A Summer Working (and Playing) in the Laurel Highl

Skiing and golfing are the favorite sports of the locals and guests, as well as kayaking and rafting on the Youghiogheny. Lots of seniors, as well as not-so-seniors in the area are avid cross-country enthusiasts. The woods are full of white-haired gentlemen with wool knickers and British accents at 7:00 in the morning. The beauty of the rhododendron woods around Storybook Forest on down into Ohio Pyle State Park explains why so many people here want to be outdoors all winter.

Also, in the last decade or so, the historic importance of the area has been emphasized by the declaring of Route 40 as "The National Road," and with this, the enchantment of the area is complete, because now the historical importance of each stop along the way is apparent to the visitor.

Quick Tips:

Do not miss a walk in the woods--or several, if you can. If you can spend only a weekend, plan to return. The Laurel Highlands is a place to include on your "favorites" list, a place to get to know well. Besides hiking, many ski shops in the area have cross-country lessons on weekends, which include a short lesson, then free time and equipment rental, all for one low price--and they have access to trails in the absolutely magical woods. Seven Springs Resort has an abundance of trails, of course. You may meet deer and other wildlife--hopefully in the woods, not on the roads. Most locals can tell you about their encounters with deer on the roads there, so drive more carefully than usually. Consider yourself fortunate if you drive away without any injury to yourself or an animal. In wet areas or near water, watch out for beaver, as they have sharp teeth, as my whitewater adventure will testify.

Best Way To Get Around:

Driving is the only way to get around the Highlands, and plan to do more of it than usual, because no two attractions are very close.

The recipes at The Stone House Inn have remained unchanged for a century or even longer. Place mats tell you that and about previous owners and their cooking and also previous guests to the Inn. I believe there have been only three owners in this century, so the features of a very old inn have been preserved pretty well. Parking is ample and free. The Inn is right on the road, just one giant step from where cars pass, a reminder that this Route 40 was indeed The National Pike, a road that early dignitaries, surveyors, and settlers wanted open to facilitate travel from the coast into the interior of a developing nation. So, when I read that important historical personages ate and slept here, I took it seriously. See the inn for yourself at their website: www.stonehouseinn.com and you will agree that this place was important to travellers west a long time ago.

The menu includes chicken and dumplings, made the way General Braddock liked them, cooked according to the same recipe that he enjoyed when he was a visitor there. I just had to order that, since I am an afficionado of authentic recipes. It was delicious, just like grandma used to make. But I was also delighted on another occasion by the tiramisu, very light. (The present owner is quite an accomplished chef.)

I always ask at an inn if I can "look in" the rooms, even if I'm not staying there. I have found that at mealtimes most rooms are empty with the doors open for viewing. Of course, the owners like to show off their beautifully preserved bits of history. I believe I saw all the rooms at The Stone House Inn, all delightfully furnished with antiques and decorated with the ambiance of a bygone era. As for the decor in the dining areas, ask to sit in the front dining room, as the bar area and back room are not so nice, paneled and not as authentic. The Inn is always busy at mealtime, so you may have to wait; however, you won't mind, so pleasant are the surroundings. Take this opportunity to do your tour of the Inn. Besides, this is a well-managed place where just a little confusion never gets out of control. I live less than two hours away, so I'll return again and again.

Nino Barsotti's, called "Nino's" by locals, is absolutely fine, a find, and perhaps one of the best finds in the Western part of Pennsylvania. I drive two hours to get there, and it's worth it. Saturday nights, reservations are necessary, especially if you want to sit in the dining room. You may be able to sit in the bar and still have dinner if you neglect to make a reservation, but you probably won't get in the dining room. I must also suggest that men wear a jacket for seating in the dining room, but you can be supplied with one if you aren't proud. Nino's is worth all this fuss, for the establishment has earned high recommendations from Pittsburgh dining guides for its great Italian food and has created a fine antique atmosphere. All this, and then there's the informal, sporty, fun-loving friendliness of the locals, who have made Nino's their gathering place of choice. Plan to stay a while in the bar after dinner.

n On the main road in Mt. Pleasant, Nino Barsotti's is set in a clearing of Laurel woods, an enchanting setting. There's valet parking. In warm weather some outdoor space offers dining among the flowering evergreen background. All your favorite Italian dishes are delicious, as well as homemade ice cream. But if you appreciate decor, you'll enjoy it as much as the food. There is a huge number of antique Tiffany lights, enough to fill two floors, empire and Victorian sofas, stained glass windows rescued from a church that burned, Victorian pictures, and more.

The owners have traveled in Canada to shop for antiques and have found some gems. Also, the building was a speakeasy during Prohibition, and perhaps that historical twist contributes to its uniqueness. At any rate, Nino Barsotti's Restaurant is one of a kind. You'll want the tour, another reason to stay until the dinner rush is over--that's when our waiter was glad to take us upstairs, which was closed without a banquet that night. If you're staying in the area a few days, talk to local folks in the bar before you leave, and they'll fill you in on what's happening.

Heading West on Route 40 from The Stone House Inn toward Uniontown, you'll see signs for Laurel Caverns. Turn left off Route 40 and follow the signs for less than 10 miles. They offer tours later than I expected, perhaps 5:30. The cavern has a huge room which cave gourmets think is grand. I'm not a gourmet, but I appreciated the quantity and quality of the information on this tour.

