two bridges, two states, two towns

Today I did the Morrisville volkssport walk. Alone. I went back and forth about it and just decided that I didn't want to sit home all day and work. So I went.

I downloaded the instructions for Rt. 611 from Google maps. It was 412-212-611. Pretty simple. The normal way one goes down to the river. And then about half way down 611 I see 412. Why-o-why did I not stay on 412? As it turns out, I ultimately ended up on 32. I could have just went down the river road. But then I would have hit New Hope and Washington's Crossing. At 9 am, that would have not be an issue. Coming home would be a different story.

I arrived in about an hour and a half. Google said 1:20, but you always go slower when looking for things. And I did miss the entrance to the hotel. If anyone goes the driveway is right next to the highway ramp. You're better off turning into the Italian Restaurant, and crossing parking lots.

Bonnie would love this walk. She could stamp every book she has and then some. It must qualify for at least a dozen special programs. The whole reason I picked it was because it qualified for Border Crossings, and don't you know, I forgot to stamp the book.  I went back when I was done. Thank goodness I didn't totally forget it.

The walk started in Morrisville, Pa, and 10 minutes later you were walking over the bridge to Trenton. Pennsylvania is all about welcoming people to our fair commonwealth. Look at this vintage sign. It's beautiful. Jersey, not so much. But there was a sign pointing you to the state house

There was a sign on the outside of the first bridge that said "Trenton Makes. The World Takes". I wasn't on a facing bridge to really see, but my guess is Futura. The instructions said there was a faint state-line marker, but I didn't see it.

This quilt was on the side of the Finance building. It is part of the Barn Quilt exhibit throughout Jersey. The one above is the Harvest Star.

The monument in front of the Labor building celebrating labor. The other side is even better but the sun was in the way. An appropriate photo for Labor Day!

This mural (Winds of Change, Illia Barger,, 2006) depicts the announcement that the Declaration of Independence was signed. All the colonial people are white. On the sides of the arch are two, modern, black men looking in. It's kind of cool.

Thomas Edison State College. Best ironwork of any college I've seen. This is the clock and one of the rails.

 This is the clock etched in the window.

This is a doorway. Tile and iron and the most beautiful wood. Okay, I spent way too much time on this campus.

Then it came time for the government building and the state-run museums and planetariums. The architecture her is either very old and beautiful, Or mid-century ugly. It didn't age well. The Planetarium looks like a spaceship from a bad 50s B-movie.

Then it was back over the bridge to be welcomed to Pennsylvania. Here you picked up the canal path and toured Morrisville for the second 5K.

I love the fishies on the water tank, but for some reason it's not standing up. Don't think I can rotate it here. Maybe later I'll try.

This is someones yard on the canal path.  Yes, it is stained glass. Plastic doesn't reflect like this.

The canal has little water. And the water it does have is mostly algae. I don't think the ball is floating.

A nice day. Took way too many pictures. It's probably good I was alone. I would have taken a third as many if I was with a group. Maybe as low as a quarter.

I didn't get hopelessly lost, though another person in the car is nice. I went the same way home, and took 412 and shaved a good 10 minutes off the trip. I will do this walk again.