How Do You Celebrate Your 80th Birthday? CNBNews Editor Did It His Way
Thursday, October 17, 2024
UPDATED WITH NEW PHOTOS/Oct. 19, 2024/7 PM
William E. Cleary Sr. | CNBNews
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GLOUCESTER CITY, NJ (October 18, 2024)(CNBNews)--In the warm month of July, the anticipation for my upcoming 80th birthday in October began to build. Picturing myself trying to blow out 80 candles on the top of the cake didn't excite me. It had to be something different from how I celebrated my birth in the past. Reflecting on previous years, I reminisced about the exciting experiences I had undertaken to celebrate those occasions. Some I remember include sitting in the press box watching the Phillies win the 1980 World Series, soaring through the skies in a blimp with my wife, and gazing down upon the Philadelphia City Hall and the iconic statue of Billy Penn, embarking on a breathtaking flight in a floatplane over the awe-inspiring Alaskan glaciers, white water rafting after the dam was opened on the Lehigh River, flying gracefully in a glider plane, and feeling the rush of adrenaline while parasailing above the boundless Atlantic Ocean. Additionally, I cherished the memories of standing in wonderment before Mount Rushmore, taking in the breathtaking beauty of the Rocky Mountains, and witnessing the unforgettable spectacle of the Old Faithful geyser and a buffalo herd in Yellowstone Park. I will be the first to admit that I sometimes have a reputation for being eccentric. Although I am tempted to elaborate, I think it would be best for this article to write about those days in a future article.
Some years back, when I enjoyed hunting, I had plans to journey to New Mexico in pursuit of the majestic elk. That was three decades ago, and now my once cherished firearms lay dormant, cloaked in a film of neglect within a securely locked safe nestled in the corner of my home.
I invited by longtime friends - Bob Bevan, Marty Sherry, and Bill Tourtual - and their excitement matched mine as we eagerly planned to embark on an exhilarating adventure in a new and unexplored part of the country. The thought that we may see one of these magnificent creatures in their undisturbed natural habitat filled us with anticipation.
Contemplating life and its enigmatic wonders, I sometimes wonder why I am still here, a sentiment that resonates with many who have reached a similar milestone.
Thinking about past experiences, I realized that I've never had the opportunity to witness an elk in its natural habitat. This sparked a new sense of curiosity and a desire to embark on this adventure. The western mountains of Pennsylvania are in the Appalachian Mountain range and are home to a herd of approximately 1400 elk, especially active during the rutting season in September and October. While I understood the odds of spotting an elk in their vast 3000 square mile range was slim to none, my companions and I were willing to try it.
I found research that identified several places with a decent population of elk. One was in Austin, PA, and another was in Benezette, PA. While searching for a place to stay on Airbnb, I found a stunning cabin on my computer screen. It could easily be featured in HOME AND GARDEN. The cabin, located at 37 TrackBed Lodge in Austin, PA, is a four-bedroom house with two bathrooms. A trout stream is just 200 feet from the home's front door, and beautiful mountains surround the area. The hosts are Lorie and Joe.
Early Monday morning, we headed for our destination. The five-hour drive was filled with continuous laughter, commencing when we departed from Gloucester City. My companions entertained us with jokes, leading to uncontrollable laughter with tears streaming down our faces. Upon our arrival, we were greeted by overcast skies and a gentle drizzle.
Monday afternoon, we reached our destination. After unloading our baggage, we headed to Austin, looking for someplace to eat. Austin had a cozy diner named “Big Mike’s.” Stepping inside, we were warmly welcomed by the colossal figure of the owner, coincidentally named Mike, and his hospitable wife, who skillfully prepared our meals. Across from the diner, we encountered Perry's Country Store/Sports Shop. The moment we entered, our eyes were drawn to a rustic potbelly stove surrounded by inviting, comfortable chairs.
Austin is located in Potter County and is 100 miles from Williamsport, home of the Little League World Series. It is a mountainous region on the Allegheny Plateau drained by the Allegheny, Cowanesque, and Genesee rivers and Oswayo, Pine, Kettle, and Sinnemahoning creeks. The county contains over 390 square miles (1,010 square km) of state forests and seven state parks.
On Tuesday morning, we drove to Coudersport, a charming town 15 miles from Austin, to have breakfast at Kaytee’s Restaurant. According to the 2020 census, the population of Coudersport is 2,346, and the town sits at an elevation of 1,655 feet above sea level. The helpful clerk at Perry’s gave us directions, mentioning that the restaurant was just over the hill on Route 872. However, she failed to mention that the journey would take us along a narrow, winding, single-lane highway with treacherous twists and turns, making climbing the mountain quite challenging. The ascent was so steep that I had to shift my van into 2nd gear to climb some of the hills. We were all relieved when we finally reached Main Street in Coudersport. John Burkhardt, a former resident of Gloucester City, lived in Coudersport for 41 years. When he first moved there, he and his wife owned a laundromat. Later in life, he became a real estate developer and an inventor. John graduated from Gloucester High School in 1962 and worked as a police officer in Westville from 1967 to 1979, after which he moved to Coudersport. He passed away on July 19, 2020, at 77. John, who held a 4th-degree black belt, taught many Gloucester residents how to defend themselves using martial arts.
