Back to Reality

Why do vacations have to go so fast???  We left our hotel around 7:45 and I thought we were going to stop halfway for the night but Russell wanted to try to push for home.  The truck did really well and we experienced no mechanical issues, although it was a very long trip and we didn't get home until 11:00 pm.

Wasn't much to shoot in OH so I started in PA. 

Allegheny Mtn. Tunnel

Of course I was determined to shoot this again.

And this one.

It's very pretty in West/Central PA.  Lots of mountains.  Well.....mountains for the east coast.  They're no Cascades....

 The next three tunnels come up pretty fast, one right after the other.

Susquehanna River just north of Harrisburg

This is where we hit pretty bad traffic the closer we got to the NY metro area.

Getting there....

 Not long to CT from the Tappan Zee.

It was a long drive but we had the best time on this trip and can't wait to go back!

Hershey's

The next morning, we left Shartlesville (tee hee) and headed to Hershey's.  Yes the irony of the two slang names occurred to me. (snort)

The street lamps look like wrapped and unwrapped kisses.

We got there just before they opened at 9 and it was a good thing cause the place was mobbed when we finished the tour.

Reminds  me of the 'WONKA' smokestack in 'Willie Wonka'

Lots of people had the 'get there when they open' idea too.  We hung back and let all the kids go in first since they were clamoring at the door when it opened.

We took the free tour which is a car that goes through the factory with a screen that dispensed information for each section.  There was very, very loud with music too.  I'd also done this tour on that trip in 11th grade and it was not near as fancy as it is now (again, nearly 40 years ago).  It was a bit of 'sensory overload' for me but I'm so glad we did it. 

Talking animals and so forth would also pop up as you passed.

I was snapping so fast my camera couldn't keep up.  I should've set it to 'sports' but by the time I thought of it, we were almost through.

I am fairly certain this is all simulated even though it's behind glass.  When I went 40 years ago, it was a tour past the real factory windows.

Pretty sure that's not really pressed chocolate.

There were a couple of psychedelic tunnels so of course I had to start singing, 'There's no earthly way of knowing, which direction we are going..." 

A view of the gift shop, which was packed by the time we left.  I wanted to buy tons of candy but we would into the melting issue in the hot truck whenever it was left for any length of time.  I got the boys souvenir shirts and a plastic champagne bottle of kisses for Casi & Jeff.

But boy was I tempted to load up on candy.  They gave us free mini chocolate bars as we exited the tour.

I was surprisingly good in the Twizzler's area as I love them. Plus it was only 9:30 and the thought of loading up on chocolate and sweets at that hour made me a bit queasy.

We were fortunate to get parking really close to the entrance, but these trolleys are necessary to ferry people from the far lots.

One last look at the factory.

Back on the road.  Loved shooting this bridge over the Susquehanna River, just south of the state capitol of Harrisburg.  

Did not, however, like the look of those clouds.