walking in irene

We had a hurricane this weekend. (And an earthquake Tuesday. The locusts will arrive any time now.) Well, it was the western side of one. We were hammered with rain, high winds and had bunches of flooding. But all in all it was okay.

I was in the house all day Saturday and Sunday with the roomie. By 2-3pm Sunday I was climbing the walls. My roommate had been knitting and ripping and swearing for three days. I couldn't stand it anymore. I had to get out.

I decided against Fountain Hill. Too many mature trees to tumble down. I though about photographing the Lehigh River which was over flowing so I headed toward the Fahy Bridge. Clearly the dead steel mill needed to be in the shot. When I arrived I was greeted by caution tape and barrels. Apparently pedestrians weren't allowed on the bridge. I guess they thought we'd blow off. They haven't seen my size!

I was thinking of walking down the Greenway to the Minsi but it started to rain again. I had no umbrella or raincoat. An umbrella would have been useless anyway with the wind. I decided to go into the Rite Aid about a block away for a throw-away raincoat. I went to cross the street and the traffic lights were out because of the storm.

There was two people stopped. They took turns going. So then I thought it was my turn. Non-functioning traffic lights are treated like 4-ways stop signs, correct? I went to step off the curb and four cars went thru the light without stopping. Good thing I was paying attention or it would have been Fat Girl splat on Third Street!

It was raining harder when I finally arrived at the Rite Aid. They were closed due to power failure. Duh Gayle. The traffic light was out. Of course the power for the whole 'hood was out.

So I headed home. Checking out the flowers that survived the wind.

interesting planning.

I work on Cattell Street in Easton. They have it torn up since before Christmas. It's been a nightmare. Now they are working on all the corners which is making walking at lunch nearly impossible.

I use this crossing every day. I wonder if they told the homeowners they were building a wall in front of their driveway? I guess the city doesn't want anyone driving down the curb cuts. The skateboarders in the neighborhood will love it.

On the up side, it will be a nice place to sit and wait for the bus.

not really a 5k

Today was the Merry-Go-Round 5K in Perkasie. We finished in an hour. But we didn't break any speed records and we stopped and took pictures. And we followed a map.


It was overcast when we left Bonnie's, but sunny. By the time we got off Rt 309, it was drizzling. By the time we parked at Menlo Park it was raining hard. We were early and waited it out in the car. The 5K run started at 9:15. In the middle of the downpour.


We were signed up for the fun walk at 10 which turned out to be only a mile. Yikes. So on the other side of our map was the 5K map. We used it. Since we weren't doing the silly 1 mile walk, we headed out.


Every volunteer we met said two things. "The walk started already?" and "The walk goes this way." Bonnie said if she heard it one more time she was going to have to hurt someone.


There was very little on the borough streets. Maybe three blocks. Then we headed into the park, crossed the covered bridge (1832) and hit the bike trail. We circled many ball fields. Bonnie found the luna moth caterpillar right before we headed over the suspension bridge. So we took many pixs. I looked on line and it said "When the caterpillar is fully grown, it will be 2 1/2 inches long" ours was easily that big "and ready to become a pupa. It will spin silk from near its mouth and wrap itself in a leaf. The caterpillar will usually stay in this cocoon for two to three weeks." So I think our little friend was off to make herself a cocoon!

On the other side of the creek we found the gazebo and some white geese playing in the puddles.

When we returned back across the bridge, we headed toward the covered bridge again, looped around more ball fields and up the gravel trail hill. With some great shelf fungus. It wasn't easy. It was steep, gravel and wet. Not a good combo. When you neared the top you could hear the calliope playing on the carousel.


At this point it was still dry, but humid. One of the sponsors was Dietz & Watson so in addition to the regular carbs and fruit there was meat! The ham was delicious.

 By the time we were ready to ride the carousel it was raining. We made it across the park before the deluge started. The carousel was free for us, as part of the race. However, on a regular day it only cost 35¢. American. There is no other ride on the planet that costs 35¢. But wait. It you take three ridges it's only a buck! A buck. I couldn't believe it. The ride was long and fast. Felt like 5 minutes. At Dorney it would have been $2 for a minute. Maybe.

getting my groove back?

