Port Allegany

After a hectic couple of days we say goodbye to our hosts in Kane and journey to Port Allegany in time to give our presentation to the lunchtime meeting of the local Rotary club. Our presentation, which started at around 15 minutes is now taking almost twice as long now that we know which jokes and stories go down well in PA.

Dressed in our kilts we spend the afternoon visiting RecycAll Inc, a glass recycling plant, and the Pittsburgh Corning Company, which manufactures glass blocks. Although still a major employer in the area the company is not operating at full capacity with a significant downturn in orders as a result of the recession. Unfortunately the company would not allow us to take photographs inside the factory, so all we got was a picture of a glass block!!

In the evening our hosts took us over the state line into New York State and we ate at Spragues Maple Farms. This large family restaurant also has a trail demonstrating the production of Maple Syrup, and Eric couldn't resist the temptation of getting on the back of a wooden horse.

Saturday was a day of relaxation....kyaking for the team and a bit of sightseeing for the team leader. In the evening a social meeting with the Port Allegany and Smethport clubs at a local restaurant.

Sunday morning gave some of us time to relax and repack while others went out shooting and by the afternoon we were on the road again....this time to the big city of Erie.

Kane

Wednesday 6 May and we are on the move again. Our longest transfer to date sees us journey from Oil City to Kane. We arrive in time for lunch with our hosts and other members of the Kane club at a local restaurant. We all sample to hot dogs (with fries), which are as good as their reputation. In the afternoon Chris and Eric play the local golf course while Callum and Roger go cycling. The team leader gets some downtime and some blogging done.

In the evening we all meet up at the Country Club for a steak dinner. The steaks are each half the size of Pennsylvania and you have to cook them yourself on the outside grill. Callum has to help out the team leader with his, and we all enjoy a great social evening with our new hosts. The party moves from the Country Club to the house of the Kane president, Ron McDonald and we enjoy a sing song led by Chris and a glass or two of Glenlivet.

Despite a late night we all make it to the tour of Kane Hardwood Sawmill where we learn about the Collins Company, the second largest landowner in PA and the logging and reforestation policies of the company.

Lunch follows at a local bar, which used to be owned by local Rotarian, and Chris' host, Jim Eck. We get to sample chicken wings and a beer or two. In the afternoon we visit an eco-friendly heating plant at the local High School and then we are taken round the renovation and extension works at the local Elementary and Middle School.

After a hard day of walking we attend the club meeting which is moved to the local Shooting and Fishing Club. We try (unsuccessfully) to master the game of Horseshoes and are then given the chance to try shooting some clays. Finally we have to sing for our supper by giving our presentation and leading the club in Auld Lang Syne.

An active and enjoyable couple of days ends the following morning when we have to leave for Port Allegany.

Franklin

Tuesday lunchtime we are picked up in Oil City and taken the short distance to Franklin for the Rotary Club meeting and our next presentation. We arrive to find that they have not been asked to provide a projector, but one of their members kindly foregoes his lunch to go back to his office to collect one.

The presentation goes down well, with lots of questions afterwards.....mostly about tartan and kilts.... we finish off with a rouding rendition of Flower of Scotland, led by Chris on guitar.

In the afternoon we have a walking tour of Franklin, taking in DeBence Antique Music World. This collection of of over 100 rare mechanical musical instruements was started by a local farmer. We were given a guided tour and heard examples of music boxes, wurlitzers, nickelodians and other instruments.

We also made a short call to the Barrow-Civic Theater, but unfortunately there was no show on or in rehearsal. The walk round the town finished at a local bar, where we enjoyed a game of pool and a beer or two.

We were picked up at the bar by our hosts and we each spent the evening with them.

For me it was a cycle ride along the banks of the river with my hosts Nick and Heather Skokowski and their daughter Nicole, followed by pizza, fries and ice cream for tea.

Oil City - Part 2

On Tuesday morning the team met up for a tour of the town library, which was set up with money donated by Andrew Carnegie. As well as the main library we visited the local history room, which is run by volunteers. A number of people in the library introduced themselves and shook our hands.....we're not quite sure how they knew we were from out of town......maybe the kilts were a clue??

