Punxsutawney Phil

No. Bad Puxsutawney Phil. You go sit in the corner and think about what you’ve done.

Phil is great. It is a once in a lifetime experience and I will say that the town handled the influx of crazy people (how else would you describe people who stand outside, in the middle of the night, in the middle of winter in the middle of the woods, waiting for a groundhog?) amazingly well.
Do it at least once. It is a hilarious time and makes for the best vacation stories.
And it was COLD (7 degrees for us the morning of Phil’s Prognostication) so dress accordingly… if that is even possible. But go. Enjoy, and laugh about it for years to come.

Got this day off in High School. An excuse to party and have fun at the crack of dawn in negative temps. Don’t take it so seriously dude!

March 2011: In like a lamb, out like a lion?

YOU LIE!
What the hell man, I thought it was supposed to be warm? Rat bastard

Pros: Once-​in-​a-​lifetime experience, you get to see the groundhog, huge party especially with the college students with IUP, many many many interesting events downtown, get a groundhog hat!
Cons: remember this is cold. COLD. And early early early in the morning.
No offense to Karla S., but did you stand in 20 degree weather as the dawn was breaking to wait for Phil? Did you walk 2 miles in the snow just to get back downtown? Did you lie awake in a noisy community center (labeled the crash pad)?
I, among the very few, made one trip back to the east just to see groundhog phil. My friends and I drove from Pittsburgh – about a 90 minute confusing drive. The route there is often confusing with the many twists and turns.
When we first got there, we headed to watch the last showing of Groundhog Day with Bill Murray. Of course, the town of Punxsutawney does not look anything like the one in the movie. There is no bed and breakfast. Gobbler’s knob is not in the middle of town. There is no diner. etc etc
But we slept in the community center for $ 5. There was a guy who came in the center to give a wakeup call — «Wake up, it’s 3:15, the next shuttle is coming at 3:30». And every half hour. I don’t think I slept at all. We caught one of the last shuttles at 4:30 and got to the knob (more than 2 miles away from the town) around 5. It was freezing, but omg, it was so worth it.
The area was split into two — students and families. On stage, they played music and games (e.g. the newlywed game). As dawn approached, they launched fireworks. Not fancy stuff, but the kind that inspired oohs and awws from the crowd. It was as if we appreciated the small things again.
Then at some point they played the popular dancing music. We were standing in the students area. Someone started doing that line thing. And in all one swift motion, we were caught in a mosh pit. Attempts at crowd surfing were made but not many people were willing to participate, because it was freezing! But oh god, it was so much fun.
We could barely see the groundhog when Phil came out. The inner circle translated Phil’s speak and said that spring shall come early. then we dispersed.
Downtown there were many activities. We had a breakfast there – the greasy spoon kind. Groundhog hats, carved ice sculptures.
I loved every moment of it, but to do it again? Once in a lifetime.