telling me all about how the owners of that farm had to get all kinds of permits and licenses to get the zebra. 

    The whole purpose of this trip was not what I expected what so ever. The meaning of this assignment changed to me. Getting the experience of life and to go new places is something we often take for granted. The world is a beautiful place, with so many amazing places to visit and experience. Although the zebra farm wasnt breathtaking, it was amazing and a very fun experience and I would do it again in a heartbeat.

I remember that I forgot my wallet with my drivers license right before I pulled out of the drive way. I stopped, got out with the car while it was still running, found my wallet on the desk with all of the keys and shit, and then left. This fact is no omen or anything. It was just a little detail. 

Following this perceived near-mistake, I put Lake Erie State Park into google maps on my phone (it would be a one hour and eleven minute drive along state highways and county roads, not on scary interstates), put a podcast on and drove down the street. 

My choice to go to Lake Erie State Park was more or less made out of a combination of creative laziness, lack of interesting options for this assignment, and yet a desire do drive an unnecessarily for distance. Being in quarantine and the subsequent boredom that is entailed can really kill any major pushes to be creative. I was having trouble thinking of any clever places that might actually be interesting enough to write a paper like this one on. Keeping this in mind, I had exhausted pretty much all interesting places in the vicinity of Warren that I could go to for the first time, and I had the thought that this state park might have enough going for it. I also had the bright notion that driving farther would make this experience exponentially more memorable. So taking each of these factors into account, I looked on a map and found this Lake Erie State Park. 

Maybe twenty minutes into the drive, I got a little uncomfortable. It was that feeling you get during a long, uneventful car ride where your limbs get a little heavy, maybe you feel a bit hot, or perhaps you feel kind of anxious. This is an interesting feeling; not very pleasant, but certainly not unbearable. 

I had made the choice to listen to a podcast on the history of Rome. Under most circumstances, I would have potentially found it fascinating, but in this circumstance It was not possible for me to keep me mind on it. My mind would drift to other places. 

I remember that google maps lead me on to a road called Chautauqua County Touring Road 380. It was a back-country, farm road that winded its way through the rural rolling hills.  New York State (the location where my journey took place) has terrible roads. It was impossible to to maintain consistence in my driving. One minute, I’d be going down a misangled road. Then I’d be driving through a streak of pot holes. It was a very tough place. Compounded with this, I was aware that New York police like to set up lots of speed traps. I have no idea if this belief was true or not, but none the less, it made me cautious at least. 

All that being said, the landscape was a mixture of dark brown, maroon trees, grass colored with tarnished green and khaki, and rundown old farm houses and barns. Everything was empty and desolate. I could count the number of cat I passed on 380 on one finger.  It was nice. I wouldn’t call it beautiful, but it was nice. “Gloomy” would be a more appropriate description.

The road leading to park from the highway exit was well maintained, I remember. It was a smooth, light-grey, asphalt surface with two yellow lines that lead down its center. However, I was taken aback by how narrow it was. It was uncomfortable. I slipped off of it several times Lucky enough for me, no one was driving on the opposing lane. 

When once I had entered the park, I didn’t notice much of interest at first. Eventually I came to a fork in the road. If I went one way I’d go to a camp ground, and if I’d go at the other way I would come upon the “beach,” inn and picnic area. I took the latter entry. 

I drove down the road and passed a trailhead to a nature path. I think it was to show the the viewer some kinds of trees. I recall that it had a sing proclaiming that no dogs were allowed this trail. 

Soon I pulled into the pulled in on oversized parking lot (probably an acre, perhaps two in size). And there were probably two cars there. I turned the podcast off, got out of my car, and started down towards the “beach. There I saw a man walking his two Yorkies. The grass by the sidewalk to the “beach” seem trimmed and well kept. 

I walked down the trail coming off of a small knoll, and I found myself at the entrance of the “beach.” It a short rocky bluff: a pile of dark-grey plates of slate that were the size of vinyl records. This bluffs covered in small branches of drift wood like the feet of a large crane. The grey ski and brown-blue color of the lake complimented the day’s gloomy look. There was a tiny, little boat on the lake just bellow the horizon. The wind was then overwhelming and I soon retreated back up the grassy knoll.

