Alternate Routes

I've been forced to take an alternate route to work this week. The neighboring township's road crew is doing something that requires blocking the main (only) northern road in and out of Roundtop. Their designated detour takes me miles off my own route, so I've been creating my own detour for the past two days.

This morning's route carried me along the aptly named Ridge Road where I came across this view across the valley. You can just see a hint of "alpenglow" along the mountain. The road that travels the bottom of the mountain is also aptly named--Range End Road. Here marks the last of the broad band of Appalachian Mountains that cuts through Pennsylvania. The mountains run NE-SW through Pennsylvania so there are many such endings in the southeast corner of the state.

Although finding out that my route was blocked by suddenly encountering a sign in the middle of the road was a bit of a shock, I've since rather enjoyed finding an alternate route to work. I've seen views of the landscape that I haven't passed in some time, and like the view posted here, the alternate route has rewards of its own. I've also been reminded that there's no reason why I should take the same route to work every morning. Just because it's the fastest route and the best road shouldn't mean that I can't enjoy the pleasure of seeing what else is just off my own beaten path.