Tat’s Bizarre Travels

Uniontown, PA - While heading deep into the Laural Highlands for a fun filled day of visiting predetermined offbeat attractions I came across the Searights Toll House. It was one of those unexpected stops. As I was driving along I saw this odd little building with a parking lot, so I pulled on in. Actually I turned around about 200 feet down the road and then pulled in. Typically I’m so focused on getting to my first destination I don’t stop to see the other odd sights that pepper the landscape.

The Searights Toll House is a museum, or so says the sign on the the window. There are no hours posted and the door was locked when I got there so I was a bit disappointed. At 2PM on a Saturday I thought I if they did have house I was nailing them. (In fact if you visit the Searights Toll House page you will notice that they advertise being open from 10 to 4) So with the toll house closed I proceeded to wander around the outside a take a gander.

The building has a list of toll costs on the outside and you can tell it was built in the good ‘ol cart and horse days. Especially when you read that cattle costs 3¢. Once you read the history of the toll house, which you have to get from the internet because the museum’s hours are mysterious, you find out that once the roads became paved and automobiles started ruling the highway the toll houses closed down, only to be replaced years later by those handsome devils the toll booth. And the Easy Pass.

Jenner, PA - Poor giant praying mantis, he’s a bit worse for wear. According to Roadside America the big guy has been vandalized a number of times. On my visit he was again in less than perfect condition. An antenna had snapped and hanging down his face, poor guy. He’s a bit of cutie, with big red eyes and claws. Unfortunately the store was closed so I didn’t get to hear any stories about his life in Jenner, but I snagged some photos. I just wish that the local kids would let him be so everyone could get a picture of him at his best.

Homer City, PA - This was probably the most angry I’ve ever been at Google maps. The directions they gave, while technically correct, were hideously vague. I once again cursed myself for using Google and considered the alternative, GPS. I’m cheep, though, and Google is free. Gas, however, is not, so I’m looking into it.

Eventually, after not giving up even though my gas tank wanted me to, I finally found my way to the Homer City Generating Station. Surprisingly, if you just ignore the Google directions and start guessing it’s very easy to find. And disturbingly easy to get into. I didn’t walk the whole power plant, and stayed on my side of the fence, but from the looks of it if you really wanted to there was nobody to stop you. Even without jumping the fence you can get just a few yards away from the giant smoke stacks and cooling towers. In fact I’ve never been that close before and it’s a little unnerving. Very impressive, though.