Jim Thorpe, Late Spring 2019

Our good friends have access to a place up in Jim Thorpe and after a very busy few months we were very lucky to get a few days there to hang out and relax. Of course, there happens to be a train ride there and my understanding friends went along with my plan to check it out.

We rode the open car which was great if a bit loud (from the kids, not the train). What was really refreshing was that the crowd on the train was very multicultural. Usually train rides tend to have an overwhelmingly white clientele. Seeing the passenger makeup on the train and knowing the demographic direction of the country made me much more optimistic about the future of my hobby.

I didn’t get any photos worth sharing from the train, or actually of the train, but I did catch the RDC shuttles while they were in the station. After walking half a mile to our car to return some purchases, I definitely understand why they’re a great alternative to dealing with in-town parking.

We spent some time roaming around town before and after the ride. I particularly enjoyed the heavy mix of coffee shops and bars. Including one called “Notch Eight Craft House” that had great cocktails and an equally great name.

Here are the obligatory “pretty town” photos.

The Libations Lounge at the Harry Packer Mansion was also great. Cheap top shelf Whiskey ($8 Basil Hayden? Thank you sir!) and a great view.

Lunch (because this post wouldn’t be the same without food pics) was at the Marion Hose Bar. “Big Mike’s Marsala Melt” was quite tasty but the real standout were the French Onion Soup Dumplings (and flights of Irish whisky).

We returned to Jim Thorpe the next day to take the Shep Squad and their niece Ein for a walk along the trail. Our timing for heading back to our car just happened to correspond with the departure of the 1pm LGSR train so I was able to get the photo I missed the day before.

Jim Thorpe is a beautiful town and I’m definitely making sure to not piss off those friends because I want to go back.