52 Weekends in the Poconos

The week before Irene hit, a customer stopped in the office about 45 minutes earlier than her appointment. She wanted to kill some time while waiting for her  real estate agent.  She asked me where can she could go that was close to see something of interest.  Just 15 minutes from my office in Blakeslee is the Frances E. Walter Dam.  It has some wonderful views.  It's never crowded.  So I suggested it to her and gave her the directions. She was in our office a week later and I asked her about it.  She said it was awesome, she was a little nervous because you are on the top of the dam as you drive over it on a small two lane road.  And you have to go to the other side to turn around.   On the road leading to the dam, there is a picturesque stream and a picnic table nestled in the woods, close to the road near a small waterfall.  Sometimes my husband will meet me for a picnic lunch there.

The project is about 1800 acres and it was designed by the Army Corp of Engineers to dam up the Lehigh River.  With an 80-acre reservoir there is a boat launch area (no ramp), and there is a 10 hp limit. Swimming is not permitted. On the far side of the dam is a picnic area with plenty of tables and areas for charcoal grilling.  You can enjoy hiking along side the Lehigh River.  Fishing is good, as is hunting, in season, on adjacent Pennsylvania Game Commission lands. When they have dam releases, the Whitewater rafting downstream is very popular.  Information on whitewater releases can be obtained by accessing the Philadelphia District Web site and checking under Francis E. Walter Dam. The watershed above the dam has been glaciated, resulting in scoured summits and valley walls and a number of ponds and swamps.  How about some Frisbee Golf?  The course is free and open to the public - bring your own Frisbee. 

The Dam is easy to access.  Just off the northeast extension of the Pa Turnpike, exit 95.  Take Route 940 east about 1.5 miles to the entrance.   From I-80, take exit 277 and head east on Route 940 about 1.5 miles.  I guess this is the next place to take my grandsons - although they still want to go back to Boulder Field in Hickory Run State Park. 

I found this site with some great pictures of the dam.  http://www.google.com/search?q=francis+e+walter+dam&hl=en&rlz=1W1ADRA_en&biw=859&bih=468&prmd=ivns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=CNtgTpmHJcycgQfI2-ipAQ&ved=0CF0QsAQ 

Need a rental for the weekend?  Go to www.PoconoVacationsOnline.com and check out our inventory.

Don't wait for the weekend to visit the Poconos.  If you can, Tuesday and Wednesday of this week will be glorious.  Perfect weather to Golf, Kayak, Hike and Bike or just soak in the lake.  Temp will be in the mid 70's and perfect!  Wonderful to be alive.  One of the best things in this crazy real estate market is you can take time to "smell the roses"  or the lake, in this case. That's me and Annie, one of my associates, doing just that!  And if you need a place to say, check out our rental website: www.poconovacationsonline.com 

Here is a 25,000 Acre Playground that you absolutely need to spend some time at. 

Summer is winding down and many of the visiting tourists have gone home to get ready for fall and the upcoming school year.   It's a little quieter in the Poconos this weekend so I want to suggest you visit Brady's Lake  -  wonderful for a quite  walk around the lake or an easy mountain biking trip.  The area consists of 25,000 acres and a 200+/- acre lake dedicated for fishing only - no swimming or beach areas are provided. 

Built for the ice industry in the 1890's, ice harvesting was profitable up through the 1930's when the use of electricity eliminated the need to ship ice to the surrounding metro areas. When you walk around the west side of the lake you can see the remnants of one of the icehouses.  The ice was cut from the lake, dragged by horses to the icehouse where it was stored.  In the summer the ice was moved by rail cars to the cities.  The trail is easily walked, up a hill and through some open fields. After about 3 miles you encounter an old railroad bed.  Turn left and you will hook around and return the the lake.  Turn right and you will eventually come out in Thornhurst. This time of year you will easily find wild blueberries and raspberries to snack on while you are walking.  This is a great trail for easy to moderate mountain biking.  From the entrance off Route 940 around the west side of the lake and back is about a 12 mile ride.  You'll encounter some small hills, open fields and wildlife.   I've spotted deer, turkey, grouse, turtles and an occasional black bear. 

