One of my several strange little quirks is my obsession with love of all things post-apocalyptic…
THE STORY
Last Fall I had written about this cool little slice of post-apocalyptic realism that is the Abandoned PA Turnpike. Not many people realize that when they are traveling along the Pennsylvania Turnpike near Breezewood, PA that just yards away from them is the Abandoned PA Turnpike. Back in 1968, for whatever reason, the turnpike was 4 lanes, but with only 1 lane tunnels…you can imagine how well that worked out. Instead of digging larger tunnels or widening the tunnels that existed, the state simply rerouted the turnpike for approximately 13 miles.
Over the years the abandoned stretch has been used for a variety of things, one of which not surprisingly as the setting of a large part of the post-apocalyptic movie, The Road. And of course, you know that I’ve seen that. In 2001 it was decided to turn it into an official hiking/biking trail, but ultimately that never happened. While that is now what it’s predominantly used for, it’s an enter at your own risk scenario. There are two tunnels along the stretch which have become bat habitats over the years, so between October and April the tunnels are a no-go because our little nocturnal friends are hibernating.
We visited the Sideling Hill Tunnel; we didn’t do both tunnels because 13 miles was a bit more than we were wanting to walk. My friends, traversing this tunnel is not for the faint of heart. I like to fancy myself a badass in most respects, but one of my main fears is…the dark. Once we were not too far into the tunnel, it was dark…by the time we reached the midpoint? It was DARK! As in, you could almost convince yourself that you’d gone blind if you didn’t have a flashlight to prove otherwise dark. Once we got to the midpoint (the tunnel is about a mile and a quarter long) you really had a hard time even seeing a point of light at either end, the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel. It’s at that point I imagine one could get a little panicky. I was fine though because I was so entirely enthralled by the post-apocalyptic vibes I didn’t really notice. The plethora of graffiti and strange little candle lit shrines also made for good distractions from the perfect zombie-cloaking darkness.
The sheer volume of graffiti was both irritating and beautiful. Irritating because I’m not really one for messing up others’ property with spray paint, and immature imbeciles should not be permitted to purchase spray paint…seriously, how many penises can one paint in 1.28 mile stretch of tunnel? The answer to that is a hell of a lot. And sadly they ruined some of the truly beautiful art that people had obviously put time and feeling into. Oh, and I apologize for any unintended penis photo bombs in my snaps…lol!
It was honestly a perfect day…even though we had to walk the last 3/4 of a mile back to the car in a downpour. The fact that my boys made the time to take us there and that my family not only indulges my weird interests, but enjoys them almost as much as I do means the world to me.
If you’re ever in the area and have an interest in weird, spooky and/or abandoned places I highly recommend that you stop and visit the lonely stretch of the Abandoned PA Turnpike. The natural beauty of the area is not to be missed either. I would really love to go back in the fall once the leaves change, but our mosquito eating rabies carrying friends will be preparing for hibernation by then so sadly that won’t be happening…however, there’s always the graffiti highway in Centralia…
THE OUTFIT
For obvious reasons, the outfit isn’t the focal point of today’s post. However I do highly recommend this super cute and fabulously soft peplum tank top from American Eagle (I know…where else would it be from…lol). As I often do, I snagged it in four different colors; pink, blue, white and faded black. I’ve already worn all of them and they’ll definitely be on heavy repeat this summer.
The denim shorts are my Tomgirl Shorts from last summer, also from American Eagle. Just like their jeans, these are pretty much the only shorts that I wear. I do need to pick up a non-shredded pair since there are times one might not be able to wear shorts that look like they were caught under the lawn mower.
The sneakers were purely for practicality. If you ever see me wearing the coral Reeboks as opposed to my usual Adidas then you know I mean business. I would have loved to have done a full-blown outfit shoot in this setting, but hiking in the heat was required so that wasn’t happening. This outfit was perfect for a short hike though.
The shoes were made for walking, the tank top was lightweight and comfortable and the shorts made since because it was pretty hot out. If you do ever decide to go strolling through an abandoned tunnel though, even if it’s sweltering outside, take a lightweight top layer such as a chambray shirt or light jacket. I didn’t do that…I know, rookie mistake, so on the way back through the tunnel I was freezing my butt off. Lesson learned. Always have a jacket for the apocalypse.
THE TIP
Whether they are stylish or not, it’s important to have a solid pair of walking/hiking shoes in your closet. Even if you aren’t planning to travel through a post-apocalyptic wasteland, there are always situations where comfort trumps fashion.
THE LINK UPS
Check out the weekly link ups I participate in for even more fashion and style ideas…
Tank Top: American Eagle; Shorts: American Eagle; Sneakers: Reebok (Similar)
