Road Trip to Centralia

[+MountainRacer]

I've been bandying about the idea of organizing a road trip for some time now to go deep into Pennsylvania after this cache, which by all accounts is a pretty interesting place. If you aren't familiar with the story, the basic premise is that the whole town of Centralia was evacuated after a massive underground coal seam caught fire in 1962 and has been burning ever since (!).

 

The date I have in mind is Saturday, January 24th. The easiest route is from Rt. 80 West across the PA border and along quite a ways, to Rt. 81 South. For anyone who would like to carpool the majority of the trip, the Rockaway Mall just off Rt. 80 in New Jersey is a safe place to leave a car during the day. Ideally we would leave at a reasonably early time; say, departure from the Rockaway Mall lot at 9:00am, which should give us plenty of time in the day without requiring an obscenely early wake-up time of those who would have to drive a while to reach Rockaway.

 

Near the 80/81 intersection is the town of West Hazleton, PA, home to several chain restaurants to potentially host an event-cache lunch during the trip. If you're concerned about your caches-versus-mileage ratio, have a look at this map, and scroll it directly south for more; there should be enough quick grabs to give the ol' stats a boost along the way. Anyone who wants to put together a list of quickies for the trip is gladly encouraged to do so.

 

So that's the gist of it. Details are negotiable, of course. Questions, comments, suggestions, limericks, and tentative commitments are welcome below. Thanks for listening.

Edited January 5, 2009 by MountainRacer

[+HaLiJuSaPa]

We've been to that Earthcache, and it really is as cool a place as you expect, in our log I called it "a Ghost Town in the East". Lots of great caches in the area as well (though our familiarity is with caches near the West Hazleton restaurants you mention as my in-laws have a "2nd home" in that vicinity). Have done most of the I-80 park and grabs along the way and back on past trips to the area, so I can give some insight on that (you definitely have to try "The Messenger" on your way back, it's pretty easy but I've never seen a cache done this way).

 

I bet rstefano (a Jerseyite who is from the Hazleton area and who caches with his brother who lives in that area quite often) will have even more insight on area caches. Have fun!

Edited January 5, 2009 by HaLiJuSaPa

[+nikcap]

I've been wanting to head out this way for a while now.

I'm available 1/24 or 1/25.

The Central Jersey Group is already planning a trip to Ringing Rock SP on the 1/18. I'm sure there are a few cache-cuckoos in there that would be interested in going.

[+mblatch]

Jan 24/25 is the weekend right before my birthday (Jan 26). I can't think of a better way to celebrate turning 33 than to go see an abandoned ghost town and witness the steam rising from an underground coal fire. haha Count me in.

[+olbluesguy]

 

Here's a little something to get you going If you don't know about Centrailia.

[+nikcap]

 

Here's a little something to get you going If you don't know about Centrailia.

 

Nice!

 

I like

from the Home Town Tales guys too

[+MountainRacer]

Cool movies! I tweaked the first post to set the tentative date for Saturday, the 24th of January. Looks like we'll be going through with this.

 

I've also been looking over prospective places to eat while there; any objections to the Applebees in West Hazleton around 12 or 1pm-ish?

Edited January 6, 2009 by MountainRacer

[+Rev Mike]

In addition to the couple of great caches there you should also take the time to explore the rest of the area.

 

Almost all of the roads are still open and passable provided your vehicle does not sit extremely low and you can make it do what you want it to.

 

But my favorite part to take first timers to is the old rte 61 that was bypassed after sections caved in. You don't have to walk more than about 2 tenths of a mile down the road before you run into some of the most dramatic examples of what the fire has done to the road. These coordinates (N 40 47.977 W 076 20.382) should be very close to the north end of the closed section and there is room for a couple of cars to park there. The coords are not exact since I just ballparked it in Mapsource but should be within a couple hundred feet.

 

*Note also that you will see all manner of offensive grafitti painted on the road*

 

Here is a picture of me pretending to fall into the road:

 

 

Hope you have a great trip.

 

- Rev Mike

[+lakelady]

I have been waitng for this. I am in.

[+hallycat]

Buttaskotch and I just did this on 1-2. Check the logs, you will see us there. Have fun, and there's a Cabela's kind of close on the way back

[+cheeriokid]

Great idea! I have been discussing a road trip to here for the past year. I would have a car full of family (and maybe another cacher if his wife lets him out of the house), and I am 20 miles closer than the Rockaway Mall, but we would love to meet up near GZ at the lunch spot. Either day is good for us on that weekend right now.