The guides worked there, not just leading tours, I suspect, for they knew their subject well and readily answered all questions that asked. This was just entertainment for me, but there are passages there for the expert spelunker, who would appreciate the significance of this cave, one of its kind east of the Mississippi. For families, there are picnic tables and grassy play areas with a great mountain view--a good place to spend an afternoon. One word of caution: the walk down is easy, though sometimes wet and slippery, not for those with unsure footing, and the hike back up is a tad strenuous.

The highlight of this 45-60 minute tour was probably the light show. Before complete darkness, the guide had us position ourselves for the most advantageous viewing of stalactites and stalagmites lighted according to the Hallelujah Chorus. Okay, that's really "touristy," but it was late, almost dark outside on a winter Sunday. We had a two-hour drive home, but didn't want to go yet. The music isn't my favorite classical choice in some settings, but in a cave, it worked! Be aware that I'm not recommending this on a sunny afternoon in summer unless you really like caverns or have never been to one. They have a website: www.laurelcaverns.com with information on rappelling and field trips.

My sister and I drove from The Stone House Inn in Farmington, Pa, where we had had lunch, to Kentuck Knob, a short drive. (Follow the signs.) We parked at the Visitor's Center to wait for a bus to the house, so we looked at plants in the greenhouse and statuary in the orchard. There were plenty of fruit trees esplanaded as though they were still cared for by the Hagans. The gift shop had refreshments and gifts, books, etc. There was plenty of space to walk and look at plants until the bus arrived.

The tour guide began as soon as the bus took off, telling us about the construction of the road and the beautiful stone wall Wright had decided to add. He had built Kentuck Knob for the Hagan family of ice cream fame. They were not as wealthy by far as the Kaufmans, so this house was representative of what Wright tried to do for "everyman." You can see the house at the website: www.kentuckknob.org and see how small it is. The hallway to the bedrooms is only 19-inches wide so that the family could never remove the furniture Wright had built into the walls--sounds like Wright, right? Yes, everything on the tour sounded like Wright. He had not got along well with Mrs. Hagan, I think, though he didn't meet the Hagans. But the tour guide's narration of a phone call Mrs. Hagan made to Wright asking for more furniture was revealing of their differences and of Wright's view of his own role as architect: he wanted to do everything for his customers in final form, so that they could get on with enjoying their lives and never need a thing! He was insulted, not artistically, but professionally, his usefulness not appreciated--I was learning this! The working women of today would appreciate architects more than did the non-working women of yesterday--if only we could afford them!

This tour seemed more detailed than Fallingwaters: info on joining corners, preparing the roof for wind on top of that mountain, hanging doors, even. We tourists were extremely crowded into rooms the size in a "trailer home." But how beautiful, functional, durable and cleanable the house is for a small family! In detail, we figured the initial cost compared to others of its day, of today, and we saw how good Wright was, how much better this house than those we compared it to. What a treasure! I learned much more on this tour than at Fallingwaters.

The setting is on the mountain with a great view and paths, places to sit and appreciate the view, so that one doesn't have to run off after the tour. There is a "sculpture garden," a really different one with a "red army" and another interesting artifact: a piece of the Berlin Wall. You must see Fallingwaters, of course, but you can do both on the same day. Better yet, stay a while in the Highlands.

The Youghiogheny River at Ohiopyle State Park is a good place for a novice rafter on a whitewater adventure because the rapids there are not rated with extreme difficulty. That was good for us because there were no experts on this trip and only three in a seven-man raft.

We had words of advice from an instructor; then we were off by ourselves. Good thing the instructor had mentioned, "If you get caught in a hydraulics system, let it take you down to the bottom. Then it will spit you out to the side somewhere." Yes, it was a good point, especially since my companions didn't seem intent on testing their skills at negotiating the rapids. I immediately noticed the difference between them and myself: some people view whitewater as a carnival ride, not a test of skill or presence of mind. I had thought we would stay dry, be "victorious" over that river! Only those folks on the guided tours managed to do that.

As we approached "Double Hydraulics" rapid, one of the fellows apparently changed his mind about whether we were going left or right--I thought we had planned to go right. So, the raft went straight up a boulder, front pointing toward the sky and two of us under it. Remembering the instructor's warning, I pushed on the bottom of the raft to propel myself down into the whirlpool. Yes, the system spit me up to the side--at the top of a cascade! I remembered other advice our teacher had given us: "If you have to go over a waterfall, make sure you get turned around feet first." Right! The water was high that day, and all I could do was keep my nose out of it as I slid over the rocks head first on my back.

Amazed that I still had my oar in my hand (you are charged if you lose it!), I was glad to see the shore and swam until I could stand up. Yes, I could stand, but I couldn't take a step on that slippery mud without falling on an angry beaver. "Yack, Yack, Yack"--he showed me his BIG teeth. Just four feet from me, he made me want to laugh, but I screamed for my one companion still in the raft to come after me. Frozen there until he arrived, I didn't take my eyes off the creature, nor unstiffen my knees. At least my companions got serious at this point, and we made it to the end of the 7-mile ride without another mishap.

A bus took us back to the Visitor's Center, where there was a public shower up the road. Under the spray, I could see bruises on almost everyone. Some people were covered with them, bruises two feet in length! I must point out, though, that none of these folks were senior citizens. No, they were all outside, still in dry, pressed clothes, because they had been smart enough to join a guided tour.