On my way to Pine Grove, I stopped along State Route 501 where the Appalachian Trail crosses the road. The Trail and Route 501 intersect each other at the border of Berks and Schuylkill Counties, along the ridge of Blue Mountain. The elevation at this intersection is a little under 1500 feet.

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Just a hundred yards from the highway, on the trail, is a great vista.

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Another hundred yards down the trail is another vista, this one probably manmade.

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A mountain stream at the foot of Blue Mountain in Schuylkill County.

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Lancaster County scenery. All of these pictures are from State Route 741 between the towns of Gap and Strasburg. This stretch of road is the center of the Amish community, and provides some of the best farmland scenery I have ever seen. The crops of tobacco and corn are ready for harvesting at this time of year, so these pictures are just at the right time of year.

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Lebanon County farmland.

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Berks County farmland.

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Approaching Blue Mountain in Berks County. Looking through the haze, it's easy to see why it's called "Blue Mountain".

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