On my way back to the car, I passed an inn. The rundown, gingerbread house aesthetic of the place thoroughly spooked me. One of those standard “closed, call back later” sings withe clock on it was hanging in the window. I wasn’t sure if it was permanently closed of if the park authorities were planning on having it open in summertime. I circled the building, glanced inside through a window, and saw totes and bins full of arts and crafts supplies. To this day I am still puzzled by this in. It reminded me of the restaurant be the shore in “The Goonies.”

I passed by a picnic area with a series of metal tables that were flipped on their sides. 

Then, I was back at my Car. I turn the podcast about Rome back on and I left. 

I past that nature trail and stopped with the intent to check it out. Maybe twenty seconds after I had pulled into a parking spot at the trailhead, I lost every ounce of interest in trail. Either this, or I had no actually interest in it in the first place. Im not sure.

Once again, I entered into google the route I would be taking home. Last time I took the route that lead me down that Chautauqua County Touring Road 380. This time I would change it up. This time I’d be taking a slightly longer route (about five minutes longer the the last one, so about one hour and sixteen minutes). You Know, I like to change things up sometimes. 

I, again, left on the narrow entry road, and headed down the highway. Like before the road was bumpy and cover in pot holes like goose shit in a local park. 

Like before the podcast about Roman history fail to engage me. Like before my mind drifted to other places: beautiful long take action scenes of a Korean prince slay dozens of zombies (from the show “Kingdom” on Netflix, a show I recently binge while in quarantine). 

The road I was on on started to be noticeably different to the Road 380 I was on before; it was tighter, surrounded by swamps and much windier. However, there still were many houses in shambles.

The road was hard to drive on. It wound its was up and down hills and rounding tight bends. I was difficult to manage my speed and keep near the speed limit (note that I am also a relatively bad driver so please do not take these descriptions as excuses). 

All the while i was trying to mind the speed traps. I’d always be looking behind me for the lights of police cars. I was paranoid. I was a rabbit scampering away from things like caiman living in the amazon.

Then it came up on me. A police car was pulled off on in a drive way. I looked down and found that my speed was fifty five miles an hour, but the forty five. I slowed down quickly and soldiered on. I waited and waited for the lights behind me. He had to have seen me, I told myself. However, with each passing second I thought about about it. That police car was pulled over in the driveway of what looked like a crack house. They were probably arresting someone for possession.

Eventually I rounded a ben a and could begin to see a lake in the distance. It was kind of pretty, but remember that the day in general looked bleak. 

The other lane of the road then spilt off. Then the road became a four lane interstate. Then the speed limit jumped to sixty-five miles per hour. The I was surrounded by a few dozen cars. And it was slightly daunting. There were SUVs and sedans driving like assholes and eighteen wheeler semi-trucks tailing me. There were vehicles everywhere. My speed limit was all over the place. However it was always under the speed limit. I rationalized to myself: my speed is jumping all over the place, so maybe I am the asshole. Then I remembered: I don’t want to get caught in one of those speed traps, so I’m definitely not one of the assholes. So I kept on driving just like that.

I eased onto the exit that google told me to ease onto. A few minutes later I ended up in downtown Jamestown, New York. 

Due this quarantine, I was expecting the to be less people in the downtown of lightly metropolitan city. I was mistaken. You could have easily thought that it was rush our in any other city.

In any event, there were still many cars and it was very confusing, the roads were very bad (as they tend to be in New York), I was still driving very badly, and I was still paranoid of speed traps. All I had to do to make all of these problems go away was make it to the Pennsylvania border. I knew if I could do that there would be less traffic, there would be pretty much no speed traps, and I could effectively drive how ever I wanted. These might as well all have been true. All I had to to was get to that broad. 

Then I saw the sign. Welcome to Pennsylvania. And I was Deeply satisfied. 

3/15/20

Jacqueline Peterson

My Adventure to Freedom Falls and The Woodhill Tunnel

Over the weekend I went to The Rockland (Woodhill) Tunnel located in Venango County. The original 4 mile Woodhill loop was transformed into a 2,868 foot tunnel. This tunnel made it much safer and faster to travel by train. Today it is a local bike trail and walking path. This weekend I also went to Freedom Falls which was located right down the road from the Rockland Tunnel. This was a unique smaller waterfall, but still made it worth the hour and ten minute drive.

