last paperwork collected

Today Bonnie and I did the Bethlehem South volkssport walk. I have now collected all the sheets. Now I need to work up the tallies.

We left the house and headed out Itaska, then on to Lehigh where we picked up with the volkssport instructions.  When we arrived at the Sands, we veered from the instructions again, and headed up the back stairs to the HMT. Wow, is the door heavy. The smaller staircases only have about 56 stairs.

We're taking on time on the HMT so Bonnie can look around and who do we see? Eryn and Bug. I think Eryn has had a child there every day since it opened.

Like the others, this child had a phone and was taking pictures.

We couldn't stay and talk too long, I had to be home by 10. I had an interview at 11.  And we still had to go to the Comfort Suites to sign in, and pick up the walker sheets. We got home about 10:07. I made it to the interview with 5 minutes to spare.

blacksmiths are mesmerizing

Yesterday Angel, Lil Miss and I did the Bethlehem-North walk. I also picked up my paperwork to turn in my end of the month numbers.

We did the second 5K. Angel and Lil Miss haven't done that yet. It's the loop that takes you past the armory, the tomb of the unknown soldier and Nisky Hill Cemetery.

 

Angel is not a type-nerd like me, but even she appreciated the art deco type on the Armory.

The child is her father's daughter. She loves a cemetery. So that mile was a 30 minute mile. This cemetery offers a lot. The giant phallic monument, stain glass windows on crypts, and of course the death masks. It also includes the section for the GAR (Grand Army of the Republic.) Angel is trying to teach her to respect the graves as she explores.

 I think I need to stop wearing shorts. It never occurred to me that the back of my knees were as ugly as the front. People shouldn't have to look at this.

We finished the walk by coming down Church and turning the corner on to Main. Coming up Main we heard ping. Ping. Ping. The blacksmith was working. Actually holding a class. The child was mesmerized. Angel and I went outside and she came out with a pleading look in her eyes "we have to leave already?" Of course not. It's just hot in there. We pulled her out about 10 minutes later.

The blacksmith 101 class is not a horrible price. ($70/ 3 hours) It's hot, dirty, and you use a sledgehammer a lot. Can it be a fitness adventure?

On Saturday, Angel and I walked in her neighborhood. We went about 3.5 miles around Wilson, trying to stay close to the house. It rained the whole time. Just a light mist, but we did get wet.

really missed my daddy today

(The door that closes off the trail. It's open from 8-8.)

Heaven knows I am not sentimental. Far from it. I rarely cry at movies. And I think I've never cried at a  wedding or funeral. If I fall, I dust my self off and keep walking.

Today was the big opening of the Hoover Mason Trestle. Unless you are a new reader, you know about this project. It's a linear elevated park at the former Bethlehem Steel. The HMT no longer goes to the ore pit. There is a casino there.

They announced this project maybe three years ago and I've been waiting ever since. I have been beyond excited. I hate development (excuse me, where will the food grow?), but I am a huge fan of RE-development.  There is enough redevelopment potential in my area that open space shouldn't be touched. But I digress.

The HMT is 6 or 7 blocks from where I work. I left early and walked down there. I took my trusty 2 megapixel iPod Touch. Version 1. It took 96 pictures. Heaven knows what I would have done with a real camera.

The grand staircase. AKA a sculpture you can walk on. Don't worry Barb (and Dave), that grey tower in the back is an elevator. Barb, when you arrive in July, you are going!

 (The whole staircase.)

 There are gardens. And nobody is hauling water up those stairs. There is irrigation.

Then there are these signs. Telling all about the Steel. How it was made, the people that worked there ect. That's when I start missing my daddy. He'd love this place. We'd spend half the day there telling stories about these rusting furnaces, and the people that worked in them.

I wouldn't have doubted that his BFF Frannie Weiskopf would have joined us. Then, it would have taken a whole day!

(Oh, that URL takes you no where. Oops.)

I wonder if you go up there at night if there are ghosts. A lot of people died horrible deaths there. And that's without the strikes.

 This is the middle section. Pretty straight.

This is a view into one of the buildings. Row after row after row of these machines. Maybe it's the Machine Shoppe? There is also a staircase here.

 Looking down on the children's playground at ArtsQuest.

A bench. Sleek and modern. Everything is sleek and modern and it contrasts so well with the rust and decay. I fear now that it's open the spray paint will begin to appear. There must be security cameras, but they are well hidden.

 The end of the trail, for now.  It's maybe a 1/2 mile total. There is a staircase here.

