Centre of Adventure

Did you know that, not too far away from Centre County, up in the Pennsylvania Wilds, there is a bridge that used to be considered the “eighth wonder of the world?” Well, check that; there are ruins of a bridge that used to be considered the “eighth wonder of the world.” That is because parts…

I will never forget the first time I ever saw a rattlesnake out in the wild. I was hiking up the boulders near the Shingletown Gap trailhead with my brother, who was out from Wisconsin to visit. We had almost made it all the way to the top of the boulder field when a distinct…

To be honest, I am not sure if I want to put this story out there. After all, a good swimming hole is something special, and, well, the only surefire way to ruin it is if there are too many people around. But, over the past few summers I have found the most beautiful, crystal…

By David Kurtz Who would have guessed sixty years ago that a short stretch of Spring Creek in Bellefonte would become a top training ground for whitewater paddling, perhaps the best in the United States? But that is what happened. It all started in the summer of 1961 when Boy Scout Explorer Post 32 was holding a…

I have always loved the old saying about March: It comes in like a lion, and goes out like a lamb. Here in Nittany Lion country, that saying really hits home. The dark, cold days of early March lead to the warm, spring-like days that we all look forward to later in the month. Oh,…

The drive out to R.B. Winter State Park from the Centre Region is an adventure all in itself. The park is located just past the Centre County line along Route 192 in Union County, and the drive there takes you out through beautiful Brush Valley. On the route you will pass Amish farms (and likely…

At the risk of being unpopular, I hope that by the time you are reading this story there is a formidable layer of snow pack on the ground and we are living in a certifiable winter wonderland. Yes, not everyone loves the snow like I do (I am originally from the frozen tundra of Wisconsin,…

Sometimes I get in a training rut and hit up the same spot over and over again. I return, week after week, and sometimes day after day, to the same trailhead and embark on a certain loop (Spruce Gap to Old Laurel Trail at Rothrock) that I know is challenging, beautiful, and convenient. This is…

A raven called, as if to greet the group of sixteen eager hikers gathered at the trailhead parking lot across from the Greenwood Furnace State Park office. It had rained earlier in the morning, but clearing skies promised a beautiful day. After brief introductions, hike leader John Collins outlined the morning’s trek, and we were…

Nearly 3,000 athletes are coming from near and far to swim, bike, and run in the Ironman 70.3 Pennsylvania Happy Valley this July 2, and they need a lot of support from volunteers.  After all, they are going to swim 1.2 miles in Foster Joseph Sayers Reservoir at Bald Eagle State Park, bike 56 scenic miles through…