Biking in Ohiopyle

I don't know if you've ever ventured into the Laurel Highlands Region of Pennsylvania, but one of the favorite bike rides for me and my dad can be found at Ohiopyle State Park. This weekend we took a trip along this flat eleven mile bike route that connects Ohiopyle to Confluence, Pennsylvania. The journey was beautiful and calming. The cool wildnerness air combined with the lush greenery of the forest canopy that shaded our way made the trip almost dreamlike, especially in light of the intense heat and humidity we have been experiencing on the east coast this summer.

As we rode along, we were greeted by many friendly cyclists and hikers, who had experienced the humanity rejuvenating power or the created world. I remember Jamie made the comment that the natural world had an awe inspiring power that regrettably fewer and fewer people take time to experience. We live in a world that is too busy, and running too fast in an effort to be efficient, effective, and accomplish our very important work--whatever form our work takes.

The Youghiogaheny River stretched out like a ruffled whitewater blanket alongside our bike path, and we could see many people enjoying the outdoors with fishing rod, raft, and kayak as we journeyed along.

When we finally reached our destination, Confluence PA, we stopped in at the River's Edge Cafe for an incredibly delicious meal that gave us just what we needed for the trip back to Ohiopyle.

This was the third trip along this path I've taken with my dad, but it was the first time we stopped for a meal in town. I'm grateful for these forays with my dad that exercise our bodies and refresh our souls.

If you have the opportunity, and a bicycle, I highly recommend a trip with friends along the Youghiogaheny and a visit to Ohiopyle. There's only a couple of months of ideal biking weather left, so make the most of it!

Battle of Bushy Run

Among the stops made with Dad and Jamie this weekend was the 247th anniversary of the Battle of Bushy Run. This particular battle is believed to mark the turning point of the French and Indian War and resulted in a treaty being signed at Fort Pitt just a few months afterward. The Native confederacy was led by a man named Pontiac who was an Ottawa. He and his intertribal group had started their uprising in detroit, and had pushed settlements as far east as Bedford, PA. He is considered one of the great Native leaders in history, and his idea of an Indian confederacy was revisited a few years later by a leader from my own tribe, Tecumseh.

I found out about the event through following the twitter account of Pittsburgh City Council member, Bill Peduto, and I had hoped that the event would afford me a bit of a walk down memory lane. Usually these events have a large array of primitive artisans and craftspeople, and I thought it could be a cool way to share a little bit of my own culture with Jamie as well as remember other occasions where I would share old tribal songs with re-enactors and others at similar events.

By the time we arrived, the events of the day were mostly over, but we were still able to see a plethora of people dressed in the period attire of eighteenth century british, colonial, or native people. There's a really unique community that surrounds these living history events, and it can be like a large reunion for the participants. While I did not personally reunite with any of my kinsmen or any re-enactors, I enjoyed seeing and hearing the passion this community had for preserving the nuances of the early history of the United States as they gathered on the site of the Bushy Run Battlefield.

I wonder what these passionate people will conspire to organize for the 250th anniversary of the battle?