-CK (and clan)

[polskikrol]

May be interested in this on depending if I have to provide on-call coverage for work or not. Have been there once before prior to geocaching and have pictures of some of the virtuals / earthcaches. Might be an opportunity to log them and further explore the area.

 

Would anyone be interested in checking out some Allentown Brewpubs afterward ?

[+buttaskotch]

In addition to the couple of great caches there you should also take the time to explore the rest of the area.

 

Almost all of the roads are still open and passable provided your vehicle does not sit extremely low and you can make it do what you want it to.

 

But my favorite part to take first timers to is the old rte 61 that was bypassed after sections caved in. You don't have to walk more than about 2 tenths of a mile down the road before you run into some of the most dramatic examples of what the fire has done to the road. These coordinates (N 40 47.977 W 076 20.382) should be very close to the north end of the closed section and there is room for a couple of cars to park there. The coords are not exact since I just ballparked it in Mapsource but should be within a couple hundred feet.

 

*Note also that you will see all manner of offensive grafitti painted on the road*

 

Here is a picture of me pretending to fall into the road:

 

 

Hope you have a great trip.

 

- Rev Mike

when hallycat and I went out there, I tried to find the roads and more paths of destruction, however, I didn't see too much and if I am correct in where Rev Mike was telling us this road is, it was pretty much impassable without a pair of ice skates.

Unfortunately, I will not be able to attend this event as I have a work trip to Barbados that week--feel free to be jealous

Maybe one day I will go back

[+buttaskotch]

I've been bandying about the idea of organizing a road trip for some time now to go deep into Pennsylvania after this cache, which by all accounts is a pretty interesting place. If you aren't familiar with the story, the basic premise is that the whole town of Centralia was evacuated after a massive underground coal seam caught fire in 1962 and has been burning ever since (!).

 

The date I have in mind is Saturday, January 24th. The easiest route is from Rt. 80 West across the PA border and along quite a ways, to Rt. 81 South. For anyone who would like to carpool the majority of the trip, the Rockaway Mall just off Rt. 80 in New Jersey is a safe place to leave a car during the day. Ideally we would leave at a reasonably early time; say, departure from the Rockaway Mall lot at 9:00am, which should give us plenty of time in the day without requiring an obscenely early wake-up time of those who would have to drive a while to reach Rockaway.

 

Near the 80/81 intersection is the town of West Hazleton, PA, home to several chain restaurants to potentially host an event-cache lunch during the trip. If you're concerned about your caches-versus-mileage ratio, have a look at this map, and scroll it directly south for more; there should be enough quick grabs to give the ol' stats a boost along the way. Anyone who wants to put together a list of quickies for the trip is gladly encouraged to do so.

 

So that's the gist of it. Details are negotiable, of course. Questions, comments, suggestions, limericks, and tentative commitments are welcome below. Thanks for listening.

Quick note: For those of you coming from Central Jersey or even NY, the best route in 78. It took about 2.75 hours on that route to Queens, whereas the 80/81 would have added an extra hour.

[+mblatch]

Here's another very interesting video about the history of the Centralia mine fire. Being that I'm a scientist, the nerdy guys taking ground temperature measurements, monitoring gas emissions, and looking for bacteria that have adapted to the extreme environment were definitely right up my alley. I even enjoyed the experiment by the film crew that resulted in an old pair of shoes turning into a molten pile of goo.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fkHfnp2czZQ...feature=related

Edited January 8, 2009 by mblatch

[Mr.Yuck]

In addition to the couple of great caches there you should also take the time to explore the rest of the area.

 

Almost all of the roads are still open and passable provided your vehicle does not sit extremely low and you can make it do what you want it to.

 

But my favorite part to take first timers to is the old rte 61 that was bypassed after sections caved in. You don't have to walk more than about 2 tenths of a mile down the road before you run into some of the most dramatic examples of what the fire has done to the road. These coordinates (N 40 47.977 W 076 20.382) should be very close to the north end of the closed section and there is room for a couple of cars to park there. The coords are not exact since I just ballparked it in Mapsource but should be within a couple hundred feet.

 

 

If we're thinking the same spot, there should be a large mine fire warning sign there. That's where I had my pic taken (back when Earthcaches were new, and that's all you needed). I didn't explore the road though, I had the family with me, and I "forced" them to stop at Centrailia on the way the Hershey.