Maybe, but I walked again today. Third time this week? Fingers crossed.

Friday is walk in S. Whitehall day, so Betsy and I set out about 1 pm. It was warm and humid so we did about three miles on the shadier streets. I think I did a fair job of keeping up with her, but maybe she slowed down for me.

Sharon's medal came. Under great peer pressure she let me photograph it. It's even made in the USA

Next week we won't walk. I'm going to Cape May for the weekend. Not the vacation of my dreams, but it will do. We'll be biking, climbing lighthouses and walking on the beach. Oh, and we'll be over eating too. Should all even itself out!

Sunday is the Merry-Go-Round walk. Then maybe a farmers market. We'll see.

south bethlehem walk off her list

My friend Angel made a list of things to do before summer was over. One was walk in South Bethlehem. An odd thing to put on a list, don't you think? But that line item was inspired by the posts in this blog, so today we went.

Angel and 7-year-old Bug arrived around 10. We didn't get back till 1:30.

Barely out of the house Bug says may we go to the park. That question I could smell that coming. There's one two blocks away, visible from my house—Ullman Park. (aka Junk Park, Drug  Park, Sassafrass Park.) When she see's it, she always asks. I said "no".

(There's a couple of reasons. I didn't tell her. She can now read. I don't want to explain the words in the graffiti. It is also the place to buy drugs in my area. Empty dime bags and needles are all around. She would think it was litter. I'd worry she'd step on something.)

I was going to tell her we could go to Fountain Hill park, but it was the other direction from our lunch stop. Plus mom's list said to walk in south Bethlehem, not Fountain Hill. So I told her I knew another park.


We headed up my hill and out Sioux. Then we had to cross Wyandotte. I told Bug I needed to hold her hand. She told me I squeezed it too hard. It was Wyandotte St. I don't care about comfort. Just safety.

We headed out Summit to Carlton and down Carlton of MLK Park. It's next to Holy Infancy. We stayed at least a half hour. Then headed back up the hill and thru Lehigh's campus. Stopping at every sculpture. We continued thru the old Taylor Stadium and down Filmore to the new South Bethlehem Greenway.

The Greenway is divine.

Hopefully it will take some of the pressure off the canal path. It's used hard already.

The Greenway used to be Norfolk Southern rail line. It's flat. It's wide. There are lights and new trees and benches and trash cans. (Yes, that is a horrible sentence. I don't care. Call the grammar police!) All the trash that used to be on the railroad tracks is gone. The homes along the way seem to have new found pride in their houses and are painting and planting flowers and things, instead of tossing old couches, mattresses and tires onto the former tracks.

The cross streets narrow at the Greenway intersections so it's easier to cross the street. There are posts to block cars, but not bicycles. And the street names are written into the sidewalks.


Right now the Greenway is about a mile an a half from New to the 4th Street bridge. It ends at the skate park. Next year it will continue to Saucon Park and connect, I think, with the Saucon rail-trail in Hellertown. (Which may ultimately connect with the one in going to Coopersburg.)

After work is completed on the Hill to Hill Bridge it will continue from New, across Third to Union Station.

We walked to Hayes, turned around and came back to New and went to Nawab for lunch. It's a buffet. Bug ate her weight and then some. Them she wanted to take a nap. At the restaurant. She asked if there was someone who could pick us up. I said no. We're walking.

Slowly we walked home.

All-in-all it was a great day.

If you read about a walk that you want to take in this blog or anywhere else*. Let me know. We'll go.

*Not quite anywhere else. Got one today for Scotland. Would love to do it. Lacking the $5K and have a serious fear of flying.

a very good day!

Today was the Alburtis 5K ad I finished in 48:38. AHEAD of Bonnie. Dang, it's god day.

