BikePGH Message Board Archive

Pinkerton Tunnel Spiritual Vortex: Seeking Info

In Summer 2007, a local magazine called "Point of Light" carried an article titled, "In Search of Healing Places in Somerset County" which described a Spiritual Vortex at the Pinkerton Tunnel on the GAP Trail. At another time, some people in the New Age community made a group trek out to the site. This 2007 blog post discusses it: http://workingstiffs.blogspot.com/2007/09/meet-me-at-vortex.html I'd like to find out more info about this. Specifically:

does anybody have a copy of the article? or any other document describing it?
does anybody know someone who traveled out to experience the vortex?
does the bike-hive mind know anybody conversant in the spiritual vortex topic - which I'm inclined to think is a New Age activity, but I'm not sure that's an appropriate categorization

The reason I'm asking - and I'm asking for myself, there's no big agenda here - is that if you look at a Google search for "sedona bike vortex" there's a lot of economic activity - if not an industry - about biking to sites like this. For instance:

I mean no denigration or disrespect of the folks who pursue such interests. I'm thinking: we've got a contemplative labyrinth in Homestead and a Spiritual Vortex at the Pinkerton Bypass, how come nobody's discussing this? I'm talking to some folks in Confluence about a Autumn Vortex Ride when the leaves start changing. Anybody got any advice or wisdom? Thanks!

vannever

2016-09-23 12:08:03

It might be tempting to pander to mystical types and lead them to imaginary energy vortices at the Pinkerton Tunnel, but even better: lead them to McKeesport where they could pick up trash along the trail.

paulheckbert

2016-09-23 13:30:58

Paul: Paul, Paul, Paul. I am chastened and chagrined that you think I'm a panderer.

I do want to find out the backstory on a trail activity and encourage people to ride bikes. They don't have to sweep trash to join bicycling. I'm thinking: more people riding is more people's cousins-and-uncles biking, is more people to tip the scales of driver behavior toward not killing me and you. I don't really want to condemn anybody's non-violent beliefs. If we want to persuade people pursuing mystical energy to do practical things, you could start at any house of worship, I suppose. Even Tesla in his day was pursuing non-evident energy for practical applications.

vannever

2016-09-23 13:49:23

I find the Pinkerton tunnel extremely spiritual on a hot day since it is about 60 degrees inside.

edronline

2016-09-23 15:03:59

In the other Pinkerton tunnel thread people were saying the bypass is one of the nicest places on that part of the GAP, so the vortex much be over there.

jonawebb

2016-09-23 15:30:43

Quite a few years ago I was in Sedona with a friend. He got up early the first morning we were there and went for his normal half-hour run. He came back about an hour later and said, "I must have...huh-huh-huh...ran into...huh-huh-huh...one of those...huh-huh-huh...damn...huh-huh-huh...vortexes!" It was either the vortex, or that Sedona is almost a mile high with thin air. But either way it definitely got his attention.

marko82

2016-09-23 16:04:33