fat girl, downloading

I bought an iPod for the Historic Bethlehem audio files, and also for the longer training walks I need to do for the half. But an audio tour of Bethlehem is not real stimulating. In fact, it probably slows you down.

I hate buying music online. I don't ever know what to pick. I never really bought much music the old fashion way. I'm more a radio girl. But I needed a fast beat to keep me focused and as fast as possible.

Today I downloaded three albums on iTunes—Broadway (with a techno beat behind it, hysterical!), Disco, (like Donna Summers really needs a techno beat) and a remixed (dance) pop album. Then I googled free workout music and found an hour album from Secret deodorant. I downloaded the Low intensity because it said power walking. Maybe I should also do the moderate. However, it has ads. (Ya get what you pay for!) It's all one track and it's an hour. Then I downloaded one from Shape Magazine, and The Biggest Loser/Subway.

That should be enough music for the half, and then some.

I'll try it out at the 10K Monday. So far the Secret mix isn't bad.

third place????????

I earned third place in my age group at the George Lasso 5K Saturday. I'm in deep shock. Guess it's a good thing Bonnie didn't come. She would have beat me! (lol)

fat girl, flying

Today was the day Lydia picked to do the zip flying adventure at Camelback mountain. Personally, I'd like to do the treetop course.

The original plan was Lyd and Bonnie were going to fly in this seat-like thing, and I was going to take pixs. But with Bonnie in the hospital, and no takers for the extra ticket, I had to do it.

I think Lyd enjoyed it. I didn't. But I didn't hate it either. Would I do it again? Hell no.

We checked in and took the shuttle bus to the top of the hill.The area marked lot is the parking lot. The end of the "ride" was just a little further.

First thing they do is weigh you. Heavier person goes on the right. (I was on the left!) Then they strap you into the seat thingy. The seat is held by a real, rather than novelty, carabiner. There's a gate in front of you that is locked. After you are strapped in they undo the carabiner and unlock the gate.

Leaving the gate is terrifying. There is no turning back. I screamed like a girl and had a death grip the whole time. The actual ride, might have been okay if I could relax, but I couldn't. The end was horrible.  The top pix is me coming in for my landing.

Then we headed to Bushkill Falls. I didn't remember so many rocky, steep, trails and steps! Online we read 1267—as much as the stair climbs we do. It was two miles, we did it in 2 hours.  Lots of water falls, both big and small. Lots of bridges and scenic overlooks. We worked up quite a sweat.

It's been quite an athletic weekend. School begins tomorrow. For me summer is over. I can't cross a single "to-do" off my list. Oh well.

My next challenge—the 10K on Labor Day.

hardest. 5k. ever.

Second walk for the day was the Seed Farm 5K. This one was not timed. It truly was the hardest thing I've ever done, athletically.

It was cross-country around the farm. I thought that meant dirt trails. Indeed it did. And rocky trails, and holes, and lawn expanses of mowed fields with ankle grabbing rose bushes, and rock hard crab grass.

For forty yards we were on macadam. It was glorious. The pix below was taken at the end. We finished in 74 minutes. With the exception of the time I got lost I never finished a race in 74 minutes.

Sharon went along and only did the first loop. Thank heavens. She would have broke something.

Lydia and I have muscles hurting that we didn't know we had! They better get rested tonight. Tomorrow is the 7 falls hike at Bushkill Falls. And that other thing Bonnie and Lyd want to do. With Bonnie in the hospital, it looks like I'm going to have to do it. I've pre-paid. Please say a prayer to the God, non-God, spirit or idol of your choice. I'll need it.

george yasso 5k

Today was the George Yasso 5k. Bonnie couldn't come, she's back in the hospital. This time with cellulitis. (That's a skin infection, on her stomach.)

This 5K is hilly. It is Fountain Hill after all. I think it covers the bulk of the borough. There was only two true walkers, and maybe 10 walk/run people. I did bring up the rear. But was not last.