Breakfast was delicious and much more reasonable than what the diners here in South Jersey are charging. For example, at Kaytees Restaurant, the Lumberjack breakfast consists of two eggs any style, two strips of bacon, two sausage patties, two pieces of ham, two medium pancakes, two hash brown triangles, or home fries for just $14.99. Coffee is $2.39 a cup. After eating and doing some sightseeing, we headed back to our cabin. See menu
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The descent down the mountain from Cloudsport was a heart-pounding experience reminiscent of riding on a roller coaster at an amusement park. As I navigated around a sharp curve, a pesky fly appeared out of nowhere and somehow became trapped behind one lens of my eyeglasses, obstructing my vision. I initially mistook it for a bee, but thankfully, it wasn't. Descending at a high speed, I struggled to focus on the winding road with only one functional eye. Marty repeatedly urged me to slow down while Bob clutched the leather seat, his fingernails digging into the material as we descended the twisting road toward Austin. I was riding the brake as much as I could. Initially, my passengers were puzzled by my distress. I kept screaming, “A fly is in my eye.” To rid myself of the obstructing insect, I awkwardly removed my glasses with one hand while steering with the other, driving around a curve. Later, Tourtual revealed that he had thought “A Fly Is in My Eye” was a song I was singing.
That afternoon, we received a tip that elk were seen a few miles from our cabin. We drove to that area but saw nothing despite riding up and down the road until dusk. We headed to a nearby tavern for dinner to plan our strategy for the next day. That stop was followed by a visit to the Austin V.F.W. Post 7810 for some delicious French fries. Burkhardt was a member of that Post when he was alive.
The weather remained the same Wednesday morning: we awoke to an overcast sky with misty rain. It was the last full day we had to search for our quarry. Late that afternoon, around 4 PM, we returned to where the elk had been reported the day before. The skies were clear, and the rain finally stopped. As we drove around a curve, a pickup truck and a car were stopped on the side of the road. “We found them!” I yelled.
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As I drove along the road, I spotted two bull elks and a female grazing in the heavy brush just a few feet away. Unlike whitetail deer, known for being skittish, these elk seemed unfazed by our presence as we stopped to take pictures. The large racks on the two bulls were truly impressive, with their shiny, sharpened horn tips indicating their readiness for the mating season. Those racks can weigh as much as 40 pounds. As we watched, one of the bulls bellowed and approached our vehicle, providing a rare and exhilarating experience. It's not often that people on the East Coast get to witness these beautiful animals in the wild. The monstrous rack that an elk carries weighs up to 40 lbs.
Later, as the sun dipped behind the horizon, we discovered that the man in that pickup truck was Rick Rodgers. His warm and enthusiastic personality immediately drew us in, and we were captivated by the wealth of knowledge he shared about these animals that roam the forests of Pennsylvania.
As I was capturing a picture of the bull elk, I inadvertently snapped a photo of Rick Rodgers without realizing it. (CNBNews)
"I was happy to be at the right spot at the right time to not only see the Elk but to meet you guys, said Rodgers. "I did a little research, and I was in error about the herd size in this state. I had the weight of these big Elk wrong, too," he said.
"The estimated size of the herd is between 900 and 1400 animals. The weight of the full-grown Bull would be around 800-900lbs. If you want more information on them, check out the Pennsylvania Game Commission. They have a great article about the history of the decline and eventually the extinction of the native Elk and how they brought them back from the herds out in Yellowstone."
"I work for Walker Lumber Company out of Woodland, PA, as their green lumber buyer. Part of my job is to visit sawmills throughout the State of Pennsylvania and New York areas bordering Pennsylvania. Putting in a lot of miles but enjoying scenes like we experienced on Wednesday," he said.
After the elks moved into the thick shrubs, I turned the van around and drove a short distance to a nearby field, where I found a group of eight to ten cows feeding. Meanwhile, the two bulls, positioned about 100 yards apart, began to rub their antlers on the ground and trees. With binoculars and cameras at the ready, we anticipated a potential battle between the bulls. However, as night fell, the outcome remained unseen.
We were sad that our time there ended too soon on Thursday morning. We packed our belongings and embarked on the five-hour journey back home in South Jersey. The cherished moments spent with my childhood friends during those four days will forever be etched in my memory. Their endless storytelling, the repetition of those jokes I heard so many times, and the laughter continue to echo in my mind. Plus, the wonderful encounter with the noble and majestic elk added a memorable and enchanting touch to my 80th birthday adventure.
upstairs bedroom at 37 TrackBed Lodge
Living room, 37 TrackBed Lodge
Should your travels lead you in that direction, I implore you to reach out to Lorie and Joe, the gracious hosts of 37 Track Bay Lodge, and secure their exquisite cabin. The opulent comfort of our accommodations served to elevate our trip to new heights with an extra layer of delight and contentment. Go to Airbandb and search for 37 TrackBedLodge, Austin, Pa.
In 2023 about 82% of Pennsylvania elk hunters filled their tags said the Pennsylvania Game Commission. That year the Game Commission awarded 144 licenses over three separate seasons and 118 elk were harvested by hunters in northcentral Pennsylvania. The number was evenly split with 59 bulls and 59 cows being shot. Year after year, many dedicated hunters go after one of the largest game animals in the state, the elk (Cervus canadensis). These secretive animals pose a significant challenge to any hunter, with only the lucky (or well-prepared!) hunters successfully filling their tags. The total tag allotment for the 2024 season is 140, split over 3 separate seasons, archery, general and late. Pennsylvania's elk herd is located in the state's northcentral region. As many as 1,400 elk freely roam across 3,000 square miles, mostly within Elk, Cameron, Clinton, Clearfield and Centre counties. Be ELK SMART! - Pennsylvania Game CommissionSee the Pennsylvania Hunter and Trapping Digest for specific details.
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