To start off my trip let’s just say it did not go as expected. I envisioned that I would just be going to the freedom falls for the day for some hiking and sightseeing, but instead I stumbled upon the Woodhill Tunnel. As I drove down a dirt road my GPS said I had arrived at the Freedom falls location. There was no parking and no turn off I could park on without getting hit. So, I continued on my way down the road in search of parking. Shortly, not even a minute of driving, I was able to park. This happened to be the parking lot for the Woodland Tunnel.

As I began to eat my lunch I was halted when I saw to my right a massive hole in the hill. My first thought was “what the hell is that”, and I suddenly became curious. The people that had parked next to me started to walk toward the tunnel. They entered the dark pit and suddenly disappeared. All that was left to see was their flashlight slowly getting smaller and smaller. It was honestly pretty scary. But… me being me I had to see what this hole in the mountain was and where it went. You know when you’re walking outside in the dark, or in your house when you’re too lazy to turn the lights on, and you use your phone flash light to guide your way? In a tunnel let’s just say that a phone flash light works like shit in a tunnel compared to your room. So in other words, it was extremely hard to see where I was going as I got deeper into the tunnel.

        Something that I found interesting as I made my way through the tunnel was the graffiti scattered on the walls and cement walk path.I found it rather sad though   that the artist left behind their cans on the ground.

The people that I previously talked about were in front of us, but far enough that they seemed non existent. It was hard to make out their figures as they continued in front of us. This gives somewhat of a visual on how long this tunnel was. As I neared the end of the tunnel I began to hear water trickling in the distance. As a rounded corner water had been dripping from the top of the tunnel. This created a breathtaking view. As people say pictures don’t capture everything. Here is a picture of the water I just described. The people ahead of me had been waiting at the end of the tunnel as their children climbed the steep hill. I had asked them where exactly Freedom Falls was located. They informed me that to get to Freedom Falls it was in my best interest to go back through the Woodhill Tunnel. They had also informed me that if I choose to go along the path outside of the tunnel instead it would have been a four mile walk. I chose to go back through the tunnel.

I finally made it to Freedom falls, my original destination. Freedom Falls is something different. Personally I enjoy smaller waterfalls. Yes, Niagara Falls is gorgeous but with all the people and how much of a tourist attraction it has become I feel it is more of a one time deal for me. This waterfall was small but very pretty. I was able to go right up close to this waterfall as well as on top of it.

Not only did freedom falls have the beautiful waterfall it also has a large historic Rockland Furnace. The Rockland Furnace was built in 1832 by Andrew McCaslin. The furnace is known to be the only remaining evidence of the town Freedom, Pennsylvania. Here are pictures that I took while I visited the furnace.

This trip all together was a great outdoor experience. I would definitely recommend going to Freedom Falls, The Woodline Tunnel and the Rockland furnace. Not only did these three historic points make it worth it but the hour and ten minute drive was filled with such great scenery. The trees were just starting to gain color, which made it beautiful. Also driving along the River made the drive a bonus. Altogether I would definitely recommend taking a trip out to the Freedom Falls. I would recommend giving yourself a full sunny day.

Jared Martone

3/20/20

ENG 102

Professor Miller

Trip to Conewango Valley Country Club

Over this past weekend, I took a trip to the Conewango Valley Country Club. It is a private club with a golf course, a pool, and the main building which contains a bar and dining services. Originally when assigned this writing assignment, I had no clue where I was going to go. It just so happened that I had a job interview there this past weekend. I got the job, and this iswhere I plan on working this summer. The staff is nice and I am looking forward to working here.

As soon as you arrive at the club, there is a beautiful scenic view with a bridge across a pond. There are several paths leading to multiple outdoor seating arrangements all picture worthy. If you continue up the driveway to the main building, you’ll pass a decent sized pool for any member who wishes to use it. Around the pool is an area to relax with tables for eating, and lounge chairs for lounging.

Upon entering the main building, you would find multiple dining tables in an elegant center room as you walk in. Continuing your journey in the building, you’d find another room with a pretty neat fireplace giving the room a comforting vibe with couches and other comfortable seating around it. It is a relaxing area where I can imagine receives lots of company due its warm hearth and seating arrangements. There is also a bar there if you’re trying to get wrecked or just want to drink casually.

Right behind the building and surrounding the club’s main areas, there is a 18 hole golf course. It is a well maintained course and I look forward to golfing there. One of the benefits of working there is you can golf there for free anytime off the clock. The timing of this project was perfect considering my interview was the same weekend. It is a great place and I’m glad I’ll get to work there, and that I got to write about it.

