Ooh, I did forget about the recent abolishing of the Penn State outing club. Evidently an outcome of the many lawsuits related to their football scandal.

I have heard, though, that there is an unofficial (i.e. not recognized by the university) group to replace it. Sort of a meet-up group.

As mentioned, It's probably not a good idea to start out as a beginner in Pennsylvania in November. At least when I lived there, November weather was normally on the nasty side. It's also hunting season, adding another significant hazard (and, as I recall, restrictions on non-hunting activities, at least on state game lands).

Balzaccom, my parents bought us the earliest version of the Gerry carrier back in 1960 for our first child (they got it through the Holubars who were friends and still working out of their basement in Boulder, CO where he was a math professor the university). It wasn't ideal, but it lasted until the youngest of our 4 kids was too old for it (or at least thought she was). It was ideal for shopping because I had both hands free. Unfortunately, the child had both hands free, too, resulting in my hair being pulled a lot!