 

Hey, make sure y'all don't forget about the physical cache in town, Smoke on the horizon which actually pre-dates the Earthcache.

[+whistler & co.]

If you will be arriving (or leaving) via Route 42 from I-80 in Bloomsburg, stop and try out The Gravity Hill Mystery. The cache is a quick find, and you'll enjoy the experience. Here's Little Whistler trying it out. He had just let go of the ball, and it was rolling away from him and towards me.

 

[+MountainRacer]

Just a heads-up, everyone... we're now an official event!

[+whistler & co.]

Welcome to NEPAG-land! I added your event to our calendar.

January on the NEPAG Event Calendar

[+HaLiJuSaPa]

Welcome to NEPAG-land! I added your event to our calendar.

January on the NEPAG Event Calendar

 

We made an out-of-town trip to a NEPAG event last May while in the area for a few days then (and met Whistler and many others ). You'll find they're a fun bunch. Have fun everyone!

[+dollarbell]

I'm in for Centralia. Looking to pool from NJ, meeting at the mall sounds like a good idea to me. Thanks for setting up the event cache!

[+Crosby Stills and Cache]

Looking forward to the road trip and meeting y'all. Crosby Stills Cache and Young'n will be there for this one. We're car pooling out with the Cheeriokid and family.

 

Other than the gravity hill cache, any must do hides in the area?

Edited January 9, 2009 by Crosby Stills and Cache

[+brian b]

Looks like Kayla-bee and I will be making the trip to Centralia. I just mapped it out, and it is a 2.5 hour trip to the event alone. I figure if I leave early enough, I can cache my way around Hazelton prior to the event.

 

See you all there.

[+MountainRacer]

Hey everybody! In case you missed it, there's a new note on the event page log with some helpful extra information about the trip coming up. The carpool/caravan meeting place will be at N 40° 54.557 W 074° 33.056, near the outer corner of one of the lots at Rockaway Townsquare Mall. To get there:

 

1. Take Rt. 80 west to Exit 35A.

2. Go over the bridge and make the first right into the mall entrance.

3. Turn right at the next light, then take your first left down a lot aisle.

4. Turn left as soon as you can to wrap around into the corner of the lot.

 

We're shooting to meet there around 8:45am and leave by 9:00. Directions from Rockaway to Hazleton can be found here; these end at the Applebees where lunch will be, but we'll have a couple free hours before 12:30 to cache around the Hazleton area.

[polskikrol]

While we are planning on meeting up in Centralia, I and ThirstyMick will not be going to Applebees. Instead we are planning on hitting up Barley Creek Brewing Company (website) for lunch. They open up at 11:01 AM and thats when we plan on being there to allow for enough time to get to Centralia at the same time as the bunch going to Applebees. Address is Sullivan Trail and Camelback Rd., Tannersville, PA.

 

After Centralia we are planning on having dinner at Selin's Grove Brewing Co (website). They are about 15 miles west of Centralia at 121 North Market St. Selinsgrove,Pa.

 

Anyone interesting in sampling some brews while out in Pennsylvania?

Edited January 21, 2009 by polskikrol

[+lakelady]

Anyone interested in carpooling from the park & ride, exit 30, on Howard Blvd behind Davey's, I live near there and it is west of the mall. Either post an ans here or email me through the geocaching web site.

[+Packanack]

Oh, to be a kid again and to be able to just hop in the car and go off to some place for some pointless journey, seeking who all knows what all, stopping at brew pubs and having all manner of fun.

 

HAVE A GREAT TIME, but as one who lived in Pa (Shohola ) for some period of time the following rules of engagement apply:

It is winter and it is much colder there. But don't wear bird poop jackets , try Buffalo Plaid.

You have Jersey Plates, so you are considered a revenue stream

Try and drive Fords, Chevies or Dodges--that is where the real America starts.

Do not stare at anyone and no loud talking that will draw attention to yourself.

 

Pictures, we always like pictures.

[+HaLiJuSaPa]

If you will be arriving (or leaving) via Route 42 from I-80 in Bloomsburg, stop and try out The Gravity Hill Mystery. The cache is a quick find, and you'll enjoy the experience. Here's Little Whistler trying it out. He had just let go of the ball, and it was rolling away from him and towards me.

 

 

What awful luck, cache got archived the day they were up there. I'll still have to check this interesting place out next time we're in the area (probably not until the late spring )