Unless you are biking, I suggest you stay away from the right side of the lake.  Just recently I took my grandsons for a walk and rock throwing trip to Brady's only to discover they are timbering on the right side of the lake.  The quite, tree covered trail is 25' wide and torn apart.  Too bad.  Does anyone know when the state allows companies to timber, how the companies get a contract and where the money goes?  If you are biking on the right side of the lake, about 2 miles back you can find some trails that will continue northeast and eventually come out at Route 423.  The timbering doesn't go back much more than 1 mile, anyway.

Keep this place in mind if you enjoy cross country skiing in the Winter.  And the sportman can take advantage of the great hunting.  I've recently seen more Kayak's on the lake, especially since the lake does not allow anything but electric motors, it really is a picturesque, tranquill spot for your kayak.

Check out the fall, winter and spring hunting season schedules so that you can be safe and visible to the hunters. 

It's known as State Game Lands #127 and here is a link to the topo map: http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/gateway/PTARGS_0_2_126465_11363_0_43/http%3B/www.sgl.state.pa.us/zoom_maps.aspx?rgn=Northeast&sgl=127

Our company has more than 100 rental properties, all within 15 minutues of Bradys that you can rent for the weekend.  Check them out at www.poconovacationsonline.com 

It's that time again for the biggest draw in the Poconos over the next three days, NASCAR. Drivng down Route 115 towards the racetrack has the "carnival feel" as you pass all kinds of vendors. Saturday Country recording artist, Lauren Briant, will sing the National Anthem for the Good Sam RV Emergency Road Service 125, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race. Later that evening she will perform a free concert in the Pocono Raceway infield for infield and RV guests at 7:00 PM -9:30 PM. A fireworks display will follow the concert. The BIG race is Sunday at 1:00. If this is your first time to the area, the years have refined the egress to the track and there is
little delay in getting there. However, most of the local residents not going to the race, either stay home or go out of the area for the day. With 100,000 extra people in the area, things can get a little congested. Visit
the racetrack site for more details at http://www.poconoraceway.com/

You can always find a great house online at http://www.poconovacationsonline.com
Close to the racetrack and near all the other attractions in the area including golf courses, Camelbeach, Quiet Valley, Eckley Miners Village andthe Casinos.

Looking for something else this weekend - there are tons of local carnivals hosted thorughout the
villages and towns. Local foods, fun rides and a great place to take the kids or grandkids for a few hours. My grandsons took their first ride on a Ferris Wheel with their friend Dylan. All three of them felt like "big
guys" doing it on their own. They are 4, 5 and 6 years old.

Last week's Blues Festival was a joy to attend. The music and weather was perfect for "The Blues" in the Poconos.  And they used the snow making machines at Blue Mountain ski slope to mist the crowd and keep them "cool."   Here is Joe Nemeth performing - what a suit!

The Blues Festival in the Poconos has been a tradition for more than 20 years.  Although there is a change in location to Blue Mountain Ski Resort, the event will be better than ever.  I have enjoyed the music year after year.  I am excited to see that Shemekia Copeland will be the headlining closing act for the event.   She is a consistent award winning blues artist every year.  Most recently she earned the 2010 - Blues Blast Music Awards: Best Female Blues Artist and 2010 - Living Blues Reader Award: Female Blues Artist of the Year. If you want to see something special make sure you don’t miss her performance.    I had the honor of selling Shemekia some Pocono Real Estate a few years ago.  It gave me the opportunity to meet and become friends with her and her family.  That's pretty cool - to sell a home to a great blues singer.  By the way, if you want to rent a vacation home, Shemekia's is a  great townhouse close to the ski slopes.  Just give me a call. 

Tickets to the Blues Festival are inexpensive:  Adults - $35 each day, Ages 6 to 12 - $10 each day, Under 6 is Free!

The festival had been billed as one of the biggest blues festivals on the East Coast, drawing more than 12,000 people a year.   2 days, 2 stages and 15 national acts.  Don’t miss it.  Check it out at http://www.skibluemt.com/SkiBlue/info/special-events/pabluesfest.aspx

Camelbeach last week was the place to be in the heat. I didn't make it but hope you made it there. Here is Dylan enjoying the day.   And don't forget - if you are looking for a great vacation rental - go to www.poconovacationsonline.com. 

