#3: [09-Aug-22]

#1: [02-Feb-00]

08-Jun-2003 -- I recently learned about the confluence project, and have been enamored of the idea ever since. Sadly, there aren't any unvisited confluences in the Norteastern US anymore (for people who don't own yachts!). However, both of the two closest confluences to my home were visited in the winter. I decided to revisit the one near Punxsutawney on my 28th birtday and get a picture of this beautiful location in the summer.

We drove south from our home in Warren to the intersection of SR36 and SR3016 and then followed the road to the town of Anita. Well, we never made it to the bustling metropolis of Anita, but driving with our GPS unit out the window, my girlfriend and I got within hundredths of a degree of our confluence. The odd thing was, the tree that was so noticeable in the first visit to the confluence appeared to be in someone's yard! The first visitor hadn't mentioned any houses (nor were there any houses in his pictures) and we didn't have a letter for the landowner explaining the project.

Hoping that it wasn't in the backyard, we drove about a half mile to a field and parked. We then followed our GPS. Sure enough-- it brought us right back to that same prefab house.

So we knocked on the front door and met a cheerful woman who was quite happy to let us walk through her yard but seemed a little bewildered at the purpose. Thankfully, she cleared up our confusion, explaining that the house had only been there since 2001. Let this picture, then, be the first documented evidence of suburban sprawl in Punxsutawney!

The tree was less than 100 feet from the confluence, and truly impressive, although it doesn't seem to look as good on film as the one without its leaves did. Taking pictuers of the house and trampoline made us both want to hang around and learn more about this family.

However, we decided not to overstay our welcome.