Little League World Series - Unexpected Adventure

When Plan A Falls Through, Sometimes Plan B Becomes the Perfect AdventureSometimes the best travel moments happen when your carefully laid plans take an unexpected turn. That's exactly what happened during our recent RV journey through Pennsylvania, when a disappointing hiking situation led us straight into the heart of America's pastime.

Williamsport, PA

Our route through Montgomery, Pennsylvania took us directly past Williamsport - home of the Little League World Series. As we drove by the stadium, colorful banners proudly announced that the World Series games were happening that very week! The streets buzzed with excitement as crowds streamed to and from the stadium, their enthusiasm practically radiating through our RV windows.

The Pennsylvania Countryside Charm

We continued through town toward Montgomery, drinking in the rural Pennsylvania countryside we've grown to love - that perfect mix of rolling mountains, working farms, and quaint little towns where front doors seem to sit just a foot from busy highways.

I swear the roads must have been widened over the years, but this charming quirk appears all over Pennsylvania, giving every drive a cozy, intimate feel.The Riverpark Campground was absolutely packed with Little League fans, and we felt lucky to have reserved our spot months in advance. While our site didn't offer water views, we could easily walk down to the West Branch of the Susquehanna River - a wide, impressive waterway that looked inviting from a distance.

When Beautiful Rivers Hide Ugly Truths

Unfortunately, our research revealed a heartbreaking reality. This beautiful river suffers from serious pollution issues, including acid mine drainage, industrial discharges, and agricultural runoff. A recent "accidental" radioactive wastewater release from Williamsport had made an already impaired waterway even more dangerous. The Susquehanna is considered one of the most contaminated river basins in the country. Needless to say, we admired it from afar. It's always sad to see such natural beauty tainted by environmental neglect

Plan B Becomes Plan A

We'd originally planned this stop to tackle the famous Ricketts Glen State Park waterfall trail - a challenging 7.2-mile loop featuring 22 stunning waterfalls that had been one of my favorite hikes two years ago. I was one of our favorites hikes and absolutely recommend it.

But locals warned us that low water levels would diminish the waterfalls' beauty significantly.So we pivoted: Why not catch the Little League World Series championship game between the US team (Nevada) and Chinese Taipei (Taiwan)?

The Hillside Experience

Hillside balancing

The stadium was sold out, but the hillside seating was free - and steep! We'd missed the earlier consolation game by an hour (timing mix-up), so we were committed to the championship game starting in 3½ hours. Time to kill meant exploring. The Little League Museum was interesting but tiny and absolutely packed with fans. After 45 minutes of navigating crowds, we checked out the stadium food courts - nothing appealing for this vegetarian, but we grabbed water and surveyed our seating options.The hillside was already filling up, with the best quasi-level spots claimed by seasoned fans who'd brought plastic chairs with shortened back legs - genius modifications for hillside stability! With two hours still to go, I found a spot with a slightly gentler incline near a flag and speaker pole. Sure, it blocked part of the view, but it beat spending hours bracing myself from sliding downhill.

The Real Entertainment

The best part of our wait? Watching kids with cardboard boxes sliding down the hill over and over again! Their limitless energy and pure joy kept us thoroughly entertained.

The sun blazed down mercilessly on that hillside, so Manny made a strategic retreat to our air-conditioned truck while I held down our territory. He returned with an umbrella - blessed shade at last!

Game Time Magic

When the game finally began, the roar of the crowd's enthusiasm was absolutely infectious. You often had to remind yourself these were little kids - they played with such incredible professionalism and skill. Even though it ended up being a 7-0 game (not exactly a nail-biter), watching these young athletes compete at the highest level was genuinely inspiring.

The Lesson in Flexibility

Sometimes the universe has better plans than we do. What started as disappointment over missing our waterfall hike turned into a front-row seat to childhood dreams coming true. We witnessed pure joy, incredible talent, and the kind of community spirit that makes small-town America special.That's the beauty of RV travel - staying flexible enough to embrace the unexpected adventures that cross your path.