Archbald Pothole State Park

       

Jeremy and I only discovered the existence of this little oddity today because we were out playing Pokémon Go. Admittedly, we are huge nerds, and I saw that this place on our way home happened to be a Pokestop. I had seen the sign at the entrance before - Archbald Pothole State Park - and never thought much about it, assuming that perhaps Pothole was someone's particularly unfortunate last name.

Alas, it is a small park, that consists of a fence and a cement observation deck to look at a giant hole in the ground, caused by water erosion that caved in during a coal mining expedition over a hundred years ago (further research tells me that there is a walking trail in the park, but perhaps we will save that for a nice, warm day). It's actually fairly fascinating - and a bit terrifying to stand on that cement overlook, as the hole continues underneath where you stand, and you sort of wonder if this might be the day that it just can't take it anymore, and you plummet along with it to your doom. 

I have visions of kids climbing into the hole, looking for treasure, much like the Goonies. Surely there must be a long-forgotten pirate ship deep within the hole - never mind the fact that Northeastern Pennsylvania is a bit too far inland for that.

The discovery of this neat little spot has made me excited for warmer weather, so that I can go out and find more of Pennsylvania's hidden treasures.

I'm only disappointed that Michael Scott never took a trip here on The Office. I mean, this would have been a much cooler way to find his successor that going to Lake Scranton. And I mean, it's super-close to the fictional office...