YOU CAN GET THERE FROM HERE!

    MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19TH., 2018
  YOU CAN'GET THERE FROM HERE!

   As those of you who saw my Facebook
photo album already know my wife and I
took two of our grandsons to the Lancaster
area Sunday to see Thomas The Tank Engine
in person!
    We've visited the specific location, the
Strasburg Railroad, in the past but it has
been several years so I immediately
punched the attraction into my Garmin GPS
unit. The first couple steps took me to the
Pennsylvania Turnpike so I figured, given
the 70mph speed limit, it would be a pretty
quick trip. The projected arrival time was
about 2 hours and 15 minutes.
     The route took me from the Allentown
area to the Reading area. then to the
Lancaster area. Heavy traffic all the way.
Sort of like NASCAR with right and left
turns and exits!
       Having been there before but not
recalling the congestion I really wanted
to find a better way home. Since Wilkes-
Barre is not on Thomas' line rail service
was out!
       I decided to do something drastic.
I pulled out a Pennsylvania Map! A new
one we just happen to pick up at a rest
stop on Saturday. A quick glance
quickly reminded me that Route 501
goes straight north out of Lancaster to
Pine Grove in Schuylkill County where
it offers an easy on ramp to Interstate
81!
        My choice took us through a few small
towns and rural areas where 70mph was
out of the question. And yet, the trip home
took just a little over the same time it took
to get there without having to fight heavy
traffic.
        Hope you keep a map handy, look
at it from time to time, and that all your
NEWS is good!