Function at the Junction
Over the course of millennia, the meanderings of the mighty Delaware River brought three states together--NY, NJ and PA--at a town called Port Jervis, NY. In its heyday, and at that advantageous junction, Port Jervis was a center of commerce.
And the folks who ran the Erie Lackawanna railroad back then were not stupid. Port Jervis' "Erie Railroad station [served] passenger train travelers on the Erie's busy New York-to-Buffalo and Chicago main line route. Railroad hotels offered guests overnight accommodations, full restaurant service and quick meals for passengers on brief stopovers." You can read more about this historic building here.
But this labyrinthine bar, with more nooks and crannies than a Thomas's English Muffin, served as a perfect stopover for our intrepid band of PBBC bikers en route to one of the most scenic and fun motorcycle rides anywhere--The Hawk's Nest. More about that later.
As is our mission, we ride and seek out good pubs along the way in order to refresh ourselves, and, having read about this place previously, I designated it as a stop. I'm glad I did.
Barbara, a Harley rider herself who tends the bar, seemed to have a table all ready for our group of ten when I walked in. She told me she had been working at the Erie Hotel for nineteen years, but that couldn't have been true, considering she looked about twenty-eight.
And, because of her accommodating personality, the fascinating bar interior--with its German hand carved back bar and its multiple pathways to other areas, the beer list and the food (especially the Sweet Thai Garlic Wings), the Erie Hotel earned the coveted PAP Seal.
The hotel has actually earned many trophies and awards--including championship belts--for its wings in competitions.
That's family member Jon Brink below proudly posing with a few belts behind the classic bar.
And that's Barbara down below mounting and proudly displaying the award on the hotel's entry way. (And that's some PBBC maniac named Wilson peering--somewhat insanely--through the window.) Of course, any group is only as good as its members, and the word "fun" doesn't adequately describe them.
The beer list was impressive. The Creeker, an Imperial IPA (9%) from Ithaca, served in ten oz. glasses was outstanding, and it went perfectly with my Buffalo Bill sandwich. I had two, and John A would have had a keg of it had he not been on two wheels.
But we were. And after much kibitzing, guffawing and trying to help Maria remember what day it was, we bid goodbye to this place which has many things to recommend it to today's travelers riding iron horses, as it did to the travelers of yesteryear riding on iron wheels, not to mention its proximity to the Hawks' Nest. Perfect riding weather along with an outstanding pub and a phenomenal group made August 13 a most memorable day.
If you go to the Erie Hotel--and you should--chat up Barbara or Joe, and tell them The PubScout sent you. And see if you can get Barbara to tell you her real age.
Cheers!
The PubScout