It was the first time in a long time that I've done a 5K alone.  It's lonely and I felt really behind. I was. It won't be the last. Labor Day I'll be doing a 10K. Maybe by that time I will have music on the iPod.

Thankfully the fire dept. had their sprinkler going. I went through twice. It's my favorite part of this walk!

Finish time 51:15. Disappointing that it wasn't in the high 40s, but okay for all those hills.

exploring the south side

I usually walk with Betsy on Fridays, but she had a family situation to deal with, and couldn't go. Sharon is over for the weekend so we walked tonight.

She needed ground pork so we were headed to Aharts—via the scenic route. It was more scenic than I planned!

We zig-zagged up to Seneca and then down Delaware and third. I took her phone and started taking pixs for my type class of environmental typography. Lots of stops and twists and turns.

I saw these signs at Fox Optical the other day, and more in English and Spanish as we explored the Third street. When I looked it up it's an initiative by the Health Department to curb diabetes in high risk neighborhoods. (South Bethlehem). I think I am offended that my neighborhood is being singled out. There's no diabetes in the rest of the city?

Then we noticed the stores were open, and before I knew it we were exploring Home and Planet. I love that place. There's a gallery in the back.  They were exhibiting ArtGuitars by JDVokes.

Eventually we headed up to Webster and we on the way to the Greenway, when Sharon needed a bathroom, so we backtracked to the Banana Factory. An hour plus later, we arrived at Aharts, then went home.

We were gone 1.5 hours and only went 2.5 miles!

water review

Fiji. What's the big deal?

Since I've been doing these random water reviews I've avoided Fiji water. First of all because it's expensive. Second, because everyone is always fussing about it. A woman in my office brings quarts of it in.

Yesterday I was out longer than I planned and stopped at the Wawa for water. I was going to get Perrier. I like the bubbles and maybe I could trick myself into thinking it's soda. Fiji was on sale 2/$2.22. That brought the price in line with regular spring waters. I bought two. (Full price for one!)

The company wbesite, and the bottle pretty much say

“Please don’t touch the water” – it’s our number-one rule.

Fiji Water’s state-of-the-art bottling facility was designed to protect the purity of our water at every step of the production process, and as part of that strict commitment to quality, no human hands are allowed to touch it. In fact, the facility was built directly on top of the Fiji Water aquifer, where a completely sealed delivery system draws the water up from the protected chamber and places it directly into our iconic square bottles, which are made from the highest-grade terephthalate (PET) plastic resin.
     To put it simply, until you unscrew the cap, Fiji Water never meets the compromised air of the 21st century nor is it touched by another human being. No other natural waters can honestly make that claim.

Up to this point I was beginning to think water was like wine or beer (or Coke/Pepsi), that you could tell the subtle differences between two waters. I noticed it a lot with the bottle of artesian water from Duane Reade.

Gotta tell you, I was underwhelmed. I couldn't taste the minerals. It was cold and wet. Better than tap, but not better than spring water tapped out of the big jug in the office.

Another strike. The square bottle doesn't fit in the cup holder.

The second bottle is going with me to my last night of Zumba. School starts next week. Maybe by that time the toning sessions will start.

heritage trail, day 2

Today's walk was more like a Volkssport walk since we played some of the audio on my new iPod, and looked at historic things, took pixs, and combed cemeteries.

The two sections were called Moravian Founders and  Victorian Bethlehem. We still have the Westward expansion (north of the river), The Steel and Farmland to Industry. Both on the preferred south side of the river.

We started at Broad and Main, and headed to first past the tomb of the unknown solider. Then off to the armory, and down 2nd to the historic area. Next we hit Main street, then up Market, out Linden and to the Nisky Hill cemetery. Showed Bonnie and Lydia where Eugene Grace was buried. It's huge, and he has a great view of his steel mill. Wonder what he'd think about the Steel shutting down, Steel Stacks, and casinos.

