Winter Drive in the Coal Regions

Andrew Leibensguth is an artist. He is a local leader in using cutting edge technology.

This morning I enjoyed a video he recorded - driving from Tamaqua through Mahanoy City to Shenandoah. It is time lapsed so he compressed the 30 minute drive down to 4 minutes. He recorded this yesterday.

The Coal Regions are part of the Rust Belt in Pennsylvania - the major industry - hard coal mining - is still performed here. But since America's consumption of coal dwindled - and was replaced by oil - and now natural gas - the industry is a ghost of what it once was in the middle 1900's.

The company homes which were designed to be used about 20 years - have survived through scores of renovations. Completely renovated homes with 3 bedrooms and 1 bath can be purchased for $20,000. The 1860's home I grew up in recently sold for $40,000.

Andrew captures the Coal Regions as it is. His pictures and writings are simple - unvarnished. Mainly - Andrews produces and publishes so much material - it is hard for him to attempt to slant it all one way or the other.

Recently Andrew drove to the Palma Maria Restaurant to meet up with us. We drove from Tallahassee to Casselbery FL. Andrew drove his rental van (unlimited miles) from Tamaqua to LosAngeles then across I-10 through Arizona - New Mexico - Texas - Louisiana - Mississippi - Alabama - and finally Florida to get to dinner just a few minutes late.

Andrew's web page is Tamaquaarea.com