From the library we went on a short walking tour of the town, calling in at the local Chamber of Commerce office, and finishing at the National Transit Company. This fine building is being restored and turned into an Arts Centre. After admiring the fine murals on the walls of the entrance lobby, we were given a tour of the building by the centre manager, which included the rooms and studios already in use and the ones that are under development. The vast majority of this work is done by volunteers.

From the Arts Centre it was a short walk to the Venango Museum. Venango is the county which includes Oil City. Given the history of the area it is no surprise that the museum concentrates on oil. But it also has other exhibits, including a Wurlitzer. Not the last one we would see that day. We did get to hear it though. An impressive sound.

After our tour of the museum we were picked up outside and taken to Franklin, a town around 7 miles away for our next Rotary lunch and presentation.

Oil City

On Sunday we were transferred from Slippery Rock to Oil City....we lunched on the way at Burger King....hey, you've got to sample the local culture.....actually the restaurant we were to meet up at was full so we went next door.


We spent Sunday evening with our hosts, so the others will have to tell you what they got up to. Me? I went to the local speedway track with my host Ken. It wasn't speedway as we know it......it was car racing......noisy, smelly, dusty, but great fun.....pity I didn't bring my car with me....there was a prize for the dirtiest car in the parking lot!!



Monday was a vocational day, so again the guys will have to tell you themselves what they got up to. I do know that Roger got himself on the front of the local newspaper with a photo of him in the local jail.....I am assured that this was all part of his vocational experience.....either that or he's been let out on bail....


I spent the morning with a local CPA discussing the differences between the US and UK tax regimes, and in the afternoon Bob Cross took me to his bank where I saw how they do things here, including the drive through.....everything here is geared (sic) to the motor car.....people are amazed when you tell them that the thing you can do in a drive through in Scotland is buy a McDonalds.


The normal Rotary meeting in Oil City was cancelled, and instead a picnic was held at the home of Bob Cross, the local Rotarian who had put together the programme for us....we were asked to do our presentation....no Powerpoint, so we had to improvise....for some reason the original 18 minutes has stretched to almost 25. The photo shows some of the team warming up for the presentation and our rousing rendition of Flower of Scotland.

On Tuesday the Rotarians of Oil City and Franklin did their best to walk the legs off us.....they almost succeeded..

To be continued.....

Slippery Rock

We arrived in Slippery Rock on Friday after a two night stay in Grove City. After a meal with our hosts we attended a concert by the Bach Society choir of Slippery Rock. Carolyn Rizza, one of my hosts, sings in the choir. The lads all scrubbed up well and looked very presentable in their suits and team ties.

On Saturday morning we visited a local aviation museum. The collection of airplanes and other military memorabelia is owned by Walt Powell, a Slippery Rock Rotarian and a host to one of the team.

Walt Powell and one of his airplanes.


After the museum the team was taken to their most eagerly awaited visit of the trip so far.....the local micro brewery. There we were treated to lunch.....burgers and fries are becoming very popular.....and then were shown round the brewing facility.....how they can brew such good beer in such a small place amazes me.

In the afternoon Chris, Eric and I were taken for a drive round the golf course.....they don't let you walk here.....Chris almost managed to upend one of the carts, and he did get himself a new nickname...Bob the Builder....but you will have to email me to find out why...

Roger and Callum went for a cycle trip and then we all met up for a social at Paul Rizza's house

Chris lines up his approach to the 18th green.

The team with some of the hosts and Rotarians from Slippery Rock.

On Sunday morning there was a light breakfast in the Rizza household (bacon, strawberries and 6 waffles with Maple Syrup for me!!!) before we met up at Eric's host to update the blog.

Only two days in Slippery Rock, but we were kept busy and the hospitality and friendliness of our hosts, and everyone we met was fantastic. But that has been the case eveywhere we have been.

Wednesday 6 May

We have arrived in Kane, after three days in Oil City and Franklin........Chris and Eric are off playing golf and Callum and Roger are cycling......me, I'm acting as team leader.....chilling out and using my nap time to update the blog....I will post a few updates about what we have been doing since Grove City....I may nod off a few times, so bear with me.....