Headed back to the Grand staircase.

The Bethlehem Press took my photo coming down the stairs. 

And I was late for work.

After work I went back.  I'm sure the novelty will wear off shortly.

I might have to go to Musifest—south side. I bet it's going to be amazing to look down on it.

3.2 on the hellertown rail trail

Bonnie and I had plans to walk this morning. We should have left at 6:30. Instead, we left at 8.

We chose the Hellertown Rail Trail because we thought it would be shady, and we were right, it was. We parked under a huge pine tree at the Grist Mill since the Water Street Park is closed for renovations.

Then we headed to Coopersburg for 1.5 miles, turned around at a trail head, and came back. It wasn't super hot because 80% of the trail was in the shade, but it was humid. You could cut the air with a knife.

Afterwards we went to Saylor's meat shop...hot, sweaty, and soaking wet. I'm sure we stunk up the place.

The photo above is from the Hellertown Historical Society. Again, I need to work on file management. I have many pics of this building, but can't find a single one.

3-3/4 miles at lehigh parkway

Bonnie and I decided to walk this morning. But we wanted someplace a little shady. The sun is intense. We chose The Parkway.

Knowing the entrance from Jefferson Street was closed, we chose to use the Vultee Street entrance as suggested. Only problem is we've only exited from there. After multiple dead ends, we turned around and headed to Bogart's Bridge. On a happy note, we found the entrance to the Mack Truck museum. So when I take the boys I can look all cool, like I know where I'm going.

We parked at the covered bridge and started on the sunnier side of the park. It was sunny, but there were enough periods of shade that it wasn't unbearable. When we arrived at the Jefferson Street entrance road we started looking for the wall collapse. It's actually not on the road, but on the trail below it. It's a small circle that's about a mile long.

(Also close was the super steep incline under Oxford Street. Up or down, that's a bear.) 

Since the trail was sunny heading into the park, we walked down the closed road in the shade. Then under the iron bridge to pick up the trail again. It wasn't long until we were in the nice shady woods. And remained there until we were nearly back at the bridge.

It's nice walking here on a week day. A few joggers and a few fishermen. Otherwise the park was empty.

(Sadly I probably have 50 pixs of this bridge. Could I find one? No. Could I find every other covered bridge in the greater Lehigh Valley? Yes.  Ultimately, I had to borrow one from Wikepedia.)

fitness adventure: laser tag

Tomorrow the twins turn 13. Tuesday, Little Miss turn 11. How is this even remotely possible?

For their birthdays I took them and a friend to play laser tag. It was my fitness adventure for this week. Also in attendance was Angel, and Lydia. Darrell was originally planning on coming but he had to work. A disappointment, to be sure. Especially since it was free for him on daddy's day.

Laser tag, takes a lot of hand-eye coordination. You don't run—you're not allowed to—you walk and you hide. You are constantly moving. We went to Lehigh Valley Laser tag which had a lot of places to hide, and a fairly steep ramp to go upstairs.  The vests and the guns are heavy. That might be why this activity burns 350 calories an hour. By game two I was hot. By game three I had just about had it. I just wanted that vest off. But the time went quickly.

When we exited the arena, we took off the vests and waited for our scores to print out. I don't know about my shirt, but Angel's back was soaked with sweat. Clearly she burned a couple of calories.

Would I do it again? Probably not. Just not my thing. Maybe if it was free.

Afterwards we had a birthday party on the lawn. I brought cupcakes and lemonade. And candles, that had some difficulty staying lit. This group is getting used to tailgate birthday parties. The last one was at Valley Forge.

too fat to buckle my shoes.

And, apparently, I'm a wedding crasher. Clearly it wasn't a good day.

We had planned on walking at the Parkway yesterday, but as we were getting ready to leave, the sky opened up and the rain poured down. If we would have went we might have seen the retaining wall collapse. This is what happens when things built in the 30s by the WPA are not maintained. It going to happen a lot. Here's the story from this mornings paper.

So instead of walking I worked. I did my online class and some odds and ends of other things until it was time to make myself beautiful....scratch that...presentable for the wedding. I even borrowed a nice dress from Bonnie. (AND I DIDN"T SPILL ON IT!)

She offered me shoes. I said I had some. I was wrong. I stopped at Target on the way and bought some strappy sandals. With buckles.

The date for this wedding has been on my calendar for a year and a half. I did the art work, for Pete's sake. I sent the RSVP back the day it arrived.