Then we went to the diner for breakfast, then to her house and I weighed myself. I lost 2 pounds!. Now I''m only up 4 for the summer. Maybe it was the walking at Musikfest yesterday? I was there from noon to about 7 pm and barely sat down.

Last night I went to Alburtis to pick up our race packets.  I got lost. Glad it was last night and not today.

I picked up Bonnie this morning and we headed to Alburtis. We arrive 15 minutes before the race began and got a sweet parking spot and a package of Pez.

Bonnie hasn't done any exercise since the Memorial Day race. She wanted to try it today. Shortly after the 1 mile mark she pulled off the course and waited for me to come back, and then finished with me. Meanwhile she took some pixs in the park.

It's a hilly course—up hill in both directions. At the 1 mile mark I was at 15 something. Almost 4 miles an hour! At the 2 mile mark I was at 32 something. Not as good, but still not bad. When I re-entered the park, it was flat or downhill to Bonnie. I power walked the whole thing. It help make up for some of the time I lost going up hills.


When I saw the finish line and saw a 4 at the beginning of the time I got excited and booked it into the finish. I was like someone put dynamite in my butt and lit it. Much better than that 60 minutes the last 5k.

I always lose time the last mile. I really need to work on endurance and consistency.

 Next week we have the Merry-Go-Round 5k. The walk isn't timed. That's good because they'll be lots to take pixs of. Plus it will give Bonnie a chance to do the full 5k without the pressure of a clock.

They, whoever they are, says what comes in twos comes in threes. Wonder what number three will be?

nothing new

Been lazy. Again. I need a fitness goal. Can someone find me one?

I was going to lose 30 pounds this summer. I gained. I don't know how much. I'm terrified to look. I will though, Saturday after the 5K.

There is construction everywhere. You can't walk three blocks without hitting some. South Bethlehem is a mess.  And there's still a year to go on it. Cattell Street, in front of my office has been torn up, off and on, since winter. They are tearing up the sidewalks at the bottom of College Hill. Now they are tearing up campus.

And I wonder why I stopped walking so much. My walking buddies moving and retiring didn't help either. I'm mor motivate when someone is at my door.

I haven't been totally inactive. I've walked at lunch. I've walked around Musikfest. I've walked back and forth to campus (3 times one day!). Nothing that will add up.

Some positive news. The south Bethlehem Greenway is almost done. The art trail in Easton is almost done. They''ll be some new, flat, areas to explore. On the flat, smooth, new trails I'm going to work on speed.

The 5K in Alburtis Saturday will be interesting. Last year I did it in about 51 minutes. A personal best at that time. I can only hope to do that well this time. Hopefully Bonnie will be able to get off the bench and come also. As much as I complain about "Jillian", she really does motivate me. I know Lyd isn't coming. I'm not sure about Kathy.

We have many 5Ks coming up. Need to get my at in gear. Maybe by the Turkey Trot in November I can be under 50 minutes again.

sharon won a medal at a 5k!

Remember the 5k that I was thrown out of the pool? That day the finish line guy said thru the pool fence one of us won a medal. We all came in OVER an hour. Really? I wondered if it was the dead last but finished medal—she finished the race in 68:08! Needless to say I ignored him.

But here it is in B&W. First in her division. I had to send them her address to claim her prize. I can't stop laughing at the absurdity.

to ball or not to ball that is the question.

That piqued your interest, didn't it?

Today at work I was headed toward the restroom and a colleague had her office door open. She was sitting on a big blue ball.

I've read things in walking blogs and exercise articles about sitting on balls at work, how wonderful it is for your body. Strengthens your core. Improves your balance. Yada, yada,yada.

But seeing her today sitting on the ball got me thinking about it.

Now that I'm in the video suite at work and hidden from the world should I try it? So I hit the net and did some research. Some good review, some bad. Here's a list of 10 reason I should from the web.

And an article from the Livestrong site. (where I borrowed the photo.)

Before doing it, my colleague talked to her chiropractor about it. The chiropractor said it can be both good. And bad. For example if you sit on the ball 10 hours a day. If you sit on the ball for an hour, then some time on a regular chair, and go back and forth, it's better.