Team with some our hosts at the Bach Society concert in Slippery Rock on Friday evening

Vocational Day - 1

Tuesday 28th April

Chris - spent the day with the Cray Youth Services in New Castle who provide a wide range of suports for young people. He spent time with Social Workers, Psychologists and managed to hang out with some kids.

Callum - began his day at 0640am when he headed down to Pittsburgh for a site meeting. He spent some time wandering about site including a tour from the site Principle. In the afternoon he was a Ecles Architecture after which he went to the recently finished New Castle High School with the architect.

Eric - was with Craig Russo of Taylor Engineering. He was shown various structures around New Castle discussing the main areas of repairs and letting of new work. Not an exact match to his current role but interesting for him none the less.

Roger - spent time with both New Castle State and City Policing gaining an insite into American Policing. He was provided an overview of some of the information gathering systems available and sampled how localised Policing operations worked.

Dry Town - Grove City

The kiltie team with Jenn at the Coffee Grove........great coffee, nice buns!!

It appears to date that any Town north of Butler is a 'Dry Town', in the sense that they don't have pubs and the restaurants are not licensed. Grove City has recently opened its first and only licensed premises in anticipation of our arrival.
We were given a tour of the town in our Kilts which caused a 'stir' with the local residents including the local coffee grove where our photo with the owner, Jen made headline news the following day.

Next stop was a visiting tour of the local Chambers of Commerce with Lisa Pritchard. She outlines the work involved during the successful regeneration of downtown Grove City. We were all impressed by the sense of Community spirit which was required during this regeneration. This tour also made local headline news and our picture can be found in the Chamber of Commerce website - www.oldetowngrovecity.com

Wednesday - Frist Transfer Day

Wednesday....time to leave New Castle and move on to Grove City......before we do we are taken to the Hoyt Institute of Fine Arts in New Castle.... we were shown round the two houses which make up the Institute by Kim, the Director......an interesting tour , and a bit of culture after the first vocational day.

reneir devido's stone emporium and warehouse.

there are currently four of us posting things at once, so the timing is all over the place.

the following took place on monday the 27th.

We were scheduled to spend a day visiting lots of businesses around the New Castle area and the first stop at some ungodly hour of the morning was Reneir Devido's Limestone Factory.

Reneir primarily deals in limestone, which is cnc'd into a myriad of forms for all aspects of the building trade. Being a man who primarily deals in stone, it was not surprising to see it heavily used on the frontage of the building. there were also some shifty characters hanging about there at the time.

The factory was quite quiet when we visited, but there was some machining going on.

Reneir was also foolish enough to let us loose with an air chisel on a bit of limestone, although we couldn't quite match the refinement of the masons who were working next to us.

Bears in the wood

On Thursday evening, Chris, Callum, Roger and Eric decided to burn-off some calories cycling. We cycled along the river Allegany in some glorious Scottish weather, 40* and raining. Our 65 year old host 'dared' us to swim in Sandy Creek. After a quick dram, 3 bears were seen to take the plung scaring the local wildlife away.

Presentation - Monday 27 April

After a day of rest were were thrown in at the deep end.....three vocational visits and two presentations.......the first was lunchtime at New Castle club.....the team scrubbed up well in their suits......Jim did his job as team leader and chose an appropriate tie.....

Lunch went well and the Scottish photo album was well received......presentation time came and the Power Point failed to work....we tried to switch to our own laptop and the projector decided it had had enough and stopped functioning.....time to ad lib, and the guys did their best and wowed the audience with their wit and charm.....

In the evening we went to the meeting and New Willmington Rotary Club......we used our own laptop and the thecnology worked perfectly......the presentation was well received, and some of the New Castle members who came with us in the evening saw it how it was meant to be...

Team photo with Mike Boyle, the President of New Willmington

mines and start your motors gentlemen!

Following our lunchtime presentation on monday 27th april, we were taken to the Wapalm mines a huge complex making use of the vast limestone mines now disused. The mines are now used for storage as they provide excellent security with cheap and efficient temperature and moisture control. Files and paper information for the state and private companies are kept there as are a variety of weird and wonderful things. We saw a vault with all of Paul Simon's tour equipment and record collection, piles and piles of original film material from warner brothers and disney and tonnes and tonnes of dried milk! Eric and Chris have decided to explore old mines across Scotland with 'money for old rope!' being the cry!

