A ‘lil Nor’easter paid us a visit and I used every single raindrop as my excuse to hunker down for the weekend. This upcoming weekend tho, there’s so much happening around Lancaster, it’ll be much harder to stay home.

See ya ‘round Lancaster!

-Ed (connect on LinkedIn)

Today’s cover image is by local artist Michael Marcon. He captured this beautiful image somewhere between The Log Cabin Restaurant and the nearby Zook’s Mill Covered Bridge. Michael makes his way around the county and beyond with his camera. view his art

Pop Quiz…Which is taller?

The world’s tallest saguaro cactus or a hot air balloon?

Height Fight, a new card game made right here in Lancaster County by two neighbors, Kerry Oldfield and Ryan Stadel, challenges you to put a variety of items in order from shortest to tallest.

Their origin story is rad. A kitchen table. A neighbor's barn. A math teacher turned stay-at-home dad. A financial advisor. A mutual love for games.

Here's how the game works. Both teams take turns building a single line of cards, organizing them from shortest to tallest. Think someone slipped a card in the wrong spot? Challenge it and flip it over. Call it right and you get bragging rights and they receive additional cards. Call it wrong and you receive the additional cards.

Ryan used to teach math. He says, “There are more possible card combinations than grains of sand on Earth. There are trillions of play combinations.” I'm not arguing with Mr. Stadel.

I played a round at Our Town Unplugged. I was losing badly, and here's what saved me: when your opponent drops their last card, you get one more shot at an epic run to win it back. Clear your whole hand and you steal the win. It was a ton of fun.

As we played, people wandered past, got invited to play, and gave the standard, "Oh, I don't know how…"

Less than a minute later, they were on a team arguing over which item was taller.

Height Fight is launching live on Kickstarter this Thursday, Oct 1st. They have dozens of games in their pipeline. Purchase a game through their Kickstarter launch to support these hometown creators.

The game is one that kids will pull off the shelf and one adults won't want to put away. Ages 6+. From two players to groups or teams.

Height Fight is nearly at the finish line. Ryan & Kerry would love your help getting the game off their kitchen table and onto yours.

back their kickstarter and get a copy of the game or follow their journey on ig

Play a sample of Height Fight below and then scroll to the very bottom of today’s newsletter to see the correct answer!

LOOPER POLL - WIN MERCH

Elvis slept here…and so can you.

Well technically…he rode here, but maybe he “food-coma napped” after eating a fried PBBB sandwich. (peanut butter, banana & bacon)

According to the Colonial Pullman Company (CPC), this exact rail car was the one Elvis Presley rode home in 1960, when his service in the Army ended.

Ladies and gentlemen, Elvis has left the train car.

It's called the Colonial Crafts. The Pennsylvania Railroad built it in 1949. Four bedrooms with private baths. A shower. A small kitchen with a chef in it. A lounge that seats 20+.

Today it's privately owned and still rides the rails. Here's the trick: it’s hitched to an Amtrak train. Destinations like New York, Miami, Chicago, Boston, Richmond, Albany, Pittsburgh, and more. CPC has many planned itineraries and also welcomes chartered trips. Think: family reunions, unforgettable 40th birthday bashes, or maybe a special Looper getaway…?

It’s rolling right through Lancaster on Saturday the 10th. Hop aboard for a luxurious ride and a two-night stay in Pittsburgh. The Pittsburgh hotel is not included.

A chef cooks. Two porters porter. You just enjoy the ride.

You arrive in Pittsburgh at 8:05p.

Sunday is yours. Spend the day walking the city. Steelers vs. Colts at 1p. The Pittsburgh Symphony. The incline up Mount Washington. A long wander through the Strip District. I’ve never been, but I hear yinz’ll have a good time.

Monday morning the train car heads back east and you're back in Lancaster by 1:41p.

It’s $800 whether you board in New York or Lancaster. Save the drive and enjoy the ride this time. Meals, snacks, and drinks are included, served by a professional crew.

I've written about trains that skipped Lancaster. (Big Boy 1, Lancaster 0)

But now this one stops for 2 minutes westbound and 4 minutes eastbound. That’s just enough time to hop aboard and meet a new neighbor.

book the Pittsburgh Limited ride or find another trip

LOOPER TRAVEL POLL

Books Books Books Event Poll Results

Last week’s poll asked when the printing press was ready for commercial use. 576 years ago, in 1450, all the pieces came together, and information started spreading like never before. Thanks to Amy for providing the VIP tickets to a Loop reader.

The Loop is fueled by local sponsors. Neighbors who are building something here.
They live here, give here, and spend their dollars here.

Today's sponsor is blurred on purpose. Here are your clues…

You own a business. Or manage a building. A facility. A venue. Right now, air is moving through every room of it. Above the ceiling tiles. Behind the walls. All day long.

You probably never think about it. That's the problem they solve.

Bonus clue: John McClane spent most of a movie crawling through the place they spend all day thinking about.

Who is it? Click the blurrrrr. 👆

The Loop is nearing our one year anniversary. The first November 18th, 2025 edition landed in a total of 6 inboxes. Hi, Mom! Each week it’s researched, written, and sent by one local fella (👋). I hunt down all the good of L🌹nc🌹ster. Always free, always local.

If the Loop has earned your weekly read, make a contribution of any size and receive my eternal gratitude and a high-five or hug at a future IRL event. Every dollar goes back into growing our community. Can’t or don’t want to? I still ❤️🤍 you.