US Route 6 Hidden Rest Area

Monday, November 25, 2024

1:32 p.m.

Northern Pennsylvania (41°44'53 "N, 77°32'47 "W)

The PA Route 6 Alliance calls this stretch of tarmac scything through northern Pennsylvania's wooded mountains and valleys "the heart of the American Dream," packed with "history and heritage, small-town culture, friendly people, and wondrous sights too-often forgotten." With a little over 400 miles of sights, sounds, and stirs, it's packed with enough activity and charm to interest even the most antisocial travelers.

I didn't have time to stop and enjoy much of this, nor did I know about Route 6's prominence until I had come and gone. Despite my fast pace on this 1,300-mile road trip, though, I discovered a forgotten site of my own.

You won't find it in the search bar on Apple Maps, Google Earth, iOverlander, or on any rest area registry. Nestled between Manhattan in the East and Gaines in the West, this US Route 6 rest area presents a perfect opportunity for me to stop and document what I've seen so far: Pennsylvania's Grand Canyon, coal pits, shale escarpments, Buicks with CB antennas, porch sitters in down jackets and pajama pants—the Keystone State at its finest. For some reason, everything reminds me of Canada, despite the fact that I've never been here before, or Canada for that matter.

The only thing that gave this spot away was the big blue sign with REST AREA lettered in white. Had I known this was a re-discovery of one of these "too-often forgotten" places, I would have documented it more thoroughly. Nevertheless, it has a well-kept lawn under a canopy of Eastern white pines, with half a dozen picnic tables, a fire pit for grilling, and two pit toilets. If it were 40 degrees warmer, I would have tried to figure out a way around the chain-link fence separating the rest area from Pine Creek.

The worn picnic tables gave me a chance to sit and enjoy the seldom dry Pennsylvania wilderness for a little while. It was the only time I felt the Sun's rays pierce through the foggy frost in six days. More importantly, I needed to do what actually pays me: being a freelancing legal scribe for attorneys who don't use pit toilets on weekdays.

Fortunately, I had two bars of service here to power my personal hotspot. Now I know why all the utility trucks around here have cell phone boosters. I've had to rely on paper maps for a good portion of the off-asphalt parts of this journey—at least the places that don't have oil rigs under a watchful eye. In addition to its protective nature over its natural resources, Pennsylvania has its fair share of legislating activities at rest areas. For instance, the Commonwealth prohibits the "parking or standing of a vehicle for more than 2 hours in a single 24-hour period or in excess of the posted time limit" at rest areas. Thank goodness I spent the night at an unnamed lot off the side of Route 15.

I didn't know about the riches of US Route 6 until I got here—roughly three weeks after many things close for the season. Given the weather I experienced, I now know why. Chilling winds, damp socks, and fog-obstructed views notwithstanding, Pennsylvania deserves another look—at least when Spring rolls around and I can "Do 6" properly.