Planning your arrival in & return home from Allentown, Penna. – Pilgrimage 2020 re-located to Pennsylvania

Q. Where must I arrive for pilgrimage, and when?

A. All pilgrim-drivers or those arriving by public transportation (plane or bus) must plan to arrive in Allentown, PA on Thursday, September 24, between noon and 9:00pm.

Q. Why there? Why do I not drive directly to the starting point in Shartlesville?

A. Pilgrims will need to have their vehicles ready for them in Allentown at the end of the pilgrimage, or will need to depart from the airport or bus terminal in Allentown if traveling by public transportation (PT). Organizers shuttle pilgrim-drivers from their arrival point in Allentown on Thursday, to the step-off location at Mtn. Springs Campground in Shartlesville.

Q. How do I and fellow-pilgrims get on the shuttle?

A. All pilgrim-drivers and PT-users, without exception, must submit the shuttle request, without delay, before September 23 — but only after registering.

http://national-coalition.org/w/transportation-request-form/
http://pilrimage-for-restoration.org/registration/

Q. What if I am driving alone to Allentown Thursday?

A. The exact location of arrival in Allentown for those car-pooling or driving their own vehicles is in a vacant parking lot at the cul de sac of S 5th Street in downtown (center city) Allentown. Organizers will meet arriving drivers (only – no passengers*) here, at the rendezvous point, then direct them to nearby parking lots at local churches, to park their vehicles until Sunday.

    1. rendezvous point —

https://tinyurl.com/y3ey2y8b

      GPS coordinates 40.599934,-75.466506

* The shuttle request form online explains where drivers must deliver passengers Thursday, before driving to the rendezvous point linked above. Don’t worry! Just follow instructions one step at a time: fellow pilgrims are ready to walk with you every step of the way. You positively need to know only & exactly the first few steps to meet up with them on site Thursday. They explain all steps when you meet, one at a time.

Q. What if I am driving passengers — e.g., with friends or family in a car-pool?

A. Drivers first drop off all passengers at the starting (step-off) location of the pilgrimage in Shartlesville, PA, where they check-in with organizers at the Mtn. Springs Campground. Drivers then drive, alone, directly to the rendezvous location in Allentown, as explained above.

 
Q. What if I am arriving by public transportation (PT) — by plane or by bus, Thursday?

A. In order to be shuttled to the starting-point, pilgrims arriving by PT must also request the shuttle, and arrive Thursday between noon and 9:00pm, at either Lehigh Valley International (ABE) Airport or at the bus terminal in downtown Allentown at the corner of Hamilton Street & American Parkway.

Q. What if I must arrive unavoidably later than 9:00pm Thursday evening, or depart before 7:00pm Sunday evening?

A. In those cases, a pilgrim must make special arrangements, also in advance, before September 22, with pilgrim-organizer Dennis Mitchell, who is responsible for assisting pilgrims with shuttling.

Q. Can I get the shuttle to my motel in Shartlesville, if I am not overnighting at Mtn. Springs Campground Thursday?

A. Yes, the procedure is the same. Before September 23 all pilgrims must submit the shuttle request in order to schedule to meet with pilgrim organizers in Allentown. The organizers will bring them to Thursday’s check-in and to their overnight accommodations — whether to a motel in Shartlesville, PA or directly to the step-off location in Mtn. Springs Campground in anticipation of pre-dawn meet-up Friday morning. Check-in at the step-off location, at the Campground, is required for every pilgrim arriving Thursday.

Q. So, do I understand correctly? Could you summarize what I must do?

A. Here’s a summary:

a. If you have not yet registered, you must register, here.   https://pilgrimage-for-restoration.org/registration/

b. After registering, you must plan to arrive between noon and 9:00pm Thursday, September 24, in Allentown.request the pilgrims’ shuttle from Allentown to the step-off location using this form.   http://national-coalition.org/w/transportation-request-form/

c. To coordinate your arrival plans with organizers, every pilgrim driving alone or the driver in a car-pool must request the pilgrims’ shuttle from Allentown to the step-off location using this form.   http://national-coalition.org/w/transportation-request-form/.

d. If you are driving alone or are the driver in a car-pool, you or the driver (only) in your car-pool will park your vehicle at the rendezvous point in Allentown, Click here for the rendezvous location. https://tinyurl.com/y3ey2y8b

e. If you are traveling by PT, book to arrive at Lehigh Valley International Airport (ABE) or at the downtown Allentown bus terminal at Hamilton St & American Pkwy, and request to be picked up by the pilgrim-shuttle.

f. Every pilgrim must check-in with organizers Thursday evening upon arrival at the step-off location, in Mtn. Springs Campground. (Details about check-in will also appear in a separate post on this blog-site. Check back frequently for updates.)

    Confer also this post: https://pilgrimage-for-restoration.org/blog/?p=6847

g. If you must schedule in advance to arrive later than 9:00pm Thursday evening, or to depart Allentown before 7:00pm Sunday evening, you must make special arrangements in advance with pilgrim-organizer Dennis Mitchell, who is responsible for assisting pilgrims with shuttling.

h. Reserve your tent-site or motel room in advance using the information in this post on this blog. You can wait until arrival in Shartlesville to reserve your motel or a tent site at the Mtn. Springs Campground, but we do not advise to risk it.

NOTE: The cost of overnighting Thursday has always been paid by pilgrims, who must themselves book a motel room in Shartlesville OR a tent-site at Mtn. Springs Campground in advance or upon arrival Thursday. Contact info for two or more nearby motels and the campground appears in this post.

NOTE also: The cost to overnight at the campgrounds Friday and Saturday nights are covered by the pilgrim’s registration fee. See the blog post immediately below to see what else is paid-for or/and supplied by registration and the fee.

ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS – about shuttling at conclusion of pilgrimage, Sunday, and about using one’s family vehicle to participate in the “modified pilgrimage” all three days

Q. How do I get back to my parked vehicle or to my PT departure location Sunday from the destination shrine in Allentown?

A. Using the same shuttle request takes care of that, also.   http://national-coalition.org/w/transportation-request-form/”

Q. What if I am participating in the so-called “modified pilgrimage” with other families? We don’t walk most of the pilgrimage, and keep the family-vehicle to drive from camp to camp all three days. Must we also submit the shuttle request?

A. Yes. If you are participating in the “modified pilgrimage” with other families, then you will keep you vehicle all three days in order to drive your family from camp to camp. But you still must submit the shuttle request — for reasons explained on that same form.

IF YOU HAVE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS – Communicate directly with your brigadier, his captain, other officers of the brigade, or veteran-pilgrims. The information above, and a couple posts on this blog to follow shortly, explain EVERYTHING you need to know to travel and arrive at pilgrimage at its new location. Upon arrival, all further instructions will be shared with you by pilgrim-organizers.

HELPFUL! – See the other posts on this blog that answer frequently asked questions, providing HELPFUL EXPLANATIONS and details of your other preparations that for the most part do not change from year-to-year.

https://pilgrimage-for-restoration.org/blog/?s=faq

http://national-coalition.org/w/transportation-request-form/ — Shuttle request form, Thursday and Sunday – Pilgrimage 2020.

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