By: Nataly Clark

Nataly Clark

English 102

Blog Post 4: Go explore

Long, winding dirt road. The rocky, earth underneath as you drive. The view that’s waiting for me at the bottom was worth the drive. Getting out of the car, I am met with the breathtaking overlook of our small, bustling town. The fresh air hits me as the trees around me move in the breeze. The grass beneath me has started to grow fresh and green. A sense of calmness washes over me. I look down at the town.

            Below, you can hear the faint sound of cars on the busy street, going about their own lives. I can see the river lazily move along. I hear a noise as I turn to my right, I see two chipmunks scampering after each other in playful fashion. I decide to walk down one of the walking paths. The brown leaves underneath my feet crunch as I walk. The trees are just barely beginning to regenerate their greenery. The sun peaks through the clouds and falls in rays on the ground.

                As I continue walking, I hear noises around me. I can hear the wind rustling through the trees above. Squirrels and chipmunks chatter to each other. I see robins fly by, calling to each other as they go. The air is sweet with the smell of spring. I stop to examine the shrubbery and the creatures that inhabit it.

            A spider has spun its delicate, silk web in the base crook of a tree. Droplets of water from a fresh rain perch upon the moss and leaves. A centipede rushes by in a panicked manner. Others go about their business, doing their own thing. I decided to head back to my car and let them return to their own peacefulness.

            Before I get back into the car, I steal one last glance at the view. It’s peaceful up here, just me and my thoughts. I never liked our town, never thought it had much to offer. This changes my perspective on things, even if it’s just for a little while. Everything can get so chaotic, it’s hard to remember to take a timeout and enjoy the world around you.

            This is Washington Park, right in the heart of Warren. This, is my town.

Considering all of the Corona Virus concern, I was only allowed to venture to a small conservatory called Hatch Run. This place is known for having summer camps for young children and being a beautiful place year-round for an easy hike. In Warren, there are many places to hike and sight see in nature. There are areas such as the Kinzua Dam, Rim Rock, and Hearts Content. All of these places are unique and offer different aspects of nature. One thing they all have in common is beauty, serenity, and trees.

Hatch Run Conservatory is approximately a fifteen-minute drive north of the town of Warren. Hatch Run is a fantastic place for bird watching, hiking, mountain biking, and fishing. There are a couple different hiking paths to choose from. When I visited the conservatory on Monday afternoon with my friend, we walked along a path with a calm creek on our left and beautiful, tall trees on our right. On the walk we saw a few other people with some adorable dogs which made our walk that much more enjoyable. After walking along the creek, we hiked up a hill and arrived at a grassy area with a decently sized pond. We could hear a couple birds chirping and although it was not very sunny at the time, being out in the fresh air was indescribable. My friend and I sat at a picnic table and talked for a while, just enjoying the outdoors and our time out of the house while we still could. It is incredible how much the sound of leaves rustling, or the sight of green trees and lively wildlife can rejuvenate our minds.

As I write this paper, I am sitting in my room looking out the window and listening to cars going by and birds singing. In a way, I am grateful for this social distancing. Grateful for the chance to see how important the little things in life are and how we seldom appreciate what we have. In this age, I find it even more important to remove myself from social media every now and then and embrace nature and the beautiful people around me.

Hunter Peterson

Prof. Miller

ENG 102

March 20, 2020

Colton Point State Park Adventures

For this assignment I took the liberty of using it as an excuse to leave self quarantining and go exploring nature. I had many place in mind of where I wanted to go, but obviously I made the smart decision to drive half way across Pennsylvania to the middle-of-no-where to Colton Point State Park. So I picked a day to go and myself and two of my close friends got in the car and made the 3 hour trek across the state. The drive was long and very boring. There wasn’t much to see at all except rolling hills and little towns. Once we finally reached the gates the park we were so excited to be finally be there and get out of the car. However, we soon realized that it was another fifteen miles past the gates until we actually go to where we wanted to be. We finally found a place to pull off the side of the road. We walked over to the lookout point and its just this vast canyon with Pine Creek located at the bottom. 

Naturally we took pictures of this natural beauty. We got back in the car and decided to drive farther into the park. We saw huge trees, waterfalls, creeks, and much more. We drove around for hours exploring so many different things. We walked around the many trials and drove the back roads in this expansive forest. 

