The weather forecast for today is iffy so we're not in any rush to get started. Finally around 10:00 AM the rain showers stop and we've worked up directions to two covered bridges, the first about 25 miles from here and the second about 35 miles north of the first.
We load the kids in the car, leashes, towels and water, lock up and head for Jacksonville Rd. Tina has worked out a back country route taking us through Mennonite country. It is really beautiful with tilled fields ready for planting interspersed with emerald green pastures filled with dairy cows or beef cattle. Houses and barns gleam with fresh coats of whitewash and horse drawn buggies prance along the streets. As we drive we pass several one room school houses with children at play under the watchful eye of their teacher. The men are mostly bearded signifying they are married and the women we see are dressed in traditional high collar dresses and bonnets.
We slowly meander our way south east towards Loganton, crossing several of the curved ridges that make up this part of Pennsylvania known geologically as Appalachian Mountain region. Eventually we drive down a small road and come to the Logan Mill Covered Bridge. Originally built in 1874, the bridge uses a Burr Arch Truss with a 64" Queen post. Refurbishment was started in 2002 by Lycoming Construction and completed in 2004. The bridge sits next to Logan Mill and crosses Fishing Creek. Nestled in the middle of farmland on both sides of the creek the bridge is open to traffic. We stopped and took several photos of the bridge and surrounding area. 
Returning to the car we checked our map and headed east through the town of Loganton and on to Carol, driving past small clusters of houses, dairy farms and barns. Reaching the town of Carol we turned north eventually passing Rauchtown and entering Ravensburg State Park. Here, along Morgan Creek, we came upon the old Paint Mill building which was one of the original paint mills where early colonial paint was manufactured. Today it has been converted to a community center and the companies old office building is a house, right across the highway. Continuing on past Antes Fort and crossed the Susquehanna River and on to SR-220. We drove to Williamsport where we decided to get gas and lunch. After a quick bite at Wendy's we headed north on US-15 to Steam Valley. Here, amid huge road construction equipment we turned west toward our final destination on another small country road.
We find our turn and head off to find our second bridge! Right! Well the plan was okay, but after passing from pavement to dirt and not finding the bridge, we stopped and I hopped out to ask for help from a young man in a pickup truck. He scratched his head then gave me directions to the only bridge in the area. Before I walked back to the car he noticed our Washington license plates and asked where we lived. I told him northwest of Seattle on Whidbey. Turns out he has two twin sisters in Washington, one in Spokane and the other in Rochester, south of Olympia. How's that for a coincidence? 
We turned around and went back to the main road, turned left and following his directions drove right to it, after leaving the asphalt once again. We had arrived at the bridge with three names. Officially known as the Buckhorn Bridge, it is also known as the Cogan House Bridge and the Larry's Creek Bridge. The bridge was built in 1877, also with the Burr Arch Truss design and a structure length of 190 feet crossing Larry's Creek. Unfortunately, even though it is passable with a car it dead ends just past the bridge at a gate leading onto gameland property but it was fun just getting there and seeing it. From here we saddled up and headed back home. It was a nice day, slight mist at times but pretty much a dry day. Until we got back to the coach and leashed up the dogs for a walk. Then it started to come down. - of course, heheheh. Tomorrow we think we might go for a boat ride. Stay tuned.
To see all of today's photos, click on the following link:
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