While there we found a cannon that said GAR, and the area was indicated by large metal balls. My guess they fit in the cannon. All the graves were Civil War vets. We fixed a bunch of flags, some were on the ground, and wondered what GAR meant. When I got home I googled it—Grand Army of the Republic. A fraternal organization for Civil War vets. I actually think I've heard it mentioned on History Detectives.


When we left the cemetery, we headed out Church where we saw a crazy new sculpture covered with binary numbers, and back up Main to the car.

When we got home Bonnie and I made tuna salad. Bonnie was appalled by the stacks of dishes in my kitchen. Well I am too. But I try and ignore them. My roomie and I are having a standoff. I want her to do the f*ing dishes. Since Bonnie did the dishes (thanks!), the roomie won this round.

Here's the problem. She's retired and sits on her skinny butt all day and does little—knitting and word searches. Occasionally she'll cook. To contrast that, I have three jobs, cook, clean, exercise, deal with family, facebook, blog, laundry, yard work, grocery shop every day because she can't decide what she wants to eat, deal with trash and recycling, .... Really is doing the dishes too much to ask? I don't think so. She'll do them twice a week, but only on two conditions. That I put all the old dishes away. And that there is "enough" to do. See, that's the sticky part. Usually there is not enough, till, like today, there is too many. Aargh. She wins. Gayle does dishes too. It's just easier and will not bring rodents. (Although I am careful to pre-wash before I make the stacks.) Tuesday/Thursday my class runs till 9:30—I won't get home till 10:30—so those days are no-go, but the other five are doable. And certainly before I know guests are coming.

Today we did 3.33 miles today. Plus we walked the dog. Not great, but it was fun. But the party is over.

Next Saturday I have two 5Ks—the George Yasso walk in Fountain Hill which is competitive, and The Seed Walk, which is not. Sunday we have a hike planned for all seven waterfalls at Bushkill Park. Labor Day I have a 10K, and then training begins for the half.

Also need to put music on that iPod. I am not good at picking music.

heritage trail walk, part one, the monocacy

Today Lydia and I started the Heritage Trail walk at #19. The Dye House. Pretty much smack dab it the Industrial Quarter, or officially The Monocacy Valley (#20). This is where industry began in our fair city.

We proceeded north following the Monocacy creek and the railroad tracks to Burnside Plantation. Before reaching the Plantation there was marker #21, the road to Nain Village. After the French-American wars,  1000 acres of land adjacent to Burnside Plantation was set aside by the Moravians, for Christianized Indians. 

The Plantation houses markers 22, 23 (Farm house, summer kitchen), and 24 (Johnson barn, Haas barn, orchard.). Burnside was the first privately owned land and home in the Moravian settlement. After Burnside's death it was given to the Moravian settlement and operated as Plantation #4. Over the centuries parcels were sold off and only 6.5 acres remain as a museum.

Once you cross Paint Mill road, the trail is a little less established. We missed the turn for Illicks Mill Nature Trail (#25), and came out near the dog park and walked down the hill to Monocacy Park. This trail is clearly in need of a Girl Scout Gold Award/Boy Scout Eagle Project.

Illicks Mill (#26) ground wheat into flour for the community. The park which surrounds it, was build by the WPA in the 30s. Students in the Bethlehem School district spent the last decade restoring the mill.

We walked thru the parking lot, picked up the nature trail and headed back to Burnside.

One of the problems with these historic trails is they don't loop. They are one-way trails. Personally, I like loops.

On our way up we noticed that 24/7 Fitness at the base of the Burnside Driveway, had a walking track around it. While we waited for traffic to cross Paint Mill, I said, let's be rebels and walk the track. As we got closer to the building it looked like there were rocks and holes in the side. Clearly not for rock climbing. I think we figured it out. The railroad tracks are next to the  club. The trains come flying thru, kick up rocks propelling them skyward and they land like bullets in the building. Makes me not want to walk there when the train is coming!

