Shawnee Getaway: Beautiful Poconos townhouse for long term rental

The Stream Between Two Mountains
By Ken Nickels

America’s resources are vast, varied and stretch from shore to shore. From some of the highest points on earth (Mt. Rainier) to the lowest (Death Valley), it can be a difficult question to answer when vacation time comes around and we ponder where to go. One might stand in the middle of a Nebraska cornfield and wax philosophical on how kind our planet has been to us. What used to be the bottom of a vast sea is now a sea of corn that feeds the world. The Great Plains are surely great, but they do not make for a fun vacation, unless you like to watch corn grow. And the Grand Canyon, with its striking layers of geology on exhibit as far as the eye can see, makes for a memorable trip. But its sheer size and remote location may pose a problem for travelers. Death Valley? Ouch, too hot!

But in the east we are fortunate; for the last ice age has left us with the green rolling hills we call the Adirondacks, Catskills and Poconos. And of these, the Poconos are unique. Situated like emerald gems that cradle the Delaware River, they provide a relaxed and intimate experience that one can enjoy without any effort at all. Your city-clock schedule winds down as the valley unfolds before you, showing now mountain, now river and then town, because Stroudsburg is that picturesque place that is as resistant to change as the hills themselves. One needs to look long and hard to find a worry here. Whether winter or summer, traffic stress is minimal. But I suggest an autumn visit for those who do not care for skiing. That is when things really slow down and the leaves turn red and gold.

For true relaxation, get into your car and set the map aside. Head off down any road and sooner of later you’ll see a pumpkin stand and a general store. Ask a local for directions or inquire about the weather, and you will find a simple people not averse to having you in their town. You will see American flags swaying gently on the white washed clapboard houses whose boundaries are fast moving creeks and woodsy slopes. These are the simple road signs. You’re not lost, you’re in the Poconos.

"A stream between mountains," from the Indian word "Pocohanne" says all you need to know about the lay of the land, because whatever crest you may reach, know that underneath is the Delaware River flowing smoothly and gracefully in its course. I can almost hear the movement of the water as I sit on the shore in the dark. Without lights one must depend on the imagination. But when the morning comes, in the sunlight, it carries on without a problem as if it was just a wondering thing with no worries about where it came from or where it eventually ends up. It merely goes where the land tells it to, and if you visit Shawnee at Stroudsburg, you will pretty much follow the same course.

Poconos Mountains: More activities