Heading into Western Pennsylvania

Today our plan was to head west to Farmington in the western hills of Pennsylvania, our base from which to explore Fallingwater tomorrow. Our route was a combination of some of the scenic rides in Motorcycle Journeys throught the Appalachians. It was another hot, hazy day.

Our route took us along some heavily built up areas, but once clear of those we found ourselves on very beautiful roads, but we were gobsmacked to see grass  asdry as a crisp from a lack of water and an unseasonably hot summer. Green and more green has been all we have experienced to this point.

On many occasions we have lamented the weird weather we have encountered – starting with a late, cold and wet winter,on the west coast, and now unseasonably hot weather, but it's not just us having a winge: this hot spell is setting records in many cities in the US and people are dying from the heat.

The hills came next and were green, beautiful, undulating and cooler - thank goodness.

From the high points along our route we could see the winding road, valleys and farms below us.

These are no longer small, subsistence level farms. The barns and silos are huge. Barns are fascinating. They vary in design and colour from west to east. Most are timber, a few are metal. It would be interesting to know which last longer in the varied conditions. Even the neglected ones make a fabulous picture and tell a story. The adjoining homes are dwarfed by one, two or three huge barns and silos.

On arriving in Farmington we discovered there are no motels, and the nearest was 4 miles back at Markleysburg. There were no supermarkets within coo-ee, so we decided to eat at the local restaurant. How good was the food? Well, we have had better - but to be fair to this restaurant, I would have to admit that was in an English railway cafeteria.