We were gone a long time. We didn't walk especially fast, we explored, and took lots of pixs. Tomorrow, is the founders walk, and maybe the western developement or the Victorian era.

easy goal for summer

I was finally able to download working audio files for the Historic Bethlehem Heritage Trail. There are six—four on the northside, two on the southside. A total of 80 stops.

I've been wanting to do this since the signs started going up in 2010. It might be lame. But maybe we'll learn something.

For example, there are three on the Fahy Bridge. One for the canal, one for the railroad, and the last one for the river. Not too exciting. That's the farmland to Industry one. Don't think I'll learn too much there. It's my neighborhood.

For Saturday, I planned a route that combined two trails—Founders and West Side Expansion—and it totals less than 4 miles. If we add the Victorian Mansions, it will be about 5.5. I have to see what the other scoobies say. There will be lots of hills. But lots of stops too.

I really should be interval training, but I'd rather play tourist this week.

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My reading group decided we should post links to our blogs. Oh crap. Now I have to worry about spelling and grammar!

hoover-mason trestle

Around July 28, Bonnie and I did a six-mile loop over two bridges, thru the casino / Steel property. As we were walking under the elevated railroad bridge I said, wouldn't this be cool if someone made this into a High-Line? That was so much fun to walk in NYC.

In today's paper, the city announced that they are. From my lips to city planners ears! Since links from the paper disappear quickly (you must have a paid digital subscription.) I'll copy paste some of the article right into this thread.

The official name of the trestle is the Hoove-Mason Trestle. "The trestle, named for the New York engineering firm that designed it, was commissioned in 1905 under the leadership of Charles Schwab, the company's first chairman"  It was used to carry ore from the ore pit, to the blast furnances.

"Now, community leaders are looking to see if the Hoover-Mason Trestle can be reused as an elevated pedestrian path, connecting the new SteelStacks art and entertainment campus near the rusting blast furnaces to where the Sands casino built its resort over the old ore pits a third of a mile away." (When I was taking pictures tonight, I noticed that it just ends. Clearly the removed a section to build the hotel. Otherwise, as you can see from the picture, it would go right thru the hotel!)

The "study" will cost a 1/4 million dollars. Sounds pretty steep for a hunk of iron that will last for another two, three hundred years. After all, it is BETHLEHEM Steel. My daddy and his co-workers didn't make junk.

"ArtsQuest President Jeff Parks, whose group built the performing arts center at SteelStacks, said the trestle provides an excellent opportunity for historic interpretation as the old industrial property transforms into a tourist destination." ... "In Bethlehem, he envisions historic markers that would help visitors understand the history of the steelmaking plant that went cold in the mid-1990s and eventually fell into bankruptcy."

"Charlie Martin, who was also Steel's chief plant engineer, said the trestle had been built as the demand for structural steel increased to build skyscrapers and fill government contracts. Such an output required more iron ore and limestone for the furnaces than could be stored at their base.
With little room to expand there, the company looked eastward at the vacant land just east of the Minsi Trail Bridge and ordered a trestle be designed to bear 200 tons of raw material. Coke, which was stored closer to Hellertown, was brought in by rail and loaded onto the trestle as well, he said."

"It's unclear what the pedestrian walkway will look like until the design is completed. The public will be invited to several community planning meetings this fall, and a plan could be unveiled by the end of the year." Be still my heart.

Hopefully it won't take five years to finish this. Or more. (It will probably take that long to raise the cash!) It took a long time for the Greenway, and it still isn't finished. But it's a great place to walk even unfinished.

I always thought that South Bethlehem was a great place to walk. Now it's going to get even better.

played hookey today

Bonnie asked where we were walking today. My reply was nowhere. I was playing hookey.

Picked a bad day. It was gorgeous out. And I feel fairly guilty, especially after my poor performance yesterday.

My excuse: Traditional school starts in two weeks and I'm not ready. Online school ended and began this week, and I'm barely keeping up. Two long lost projects and a volunteer commitment came back and are in a hurry. I couldn't fit one more thing in. But clearly I did.

