Through An 'Old Timer's' Eyes
By Howard 'Mac' McDonald

Have you ever heard of "Rails to Trails?"

It is a program that started more than 20 years ago to convert abandoned railroad lines into a system of public trails. It may have sounded good on paper, but I wonder how much is actually being accomplished.

The next time you head toward St. Marys out of Emporium, take a glance at the railroad grade on the left. You would never believe that trains ran along that rail less than three years ago. The weeds have taken over. I wonder if we can ever get it back.

When it was decided to abandon this rail line, there was talk about a trail on the right-of-way and the outdoor enthusiasts were pretty excited. I am glad that we have not been holding our breath.

I do not know the details, but if this is a program that involves both DCNR and the federal government then I would wager it will never happen in my lifetime. Cameron, Elk, and Potter counties always seem to come up with the short end of the stick. This is probably because we are not endowed with a large voting population.

Maybe the holdup on the trail is because of liability concerns. They could be worried that someone might ride a horse on the trail and its defecation will draw flies that compete with the ladybug populations.

Nationally, there are some Rails to Trails successes. So far, nearly 7,000 miles of interconnected rail-trails have been converted for hiking, bicycling, skiing or snowmobiling. The rules call for the trails to be safe, accessible and scenic. The right-of-way through Cameron County toward St. Marys fits all of those categories so let's get 'er done.

Independence Day has come and gone and our nation is another year older. Many of us are feeling it.

My wife and I motored to DuBois over the weekend and we must have passed by at least 30 cookouts. It looked like everyone was having a great time. The Lord must be a Yankee Doodle Dandy, as he gave us some good weather.

Donna and Sonny Abriatis had their annual bash on Saturday and as usual it was a good one. Lots of cold drinks and a buffet that was outstanding. Everyone brought something and it proved what I have always said: the best cooks in the world come from Pennsylvania. The Dillon family cooked the chicken to perfection and Harry Mansfield and Gail kept the fires going under the best clam chowder I have ever tasted. I hope I am around for next year's party.

Sometimes you wonder why people do some of the things that they do. I was reading where this man got in an argument with a woman at a bus stop and punched her in the face. He then smacked a Good Samaritan with a folder, which fell to the ground when he fled.

Fortunately, the cops tracked him down, thanks to what was inside the folder. And you know what was inside it? His anger management class homework!

Class reunions are something I really enjoy and at the end of August I will be attending my 60th.

I don't know how many from our class have kicked the bucket. This is a two-day blast, so it may cause the demise of a couple more. At our age, you have to be tough to take on a two-day party. We shall see if I am hardy enough to stand up to this test.