Related Links:
The Laurelight Big Oaks Gallery
The Front Porch Country Band
Green Valley Recording
The Midlife Cowboys
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Scores of hidden gems are waiting to be discovered in Pennsylvania’s Southern Highlands. One of these little-known jewels is the music and arts fest presented annually on Ridge Road by Dan and Geeg Eash. Of course the Eash’s use the event to showcase Dan’s hand-made pottery, but the primary purpose is to give back to the community and share their joy of music, antiques and the good life with neighbors, friends and friends-to-be.

Entertainment at the 2008 event included Dr. Gary Stoner, OB/GYN, singer, songwriter, member of the Midlife Cowboys and composer of the song Johnstown Pride, written in the wake of the 1977 Johnstown Flood; and Richard & Alison Rupert, singers, songwriters, members of the Back Porch Country Band, and proprietors of Green Valley Recording Studio. Dan Eash, as well as gracing the crowd with a tune, provided a pottery demonstration during the course of the day’s activities. Geeg was everywhere, organizing, introducing and worrying a little more than she needed to.

It was a wonderful afternoon, complete with flawless performances of classic country and bluegrass tunes, beautiful and original pottery, spectacular scenery, and the sort of friendly, casual company you would expect of a Highlands gathering. To top it off, the Eash’s are gracious hosts, going so far as to babysit for several months a piece of equipment forgotten by a neglectful photographer. I look forward to a similar event this year.

I got down to the creek about 7:00am and found a couple of folks and 2 dogs camped on the banks, but no fishermen. My original assumption was that fishermen don’t get up as early as photographers do. It was only when I got to work the following Monday that I learned Opening Day doesn’t start till 8:00am. It was my first jaunt down the 1/4 mile long Fisherman’s Path (accessed from Clear Shade Road) and I found myself about 50 yards further upstream than I had ever been. So this was the splash dams that my brother and his buddy, Larry Kmeil, had talked about: a broad glade of ponds, reeds and shrubs right in front of my camera. With no fishermen around, I took a few shots of the Creek and the adjacent John P. Saylor Trail and headed out. Ascending out of the glen, I finally saw my first fishermen of the day, on their way down to the creek.

The photo of the Flight 93 Memorial is certainly the non sequiter it appears to be in this gallery, but I wanted to scope the fishing action along the Stonycreek, and thought, while I was in the area, I’d try to reshoot a photo I had taken a couple years before and wasn’t happy with. Who knew they had moved the Memorial across the road and completely altered the composition? As for Opening Day, anglers dotted the Stonycreek from Shanksville, near it’s source, down through Kantner, Hooversville and at least as far as Hollsopple. Thirty years ago, this river was orange and dead. Now look at it. Hollsopple looked like a real fine party going on, and I regret I didn’t have more time to spend there.

One more point to make (okay, a couple more): heading back to Johnstown along 403 and feeling a little peckish, I was trying to work out a scenario for lunch. Cheap and lazy as I am, with my time as well as my money, I hesitated to stop at Sheetz or some other “fast food emporium (there’s a reason they call it JUNK food). Well, God bless the Conemaugh Township Fire Department. Making my way through Tire Hill, there stands a woman at the side of the road waving a sub in my face. Hallelujah! Good food cheap AND quick. Pretty smart having a sub sale on Opening Day,

Finally, if you’re interested in learning more about trout fishing in the highlands, check out the Mountain Laurel Chapter of Trout Unlimited. Good info and pics and a chance to join up.

Enjoy the photos.