Start your sizzlin’ hot weekend off right and go to Camelbeach Waterpark!  Starting Friday July 22, Camelbeach is running an under 21 Kahuna Lagoon wave pool run for just $14.99. It’s perfect for the bored teenagers who are looking for fun, excitement, and a bit of a break from the hot weather in the Poconos.  It starts at 8PM to 11PM.  With temperatures reaching over 100 degrees this weekend, Camelbeach is the perfect weekend getaway for all ages.  The rides go from mild to wild.  The older kids that want a real challenge will love the Sand Storm and Dune Runner.  Check all of it out on the web site.  This is the largest waterpark in both New Jersey and Pennsylvania.  Overall there is a little something for everyone as well as a break from the extreme heat.  http://www.camelbeach.com/ 

Is music more your scene? Buckhill-Skytop music festival is going on July 22-30. Enjoy a variety of different music from opera, jazz, cabaret, and chamber music.  Music prices vary depending on the performance you will be attending.  This event runs all week.  Check it out at http://buckhillskytopfest.org/#/HOME-01-00/ 

And let me tell you - what a surprise Boulder Field was.  I thought the boys, age 4 and 5 1/2, would see the boulders and then want to go do something else.  Once they got there and started to traverse the boulders, it was a challenge to get them to leave.  They could have been there for hours. I don't know that I'd want to be there in this hot weather we are having.  The weekend we went the weather was just in the 70's and mid 80's.  I forgot how beautiful Hickory Run is.  The roads were lined with Mountain Laurel in full bloom, just an awesome site.  After the trek through the boulders we traveled down route 534 and came to a small bridge. So we stopped and walked down to this wonderful stream with little waterfalls and plenty of areas for the boys to dip they toes in the water. Of course, Markus slipped and did a full body dump and he drove home in his underwear.  Now they can't wait to go back.  So if you think a bunch of boulders will be a bore for the kids - Think Again!

We have just put two new Lakefronts on our rental program.  And they are awesome.  How about a wonderful Log Lakefront with a private dock on a quiet setting.   The loft master suite features a cat-walk over the open living area to a private deck.  It's got the pool table, fooseball, outdoor playsetfor the kids and it is only 10 minutes from Big Boulder.  Check out www.poconovacationsonline.com  Property number 101520  Sleeps 12 and has a great mountain atmosphere. 

I didn't post anything for the 4^th of July weekend.  Everyone had cookouts and fireworks  to celebrate our countries independence  - you didn't have to look far to find something to do.  

This weekend I think I'll be taking my grandsons to Boulder Field in Hickory Run State Park.  Two young boys that love to throw rocks will find this amazing assortment of rocks and boulders very exciting.  You may not use the word exciting, but it is still a piece of our history that all of us can be curious about.  This 30 acre piece of history remains from the last glacier melting away and receding , about 15,000 years ago.  Most boulder fields have disappeared because of climate.  But the one at Hickory Run, although being encroached a little by the surrounding forest, is still a wonder to see.  The boulders range from a few inches in size to 15 feet across and the boulders go a deep as 12 feet.  When you leap across the boulders, look for water moving under the boulders and try to spot the largest boulder.  The Hickory Run stream starts in a bog east of the filed and the water flows under Boulder field.  You can get a brochure by clicking on this link: http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks/parks/hickoryrun/sp-boulderfield-brochure-hickoryrun-pdf.pdf   

Hickory Run State Park is about 16,000 acres and has hiking trails, streams and a great lake for swimming and picnicking.  There is a neat campground.  But if you aren't into sleeping in a tent, call me.  We have plenty of Pocono Vacation Rental Homes for you.  Check some of them out at www.PoconoVacationsOnline.com   

I went to the Eddie Money concert at Mohican Sun the week before the 4th.  Eddie was right on target and sounded very good.  Our seats were OK, not great.  But for the cost, you can't beat it.  And when we first arrived at the Casino and enjoyed a cocktail, the bartender offered us tickets with our cocktails for free! The Doobie Brothers are there the end of the month and my husband and I are wondering if they will be doing the same thing - enjoy a cocktail and get a free ticket?  I don't want to take the chance, so I think I'll get my Doobie Brothers' tickets online.  Funny, days after the concert, I heard a lot of his music on the radio. Was it always there and I just didn't pick it out?  Probably.  As for the Civil War weekend, I am sorry to say I missed it and Abe Lincoln, who made a guest appearance to inspire his troops. 

If you happened to meet Abe, let me know!   

They will both be in the Poconos this weekend!

