eight miles on the tow path

Today Bonnie picked me up at 6 am to walk, and we still didn't beat the heat. By the time we picked up Lydia and reached the Lehigh Gap trailhead, we didn't start walking till 6:45. Clearly we were the last ones there. I saw at least four people come out of the Appalachian Trail trailhead, with a good sweat on. They must have started walking at first light.

We met Dawn at the trailhead and headed out. In many ways this section is the same as most of the others—flat and groomed gravel. However, the vegetation is much different. Back in the 70s there was nothing on that mountainside. It was strip mined clean and bare.

Slowly, it's been allowed to come back to life. Lots of butterfly bushes, black eyed Susie's, queen Anne's lace, sumac, immature trees. Often there are beautiful vistas of the river. And lovely tiny spring waterfalls. In fifty years the strip mines will be a distant memory.

 There was also a little graffiti.

 If Jesus is saving kegs, what is he doing with them? Are there really keggars in heaven?

Because of the severe weather, we prepared for the walk. Lots of water. sunscreen, Deep Woods Off!,  bandana to soak with water and wipe off sweat. Most of us wore light colors.

At the East Penn Trail Head (Riverside Park), the half-way point, there was a port-o-potty and a huge parking lot. Also a boat launch. We walked down the boat launch and soaked out hats and bandannas in river water. The put them back on, soaking wet.

 At Riverside Park there were many of these stones, all painted with a similar theme. Clean up after your dog. Ironically, I saw no dog poop. Lydia picked up this stone and carried it all the way back. She's putting it in her yard. The neighbor dogs won't stop pooping on her lawn, but their masters might get a chuckle. It weighed about 6 pounds. Dawn figured if she could carry around the 100 pounds she lost, carrying six would be a cinch.

We returned to the car. My 32 ounce cup that I frozen was melted into beautiful cold water. The knitted dish cloths I soaked and froze stung when they touch our hot skin. Damn did they feel good.

So did the A/C at full blast in Bonnie's car.

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