I thought the wedding was at 5. I left early, stopped at Target for shoes and found the place in the Poconos quite easily. I parked the car and tried to put on my shoes. I am so fat and un-agile that I cannot buckle them. I can't even figure out how to move my legs. I decide to wait till I get inside the venue to put them on, but at some point I take them off and go barefoot.

The bridal party is outside taking pixs. I walk discreetly between the wall and the photo taking, trying to be as invisible as possible. I am carrying a present, and my shoes. Suddenly I hear a voice say "Gayle, go see mom". WTF?

It was the bride talking and her mom is coming towards me. She was totally unrecognizable with makeup and a pretty dress.  "Gayle, we are delighted you could come after all."

Huh?

Apparently I marked the "I can not attend box"

Idiot. Embarrassed idiot.

I assured her that was fine, I'd stay for the ceremony and leave. I don't want someone spending $80/head on me. But they wouldn't hear of it.

To top it off, I was really early. The wedding was at 5:30, not 5. And I arrived at 4:45. But it was okay, it took 10 minutes, but I finally managed to get the shoes buckled. After all that, they were comfy.

(BTW, I apologize for the ugly feet picture. I didn't realize how ugly they were until I took it. Should have gone for a Pedi at minimum.)

fitness friday

Here at every2feet we allow all walkers — even the four footed ones. She wasn't a bit afraid of us. She kind-of looked at us like to say "hey, this is my path!"

But as always, I get ahead of myself.

This morning I delivered some freelance to Lafayette and headed to Angel's to go walking. It was 8:15. Little Miss was up but had no interest. I can't imagine why.

I thought it was a nice day. But it is really humid. And apparently they relocated all the trees in Wilson. There was minimal shade. Even on the canal path.

Angel had selected some routes and I picked to go to the Canal Path thru Wilson. I was totally lost. Clueless where were were or how we got there. It was certainly hilly.

We saw this house along the way. It had really cool paintings on the side, but you can't see them. But since I forced Angel to stop and take the picture, I decided I should use it anyway.

Back to the story. It was about 2.5 miles to Hugh Moore Park, then we hopped on the trail connector and headed toward Riverside Park in Wilson. About a block or so from the park, we took a left and went thru the Children's Home property and came out at the middle school. Now I was really lost. We wove our way back to Angels on many streets I hadn't seen before. I did recognize Butler. And it was there that Angel saw my dead animal freakout dance. Bonnie is very familiar with it.

Finally I thought I knew where I was. And I saw shade. So exciting. I said let's cross and walk in the shade. Angel said that's the wrong way. My house is this way. Clearly someone moved the streets around.

I found out today that I really don't like to know where I am going. I was starting to sound like Lil Miss.

Wednesday I walked with Bonnie in Salisbury. We did what she calls the west route. Basically you go down Salisbury street, past the grade school, make a right and almost go to Emmaus avenue. The you head left and work your way to the park, go thru the park and up to Lehigh. Then down again to Emmaus, up Emmaus to Susquehanna and thru the Daisy Hill parking lot. Then back to Bonnie's via Lehigh Street. ABout 3.5 miles.

Tomorrow we are doing the Parkway at 8:30. There should be some shade. I have to leave for a wedding by three, so I needs to be close.

Oh, and I almost forgot. It's World Sauntering Day! I think we walked a little faster than a saunter. But if you want to hear about it. Check out this interview on NPR.

lest this turns into a jewelry column

Angels husband is at it again. Making more FitBit jewelry. It's beautiful if you are into wearing that style. I bet it would go over well with the Game of Thorns crowd.

This one started out life as a watch band, and the face was replaced by a Fitbit cozy. It was Angel's idea. 

Promise. No more jewelry posts. Darrell needs to get an Etsy shop. 

a trashy walk

Lil Bug wants to do a trash cleanup for her Girl Scout Silver Project. Today we scouted trash on Sand Island. Managed to walk 2.5 miles in the process.

Bonnie and I picked her up and we parked under the Fahy bridge. There was a storm last night and the drains were covered with plastic bottles. There was also a lot in the basketball court. Odd because there was 6 trash cans. But after that it was pretty slim pickings.

We headed to the Bethlehem trail head and checked out the parking lot and the boat launch. There wasn't much trash there either. Except for one place, where there was four, large, plastic bags of trash.

 But we did find turtles in the canal.

And all of these cocoons covering the trees. Gypsy moths?