You can Rock and Roll with Eddie Money or take a trip back in time and see what life was like in the 1800's. Mohican Sun at Pocono Downs will feature Eddie Money on Sunday, June 26^th at 7 PM. Some of my favorites I know he will do include "Baby Hold On" and "Two Tickets to Paradise." Tickets are only $15.00 to $25.00. I believe before his musical career, he was a cop in the late 60's. I was sort of a "hippie" in that era and a cop/rocker was an oxymoron. Visit http://poconodowns.com/for more details.  Got my tickets online.  MohicanSun is a great spot with good restaurants. They recently added table games in the Casino.  Maybe my two tickets to Eddie Money will be "two tickets to paradise when I win at the Casino!"

This weekend the Civil War Road Show will be in our area. Quiet Valley Living Historical Farm is an exceptional way for you and your kids to see what life was like in the 1800's. The barn and farm house are listed in the National Register of Historical places. Check out an encampment, Civil War medicine, and a genealogy panel discussion on "How to Research your Civil War Ancestors." Get more details at www.QuietValley.org.

Imagine going back to the 1800's and the late 60's in one weekend!

The Wine Festival was excellent. Great tastes, good food and the weather was exceptional. I didn't learn a lot about wine - but the sampling was fun. And boy, was there a lot to sample! Seems like Sunday the larger crowd attends on Saturday, so the feedback was that Saturday was packed.  Sunday was less crowded. My favorite - The Penn State Creamery Ice Cream.

This weekend you can still get a nice house to rent. And you have a good selection from our large inventory. But if you are thinking of coming over the 4th of July, you better call us soon because the homes are getting rented quickly. Go to www.poconovacationsonline.com to check availability or call us at 800-779-2584.

This weekend in the Poconos is the "Great Tastes of Pennsylvania Wine & Food Festival"   It will be held at the Split Rock Resort located in beautiful Lake Harmony.  I can't believe this is the 21^st Annual  event and this is the first time I will be going.   Perhaps the number "21" is the reason, I am an owner of CENTURY 21 Select Group - lucky 21!  Some of my associates will be going with me so we should have some pictures to share with you.   Looks like about 35 wineries will be represented.  Crafters will be there so the ladies can shop.   And there is food and three stages for entertainment.   How about some grape stomping!    Oh yes, you must be 21 years of age or older - there is that lucky number again!

You can get more details at the website:  http://www.splitrockresort.com/festivals/wine-festival 

I do not commonly order wine when I am out.   Even though half of my heritage is Italian, I'm only familiar with Chardonnay.    I am clueless about most other wines.   I believe I learned a long time ago that red went with meat and white is good with fish, is that correct?     I also know that sweet wines just don't cut it with me.  How about you?  The festival will feature some educational sessions, so if I learn anything, I'll pass it on.    

Since Father's Day is on Sunday, maybe the hubby can go golfing with his buddies at the beautiful course at Split Rock while you enjoy the wine festival.  Dad can golf for free on Sunday, June 19th, with the purchase of another fully paid round. He'll also receive 10% off golf shop merchandise for the day, a free hotdog at the 1/2 Way Cafe, and a coupon for 10% off food in Sunset Green Restaurant.  I had an opportunity to enjoy lunch there last week.  It is a beautiful facility and I rate the food as very good and actually reasonable in pricing. 

If you would like to come for the event and want to rent a vacation cottage in the Mountains over the weekend, give us a call at 800-872-5265 or visit our rental site at www.poconovacationsonline.com. 

My German lineage wins out with me - because I prefer a good, cold beer. 

There seems to be plenty of other things happening this weekend. Here is a list of some of the other events:

Summerfest 7 on Saturday, June 18th at the Barley Creek Brewing Company in Tannersville  http://www.barleycreek.com/

The 6th annual Honesdale Roots & Rhythm Music & Arts Festival happens on Saturday, June 18^{th http://www.honesdalerootsandrhythm.com/}

Eckley Miners' Village, a restored coal miners "patch town." announces the annual Anthracite Heritage Festival Patch Town Days. The rain-or-shine festival is from 10:00am to 5:00pm on Saturday and Sunday, June 18th and 19th.  http://www.eckleyminersvillagemuseum.com/ 

Bass Season opens June 18th 

Last week's  Pocono NASCAR race was won by Jeff Gordon for those of you that are interested.  Of course, if you follow NASCAR you already knew that.