A VISIT TO WORLDS END STATE PARK AND RICKETTS GLEN 8/4/21
When - Wednesday, August 4, 2021
NEW ARRIVAL TIME: 10:00 NEW DEPARTURE 10:15
NEW MEETING PLACE: WAWA Blakeeslee
Event Leader - Walter Cramer
Join Walter on a weekday Drive that is a bit different from any of the drives he has offered in the past... this Drive is an all-day excursion. However, driving the roadways through the Endless Mountain Region of Pennsylvania is a real treat. It would entail an early morning departure, traveling four lane highways North, picking up route 115, turning onto Laurel Mountain Road and driving down the Giant’s Despair Hill Climb in Wilkes Barre. As we always do, pulling over in the parking lot and letting anyone who desires to drive “up” Giant’s Despair Hill Climb.
We then navigate to a Sheetz Station in the Wilkes Barre area for a rest stop. My Worlds End State Park Drive begins at this point. At Worlds End, we can visit the famous scenic view of the Endless Mountains Region at the Loyalsock Forest Canyon Vista. From there we travel South to visit and drive around Eagles Mere Lake. We continue our journey South skirting the forest area of Ricketts Glen State Park and pick up route 118 East. We will be enjoying lunch at the Ricketts Glen Hotel. Ricketts Glen State Park is famous for its Falls Hiking Trail that offers views of nineteen waterfalls. The most photographed waterfall, which we will be stopping at, is just minutes away from the Ricketts Glen Hotel.
We continue East, back to the Sheetz Station where our Drive began. On the route home, we once again drive up the Giant’s Despair Hill Climb and pick up route 115 and continue our return trip home via four lane highways.
Return time to the Lehigh Valley will be in the range of 4:00 - 5:00.
This event will follow the current Pennsylvania rules for COVID-19 safety. To avoid common handling of materials, we will email the directions to participants, for home printing, and we will eliminate the usual paper sign-in sheet. Since the sign-in confirms your agreement with LVMOC’s standard Waiver and Release, we will now consider your post to this event thread, indicating that you intend to participate, to be your “electronic” signature, indicating your agreement with said Waiver and Release (copy available on request).
We will use FRS radios for communications. Be sure to arrive by 8:30 a.m. with a full gas tank and an empty bladder 
.
Attending:
- Walter
- Mike C. & Alison
- Ralph
- Michele
- Louie & Corrina
- Miata Mike
- Jim T.
- Dave P.
- Patricia
- Bill & his sister
- Ed G.
- Jon Petty
Silver 2011 NC PRHT Grand Touring (actually Janice's car)
For those unfamiliar with Worlds End State Park, I have attached a link below that shows the mapping route. On this map, I have labeled Wilkes Barre, Worlds End State Park, Eagles Mere and the Rickett's Glen Hotel.
This is the itinerary for MINI's in the Mountains.
Count me in! 👍
I know the Worlds End State Park ride is a long day for many of us. However, there are options for a shorter route on this Drive that I believe would interest many Miata Drivers.
You could join us at the WAWA for a 9:00 a.m. departure time and follow us as we travel North on route 115 and pick up Laurel Mountain Road (fun Miata road) which flows into the Giant’s Despair Hillclimb. Our Club has visited the Wilkes Barre area twice in two years and lunched at Kirby Park for a picnic lunch and at the Chicken Coop restaurant for indoor dining. Both venues are within fifteen minutes of the Hillclimb.
Following lunch, you navigate back to Northampton Street which flows into the Giant’s Despair Hillclimb for another fun run, which flows into Laurel Mountain Road and pick up route 115 South at the top of the mountain.
From route 115, make a right onto White Haven Road, a left onto the Walter Dam Road, a right onto route 940 and a left onto route 534 and enjoy a delightful drive through the Francis E. Walter Dam area and Hickory Run State Park.
If you would prefer a faster route home, stay on route 115 and make a right onto route 903, a left onto route 534, a left onto Upper Middle Creek Road which flows into Lower Middle Creek Road (fun Miata roads), and a left back onto route 534. At the traffic light at the intersection of route 534 and route 209, turn right onto route 209.
From route 209 navigate South and make a right onto Kunkletown Road, a left onto Blue Mountain Drive, travel over Blue Mountain and make a right into the Blue Mountain Drive-In for Ice Cream to complete an enjoyable five hours or so of weekday driving.
If anyone is interested in leading the group back into the Lehigh Valley on the shorter drive, I would be happy to assist that person in developing the route.
Sign me up!
Louie and Corrina will join the adventure!!
2014 Club 2.5L "Punisher Edition", 2017 RF GT
Add Mike to the list. Looking forward to it.
First Miata. Blue 2006, 2.5L, FM Stage 2 suspension, 6MT
Would love to do this one... But would involve a day off work, so will have to see.
Would love to do this one... But would involve a day off work, so will have to see.
Sorry for the weekday scheduling of this Drive, Bill. However, with its length, I knew there would not be many attending and I did not want to tie up a "weekend Club Driving slot" with such few attendees.
Walter
Would love to do this one... But would involve a day off work, so will have to see.
Sorry for the weekday scheduling of this Drive, Bill. However, with its length, I knew there would not be many attending and I did not want to tie up a "weekend Club Driving slot" with such few attendees.
Walter
Thanks Walter! I didn't realize that you were thinking of the slots when you picked this day. As we are deep into summer, there are not a whole lot of slots available. I know of three members who are designing runs at this moment, in addition to the many that I am trying to do myself.
2014 Club 2.5L "Punisher Edition", 2017 RF GT
That is good news - three members, plus yourself, developing runs for the Club. It is certainly going to be an active late summer and Fall.
Sounds gorgeous - please sign me up!
'02 SE ti/br (retired)
'21 RF-GT 6MT mg/wh
Sign up the stig!
"Straights are for fast cars; turns are for fast drivers." - Colin McRae
Hi! I will be attending! Thank you!
Patricia 🙂
