more nome arrivals.

It is starting to get crowded "here" at the Nome Nugget Inn. Both Bonnie and Adonis (Lydia) arrived over the weekend.

It's actually warmer in Nome than it is at home. Today it's 35 degrees! Snow is melting.

Lydia is going to leave right after the race starts. Adonis doesn't like other dogs. So a town filled with tired dogs is not going to make him happy. Besides, she's been mumbling something about plumbing and car  problems at home.

Bonnie is going to stick it out with me and wait for the others — Sharon, Barb and Dave. Personally, I'm not going anywhere until the race is over. They have Wifi so I can work. And I'm hoping for one sunny clear day so I can look at across the Bering Strait and maybe see Russia. Or at least some whales.

Meanwhile back in Pennsylvania, Bonnie and I have both finished the Tail on the Trail Challenge. We are quite exceptional walkers that we can walk on two sides of a country at once. And don't forget, I'm also in China on my virtual walk around the world. See, you can be at three places at one time!

Since I am no longer subbing, Bonnie and I have started to walk Tuesday and Thursday mornings. It's been bitter cold. Maybe we really should be in Nome.

ironton rail trail in the snow

Lydia was right. The IRT was plowed. For the most part it was dry. There were a few melty, icy parts. But we won't talk about those.

Lydia couldn't make it. The party-animal was out last night celebrating her 40th, and just woke up when it was time to leave. So it was Bonnie and I.

We arrived to a packed parking lot. It must be one of the few plowed trails. It was like rush hour. Of course the 40+ degree temps didn't hurt. But I think the big allure was the plowed trail.

Since we've been couch potatoes for the last two plus weeks, we planned to do 1.5 out, maybe 2, and then come back. But we turned right, and I knew we were doing all six. And we did.

Here's some scenes from the snowy trail.

 The train in the lot. Children climb on it and sit in it.

 An angel in the snow

 The creek.

 Have a seat. You better shovel it first.

 The kilns.

warm hearts 5k

After a week of emails, today was the Warm Hearts 5K. First it was cancelled—Nazareth pulled the plug because it wasn't safe with the giant snow piles. Then it was "wait, maybe not." Then it was relocated to the Industrial Park.

We decided to do this one a long time ago because it fell on Jarrod's birthday, and it was for children's heart issues. Now Jarrod was not a child when he died (today would have been 31), but his heart defect was lifelong. They didn't even know it ran in the family until his aunt died very young.

The last emails said the parking was very limited. So we went earlier than normal. Five minutes later we would have been hiking to the event. The lot was nearly full.

It was warm today—51 at 3 pm. The event was at 10 am, so it was probably still in the high 30s. We both have jackets on in the picture, but they were off by the time we were a mile in. I even pulled the sleeves of my shirt up. No long johns, no double socks, just regular clothes. It was liberating.

We haven't done a 5K since Dec. 31. We haven't walked any considerable distances for almost 3 weeks. We felt it. But by the second mile we got our mojo back.

It's going to be about 50 again tomorrow. I sent Lydia a text to check the IRT. It is indeed plowed. We'll be walking there tomorrow.

Is this the start of spring training? I hope so. I'm afraid to get on a scale.

there is no place like nome.

With all the snow here in Pennsylvania I forgot to tell you Dear Readers, that I made it to Nome about a week ago.

Again, it was a gentle reminder from my brother Dave "We are two weeks into the IditaWalk and I don't see you on the finisher's list yet. Have you been slacking off? Are you letting a little bit of snow get in the way?"

At first I was thinking, yes, I am. But clearly even me in slow mo, will get me to the finish line in time. I replied: "Yes, I'm slacking off. I've been subbing for another teacher, so I have 5 classes, plus Lafayette. Leaves little time for long walks. The snow is not helping. I might walk to the store this afternoon. I'm at about 600. After I hit send, I went and looked. I was way past 600. Then, when I added in my missing days I was there. 

It's lovely in Nome today. It's only -7. A heat wave.