After being underground the group were then taken to the Beaverun a huge race track complex

The racetrack provides training as well as races and gokarting, Roger and Callum were in their element but frustratedly didn't get a shotty on anything!

home from home

after thousands of miles, many hours and a good night's sleep, we got a tour of New Castle. The most prominent building in the town, the 'cathedral',confusingly a 3000ish seat auditorium rather than a place of worship. In any case, it had a ather surprising name.

smelly scotsmen at the airport

some evidence of our chic travel-wear as we waited in Newark following our unscheduled emergency detour via Boston. they thought we had a fuel leak so we were chased down the runway by fire engines. needless to say, it was just a gauge problem.

Sunday 26 April

Our first day in the USA. Time to relax and get over the journey. We each spent the day with our hosts. Eric played golf and went a lovely shade of pink, Roger cycled 20 miles and went on a boat trip round a local lake. Chris toured the Amish country and ate loads. Callum toured New Castle and ate more than Chris. Jim was also taken on a tour....up to Conneaut Lake.

In the evening we met up at Art Towne's house for a cookout, and we started to learn a bit more about each other.....Linda Meikle thinks that Eric is an "absolute doll".....we were all fed and watered...... we kept being told that the weather was not usual for the time of year.....well into the 80's.

A great start to the trip with wonderful hospitality.

Eric the doll

Host Art Towne and his daughter

leaving and arriving

We left edinburgh with tears all round for the long trip to newark

The long trip across the atlantic was ok but we made an unscheduled stop in Boston as the plane had a problem with fuel. No panic at all though as we waited on the tarmac for 3 hours. The plane to take us Newark to Pittsburgh looked interesting but at that point we weren't that bothered!

hello from america!

Hi everyone, just a quick note to let you know that we've been having some problems accessing the internet and then when we did we had some problems accessing the actual blog website but I've finally managed to get on! It's also been a really busy start and we've had a full schedule as you'll see as we start to fill up the content in the coming days. We've had even less time together as a team to swap photos and blog story requests, but again that should start to come together more in the coming days.

presidents and families day

The team met today at the Fisher's Hotel in Pitlochry, to do our presentation to an assembly of presidents and representatives of the rotary clubs sponsoring the GSE team.  We were honoured to have the District Governer David Rankin and his wife, Rita, in attendance.  Stephen Chorley, District Foundation Chair, also attended to see how the team had developed since the interviews.  

The team was also pleased to be surrounded by their families who had come to give support and to hear about the team's itinerary.  The presentation went very well despite some last minute technical problems with the projector and the inevitable performance anxiety, individual and collective.  

  

Eric, on behalf of the team presented Samantha with some flowers and gifts by way of thanks for all her support and hard work.  The presentation may require some polishing but the bulk of the prep is done!  The team used the meeting as an opportunity to finalise some other logistics and we meet again next month for a family bar-b-q in Dunning as a final send off before departing on the 25th of April. 

getting ready meetings...

In readiness for leaving for Western Pennsylvania at the end of April the team having been meeting up for a days worth of prep each month.  During these meetings not only have we been getting to know each other a little better but have also been learning more about the Rotary Foundation and the Group Study Exchange programme.

In our meetings Jim has set a fine lead with the choice of venues and his early work on the presentations.  Samantha, who organised the 7280 visit to Scotland has been invaluable in getting us all organised with the paperwork and the arrangements for travelling etc.

These meetings have been noteable for the good humour and the indications that despite being an all male team we've 'bonded' and have worked well together.  Everyone has put the effort in and has been prepared to test themselves with various organising tasks on behalf of the team.

However, the biggest test of all is ... the presentation.  For some this is a new and daunting challenge, for some the problem is about being disciplined about what to say and not just prattle on.  Prizes may be awarded for working out whos who with that!  

One thing that we've all struggled with though is the timings and the slides changing at the right times and the handovers and the pictures appearing at all and the new bits Jim wants us to do and... actually I guess thats quite a lot of things we've struggled with.  I'm sure it'll be alright on the night!