The Isle of Que

View from the Isle out over the Susquehanna River

The husband/lover/best friend and I learned in the last few days that we will be having a houseful of company beginning tonight and continuing through Monday.  So, in anticipation of the busyness, we thought we'd go out last night by ourselves and just have a quiet evening together before the mayhem begins.

After eating at one of our favorite places, BJ's Steak and Rib House in Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania, we considered seeing a movie, but instead decided to enjoy the outdoors and take a leisurely ride and explore an area nearby that was not very familiar to us.  From downtown Selinsgrove we turned southeast on Pine Street and crossed the metal bridge onto the Isle of Que.

There is some debate as to the real meaning of "Que" in its name.  For some historical background on the Isle and the various theories about the meaning of its name, you can read this article.  Some historians speculate that Isle of Que means Isle of Dead.

The Isle of Que is a peninsula of land attached to Selinsgrove that juts out into the Susquehanna River.  One can take a lovely four mile walk, bike ride, or drive as we did along its scenic river road.  As we traveled the length of the river road, we saw lovely homes and farmlands on one side and the river bank and gorgeous views of the sunset over the river on our other side.  There is a one boat launch with seating for picnics nearby, and we did also spot some kayakers out on the river.  A number of folks were enjoying their walks or jogs along the river.

Beautiful old home facing the river

The downside of this area is that The Isle of Que residents dread the frequent floodings.  In spite of that, we did see many signs of new construction going on.  Many of the new homes are being built above their garages, to minimize the damage when the floods do come.  However, those who live right on the riverfront must so value their scenic view that it is worth the hassle of dealing with frequent flooding and its subsequent rebuilding.

For me, just driving along the river road was plenty of enjoyment without worrying about losing my home every so often.

We saw all sorts of interesting homes on the Isle, including some that looked very old.  Quite a few of them had decks or porches on their upper levels, affording good views out over the river.  Some homes looked like quaint, year round, coastal cottages.  These creative homeowners connected two grain silos
to their house and incorporated them as part of their living space:

Apparently riverfront land owners' properties extend down to the water's edge, for all along the river's edge we saw families' platforms and sitting areas for gathering, grilling food, and simply enjoying the view.

We had such a good time driving along the river route that we turned around and went all the way back, looking for what we had perhaps missed the first time.  It was simply a lovely evening drive, a calm prelude to what most certainly won't be a quiet weekend.  

We love our family though, and wouldn't have it any other way.  Let the fun begin.