In eight days the race will start in Anchorage. The buzz is in the air. It will continue to build until the first of the mushers to cross the finish line. How long will it take? Who knows. It depends on the weather and lots of other things. Maybe a week. Maybe 9 days. Maybe two weeks.

I'll stay warm here at the Nome Nugget Inn. I have a standing reservation. I figure the others — Bonnie, Adonis, Barb and Dave will start to arrive early-mid  March. With Dave's bum ankle he's planning to take his time and arrive at the end of March.

I've got hot chocolate and bourbon. What else do I need?

worst. walking. week. ever.

Clearly the ravages of our snowy winter are taking a toll on my walking adventures. It's not safe to drive, yet alone walk. The snow piles in my neighborhood are so high you can't see over them. The streets are plowed one lane wide, and the cars are sticking out into the road. The sidewalks are shoveled but the snow piled at the corners are like mountains to climb. It's a big unsafe mess out there.

And my pedometer shows it. 52% on a Friday! I'm at 52% on a Tuesday. By Friday I'm usually past 100%. Finishing around 125%

My brother Dave has read my snow posts and sent me  a couple messages this week about totals. I thought I'd share them. From the 17th ...

"Looked at your blog. Not sure if you are counting this winter season's snow or just 2014. Here are the figures for highest season snowfall.

4th: 2013-2014 (65.4 inches)
3rd: 1966-67 (67.2 inches.)  If we get 2 or more tonight/Tuesday we move into 3rd
2nd: 1993-94 (71.8 inches)
1st: 1995-96 (75.2 inches)  Note, this is just under 10 inches away and could easily be done this year."

 Then on the 18th, after yet another snowfall,

"Just checked, official total at the airport was 1.3 inches so we are now at 66.7. We came up a half inch short of moving into 3rd. Now we are 8.5 from the record."

Another storm is headed our way. Maybe we will make it. I love snow. I just want some of the old stuff to melt before we get new!

But it began to get warmer yesterday, and the snow piles are compressing. Things should be getting better. I can see my neighbors house now. Today it's raining. So that will compress the piles also.

Today we had planned to do the Iron Rail Trail, we heard it was plowed. But with the rain we won't.

Tomorrow we're doing the Warm Hearts 5K. It was supposed to be in Nazareth, but the borough pulled the plug because it would be unsafe with the high snowpiles and the narrow roads. It's been relocated to an industrial park.  It's for heart research and is on my nephews birthday. He had heart issues, so it makes it very appropriate.

Sunday, maybe we'll tackle Ironton. It's supposed to be in the 50s.

boom. splat. a snowshoeing missadventure.

Today it snowed. Again. Another three inches.  I think that brings the total to 44 inches. Or maybe it's 49. Does it matter at this point?

I spent the day in online class, or getting ready for my traditional classes. At about 3:30 I decided to walk up to junk park. Now that little Girl Scout voice was whispering "take a buddy". Bad Girl Scout, I didn't listen.

I put my snow shoes on in the garage and headed up the barely plowed alley. I arrived at junk park to a wall of snow. There was footprints, so clearly someone was able to climb up there. Not me. It was taller than my waist.

Okay, plan B. I'd go down to the road thru the cemetery and go in that way. Wrong again. But at least I had what was left of the fence to hold one to. It took several falls and several attempts to get on top.

I immediately sunk in.  My knee is at the top edge of the snow. Can you even see the snow shoes? Hmmm.  I thought with snow shoes you walked on top of the snow....sort of. Clearly not. I tried to walk and fell. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.

Finally I took off the shoes and slid back out into the street.

I was sore, cold, and wet. I just went home. And shoveled the latest three inches

Next time I must listen to the Girl Scout voice. And take poles.

the grocery store

If you are too lazy to shovel a larger space, you park on the sidewalk.

About 2:00 I walked to the grocery store. It's about a mile from my house. I was not busy. It took nearly 1.5 hours. Let's just say the walking wasn't easy.

