Cowen's Gap Aliner Ascape Rally

Trip:44
Nights: 148-151

Last year I accidentally created a camping rally. We did it again this year, but I can’t claim it was an accident this year. I knew what I was getting into. Every attendee from last year, except one couple from Texas, was there. I guess people had a good time. We also got several new attendees this year. Unlike some camping rallies with organized workshops and seminars, this one is much more unstructured. The only planned event was the potluck dinner on Friday night.

Cowen’s Gap is a really nice state park. That is 2 for 2 with PA State Parks. The state seems to be doing a excellent job with its parks. Cowen’s Gap is about 1000 feet above sea level, and we needed that 1000 feet as it was 100+ all weekend at sea level. It was around 90 at the campground. Good thing we all had air-conditioned campers!

We arrived at camp on Wednesday evening and didn’t really do much beyond hang out with the other early arrivers. On Thursday, we went out birding before it got hot, with plans to hit the lake beach after lunch. However, after lunch it was too damn hot for the beach, so we went into town to find ice cream and then visited President Buchanan’s birthplace, and his cabin, which is now stored on the campus of a $72K per year private boarding school. That price is not a typo. The ice cream was fabulous, so good that we went back again on Saturday. Thursday night was spent socializing at the campground.

On Friday we went to the beach early, before it got too hot, then back to the camper for lunch. That afternoon, we met a group of fellow campers at a local brewery for beer and air conditioning. Friday night was the potluck dinner. After that we were pretty wiped so we retired to the camper and AC to play cards before crashing. On Saturday, I had a list of 5 museums to visit. We only made it to two of them. The first museum was the Fulton County PA History Museum in McConnellsburg, PA. It is simply the best local/small town museum that I’ve seen. They do a fabulous job of putting their artifacts into context. Also, a local gunsmith that builds muzzle loaders by hand was in his workshop there, and we spent over an hour chatting with him. An extended conversation with somebody that is super passionate about something I know nothing about is always a treat. Everybody that we interacted with in McConnellsburg was incredibly friendly. It seems like a really great small town. After lunch at a local deli we went over the mountain to Chambersburg, PA to visit The Old Jail, which is exactly what you think it is. It was interesting, although they could work on their tour a bit. There must be some fascinating stories that they could be telling, but it is all very general. After that, we went back over the mountain to McConnellsburg for ice cream again, before heading back to the campground. That evening was spent socializing, as all the previous evening were. On Sunday morning, we packed up and headed home.

And with that, the 2nd Northeast Aliner Ascape Rally is in the books. Next year’s event has already been announced, also in PA.