pa, ancestory and early US history

  1. 79pmooney

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    pa, you say your folks came to the US in the early 1700s. Mine came over about the same time, but all they found was a British colony. So, the United States were founded by the Dutch and the rest of the colonies were added later after they drove the British out? Not what I learned in school, but then Boston, my home town, was always a little full of itself.

    Thanks for setting me straight! I have a new respect for the Dutch, past and present. (My mom's mom's side of the family is Dutch: Van Wickle.)

    Ben

    Posted 3 months ago

  2. Orange Crush

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    I'm pretty sure the Spanish hold the honor of the first successful European settlement, down in Florida.

    The dutch being smart traders and knowing they'd get the boot anyway, traded New Amsterdam for a guarantee to be left alone in Surinam.

    Of course we got our revenge later on when Willem III booted James II and took over as King of England. Heady days.

    The wise man said follow me...and he walked behind.
    Posted 3 months ago

  3. 79pmooney

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    O.C., that's what I learned. But pa was saying his ancestors moved to the US! Just giving him a gentle hard time about that!

    Ben

    Posted 3 months ago

  4. Orange Crush

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    Ah, now I get the drift of your first post - misread it.

    I'm still bummed most of my ancestors got caught on wrong side of the border when Belgium separated from NL. 5km to the west and I would have been Belgian, now I'm only 1/4 Belgian. They have way better beer.

    Posted 3 months ago

  5. pa biker

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    Right they were here long before it was the US. They did come through New Amsterdam and Josef Jr. fought as a private in the Revolutionary War with Rutherford's Company up near Brandywine, PA. He, like many, was awarded a bit of land after the war on the Western "Frontier" for his service. This Western Frontier is now know as Ohio. Lucky for me on their move West they wintered in Huntingdon, PA and one of his sons, George Washington Mark, decided to stay there.

    Otherwise, I might have been OH Biker.

    Posted 3 months ago

  6. cinghiale

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    PA. . . site of the biggest land battle in the Western Hemisphere: Gettysburg, 150 years ago on July 1-3. I'll be there at dawn July 1 for the refiring of the first shot a couple miles west of town off the Chambersburg Pike (U.S. 30). What a place, hallowed ground, all of it.

    Posted 3 months ago

  7. pa biker

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    I know a good road route from Gettysburg to Chambersburg - auto traffic will be horrendous on route 30.

    Let me know.

    Posted 3 months ago

  8. tpaz

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    I did a cross-PA tour back in the late 80's on my own and used Route 30 for a significant stretch including Gettysburg to Chambersburg. It was decent until I got close to Chambersburg when traffic got heavy due to rush hour.

    The worst roads for traffic were out in Western PA.

    Regards,
    -Tom

    Posted 3 months ago

  9. pa biker

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    I lived in Chambersburg for 6 years and rode rte. 30 perhaps twice.

    It is a horrible road, straight as an arrow, heavy traffic, but more importantly there are small single lave paved roads everywhere.

    I always felt bad for the ride across (insert word here) rides that came through because they were missing some incredibly interesting small paved roads with no auto traffic.

    I understand that to hit all of those fine roads it would make the ride across(insert word here) ride twice as long. So they often follow the path of least resistance.

    Perhaps that's why I don't ride them.

    Posted 3 months ago

  10. Beav

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    I live in western pa, and while there are many roads I wouldn't consider riding because of the traffic, there are also many miles of rural roads that are very pleasant ( although hilly!) to ride.

    Posted 3 months ago

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