Another says her husband does it. And he uses a $8 ball from Target, rather than the $75 balls.

Will I stay on the dang thing? I can imagine coming home from work with a concussion. Or having the ball escape my butt, rolling in to the hall and down three flights of stairs crashing into the head-honchos office.

For $8 I just might try it. What do I have to lose other than a few inches? If worse comes to worse the kids will have a ball to play with when they come over.

if at first you don't succeed ...

We were less than a half block away from the stairs yesterday (Alan Marrero's Tributary Dreams). Dang it. Today, following Mich's instructions, I found it in a heart beat. Finding parking in the west ward is a different subject all together.

There are 58 steps. Yes I climbed them. If you go, don't wear open shoes. The stairs are covered with broken bottles. I had to walk carefully in my Birks. I think this is the best piece of the lot. The tile work was pefectly aligned. How he did that on a twelve inch step is beyond me. Even if I laid on the ground I couldn't do it. Maybe he used those sheets that you cut apart. (The photo I found yesterday must be a rendering. The actual pattern on the stairs is different.)

I then drove to the narrowest alley I've ever been in and found Sonny Wards Grass Wall in a long skinny pocket park.  There was no way I would have found it without Mich's help. It appears to be made of cardboard.

So I know what you're saying, Gayle, when did this turn into Fat Girls Art Blog. It hasn't. Trust me.

A few years ago everyone had painted horses and mules and monkeys and things. I was much worse then. I drove to Kentucky twice to chase horses. I also photographed art bears during the 3-Day. I have two more pieces to find for this adventure, and then I'm done.

Until the Easton art trail opens in fall. Can't wait.

lunch time art hunt

 It's difficult to find things to blog about now that I'm not training for a big walk. With the Cleveland walk last week and the Boston walk the week before, I'm itching to walk 60-miles. Bizarre, I know it. So if you know a corporate sponsor, I'm so there. In fact, I'll walk every walk for the three-day in 2012 if I have a sponsor. That means all those $2300 minimums, hotels, transportation.

Now that we've played with fantasy, lets take a trip to reality.

It was hot today, but not humid, so we decided to venture downtown to look for more art from the Art of Urban Environments festival. We found it ironic that the construction was always on the shady side of the street, so we got hot, quick.

We headed down College Hill, around the circle and headed up to 7th and Northampton. I thought the map said we could find Alan Marrero's Tributary Dreams between 6th and 7th. (Pix from the Lafayette website) We didn't. That's because I read the map wrong. It was at 8th and Northampton. Oops. Not finding it we headed back to the office on 248, over the closed bridge and Bushkill Drive (?) to the Williams Visual Arts Building and back to the office. (2.5 miles)

BTW, there's a couple of good hills in that walk.

I'm having a bit of frustration with the map, so today I emailed Michiko, Lafayette's Directory of Galleries. She gave me some pointers. She also told me there are two maps, and I must be using the old one. (I'm a print type of girl. Maybe it's my age, but if I have a map in my hands, why look on the web?) Tonight I looked at the website and it's a bit different, and some concrete addresses are listed.

One, Sonny Wards Grass Wall, I tried finding on rain barrel day. According to Mich's instructions, and the website I was there. I just didn't see it at Centennial Park. I will go back.

There's two I haven't seen in town. On the map that look like the are at Center Square. According to the website Amanda Jimenez's Heartbeats is in the Artist Alley of Bank Street and in front of Connexions Gallery.That's another walk, another day when it's cooler.

Yesterday I walked before breakfast. Just around the block. Down to Broadway, out to the Five Points, up Wyandotte and down Fiot. It was short. Maybe a mile. A hard mile, but just a mile.

Sunday I walked while waiting for Sharon at the gym. Again, it was short. I just wandered the streets of east Allentown, looking for hills.

Finally at some point I got a new official follower, my niece Lydia. You've read a little about her here. I knew she read the blog, I didn't realize she "followed" it. Welcome! She's the orange exclamation point.