We stop and ate lunch by this beautiful little waterfall and creek. When we were eating a ranger came by because he thought we were broke down and then probably thought we were crazy because we were not practicing social distancing. 

Taking this day to step back from reality was very relieving. This trip gave me a chance to see my friends once again since the beginning of our quarantines. But, this trip also gave me a chance to reconnect with nature in so many awesome ways. 

John Page 

ENG 102 

3-18-20 

Professor Miller 

My Trip to Jake’s Rocks 

I have always wanted to ride the trails at Jake’s Rocks.  As soon as you said to go to a place we have never been before and write about it, I was excited (which usually doesn’t come too often with writing).  My friends have been a few times but I always had soccer.  This project finally gave me a good excuse to go.  Jake’s Rocks sits in the Allegheny National Forest and from the trails you can see the Kinzua Dam.  I have been in this area of the forest many times but never on the trails themselves.  The trails were constructed in 2017.  The people of Warren love the outdoors and natural resources among us.  The local cycle shop has lots of success with their trail bikes and therefore took a step in providing a local place for people to ride.  That way they did not have to travel far.  These trails provide people with an escape during hard times like these. 

The scenery of the trails is magnificent. It overlooks the Kinzua Dam at its highest points.  All throughout the trails you are surrounded with beautiful trees and greenery (although not so much this time of the year).  There are many levels of trails from easiest to a straight drop trail.  They provide a chance for people to breathe some fresh air, enjoy some sweet scenery, escape on a peaceful or challenging ride, and for those that like pictures, there any many picture-perfect opportunities.  

The nature and wildlife on the trails are something that you just do not see everyday living in the city.  Only a little drive out of the city and you have the opportunity to be surrounded by the trees, shrubs, wild animals, and pretty streams.  All of this is seeable on the trails.  The trails were made just for this. So that people could choose between a nice relaxing ride through the forest or an intense muscle intensive ride.  You are apt to see much wildlife on whatever trail you choose. There are 30+ miles of trails and they are looking to expand.  You are almost guaranteed to see some form of wild life.   

On the trail that my dad and I rode, there were lots of great views of the Dam and the lake.  The trail was not that extensive but did include some quick switch backs and hills.  We saw lots of animal tracks and birds.  The scenery was really pretty but I imagine it is better in the fall and summer when all the trees are full of leaves.  The trail was really muddy when we rode but it made the experience all the better.  We saw lots of great rock formations and it was an all-around great experience. 

I love the outdoors and riding my bicycle.  These trails give me the opportunity to escape the chaos and breathe some fresh air.  I would highly recommend these trails to anyone who likes a good bike ride and loves nature.  Also, you have to be prepared to get a little muddy.  I cannot wait to get out there again, hopefully I will not have to wait too long.  Best ride of my life!   

English 102

03-19-20

New Travels

During my weekend away, I was unable to travel very far. Due to this, I traveled into woods, in Sugar grove, PA, and took a hike. The jaunt took around forty-five minutes out, to reach the creek, and then around the same back. There is much history and wildlife behind such a simple creek.

Creeks have surface water, subsurface water, and groundwater. The surface and subsurface water levels vary depending on how much rain has fallen; however, groundwater has a relatively constant input and is mostly controlled by long-term patterns of precipitation. The amount of water in these creeks depends greatly on geological, geomorphological, hydrological and biotic controls.The geomorphological aspect of it is mostly based around the study of landforms, their processes, form, and sediments, while the hydrological aspect is mostly focused on properties of the earth’s water, and its movement in relation to that land. The particular creek I visited is centered in the middle of a valley. This is likely due to vast amounts of rain washing down the hillside. As for the slate, due to the earth giving way, it revealed more rock that was under pressure.

A ways into my journey through the woods, I came upon said small creek. Its bottom was completely flat slate. When it was stepped on, it did not feel slippery or look algae infested. The creek had crystal clear water, and even after much protest from my party of four, I drank some of it. It was absolutely freezing.  I have yet to die or receive strange diseases. The air smelled of fresh evergreens and hemlock.

The trek to this beautiful creek was well worth the effort. I had so much fun and did not kill anyone by pushing them down hills. I hope everyone experiences the same adventure and finds a beautiful place of their own!