Our first PA week was spent in the rolling hills and farms near Somerset. They have a great place to walk and bike, called the Allegheny Highlands Trail, which we caught in Rockwood. It is part of the Great Allegheny Passage, that runs from Pittsburgh to at least the Maryland border, along old railroad grades, beside burbling creeks and rivers, through the mountains. Along the trail we saw sparkling spring fed waterfalls, the lush greenery that I so missed during our years in Dallas, and blooming Mountain Laurel, the state flower. There are also remnants of the trail's railroad heritage still in evidence.
Somerset bills itself as a tourist town and is known for the nearby Seven Springs Ski Resort. There are a number of interesting homes and buildings in the city and great barns and covered bridges in the countryside. We bought some tasty fresh veggies at an Amish farm. One of my favorite things is the wind farm that tops one of the ridges.
