Think twice about going here:
Definitely go here:
While driving from Greene CO to McKean CO, PA, I stopped at a small grocer in a small town to buy some homemade sauerkraut. I asked the guy behind the counter if I could use his bathroom. He started yelling and cursing at me. I then brought the food up to pay for it and I told him I’d buy it even though he wasn’t very hospitable. He yelled and cursed at me again. So I left without buying anything. Maybe he has Tourette’s, maybe the owner is doing a good deed by hiring the handicapped. But I don’t need that kind of disrespect.
I proceeded down the road, stopping at the Allegheny National Forest Ranger Station. I inquired about morels. The ranger in charge told me he had never seen any in those woods and he was from a part of PA where they are reasonably common. So much for morels in this part of PA, where I have searched in vain for decades.
I then drove to Kane, PA, where I stopped at Jack Bell’s store (http://www.jackbellsmeats.com). Jack is a pro fisherman turned shop owner and is a genuinely nice guy. The only quarrel I have with him is he recommended a motel that had pretty much non-existent internet service, which is why I am still catching up with blog entries. But the other choices may have had similar problems, and the one he recommended was definitely clean. I have had trouble with hotel/motel WiFi throughout my travels in recent years, as sometimes noted in this blog.
Jack also told me where to dig plenty of ramps. I never got there because Cat (next blog entry) took me to some of her locations. Maybe next time.
Eatmore T.
http://eatmoretoadstools.com
Tags: allegheny national forest, chaga, Jack Bell's Meats, morels, wild food