Thankfully most people had shoveled. However, few—including businesses—shoveled out the corners. And we had 15 or 20 inches of snow.

I had walked out Itaska toward Wyandotte. In the street. It was a sloppy mess. I crossed to Wyandotte  and encountered my first wall of snow. Wyandotte is a busy street. Walking in the street was not recommended. I had to go all the way to Summit, around the corner and out to almost Carlton before I could enter the sidewalk.

To make matters worse, the plows piled snow at the corners. Then the residents piled theirs on top. There were walls of snow to climb over almost 4 feet high. The five points was ridiculous.

At Ontario and Broadway there was a path cut. It lead to a puddle. I thought is was a small puddle. Wrong. It came up past my ankle toward my calf. There was a woman behind me (we climbed the snow walls together) with a 3- or 4-year-old.  I turned around and said to her, watch the puddle it's nearly as deep as her! She laughed. But she picked the little one up. Hard with bags of groceries on her arm.

When I returned home the plow had come thru the alley. So I had to re-shovel in front of my garage. Then I offered to help the man next door.

It's going to snow again tomorrow. I guess I won't get to snow shoe again. Junk park is better for sledding.

i feel like the energizer bunny....i keep shoveling and shoveling and shoveling

It's been an especially hard winter. It's been awhile since we've had one like this. I'm eating more and walking less. It just damn hard to walk on uncleared sidewalks.

Yesterday we had about 15 inches of show.

Last night we had about an inch of sleet and two more inches of snow. Tonight we're getting more.

I spent four hours yesterday shoveling. And another two today. Still can't go anywhere since they haven't plowed my alley. They did plow my street an hour or two ago.

Four hours of shoveling was only 4000 steps. Really? I wanted a nap when I came in. My Fit bit told me I was "very active" for 14 whole minutes. Clearly, it and I have two totally different ideas of what very active is.

I had wanted to go snow shoeing afterwards—when I thought shoveling was a 2 hour task— but I was too tired to walk to the park. Maybe tomorrow.

This afternoon I'm going to try and walk to bottom dollar. Unlike Ahart's I can use all side streets and walk in the streets.

tri-to-help

 Jen, Nora and I at the finish line.

Today I did my first triathlon. Okay, it wasn't an Ironman, but it was a lot. And it was indoors and only took an hour. I did it with a few people from the sugar crushers group. Bonnie came along to take pictures and for moral support. Next year she's doing it.

Jen and Nora were in the noon group. I was in the 12:40 group. It started with the swim. Needless to say hell will freeze over before I wear a swimsuit. Bonnie even offered me one of hers. No, thank you. We were in the pool area while Nora and Jen were warming up. Then even drew on my number while I was waiting. Them, there was one space left in the Noon group, so I was able to go. Yeah, no waiting.

I can't swim. The little I knew I forgot. So I tried walking in water for 10 minutes. It was hard. I kept slipping. Water shoes would have been a good idea. Next year.  I did 13 laps. Not bad, I guess.

 Then we changed and headed down to the spin bikes. Again, I have never used one. Do you hold-on or not? I couldn't decide. We rode for 30 minutes. The seats are uncomfortable and my butt hurt. But more than that, my lady parts hurt. They still hurt hours later. I rode 6.8 miles in the allotted time.

 Then it was off to the treadmill. I've used a treadmill twice before. Both for testing as part of the Walk Your Butt Off panel. Bonnie stood behind me at the beginning and told me what to do. I set the machine a 4 mph and on level two. I was supposed to set it at number one. Oops.

I did 1.25 miles in the twenty minutes.

Afterwards we waited for the others in the 12:40 wave. We stayed in a group in one of the corners. I also walked the track several times. I'm not used to do eight miles in an hour. I had jelly legs!

We arrived home to another snow storm. I guess I'll be up even earlier tomorrow shoveling before work.

Me at the end with my tally sheet.

unsafe at any speed

Wasn't that the name of a Ralph Nader book form the 70s? Hmmm. In this case it pertains to walking.

