Yes, I know, I am taking some liberties with this posting, but aren’t the holidays a time for fun and levity? Although this is not about eLearning specifically, it is about “Terra Incognita” – the unknown territory. I recently took the opportunity to experience some of the wonders of South-Central Pennsylvania. Although the Keystone State is better known for being the home of Benjamin Franklin, the Johnstown Flood of 1889, and Amish communities, it is also the site of Gravity Hill, a place where the basic principles of gravity, (a notion that has made its way into much of modern thinking) do not completely apply. Gravity Hill is simply a road in the middle of nowhere, which is probably why the rules of nature have been suspended. Park your vehicle in the right spot, put it in neutral, remove your foot from the brake, and the vehicle will roll backward uphill. I have experienced this sort of thing before at Magnetic Hill in Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada, but somehow found the phenomena more satisfying at Gravity Hill.

If you make the trip, be sure to observe official Gravity Hill protocol:

• Check your rearview mirror before doing the hill backwards.
• Never turn around in the “local’s” yards.
• Wave and smile when folks pass by.
• Let folks by if they’re trying to get past you.

Finally, be patient while driving there – and take along a good navigator. The directions on the Web site are not the greatest, but I guess that’s really part of the fun.

Whether you spend it rolling backward up Gravity Hill or with family and friends, have a safe and peaceful holiday season.