PET FRIENDLY

ROAD TRIP

T H E U LT I M AT E

AMY BURKERTOF GOPETFRIENDLY.COM

A Guide to the #1 Pet Friendly Attraction in 48 States & Washington D.C.

INTRODUCTION 5

In the spring of 2008, we found a stray German shepherd who changed our lives.

It started like any other morning. Rod and I walked Ty, our Shar-Pei, down to the neighborhood bakery to pick up bagels before heading back to the appraisal firm we ran from our home office. We’d been in the new house almost six months, and when we turned the corner one of the men on the construction crew finishing another home in our cul-de-sac hurried out to warn us about the “big, black dog” they’d discovered behind the dumpster.

That was the moment our future shifted. Of course we didn’t know it at the time, but the decisions we made in those moments and over the days that followed put us on an entirely different path—one we’re forever grateful to have chosen.

We searched for the owners of the “big, black dog” to no avail, and after two weeks Buster was part of our family.

Our summer vacation plans were already in the works—a three-week road trip that required seven stops along the way. Finding hotels that allowed two dogs in one room, where Buster wasn’t breaking the weight restric-tions, and where they didn’t charge a ridiculous pet fee was a frustrating process.

It took two full days to make the reservations, and we still had no idea if we’d be driving by a pet friendly beach, where we could walk Ty and Buster, or whether we’d find

spots to eat were we wouldn’t have to leave the boys in the car. In 2008, the information we needed was still scattered all over the internet, so we did what everyone else did: took off and hoped for the best.

Three weeks in a car with a rambunctious German shepherd pup—he was about a year old when he entered our lives—changes you . . . in the way coal is transformed into a diamond under extreme pressure. We came home from that trip determined to make it easier for people to travel with their pets.

From there, things happened quickly. Rod took over our appraisal business while I worked with the team building our website, and in June 2009, GoPetFriendly.com launched. A few weeks before the big day Rod nonchalantly lobbed this nugget of wisdom that took me by surprise: “You know, you can’t tell people how easy it is to travel with their pets if you’re sitting in an office in Philadelphia.” It seemed obvious after he said it, but I’d been so focused on creating the website, the thought never occurred to me.

A few months later we put our house on the market and took the proceeds from the sale to buy a small motor-home. Blogging about our travels and the things we found to do with Ty and Buster became my passion, and more than eight years (and a larger motorhome) later, we’re still loving this life.

INTRODUCTION

120 VERMONT: DOG MOUNTAIN

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Pennsylvania: Lehigh Gorge Scenic RailwayPennsylvania: Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway

PENNSYLVANIA

LEHIGH GORGE

SCENIC RAILWAYThe Lehigh River, known for its churning rapids, cut the Lehigh Gorge over millennia as it tumbled through Pennsylvania’s Pocono Mountains. Throughout most of history, only the dense forests of white pine and hemlock tracked its progress. But when European settlers arrived in America, they quickly chopped and burned through that easily accessible building material and fuel. By the 1790s, the deforestation of the East Coast was nearly complete and the fledgling nation was on the hunt for other resources.

In 1791, anthracite coal was discovered in Pennsylvania, and canals and railroads were quickly constructed  to move the new “fuel of choice” downriver to Philadelphia, Trenton, and Wilmington.

122 PENNSYLVANIA: LEHIGH GORGE SCENIC RAILWAY

But the wheels of progress continued to turn . . . fast- forward 180 years, and the once essential railroad through the Lehigh Gorge lay abandoned. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania seized the opportunity to purchase the real estate, established LEHIGH GORGE STATE PARK, and turned the former railbed into a phenomenal 26-mile multiuse trail.

Another 33 years passed before construction of a new railroad bridge across the river was completed, and the mighty locomotives returned to the Lehigh Gorge.

Now the Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway offers narrated trips into the state park on vintage coaches. Departing from the old railroad station in historic downtown

JIM THORPE, the 16-mile tour lasts about 70 minutes, following the river as it winds its way through the gorge.

Well-behaved pets are welcome aboard the Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway, and the ticket agent and all the conductors genuinely seemed to enjoy having Ty and Buster along for the ride. Deciding between the standard coach, built in 1932 by Bethlehem Steel, with its padded seats and operating windows, or the open-air car with bench seating and a nice breeze, was not difficult. Being the dogs that they are, the boys chose the open-air car . . . for its enhanced sniffing opportunities.

At the tour’s halfway point, the engine disconnects from the front of the train, travels down the track adja-cent to the cars, attaches to the other end, and pulls you back to the station. So, if you miss any photos on the way out, you’ll have another chance on the way back.

On your return to Jim Thorpe, you’ll find a shady park just across the street from the train station, places to get snacks and ice cream, and some antique shops and other

stores to explore. Of course, if you haven’t gotten your fill of the gorge, hit the LEHIGH GORGE TRAIL—it runs 26 miles to White Haven, and leashed pets are welcome.

PLAN YOUR VISITTrains run February through December, with more frequent departures in the summer months. Check Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway’s website for a complete schedule.

PET RULES ON THE

LEHIGH GORGE SCENIC RAILWAY

• Leashed pets are welcome on the regularly scheduled trains in the standard and open-air coaches, free of charge. Pets are not allowed on some special-event trains, so call to confirm availability.

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