Conneaut Lake and Pymatuning State Park

It may not be the biggest amusement park in Western Pennsylvania or offer the most rides, but it's been a favorite of mine since I was a kid. My grandfather worked for the Cooper Bessemer in Grove City and every year he'd get tickets to Conneaut Lake. My whole family would make the journey up 79 and across 322 to the home of Pennsylvania's largest natural lake and the amusement park that made it's home along the lake's banks in 1892.

I have memories of riding the park's lone wooden roller coaster, the Blue Streak, though it took me years to get there. I spent most of youth trying to be taller than Connie Otter, the character who decided if you stayed in Kiddy Land or got to go out on the adult rides. One of my favorites was the Devil's Den, which for some reason I thought was called the Devil's pitfall, but I was probably thirteen the last time I was there so I wouldn't be surprised if it's always been called the Devil's Den. Either way, it's fun!

In addition to the park itself, there are several golf courses in the area and you're just down the road from Pymatuning State Park, which happens to be the largest state park in Pennsylvania. It also boasts the largest lake in Pennsylvania, with it's reservoir coming in at 17,088 acres in size. You can go boating, fishing and swimming and check out the park's fish hatchery.

For those of you planning to stay local this Memorial Day Weekend, but want to get out of Pittsburgh, I highly recommend a day trip to Conneaut Lake or Pymatuning State Park.

Enjoy the long weekend folks!

The Windsors

The Royal Wedding is over (cue wailing peasants) and some of us have been left a little restless and in need a royal fix. Might I suggest the in depth wonders of two excellent documentaries, Windsor Castle: A Royal Year (just got in the mail today from Amazon)and Monarchy: The Royal Family at Work.  In celebration of the royal wedding I rewatched Monarchy for the third time and took in the slew of specials on BBC America. 

But if you are looking for a true look behind the fortress of the family firm, I suggest renting (both are available on Netflix) or buying the two documentaries mentioned. Windsor Castle boasts extensive interviews with the Duke of Edinburgh (ie Prince Phillip, ie the Queen’s husband) and a thorough look at castle living from a vast amount of Her Majesty’s employees, a group of remarkable and intriguing people in their own right. Monarchy also features interviews with Queen Elizabeth’s children, Prince Charles, the Princess Royal (ie Princess Anne), Prince Andrew and Prince Edward. You’d be surprised at how humorous they all are, really.

I also caught an excellent special recently on the National Geographic Channel, of all stations, called Royal Wedding Revealed, which covers all the royal weddings to take place within the past century. It was well done - no fluff, as many of these specials tend to have.  I also enjoyed the special on BBC America, Memories of a Queen, which was an insightful look in the Queen Elizabeth II reign and what a long one it has been. Some speculate that she will outlive Charles, given her mother lived to be over 100, it is possible she may. She’ll be celebrating her Diamond Jubilee next summer, which means she’s had a sixty year run on the throne.  

I know we're all endlessly intrigued by the new generation of royals and the future of the monarchy truly rests upon their very well known shoulders, but the history of the family itself is fascinating and in my opinion, if people could be wonders of the world, then the Windsor family would be one of them.