I had to get out of the house for a little bit. So instead of walking I went to the Saucon Valley Farmers Market and walked around. Then picked up three dozen ears of corn at another farm for freezing.

Though I really didn't relax, R&R is good for you. At least that's what I tell myself.

fantasy baseball camp

Well I cannot hit or catch a baseball. It doesn't surprise me.

Today was Fantasy Baseball Camp at the Iron Pigs. It was a round robin style event, and we were placed in the green group with my cousin Debbie Brown. (Aunt Marion/Uncle Ted). Talk about a small world.

We started with a Q&A with the two pitchers. Next stop, the batting cages. Wisely, the pitcher sat in a protective area. Bonnie, Lydia, Sharon and Debbie all hit the ball at least once.

Then it was out to the field to catch balls on the field.

Our final stop was a tour of the clubhouse. Similar to the tour last year, but confined to one very small area. This year we got to go in the locker room. That was cool.

It was an hour, hot and humid, yet still fun. The scoobies+1 had their pictures taken and collected autographs. I took lots of pictures.

 Lydia bunts.

 Bonnie gets her visor signed.

 Sharon hits a ball!

 Bonnie and Sharon waiting for their turn to catch

The ball park in Legos. I'm sure this has been there forever. Today I noticed it.

full 1/4 mile behind

Maybe there is something in the water in Allentown. But Bonnie cleaned my clock today at the Alburtis 5K.

It's  a hilly course and I was shooting for 45 minutes. That's the time we need to finish the Iron Pigs Run in. (The walk is only 1.5 miles.) Last year I did the race in just over 48. It was a big fail. I finished in 49:58.61, I think. I can do a consistent 3 mph. I can not do a consistent 4 mph. Four is what I need for the Atlantic City Half Marathon.

Today, we lined up and we were off. I generally pseudo power walk the first 1/2 block or so so I don't get run over by the runners. The plan today was to power down all the downhills. Bonnie and I stayed together for maybe 2 blocks. On the first downhill she was gone. At that point she was maybe a block ahead.

We entered the furnace and hit the trail. At one point we were back together for a few seconds. At the one mile mark I was 3 seconds behind—and just over the 15 minute mile. Then we reached the next hill and she was gone. I do poorly on uphills.

I was still going down the hill and she was half way back up. We were about a 1/4 mile apart and stayed that way till the end. At the 2 mile mark I was at a 16 minute mile. By the time we reached the furnace again I gave up trying to catch up.

I cannot maintain a consistent speed walking alone. I start day dreaming, looking in peoples yards, whatever. I have no focus.

Bonnie, on the other hand is all focus. Had she discovered athletics in her youth she would have been a contender. She's competitive. I'm not. She finished in 47:10.1.

What I don't understand is why I don't get better. I work and work and work and nothing happens. Bonnie's been in medical hell for the past three years and gets stronger and stronger and faster. I guess I need to start drinking Allentown water. It must be the secret ingredient.

Today, it became clear that I might be walking the Atlantic City Half Marathon Marathon alone.  If that happens my time will suck. (Though I'm driving so they have to wait for me!) I guess I'll need to get my iPod back from Sharon. I'll need to load it up with disco or something. Something with a really fast beat to keep me moving and not strolling down the boardwalk.

musikfest two

Today was another volunteer day at Musikfest. Again, I did tickets. I hate doing tickets. At one part my brain just shut off and I couldn't count 72 tickets. 4 sheets minus 6. Really is it that difficult? But I couldn't do it.

I need a mindless job. Like potty attendant.

I had planned to walk over and back, but the roomie decided she wanted supper. In this heat it would have spoiled. So I took the car. I also had a beer.

I ran into several people I know. It was fun. That usually doesn't happen. And I shopped a little, and had my photo taken in the channel 6 photo booth. But photo booths are not fun alone.

Earlier in the day the Just Born people were handing out candy. They now have triple alarm Hot Tamales! There was also a candy called. It's like gum, but you can swallow it. Interesting.

