That out of the way, the ride into State College aka Happy Valley aka Hippy City, is as beautiful as can be; rolling hills dotted with farms and, now, small developments belie the fact that Hippy City is now a leading retirement area. Most of the retirees are former Penn Staters seeking to recapture their youth…what a concept, huh? Slapped, smack dab, in the middle of the hills and farms and small developments is the new Harley Davidson dealership. Well, okay, it’s not so new, but it wasn’t there when I was there from 1973 through 1976; and that makes it new because this is my story!
While I was attending Penn State, the annual Playboy ratings of greatest party schools in the country was published. My friends and I were horrified that Penn State did not make the Top 25… “FOUL” we cried, the editors and storywriters had to be those sissy types from Dartmouth or Southern Cal who fancied themselves “serious” partiers. Some weeks later, after looking at all the pictures, I had the bright idea to actually read the article; vindication came with embarrassment, the author noted that two schools, Penn State and Colgate were not ranked in the Top 25…he opined it would be “unfair to include pros in the amateur ranks”. Let it be noted that we played Colgate in football in those days…they were crushed by a combined 122-3 in the two years we played them…they weren’t much at tailgating or après-game partying either! I mention this because of the distress I felt when seeing this:
plunked down in the middle of a prime partying area of yore…the Schreyer Honors College?!?!?! WTF?!?!?! Do these kids nowadays really study? How ridiculous is that?!?!?! Downtown is, in many ways the same. The stores have changed and been revitalized but the essential character is small town surrounded by MAMOUTH university.
A special pic for my buddy JW!
I wanted to tour the campus but found doing so to be extremely difficult. Primarily because I was favoring a broken toe and the campus is now a pedestrian safe zone in the core area near the HUB (Student Center) and Old Main (the building you always see when PSU is shown on TV). This is a decided pain in the ass; caused no doubt because some do-gooder environmental student was trying to save the trees! As I am the parking God, I did manage to find the only non-marked parking space in the interior campus.
Parenthetically, when I returned to the bike after a short walking tour, I was questioned rather sharply at first by a rather wonkish Professor. I politely explained to him I had graduated some thirty years before and was reliving my youth. He had been on campus for a mere three years and, I guess was protecting the school from the scooter trash that destroys the Utopian bliss…all of me! The Palmer Art Museum has been completely refurbished. It was always a pretty cool place to take a date for cheap…so cultured was I.
When I left Hippy City, the Forum Building was completely visible form this location. Now, the building is completely obscured by foliage. I wonder, why build such a nice building and then cover it up? And, yes, it was getting cloudy as hell...not great when your only vehicle is a motorcycle. I did rain later that night, for about 20 seconds!
This last campus shot displays where I misspent, if not wasted, two years of my youth. Hartranft Hall (spell that 10 times quickly). Fifth floor, third window from the right…apparently with all the money PSU spends they still have not air conditioned the boys dorm…the girls across the street have air conditioning. Still, the dorm complex wherein Hartranft is located was the most primo place on campus to live. The dorms were crap but Hartranft and Mifflin boys dorms had 500 guys living there, Simmons ands McElwaine girls dorms had twice that!
The Bryce Jordan Center is a modern indoor sports facility. Built to accommodate the requirements of Big Ten membership it is home to one very bad basketball program (men's team) and one sometimes powerhouse basketball program (women's team).
Beaver Stadium is the home to the #3 Nittany Lions!!!
Penn State is called the Nittany Lions due to the mountain lions found living on Nittany Mountain...I know, I know, what a stretch!
Okay, a gratuitous motorcycle shot! There will be others so SUE me!
Of all the accomplishments for which JoePa is noted, this is his proudest. He graduates 90+% of his seniors EVERY year! Fitting then that this is the building that bears his name.
I left campus and headed over the mountains to two of my old haunts…Whipples Dam State Park and Stone Valley Recreation Area. Penn State owns Stone Valley, an odd and apt appellation. The ride to these venues runs through Rothrock State Park and offers a simply spectacular view of the town and campus. Of course, it helps if it is not hazy, hot and humid!
I spent a great evening with my ex-nephew (his mother is my ex-wife’s sister), although he and I don’t really consider each other ex-anything…Shawn was two when I started dating his Aunt (my ex); he will be thirty this month…he is married to a wonderful woman, Cathryn, and they have two beautiful girls, Cora (3) and Adeline (1 ½). The other middle aged person is my ex-sister-in-law, Jean. Jean’s youngest child, Kirsten, is the reason convent schools were invented!
Jean and her husband are building a new home in the hills near State College; literally building it themselves! Well, okay, hubby is building it; Jean watches.
After leaving the family, I spent some time just cruising around State College on the Road Star. Back in my youth, I cruised these same streets in a 1968 Rambler American, a Schwinn Continental and, later, a 1972 Ford Custom (ex-police cruiser)...the Road Star was decidedly cooler! I decided that I would take the backroads home, no Turnpikes or other four laners (as much as possible). I left the next morning and headed out on PA Route 45. Turned out to be one of the greatest motorcycling roads in America. I kept telling myself to stop and photograph the farms and rolling hills but I did not. Pictures would have conveyed farms and rolling hills but not the true nature of the road. Gentle sweepers, undulating landscape and a time-machine like return to simpler days. My first stop was in Millheim, PA...I changed from long sleeves to short sleeves and took a few minutes to just enjoy 1958!
While I made several other stops, the last photos I took were in Lewisburg, PA. I have to admit, like most in all probability, I tend to think of these places generically, i.e. Podunk, USA...if that be the case, Podunk, USA is a beautiful place to live.
I have vowed to return to this ride in the nearest future possible and I will update this page with pictures and impressions of other places when done. All in all, it was a disaster of a search for the Fountain of Youth...BUT...I found something much more important...comfort swimming in the Fountain of Middle Age! For those of you wondering...two days...100+ heat...514 miles and the Seiko Prospex SBBN007!!
