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retroroadtrip Couple makes a spur-of-the-moment 'Pitt' stop at Victorian-era amusement park By Annette Jones The Free Lance-Star

Kennywood, a historic amusement park, can give the 'big boys' a run for their money

Date published: 9/16/2006

You gotta love Google. And Mapquest. And Weather.com.

Here was the challenge: Find a place to go that would be rain-free, about four to six hours away from Berryville and somewhere my husband Bob and I haven't been.

(I'll explain about Berryville in a moment.) Oh. And it's the Saturday morning of Labor Day weekend.

Bob and I have been known for our less-than-conventional trip planning. There was the Outer Banks-Ocracoke day trip over July 4th weekend and the summertime trip a few years back where the only plan we made was to drive the Blue Ridge Parkway.

So, here I am trying to figure out what we should do. Mid-August, Bob discovered he would have a string of days off around Labor Day. That would probably be the last time he had two days off in a row until March, when high school basketball season ends.

He's the color-guy for high school sports broadcasts in the Winchester area.

This is where the Berryville dilemma plays a role. His first football game was supposed to be Sept. 1, James Wood vs. Clarke County. Of course, Tropical Storm Ernesto had other plans and the game was moved to Monday night. Bob would need to be in the Clarke County area by 5 p.m., Labor Day afternoon.

Our first plans--to head to the beach--were going to be tough regardless because we hadn't decided where we were going, on a holiday weekend, no less.

Then the rain rolled in. And it's tough to get to Berryville from the beach in four hours, anyway.

Second choice was an amusement park. Bob and I love them. But I wanted to go someplace different. That eliminated Dorney Park near Allentown, Pa., and Six Flags in Jackson, N.J. Neither of us have been to Busch Gardens, but that's a day trip.

I checked out a few destinations I knew against Mapquest. No sense getting my hopes up if the amusement park was too far.

Want to Go? What: Phantom Fright Nights Admission: $19.50 Dates: Fridays and Saturdays from Sept. 29 to Oct. 28, 7 p.m. to 1 a.m.; Sept. 23 and Oct. 8, 7 p.m.-11 p.m. Not recommended for children under age 13. Web site: kennywood.com, has coming attractions, accommodation packages and the like.

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Date published: 9/16/2006