The official total for Monday's storm was 8 inches. Tuesday I had two classes and driving wasn't horrible. Snow is fairly easy to clean up.

Wednesday we were hit with two to three inches of Wintery Mix—rain, ice, hail, sleet, snow—basically Mother Nature dropped her Slurpee and we got to clean it up. I had to dig out and dust off my Wellies. It was wet and sloppy and really, really heavy.

 Quad and Library, Lafayette College, Wednesday

I went to work for the delayed 11 am opening and by the time I arrived, we closed. But I stayed. It took 45 minutes to get there. I parked on the parking deck again, and walked to my office. Some sidewalks were still not done. Four of us showed up. When I received news at two that my classes were cancelled that night, I came home and shoveled the next round of Slurpee. Overnight, the Slurpee froze into a brick.

Thursday it was a skating rink—my neighborhood still is. Classes were on, and I went. Once I arrived on a main road it wasn't too bad. And the sidewalks at the College weren't bad either. Since it was unsafe in the 'hood to walk I walked around my building, went to the Classroom Center, and looped around there.

Friday, I usually walk with Betsy in Allentown. She called at 7:30 and said her road—and development—was still a sheet of ice. Walking was off. It was probably for the best because I had another walk to do. Saturday was to be the South Bethlehem Volkssport walk.  I received this email from the president. "Let me know on Friday if you think it is safe to do the walk on Saturday."

So instead of walking with Betsy, I did part of the South Bethlehem Volkssport walk.  My report.

"Just came back from doing the 6K.

Background: we had 8.5 inches of snow on Monday, and 3 inches of slush on Weds. Then the temp dropped and the 3 inches of slush turned to a brick.

My vote is to cancel.

The 6K could be doable, but some of the intersections are really bad, and the Greenway has not been done yet.  —since it's 3 inches of frozen slush—you don't sink, you walk on top. (The city is still cleaning out parking meters. I think parks are last on the to-do list.)

The Comfort Suites is fine, and walking up Brodhead there is one bad block that wasn't shoveled at all (the side of Gene Diamonds old store.) before the school.

From the school thru Lehigh and back to the Greenway is as good as it can be. But nothing is melting because it's too cold.

The Greenway has not been done yet—it's 3 inches of frozen slush—you don't sink, you walk on top. (The city is still cleaning out parking meters. I think parks are last on the to-do list.) I found it very strenuous. And falls are a distinct possibility.

The casino, arts quest and back to the bridge are as good as they can be. Actually the casino and ArtsQuest are really good.

The 10K is not doable. They plowed all the snow onto the sidewalk of the bridge ramp. Again, clearing that is probably a low priority. I just turned around and went back to the hotel.

A little while later we received this email "Gayle our POC just checked out the walk. It is unsafe due to bad footing."

That's fine. I'll do the 30/30 event in Slatington tomorrow. I can take my snowshoes, right? Nope. A few minutes later I got this email from Tail on The Trail

"The special event scheduled for Saturday, February 8, has been postponed.
 
Due to icy trail and access road conditions around the Nature Center, tomorrow's event has been tentatively rescheduled for Saturday, February 22, 2014, at 10 am (weather and conditions permitting). Location to be determined. ..."

I can't go. I'm doing a Warm Hearts 5K that day. It's for heart research, and it is Jarrod's birthday.

Sunday I am doing Tri-To-Help, and indoor triathalon in Lancaster. And there's another storm on the horizon.  

Clearly, this winter, it's unsafe to walk at any speed.

fat girl, shoveling

I got up at 5 and the snow had already begun to fall. When I left for work at 6:30 there was an inch or so on the ground. I went to work and arrived just in time for the 2-hour delay announcement. An hour later we were closed.

I stayed. After spending nearly an hour to get there, I was not going home during rush hour. Plus, I had a lunch date with my four Chinese international students.

