finally finished my starter book

Volkssport walking has a lot of components. You can just walk. You can become a member locally or nationally. Or you can earn awards and credits. Kind-of like girls scouts for grownups.

Each time you go to an event you have your book stamped. You can have multiple books. Some are thematic like Americas Trails. Others are for distance. Then there is the "starter book". Ten little walks. It took me over a year to finish it! Mostly because most of the group walks are in the Philly area. We have a copy of the book to do our own self-guided ones, but we haven't done them yet.

We have the starter, mileage, states, and capitol books. We should get others. Like the covered bridge one. Last year I think we did about six different covered bridges.

Lydia also finished her starter book. I'm sending them both off. I have no idea what happens next. I'm guessing we get another book or some sort.

Today was the Bethlehem walk. It left from the Hotel Bethlehem. When we arrived the hotel was packed. We were squeezed into a corner, signed in and waited. At the Bear Creek walk I ordered polo shirts. At the Glen Lake walk I ordered patches. I arranged to pick up both today.

This walk wasn't nearly as much fun as normal. This area is old hat for us. We went thru the industrial quarter, sand island, God's Acre, and Market Street for the first 5K. (At the church at Market and Center, Jesus was not in the manger. Hopefully he's just waiting for Christmans and wasn't stolen!) The second loop took you down Lehigh, over the Fahy to the Steelworkers monument, back, and east down Market and back thru Nisky Hill, then past the city center.

I think I'm going to find out about submitting walks. We clearly need one for Fountain Hill / South Bethlehem.

After we were done walking, we shopped. All the stores were packed. (Yeah! Keep downtown alive.) As was the Christmas City Village. Donegal Square did not have the item I wanted. Bummer. Back to the drawing board.

 As we were walking around the Sun Inn Courtyard, we saw the police horses. Raven is wearing the antlers and nose. George is wearing the Santa cap.

Overall it was a good walk and a very nice day. Tomorrow we're going to Northampton for the rail trail. Maybe. Let's see what else I can dig up!

Next week we're walking late in the day. I'll take the car to the north side and park it and walk home, so the car is available later. (I love the southside, but I am not crazy enough to walk on the southside after dark.) Then about 2:30 -3, we'll head to the northside. Why? The Coke truck will be in town. You know the one from the commercial. It drives down the street and all the lights in town light up? The 18-wheel semi-truck, decorated with 25,000 twinkling red and white lights. Inside the truck will feature a portable holiday scene — complete with Christmas trees, wooden benches, fences and a stage. And choirs. How fun is that? Oh, Santa too. I want to see it in the dark!


Then at 5:30 we can go to the live Advent calendar door opening at the Goundie House. It's only 10 minutes. We'll probably also head up to Central for the Putz.