Sizerville State Park ~ A hikers review

"I had no idea what I would find at Sizerville State Park as I continued my tour of the northern tier of Pennsylvania in August. I had just broken camp on the rim of Pine Creek Gorge, the Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania, and headed south, thinking that things just don’t get much better than where I was the previous night. When I arrived at Sizerville, I discovered that, indeed, things didn’t get better than what I found along Pine Creek. They didn’t, however, get any worse, only different.

Probably the single word that best describes the tenting area at Sizerville—or the whole park for that matter—is peaceful. As you enter the park, you drive into a refuge of hemlocks and white pines nestled in a gentle valley. The breeze blows through the branches, the slant of light through the boughs is enchanting, and creeks bubble along everywhere. The park has a sort of rustic atmosphere to it, as the pavilions and bridges over the creeks are made out of stone and timber characteristic of their construction by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s. It’s great!

Sizerville is oriented toward the nature lover who wants some peace and quiet in a pleasant setting. The park has plenty of picnic pavilions throughout, a playground for the kids, and a pool for swimming. Park employees put on regular environmental programs at the campground amphitheater and at the park’s environmental-education center during the summer. Numerous hiking trails in the park provide hikers with access to the backcountry of the Elk State Forest, home to Pennsylvania’s elk population.

I highly recommend an excursion on the Sizerville Nature Trail, a 3-mile loop that lies entirely in the Elk State Forest; it will give you a pleasant introduction to the flora and fauna of the northern hardwood forest. The park office has interpretive maps that will help you identify and understand the natural history of what you see. The Nady Hollow Trail is also worth exploring for the elevation gain it provides. It is a bit more rugged than the park’s other trails, but a very beautiful walk in the woods."

The Madden Curse ??

The video game industry has few superstitions as dogged as the Madden Curse.
With the recent release of the newest “Madden” football title – a video game institution with more than 1.5 million copies sold in August – sports fans are reminded of the bizarre coincidence that befalls whichever player poses for the game’s cover.

Last night’s Titan vs Steelers game saw “Madden 10″ cover-boy Troy Polamalu leave the field with a knee injury. Reports hint that he’ll be out for three to six weeks.

Injuries are part of football, but Polamalu’s misfortune fits a pattern. Most of the players that grace Madden’s covers wind up missing a number of games that season. Yahoo broke it down:

2000: Barry Sanders. Didn't play a single down during the 1999 - 2000 season, or ever again.
2001: Eddie George. No injury.
2002: Daunte Culpepper. Missed five games, played poorly.
2003: Marshall Faulk. Missed six games. Never ran for 1,000 yards again.
2004: Michael Vick. Broke his leg, missed 11 games.
2005: Ray Lewis. Missed only one game.
2006: Donovan McNabb. Missed last seven games of the season.
2007: Shaun Alexander. Broke his foot, missed six games.
2008: Vince Young. Missed one game. But things didn’t go well.
2009: Brett Favre. Missed no games. But did become insufferable.
2010: Troy Polamalu. Out 3-6 weeks with a knee injury.
2010: Larry Fitzgerald: TBD.
(Fitzgerald shared the spotlight with Polamalu on Madden’s cover this year.)
Bret Favre disproved any lasting streak – and, really, several of these players only missed one game. But columnists are atwitter with spooky talk. Don’t put much stock in a video game’s effect on the real world – then again, what fun are sports without crazy theories?

Second Annual Fall Fest at St. Mary's Country Club

On Friday and Saturday, September 18th and 19th, collectors of beer memorabilia (“breweriana”), from all over the eastern half of the country, will be in the town of St Marys for two days of buying, selling and swapping advertising merchandise from past and present American breweries.

Upwards of 70 tables of quality merchandise will be on display, and viewable to the public on Friday, Sept. 18, 3 - 8 p.m., and on Saturday, Sept. 19, from 8 a.m. till noon.

More information may be obtained by calling show coordinator Ron Kikta at (814) 749-7183.

http://www.oldefrothingslosh.com/Stmarys.html

Cycling Race in nearby Smethport

Smethport’s great 53 Mile 7 Circuit “Wheel Around the Hub Cycling Races” will be held Saturday, September 19, 2009 in McKean County.

Resurrected again five years ago by the Smethport Lions Club, the event attracts some of the best riders from throughout the United States, Canada and internationally.
The modern version of the race features the 53 Mile 7 Circuit Classic race and the 15 mile 2 Circuit Fun Race.

Additional information about the race is available at: www.smethporthistory.org. The contact for the event is Ross Porter who can be reached via email or by phone at814 598-5811.

http://www.smethporthistory.org/wheelrace/bikeraceinfo.html