I took this shot back in May 2009 in one of my favorite places period, HersheyPark in Hershey, PA! Always love to hit HersheyPark each year as early in the Spring as possible, and usually get Season Passes!
Tag Archives: Road Trip
Last Day of November 2010′s “O.U.Picking Tour!”
Sorry for being a day late with this update, but when I finally got back home last night around 11 PM, I was dead tired. It was all that I could really do to unload my car, and I’ve still yet to unpack. Anyway, yesterday started off extremely early. After going to bed around 11 PM on Saturday, I woke up first around 3 AM, and had problems getting back to sleep. I dozed on and off for a few hours, and eventually just gave up and did some work on the laptop, packed, got showered, and dressed. At 7 AM I hit the hotel’s breakfast, which was much better than last week’s in Wyomissing. They had breakfast burritos & quiche available, although I chose against them. I just went with cereal, a bagel, yogurt, and orange juice.
Afterwards I checked out, and hit the road. Let me tell, this was NOT the week for picking. You have those, so I’m not stressing it too much. I still had an awesome time exploring. I first hit Circle Drive Inn Flea Market in Dickson City, PA. It looks like it has potential to be a huge market, but this time of year, simply was not. There were only maybe 10 vendors, and none of them had anything I was looking for. I moved on, and hit the Pocono Bazaar in Marshalls Creek, PA, and it was bigger and better, but still much of the same. Only picked up two small pieces there. Finally I attempted to hit Garden Drive Inn in Hunlock Creek, PA but… no market at all. I suppose only a diehard like myself hustles year ’round?
Regardless, all three look like markets that during peak season I would love to hit again. Perhaps next Spring? I will also try to find some more for when I make another Northeastern PA trip. After my unsuccessful picking journey, I gave up, and figured why not try some more Christmas shopping? I hit the Mall in Wilkes Barre as well as the Steamtown Mall in Scranton, PA. Scranton is a place I look forward to going back to and exploring. Really nice town with an old-school feel/vibe. The also have an observation bridge to view the town/trains that I shot some AWESOME photography on….
After Wilkes Barre and Scranton I headed back to Dickson City, did some more shopping, and shot some photography. By this time I was getting tired, and cranky, and looking forward to being home. A few hours later when my girlfriend was done with her family & friends (and we got into a nice fight) I picked her up and we headed home. VERY long weekend, took a lot out of me, but A LOT of fun! I always have a good time traveling around, exploring, shooting photography, and “biz deving.” Look forward to another trip back to Northeastern PA!
“O.U.Picking Tour” Begins!
I just got to my hotel in Wyomissing, PA and decided to write the first blog post for the “O.U.Picking Tour.” My day started extremely early today… around 3:30 AM. I couldn’t sleep so I decided to start a bit earlier than anticipated. After drinking some O.J. and getting a shower it was time to hit the road, and so I did. I hit the ATM, got some gas & breakfast, and headed towards Middletown, PA and its “Saturday’s Market,” where I took the above sunrise shot.
There were quite a few vendors there for it being as cold as it was, and some good finds, but I didn’t pop on too much. I ended up getting six different items from the same guy, who was quite the character. We joked around, haggled on some prices, and I think I ended up getting some good things which will bring a profit. After walking around about four hours, and thinking about a few things while pricing others, I decided to head to Denver/Adamstown, PA and freestyle pick. Adamstown is known as “Antiques Capital U.S.A.” and let me tell you, it doesn’t disappoint. There are so many different shops right next to each other.
I went to five seperate shops– “German Trading Post,” “Adamstown Antique Gallery,” “Mad Hatter,” “272 Antiques,” and “Time Matters.” All were very good, most over-priced, as is the case with most antique “shops.” I did get a few good finds that I am sure I can make profit on, and was actually able to haggle the price down on one as I talked to one of the dealers who happened to be there.
After a good 8 hours of picking I checked into my hotel, the Country Inn & Suites (the second one I’ve stayed at in the last month). Let me tell you, this one is even better than the last one so far! Very comforatable room, tea in the room (VERY big for me), friendly service (the front desk clerk already called my room to see that I have everything I need), and good location (right next to a Mall!). I am about to go to the excersize room and get in a workout, and afterwards possibly hit the inside pool & hot tub (I will at least at some point tonight).
Tonight my friend Scott and his wife Bekki are coming and they got a room in the same hotel. We’re going out picking early tomorrow morning and hitting both Renninger’s Flea Market as well as Stoudt’s Flea Market, a few others, and more shops. Beforehand I’ll be taking advantage of the hotel’s Complimentary Breakfast (of course!). Stoudt’s is not only an antique shop BTW, but also a brewery, and a pub/restaurant! We’re going to eat there later on tonight. I’ll check back in with an update possibly tonight, or at least tomorrow. There’s a chance that it might not be until late tomorrow night/early Monday morning, but we’ll see. Working the “night hustle” when I get back into town tomorrow night. Gotta keep the hustle up… LET’S GO!!!!!!!