When we left at 1:30 the snow had cleared considerably. It was very light. The roads were fairly clear. Until I got to Broadway. It. Stunk. Big. Time. My street, nor my alley was plowed. But that is pretty normal. I came down the alley, stopped just above my garage and got out and shoveled. It took about 40 minutes to clear the driving pad, and the sidewalk back to the house.

I came in to get warm, and then spent another 45 minutes on the front sidewalk. I never realized how much walking you do shoveling snow. I'm at about 8K on my Fit Bit, and I shoveled, walked too and from the Markle parking garage, and too the restaurant.

They have cancelled classes. So if I finish grading, and my online class. I'll try and get the other 2K in tonight. I got to get to Nome! I also need to buy new boots. This winter, one pair is not enough. They never are dry.

We had 8.1 inches today. I want to go snow shoeing.

york winter walking festival

This weekend was the Winter Walking Festival in York, sponsored by the White Rose Walking Club. It was in the high 40s today so the weather was perfect and we decided to go. We need Y in both our cities book, and York for the counties book. It was a win-win, right?

Wrong.

We began at the ice skating rink. It was right across the street from the roller rink. The ice rink was was huge—they have a hockey program. And it was busy. The rink was right next door to a Catholic High School, a park, and the war memorials. That's where I took the star photo. It frames me nicely, right?

The walk was boring. It took us thru some depressing neighborhoods, the 50s 'burbs, industrial areas, and then down millionaires row. Lots of redundancy. We we four and a half miles into the walk before Bonnie ran into Ronald McDonald. He apparently was mascot-napped. He was chained by the neck and ankle in someone's front yard.

Usually these walks pass art, murals, history, gardens...interesting things. When we left Ronald alone on his lawn, Bonnie saw a sign "York Historic District". Of course we went the other direction. Our lone bit of history was a piece of the Lincoln Highway. There we found an original service station that is now a Turkey Hill. It has some nice murals and a lovely collection of vintage gas pumps. When I saw this one for Sinclair Gas  I immediately started singing the jingle from childhood. Remember it? Why do we remember ads for long-gone gas stations?

We took more pictures at the Turkey Hill than on the entire walk! Two others were taken at the brick yard.

The instructions were a bit confusing so instead of doubling back we thought we could cut over. Wrong again. But getting un-lost was the most fun we had. Though it pushed our mileage to 7.5 miles. And I got to add 2.5 hours to my Idita-Walk.

I bet Lydia was happy she was sick. Few photos ops.

Bonnie finished 30 walks and can now send her book in.

BTW did I mention that I reached 2K miles on my Fitbit last week?

idita-walk starts today!

The 30/30 challenge started yesterday. The Iditawalk starts today. Clearly we as lazy humans are being encouraged to be fit year round.

I think I've done the Iditawalk for three years. It's a virtual walk thru Alaska that follows the path of the Iditarod. That start of that race is nearly a month away. The minimal $10 entry fee supports the Boy Scout camp in Alaska. Bonnie, Adonis (Lydia), Barb H., Sharon and I are all registered. As we arrive, we will all meet at the Nome Nugget Inn.  It's right on the finish line so it is a great place to watch the mushers finish the race.  It is a balmy 22 degrees there today.

The 30/30 challenge is sponsored by the D&L. The goal is to walk/hike/snowshoe/ski/whatever 30 miles in 30 days. If the weather cooperates, that's pretty easy. Even if it doesn't it's doable. The second challenge is 90/30. Yep, that's the one I'm doing. They didn't tell us what the prizes are this time.

Yesterday I walked with Betsy in her suburban neighborhood. Mostly the roads were clear, as were the sidewalks.

Today, Bonnie and Lydia walked with me around Fountain Hill and South Bethlehem. We headed out Itaska and Sioux, then around the playground, up Russell to Jeter and thru the hospital. Then we headed out Ostrum, down the ramp of the bridge, and back Broadway. We did about 3.5 miles or 75 minutes.

Then we walked the dog for another 15 minutes.