It's Fall on the PA QUilt (and Rug) Trails

Many people in the United States have never experienced fall in central Pennsylvania. Having traveled throughout most of the northeast and a fair portion of the rest of the United States, I can attest that central Pennsylvania, in the fall months, is one of the prettiest states. There are days when the colors are actually startling in their color intensity. A few of years back I drove daily over the Seven Mountains, south of  State College. Honestly the colors of these mountains caused me, more than once, to forget I was driving (not really) and become one with the spectrum of brilliant foliage. Add to that the usual blue skies of a central Pennsylvania fall and the result is utter fabulousness.

The PA Quilt (and Rug) Trails meanders through all this beautiful land. Many crops at this time of year have turned golden and brown. Leaves have started to fall with their dense red, yellows and oranges. Grasses flower an array of color.

And the smells. There is nothing like the smell of composting leaves, fresh brisk air  and the earthy smell of smoke from wood burners.

This fall follow the PA Quilt (and Rug) Trails and use the trail as your guide through a memorable experience.

Healing on the PA Quilt (and Rug) Trails

Recently my housemate took a work trip to Glacier National Monument in Montana. If you have never been to Glacier, it is something you must add to your bucket list (and do it soon as the glaciers are rapidly disappearing). Each day she has been posting photos of the area, which brought me back to my own trip there about ten years ago.

A friend and I decided to participate in a yoga retreat in Helena, Montana with three of our favorite yoga gurus. We planned and saved for a year, deciding to not only go to the retreat but to take extra time and explore Alberta, British Columbia, Idaho and Montana. Seven days before the scheduled trip we were both in a horrific car accident. Our van was hit by a tractor trailer pulling a piece of an overpass to be part of the new interstate. We were rolled and dragged by the tractor trailer, finally coming to a rest on a berm at the side of the road. Traffic was stopped in all directions and police and ambulance summoned. Miraculously we both survived; my friend with a head injury and me with minor injuries, splinters of glass covering my arms, chest and face, broken little toe, whiplash and a moderate amount of pain; yet still alive and still able to climb out of the car before the ambulance arrived.

A few hours later as my friend and I lay in the hospital, surrounded by our families, awaiting results of various xrays, my friend's husband (now ex) declared, "The trip is off!"

At no time was the trip that I had scrimped and saved for was going to be cancelled. I told my friend that I respected her decision but with or without her I was still going. This was to be a driving trip, we had planned on driving about 2,000 kilometers, I decided to use this trip to get over my new fear of being in a car and heal my achy body through the beauty of the Canadian and American Rockies. And heal I did. At first, things were slow going. Because of my injuries it was hard sitting in a car for many hours. I took things slow and listened to my body and discovered some of the most magical, unexpected places. To this day I never have regretted going.

The PA Quilt (and Rug) Trails also has healing magic. As you follow the trail you can drive through lovely Amish country, deeply wooded forest, past full running rivers and some of the most fertile land of this country. The next time you need some healing take some time off of your schedule and follow the trail. Let the healing begin.

The first quilt square for the PA Quilt (and Rug) Trails sits high atop the lovely community of Liverpool, Pennsylvania. Settled in 1808 by the Stailey family, emigrants from Liverpool, England, Liverpool is surrounded by dense woods and a lovely river, Liverpool has many beautiful architectural homes and shops and a historic cemetery. Just a stone's throw from hiking trails including a well maintained "Rails to Trails", Liverpool has an abundance of outdoor activities including hiking, biking, fishing, hunting, canoeing, bird watching and photography as well as many lovely antique shops, wine tastings and restaurants serving locally grown foods and regional dishes. Walk the streets of this lovely burg and see wall murals, a restored train station and a lovely old inn.