The Railroad Background of the Pine Creek Rail Trail

By David Ira Kagan On May 9, 1883, the Jersey Shore, Pine Creek and Buffalo Railroad was completed through Pine Creek Valley. On that day, a work crew from the north met one coming from the south at “Ross House,” about 10 miles north of Waterville. This main line allowed narrow-gauge logging railroads to be…

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Experiencing The Pine Creek Rail Trail In Early April

By David Ira Kagan What is so very special about bicycling, walking or jogging along the Pine Creek Rail Trail at the beginning of April? When your spouse, your friends-even your enemies-tell you that you’re crazy, meshuggener, to be out there at this time of the year? When you need to wear gloves, woolen socks…

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Time To Join Me On The Rail Trail

By David Ira Kagan Out on March 13th on the Pine Creek Rail Trail, I rode my bicycle for the first time since January 5th. Although still a bit soft in places from the downpour a week earlier and the melt-off of snow and ice, it’s now manageable from the southern terminus off Railroad Street…

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An Old Cemetery Filled With The Young

David Kagan Utceter Cemetery, in western Lycoming County along Pine Creek just off the rail-trail one mile south of Slate Run, contains about 45-50 gravesites of 19th century pioneer farming and lumbering families. The names include Callahan, Tomb, Stradley, Hilborn and Herritt. Daniel Callahan, born in Ireland, was a Revolutionary War veteran who received a…

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July 26th Ride of 117 Miles

David Ira Kagan At 8 a.m. on this beautiful summer day, I bicycled from my Torbert Village home northward, with the intent of going all the way to the northern terminus at Stokesdale Junction. Two flowers were blooming profusely all along the trail-Queen Anne’s Lace and Woodland Sunflower. Shortly after noon, I came across Paul…

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Visit with Bob and Dottie Webber

By David Ira Kagan On July 27, 2010, this writer, his wife and two friends experienced the pleasure of visiting the legendary Webbers at their cabin home high above Slate Run on the west side of Pine Creek. From the left are Bob Webber, my wife Beth, Bob’s wife Dottie, and husband and wife Janice…

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Drowned Rat Dave

By David Kagan Bicycling through rain. Through a downpour. Through a torrent. Through a deluge! The day? Thursday, July 23, 2009. The forecast that morning? Cloudy, with a 40% chance of a late afternoon shower. At about 1 p.m., I left my Torbert Village home, heading north up the Pine Creek Rail Trail. I thought…

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Historical Sign at Ramsey Village

By David Kagan If you’ve bicycled past the village of Ramsey on the Pine Creek Rail-Trail since mid-summer of 2008, then you couldn’t help noticing the attractive sign at the access parking area. Professionally done by 21st Century Signs of Williamsport, bolted down, and anchored with two solid, thick wooden posts, it reads, “Circa 1790,…

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Bicycling From Dawn To Dusk

By David Kagan Well, I did it! I bicycled along the Pine Creek Rail-Trail from my Torbert Village home to the northern terminus at Stokesdale just above Wellsboro, and then back again–117 miles, in 13 hours, on a beautiful September 17, 2008 day. Why? Partly as training for my fourth straight year of participation in…

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