Chocolate Town USA, Hershey, PA

We are camped tonight at the Thousand Trails preserve near Hershey, PA. This afternoon we toured some attractions at Hershey's Chocolate World. Specifically, we did a free Disney-like ride through a simulated chocolate factory, complete with animated singing cows, and a trolley ride through the town of Hershey. On the factory ride they gave you a pack of Hershey Kissables at the end. We took that ride twice. All during the trolley ride the conductor passed out different varieties of Hershey kisses and mini Reece's cups. Essentially it was all-you-could-eat-and-stuff-in-your-pockets before-you-embarrassed-yourself for the duration of the tour. At the end you got a Hershey bar. Great fun. Our only mistake was to attend on a beautiful Saturday afternoon when what must be the largest antique car show in the world was in progress at the site. It seemed to be a continuation of our bad luck/bad timing from yesterday.

Milton Hershey actually failed during four initial attempts to make a go of candy making. Ironically, his breakthrough came at making caramel, not chocolate. He pioneered a recipe which used milk to make a creamy caramel that was a huge success. He sold the caramel business for a million dollars before he ever made an ounce of chocolate. When he started making chocolate he recycled the milk idea and invented milk chocolate. Another huge success. Hershey never had any heirs; he and his wife Kitty could not have children. Consequently they started an orphanage. That orphanage eventually evolved into a school for under underprivileged children, the Milton Hershey School. Kids that are admitted to the program are provided with a K-12 education, including room and board, at no expense. Currently there are about 1700 students in the program. Each student that goes on to college is granted the first $77,000 of the cost towards their college expenses. Truly a wonderful opportunity for kids who might not otherwise ever finish high school. The foundation that funds and administers the program owns 77% of the Hershey stock, essentially making Hershey a non-profit organization. I had no idea.

Tomorrow we will leave for Watoga State Park near Marlinton, WV. There we will meet some friends and do some biking, hiking and paddling.