Permanent SAG: Groundhog Day

The truck repairs were completed on Friday and, after one more stop at Mom & Pop's to stock the freezer on Saturday morning, we were back on the road. We drove across central Pennsylvania and were delighted with the sights. We had a beautifully smooth road that wound between mountains without ever taking us over one or through any quaint little towns for the majority of the day.

As we neared Punxsutawney, we drove past quite a few Amish farms. The farms are charming and well laid out, very picturesque. We encountered two horse and buggies on the road and ended up following one for about a half-mile before we could pass. As we pulled around the buggy, I rolled my window down, leaned out, and enthusiastically waved at its passengers. I don't know whether it was my energetic waving or the massive fifth wheel/truck combo, but the couple in the buggy looked less than pleased. I imagine it would be terrifying to be passed by an F350 diesel dually pulling a 40-foot fifth wheel while riding in a two-seater, horse-drawn buggy on a narrow road. I also imagine that folks hanging out of their vehicles and gesturing to the passengers of the buggy could be equally terrifying.

Our sole reason for visiting Punxy, PA, is to see the home of Punxsutawney Phil, the furry, four-legged star of Groundhog Day. As I began researching Punxsutawney and Groundhog Day, I learned that the movie was not, contrary to popular belief, filmed in Punxsutawney; it was filmed in Woodstock, Illinois, about 65 miles northwest of Chicago. There are just a couple of locations from the movie located in Punxy: Gobbler's Knob and the town square.

The town itself has a pretty downtown area. Phil lives in a burrow that is housed within the town's library. At the town square where the library is located, you can view Phil at play or asleep through a glass wall. It was quite a thrill. Below are our photos of the day.

Gobbler's Knob is about a mile and a half from the Walmart where we are currently boondocked. There is a museum and gift shop, both closed due to CV-19; a stage where Phil makes his appearance to forecast the weather, and a short hiking trail with sculptures and interesting facts about Punxsutawney Phil.

My photos do not do the sculptures justice. The sundial was, in my opinion, the most interesting.

From Gobbler's Knob, we headed into Punxy to the town square to see Phil. He was sleeping peacefully in the late afternoon sun.

Across the street from the town square is the Fraternal Order of Eagles where there is a Tree Clock Glockenspiel. The FOE celebrated its 100th anniversary with the addition of this rare tree clock created by Verdin Company of Ohio. The clock features three clocks and a thermometer. Every hour, four groundhog statues come out of the top, and the tree begins to play music. A really beautiful piece of artwork.