At one point Lil Bug and Bonnie headed down the creek trail. I headed down the canal path. A lot more nothing. I was walking back and thinking to myself this park is a bust. These people are too clean. When I re-met them I asked "how was it?" Lil Bug said "we hit the motherload." Clearly, the creek trail is where all the trash is at.

splat, again

This time the plants in the yard attacked me! My plants won't grow in the garden, they grow over the sidewalk. No matter how many times I replant them, they have a thing for concrete.

I took the wash outside to hang to dry and I was coming back when the plants launched their attack. In their quest to grow over the sidewalk, they raised the edging.  I caught my foot on the edging, and down I went. I bet they thought it was funny until all of me was on top of them squashing the life out of them.

It was hard to get up. My left hand is still sore from Monday. The right hand is still bruised and scabbed from Monday. I had no hands to get up. And with all the walking I do, I have the weakest legs in the world. But somehow, I managed to get up.

Now I need to cut back those plants.

fitness adventure: squash is yummy, but it's also fun to play

Today was the Bagels and Boasts open house at the Jewish Community Center in Allentown. My friend Pam invited us to come. So glad I went.

Squash is a racquet sport for two, will a hard-ish, hollow ball about the size of a golf ball. It does not bounce.

You serve from the box, and if it doesn't go in the blue zone it's legal. In a real game, each person takes turns hitting. And the person who fails to respond first loses the point. If you collide into each other you say let, and let the ball fall. If you make a line drive up the side it's a boast. Hense the name.

We did more of a round robin event because there was people feeding in and out, coming and going. Normally you would reserve a time. Like at the tennis court.

All the beginners were on one court. My friend Pam (above), and Anita were our teachers. The pros were with the more experienced players. We learned how to serve and to hit. Taking three or four turns each. I was drenched in the 45 minutes. I looked online and it said if I was playing a real game I would burn about 800 calories in an hour for my size and weight. I was tired doing the round robin. Can't imagine playing a whole game.

Anita said Lydia was a "natural". With a few real lessons she could actually play well.I think she's interested.

It was a real workout, but you don't get much mileage for it. The courts are small.

When the Morning Call photographer came, we started doing drills with the pro. Those I wasn't so bad at. I could hit the ball a lot more. Maybe I'll be in tomorrow's paper. We'll see. (Online already up. Even one of me stuffing a bagel in my mouth!) There was little kids and elderly people there. They make better print copy.

I also walked the dog before and after squash. But I'll need to walk tonight when it gets cooler to make my mileage for the 500 mile challenge.

tail on the trail in easton

It's  National Get Outdoors Day. It was also the June Tail On The Trail event at Hugh Moore Park in Easton. So we did what we do best. We put our collective tails on the trail, and got walking outdoors in Easton. How's that for a contrived sentence?


I made reservations Thursday for Bonnie, Megan, Lydia and I. The toddler didn't need a reservation. Also with us was Lyd's friend Jelly Bean.

Lydia, JB and I came together. Then Bonnie, Megan and the baby came together. The group is so large now that you need two cars to carpool.

We arrived first. The line to sign in was long.  Probably because you could ride the canal boat at 11 free.  There were vendors with tents of goodies and the St. Luke's van was giving out veggies and cooked food from a vegan restaurant. Gotta tell you the carrot ginger soup looked yummy. But it was 85 degrees. Who eats soup at 10 am in 85 degree weather? Not me.

Today was pick up for the 35 mile challenge. It was this little first aid kit. Nice, but disappointing. Vinyl, with zipper and hook. I received one that wasn't quite as nice a few years ago at a race. I've been refilling it since. I've now combined the two into this one. By really, my injuries could never be cured with a band-aid.Though the aspirin might come in handy.

We also could have gotten the bag of veggies—scallions and kale and something else. Can you picture the kale after sitting in the hot car? Even the goats that were eating the invasive plants wouldn't have touched it. Compost!

 JB and Lydia waiting for Clan Stephens to arrive.

 Better graffiti. I also saw a yellow version of the N. Do one thing and do it well? Looks like a stencil.

Megan and the wee one on the bridge. His favorite parts of this walk: trains, geese, and sliding boards. His blueberries fit nicely in his cup holder. Note to self, put wax paper in the back packs. Those slides were slooooooow.

Lydia and JB did about 3.5 miles. Megan, Bonnie, the toddler and I did about 4.25 maybe. We went all the way to the lock.

When we got back it was maybe 11:50 and all the vendors and food places were closing up. Oh well. The carrot ginger soup was probably gone anyway.

Comfort Station: I-3.5 (but no soap)

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Updates: The Hoover Mason trestle is supposed to be open in 2 weeks. They've cried wolf enough times that I'll believe it when I see it.