For no apparent reason....pictures

[Bruce Carriker]

Some pictures of "how I spend my summer vacations"

First picture is of my daughters, Anna (older, taller) and Sara, standing in front of our 'summer home'...a 30-year old mobile home at the foot of the mountain, about a mile below the state park where I serve as summer chaplain.

Second picture is of the park amphitheater where we hold services every Sunday.

Third picture is another shot of what the girls and I jokingly refer to as the 'summer home', with my luxury car parked outside.

Fourth picture is of four of our summer regulars...folks who worship in the park just about every Sunday from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Yes, that's really how we 'dress for church' on Sundays. Because of my lovely legs, I stay away from shorts and I've never been much of a muscle shirt guy. My 'clerical garb' usually consists of Dockers and a PA Council of Churches golf shirt. Sometimes I actually wear shoes. Sometimes I wear sandals.

Final picture is a shot of the lake. It's small, only about 45 acres. But it's one of the most beautiful places I've ever been. You can't see from the angle of the picture, but this is what is right behind me every Sunday when I preach. When I look at the folks I sometimes can't tell if they're paying attention to me, or focusing on the wonder of God's creation that's just over my shoulder. Who could blame them if it's the latter?

[Bob Evans]

Bruce

it looks like great fun. Where is this park?

Bob

[Bruce Carriker]

Before I answer, Bob, I wanted to tell you. I eat at your place in Olathe from time to time. You guys have the BEST biscuits and gravy!

Cowans Gap State Park, near Fort Loudon, Pennsylvania. Of course, Fort Loudon has about 500 people or so, so no one's ever heard of it. It was a British fort on the trail from Philadelphia to Fort Necessity (Pittsburgh), a place that offered some protection from Indians.

First picture is my daughter Sara, standing by the historical marker at the site of the old fort. The next two pictures are of the reconstructed fort. Nothing much to look at. An eight foot split-log fence, with firing ports notched in the logs (you can't see them in this picture). One picture is taken inside the fort and shows the well, which was probably fed from Conococheague Creek. The well is now dried up and filled in, of course. The other picture of the fort is from outside the fort, looking from northeast to southwest. The creek would have been to the west of the fort. In the picture from outside, you can see firing platforms built at two corners of the fort. These were accessed by ladders from the inside.

The fort was/is probably not more than 150 feet x 150 feet. It's pretty much just a big fence to provide minimal security. Of course, when it was built it only had to defend against bows and arrows, spears, and a few muzzle loaders that the Indians may have had.

There was actually a movie made about some of the things that happened in and around Fort Loudon in the 1760's. It was made in 1939, called "Allegheny Uprising" and starred....John Wayne. Yep, that's right. If you're curious, you might check out this thread: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Boys

In any event, Fort Loudon is at the intersection of Pennsylvania 75 and US 30 (The Lincoln Highway), about 20 miles west of Chambersburg, PA, and 40 miles or so north of Hagerstown, MD. To get to Cowans Gap State Park, you go about 5 miles north on Pennsylvania 75, then take a left (west) on Richmond Furnace Road and go 3 miles to the top of the mountain.

[Dave McClung]

Some pictures of "how I spend my summer vacations"

First picture is of my daughters, Anna (older, taller) and Sara, standing in front of our 'summer home'...a 30-year old mobile home at the foot of the mountain, about a mile below the state park where I serve as summer chaplain.



You are blessed!! Most of all for the daughters, but also having such a beautiful place of service. What a great place to spend the summer!!

[Bruce Carriker]

I truly am blessed, Dave. And it really is a personally rewarding ministry, as well. I started while I was in seminary and I really love it. There are times I ache to get back into a church pastorate, but those doors have not re-opened since I finished school. But this ministry is there, and it is fulfilling.

This year I've been asked to help with the training of the new chaplains, and I'm excited about that. I still hope to return to a pastorate at some point. But, to be honest, if I spent the rest of my life being primarily retired military, driving my school bus (only do field trips, ball games, band trips, fun stuff...no regular routes), working part-time in our juvenile offender ministry and spending my summers doing park chaplaincy, it will be a good life.

I've missed out on so much of my daughters' lives, since there mother has moved them constantly since she left me...from here to Montana to Alaska back to Montana back to Alaska to Germany (and three moves in Germany). That's been the saddest part of my life. But we do have such wonderful times in PA when we're together for the summers. It's truly a blessing to be able to make some wonderful memories with them. Our time together is scarce, but it's good. Did I mention that we don't get ANY TV stations where we're at? No cable, no satellite, can't pull anything in with an antenna. IT'S WONDERFUL!

So we spend our nights talking, reading, playing the guitar. It really is a great environment. And only an hour from Gettysburg, less than that to Antietam, and about 2-2-1/2 hours from Washington, DC. Lucky for me, my girls are history buffs.