PA Stony Valley Rail Trail: End Section

 

Lebanon Reservoir 

An early morning ride on the last section of the Stony Valley Rail Trail left little time before the big rains came in order to do some poking around in the woods. Though the whole trail has been beautiful these past few rides, I've spent as much time out of the saddle as in it to explore various ruins and side trails, this little out-and-back section was really interesting for all its railroad and industrial history right on the path.

 

Stony Valley Rail Trail 

When I arrive at Goldmine Road's double parking area - a lot on each side of the road - I encountered a guy who had obviously stealth camped in the furthest parking spot, invisible from the road. I don't think he expected a rider to be pulling in at 7:45am and seemed a little bothered by my presence so I took the signal and moved to the other parking area in full view of the road.  He actually creeped me out and I was glad I had an alternative place to park.

Water Tank platform

An early morning hiker and his boxer dog were just starting out so I waited a few minutes to give them time to settle into their walk while I checked the weather.  A large rain storm was just then pushing through Chambersburg to the west and I had about two hours to complete this section. The riding miles were short so I figured I had lots of time. What I didn't figure on was how much time I would need to stop and explore ruins and other historical features - exactly two hours. 

Evening Branch

Riding towards the end point at the Lebanon Reservoir I thought I'd pass the dog and his human on the way but again, I stopped so much that I actually passed them as they were coming back. I visited the Evening Branch section of the creek that flows into Mill Creek further on and snooped around so many railroad-era foundations that I lost track. (Get it?) Before I even reached the beautiful lake and its enfolding mountains, there was thunder in the distance which complimented the gattling guns at Fort Indiantown Gap Army Base. 

Gattling guns and thunder echoed over the lake 

Beyond the City of Lebanon Water Company gates the railroad grade become something of a rolling trail and I followed this until the rain started to pepper the tree canopy. I turned around and reluctantly headed back - but with lots of additional stops. This is why I could never enter a race or a group ride. I just can't seem to stay in the saddle for long before I find something worth a dismount and look-see.

Railroad grade to single track

I stopped for mushrooms, a county line marker, some pipes sticking out of the ground, a pile of coal, the trailhead for the Second Mountain Trail, a ruffed grouse, some bear scat. I hit a patch of ballast stone that the PA Game Commission used to fill a wash-out and nearly lost control. I got to laughing so hard that I had to stop just to compose myself.  

Schuylkill County Line marker

I powered through difficult ballast in the first parking area to continue towards the ghost town of Goldmine and saw the creep still hanging out at his car. He feigned a jump at me to send me off balance and I gifted him a slew of curse words. He laughed and I flipped him the bird. This  little uncomforable encounter inspired a stop at Bass Pro Shop in H'burg to buy a new can of mace on the way home. In all my years of solo hiking and biking (30+) this was only the second time I'd had a creep encounter that angered me. 

Swatara Furnace Historic District 

After a few more miles (staying in the saddle) I swung back to the truck and loaded up in the rain. Creeper dude was gone. I drove three road miles down the road and stopped to visit the Swatara Iron Furnace on the 200-acre Swatara Furnace Historic District property on Mill Creek just below the reservoir dam. An impressive iron furnace on its own, the property also contains the Iron Masters house (a private home), the breast dam that fed the water-powered billows and its stone lined race, and two workers homes plus stone barn. Now the rain was really tipping down so I hunkered down inside the crucible chamber and waited for a break. 

Swatara Iron Furnace and wheel pit/race

Safe from the storm - crucible chamber

Ducking in right behind me was a hiking mom and her young son, glad to be out of the rain. Looking up into the chimney stack of the furnace the boy erupted in all sorts of "Wow!" and "Whoa!" and the little hiker was absolutely smitten with this magical place. "Mom! This was the best hike so far!" I described what happened in this space back in the 1840s and the stunned look on his face was gold. "You mean this was the hottest place in the middle of the fire? Like hotter than Hell? Like a billion degrees?!"  All I could do was smile as his mom gently scolded him for saying the H-word.

Whoa!

Notes:

Stony Valley Rail Trail:  Schuykill and Susquehanna Railroad -http://www.stonyvalley.com/history.html