Today the monks were finishing the mandela, and will seep it up and dump it in the creek or the river. I would have like to stay, but class is ending this week. I have to work.

My favorite part of the day was the boys in the chicken heads. They must have been dying under there.

lehigh walk

The heat wave continues. The weather people say it's heat wave #6. I say it's still heat wave #1. It's just lasted 6 weeks. Apparently, you need three 90+ days in a row to be a heat wave. If it dips down to a balmy 89, heat wave is over. Bull.

Right now it's 85 with 69% humidity. It needs to be 70% to be oppressive. Again, I disagree. Clearly weather people never leave the air conditioning.

Today's walk needed to be planned with shade. Walking in the sun is not pleasant. I downloaded a map of Lehigh University, and planned a route which zig zagged back and forth across campus. Didn't realize running parallel it would be so hilly. I was wrong. But it was shady!

We left at 8, and did about 3.5 miles, and even some stairs.

It's August at Lehigh, so not many students but lots of Eagles—it's training camp!

Then we found this dorm called Richard's house. Clearly Lyd's dad wasa holding out on us.

Apparently the hobbits and gnomes at Lehigh have been very bad. The entrance to their house has a big, locked gate in front of it. (Actually I think it might have something to do with the catacombs rumored to be under Lehigh.)

They've added sculture since we were last there. This is sheet''s of plastic-like bricks and woven into a basket. Hopefully it has an open bottom, or it will be the place to breed if you're a mosquito! Note to students. Don't open those windows.

musikfest 2012

Musikfest began Friday, and my first shift was yesterday. After walking 6 miles in the morning you'd thought I had enough of the humidity.

And I did. But the reality parking for MF is a nightmare, and i would have parked just as far away for free, or paid a kings ransom. So I left the car at home and walked.

This year the volunteer shirts are bright, safety, orange. What numb-nut on the volunteer committee thought that one up. August in Pennsylvania and they chose safety orange. Clearly they want the volunteers to get heat stroke.

I cut the sleeves out of my shirt, cut the neck line, and threw it in my string backpack. I wore a white tank top to walk over there and a hat. I took a shower before I left, but it didn't smell that way when I arrived. I pretty much just wasted the water! I put my mangled shirt on and stood for the next 5 hours.

This is the point where I realized there was a flaw in my plan. I was dog tired. And I still had to walk home.

But first I needed to see Handwerkplatz. Tibetan monks have set up shop next to Cast In Bronze, and are working on a sand mandela,  dancing, and all sorts of cool stuff. It really quite interesting to see Tibetan prayer flags hanging all over the historic area. That's where Sharon was working assisting the glass blowers. Excuse me, I'm the artist. Schedule me with the glass blowers why don't cha.

I was planning on eating at Horn's on the south side, everything is supposed to be local and sustainable, but ended up meeting up with Sharon and eating Thai food at Thai Thai. It was yummy. I'll try Horn's Monday.

Sitting, air conditioning, the never ending glass of water, and eggplant pan with tofu was all I needed to revive myself for the walk home. Bonus. I got to see the equestrian police getting ready on the Main Street ramp of the bridge for evening patrols.

The  last picture is of the crowds building at Plaza Tropica-hell (official name Tropical. Long story.)

I did manage to do my class, but I fell asleep watching the Olympics.

6 miles on the usrt

Saturday Bonnie and I did six miles on the Upper Saucon Rail Trail. We met the WYBO walkers at 7 am. It was probably no hotter than 78, but you could cut the air with a knife it was so humid.

 It's an out and back trail. On the way back Bonnie ran into her foot doctor, and found the most adorable scaredy-kittens. They were maybe four weeks old and my guess dumped on the trail to fend for themselves. There was a black one and a black and white one. They sat nicely till Bonnie tried to pet them. Next time we should put kitten chow in our pockets! When we tried to take the picture the B&W one ran away.

We finished the 6 miles in about 1:50 which is pretty good. I know I was dragging my butt back to the parking lot. This hammock someone erected next to the trail looked very welcoming.