Hey, when are where are we going to meet? I'm local so you name the time and place and I'll be there.

 

I am planning on being at the Sheetz in Connellsville (1002 W Crawford Ave, Connellsville, PA 15425) around 10 to 10:30, I don't think this has changed. See ya there.

 

I just confirmed I have to work this Sat.
You guys have fun, and take hellabunches of pictures and make me jealous, k?

 

That's too bad. No way you could get sick on Saturday? We won't tell

 

Yeah thats right... i'll be there between 10 and 10:30. i am going to try and get there as close to 10 as possible. Since we might not be able to hit Hawkins, i am thinking we can do this new version of the loop i found last time there and then we can travel the 10 miles down the road and check out Bidwell. Jack, i think you said you've already been down that way... am i right?


yeah... call in sick. but we will take plenty of pictures. hope you can make the next run!

 

Alex, I won't be able to make it Saturday, I just have way too much going on. But...

The gate should still be up at Hawkins Hollow...the township meeting about closing the road took place last night and the township supervisors are dead set on closing the road for good and taking the road off of the township maps to deem it back to the landowners. The township wants to relieve itself of all liability. Once the road goes back to the land owners there will be no legal access for it since the property at the top of Hawkins Hollow is owned by the man who wants the road closed.

About 20 of us showed up last night to provide alternatives to closing the road permanently, but the township supervisors told us they don't care what we have to say they want the road closed and they don't see how they can change their mind. A hearing for the final decision on this will take place next month was what they told us at the end of the meeting last night.

If the gate has been torn down by locals when you go there Saturday you can still access the land since legally it is still a township road (at least it was as of 8pm last night). You might run into trouble though if the water authority police or the state police find you down there since the road was gated and they might think you were the ones who busted through it. But like I said it is still a legal road...the adjacent land owners all received keys to the gate so if the gate is open and you go down there, you may not get back up if one of the land owners shuts the gate once you are down in the Hollow.

 

Woe! I own an abstracting firm - Real Property Law. Somebody has some DEEP pockets. No, I do not know PA law - MD Real Property Law is tough enough to understand. But I think we have all seen the controversies over the wetlands to recognize the signs of , "The Have vs. The Have More."

He is the type of person we hope dies with no legal heirs - or a Life Estate with Remainder Interest reverting back to the township.

'Nough said. I don't know enough about PA law to really comment.....except for the obvious.

 

Unfortunatley it appears as if the land owner that wants the road closed and started all this mess years ago has the largest plot of land touching the road. The land is in a trust with his mother's name and he is the beneficiary.

It appears as if we have an uphill battle and not too much time to get anything done about it before the township supervisors finally have their way.

But for about another month the road is still legal if somehow you find the gate open cause the locals tore it down, or if you enter Hawkins Hollow from the top of the mountain on the creek trail...but that means you have to go back up the creek trail to exit.

For everyone that is going tomorrow have a good time, and I hope you don't run into the guy that is causing all the problems!

 

If we run into him hard enough maybe the problem will go away.

 

Hey Guy,

1) See you at Sheetz about 10:15 a.m.

2) I'll drive past Hawkins Hollow and see if the gate is up on my way down the mountain.

3) Township politics is a "good old boy" thing and the mentality is disgusting. Reminds me of the poverty mindset I had to deal with in Africa when I was doing some relief work.

4) Yeah, I've been down Bidwell a number of times. Actually there are lot of rough dirt roads in the mountains near Connellsville that are nice rides but not really challenging. There are also some logging cuts and skidder trails on which to play.