An October surprise

An October Surprise

STORMSTOWN — The Way Fruit Farm Fall Festival had a surprise pumpkin picker Saturday: Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin.

Palin made the unannounced visit with her youngest daughter, Piper, on her way from a rally in Johnstown to the University Park Airport, where her plane was taking off for Philadelphia.

The visit was kept secret until seconds before John McCain’s “Straight Talk Express” bus rolled up and caught festivalgoers completely off guard.

“I saw the bus come up, took a picture of it,” said State College resident Ty Arbutiski, who had come with his wife and kids to the festival. “The kids were still out petting the bunnies. I said, ‘I’m going to go see if they’re stopping,’ ran up here and sure enough they did stop.”

“I yelled to her, ‘She rocks,’ she waved to me and said ‘Thank you,’ and came over and shook my hand. So I’m a happy guy. I may never wash it again.”