Day 2… Visiting Hershey, PA Again… Plus Denver, PA!
Just got home from a VERY long, yet VERY fun weekend of traveling pretty much across the State of Pennsylvania. We got up early today, well I got up before my girlfriend, around 6 AM. After enjoying the hotel’s AMAZING breakfast (which included eggs, hash browns, toast, ham, fresh fruit, pretty much EVERYTHING you can imagine) and checking out, it was back on the road!
We decided to head back to Middletown, PA and their “Saturday’s Market.” On Sunday it’s still enjoyable, just MANY less vendors and the indoor market isn’t open. I tend to like the outdoor markets better anyway, but by the time we got there today there really weren’t many deals going on. After being slightly disappointed, I decided to head to another Flea Market I found, this one being about an hour or so away in Denver, Pennsylvania. We didn’t get there until around Noon, but let me tell you, this one DID NOT disappoint! TONS AND TONS of vendors, even though a lot were packing up and leaving when we got there. I plan on going back really soon and making sure to get there early in the AM (we’re talking 5 or 6 AM for sure).
It’s called “Renninger’s Antique & Collector’s Market” and it’s something to check out if you are in to antiques, etc… like I am. In fact, the entire town of Denver, PA has many flea markets and antique shops. I pretty much just scratched the surface there. I honestly cannot wait to go back!
After leaving Denver, PA it was back towards Hershey! Once we got there we actually got to explore a new place to eat, this one being “Fenicci’s of Hershey,” right on Chocolate Avenue. Great atmosphere, alright service, great food. I enjoyed my Fried Haddock meal, although both the Tartar Sauce and the Cole Slaw were, well, pretty much NASTY. I am going to be honest here. Everything else though… on point. I can’t say it was the “best meal I ever had,” but I can say that I would go back. Take that for what you will…..
Afterwards, OF COURSE, it was off to enjoy our last day at HersheyPark and its “HersheyPark In The Dark” activities! Another very fun afternoon/night for sure. Overall it was a very fun “business/pleasure” weekend. I feel that I found some great items on my picking adventures, and had a BLAST traveling around, exploring, at our hotel, the park, and everywhere else we stopped. We will be back in Hershey in December for “Christmas Candylane” and who knows, maybe a surprise stop here or there before year’s end leading up until Florida in January 2011 when the 2011 OUP Photography Tour actually kicks off.
I love exploring/traveling and plan to do so more and more as new business opportunites begin presenting themself, etc…. For now I’ll leave you with a few more shots of today’s fun at HersheyPark! Enjoy, and check back soon, there just may be some surprises/stops, etc… in store!
OUP Photography Tour Previews 2011 Tour With Stops In Middletown, PA, Dover, PA, Hershey, PA, and Harrisburg, PA!
After waking up early this morning around 6 AM, doing some work in the office, getting a shower, and getting ready… it was on the road! We stopped at one of our local Sheetz gas stations, got some gas and some coffee/food, etc.. Afterwards I hit the Post Office, the bank, then was finally, actually, on my way!
A short two hours or so later we arrived in Middletown, Pennsylvania and it’s “Saturday’s Market,” a local Flea Market/Farmer’s Market/little-bit-of-everything stop. It was really cool there. I was able to get some cool pieces which I am more than sure I can turn a profit on. There were a lot of people there, and next time I will try to get there earlier in the morning (on Saturday they run 4 AM until 4 PM, we got there around 10:30 or so). Nonetheless I found some great finds! I will post a video in a few days on OUnitProductions.com talking about/showing them.
After scoring some hot-ticket items and getting some great information/pricing ideas, etc.. it was off to Dover, Pennsylvania and their Newberrytown Peddler’s Market. It wasn’t as good as the first, with many less vendors, and items in general. I was able to find a few things, and we had an AMAZING lunch at this place called “Vicki’s Place.” Their selling slogan is “Home of the Baldhiller Hot Dog,” and let me tell you, this thing was AMAZING. A hotdog with BBQ sauce, pulled pork, and onions. Delicious! My girlfriend got a steak sandwich, which she said was also pretty good. Great little find!
After the great lunch and looking around a little bit more trying to find some diamonds in the rough, it was off to our hotel, which is pretty amazing. It’s the Country Inn & Suites here in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, which I am writing this from right now. They have, what looks to be, a great breakfast, pretty amazing rooms, an indoor pool & hot tub, and some other cool features. After posting this we might be going down to take a swim actually before it closes for the night.
To end the night, OF COURSE, we hit HERSHEYPARK IN THE DARK! Had an awesome time there, ate some good food, played some games, and explored their “Creatures of the Night” event at ZooAmerica. We’ll be heading back tomorrow to have some more fun!
Awesome day so far! Ready for an awesome night, then getting up around 7 AM for the hotel’s breakfast. Afterwards I’m looking to go out picking at another flea market or possibly some yard sales. We shall see, I plan on doing some research later this evening. Then tomorrow afternoon it’s back to HERSHEYPARK IN THE DARK! STAY TUNED FOR MORE UPDATES!
