muddy, muddy, muddy

 Today I attended my first Get Out Lehigh Valley event.  The nor'easter that blew thru last night made the trails a puddled mess. My pants are muddy to my calves.

Every hike that starts with a campfire is a good one. The theme of this one was stone soup. I should have taken a pix of all the food on the table. One smart person brought a box of saltines. I took black beans. If I attend next year I'm thinking oyster crackers.

 The hike began late. Probably 10:15. We walked thru Monocacy park, then took the nature trail by the creek, because the direct trail was even muddier. Then we crossed the railroad tracks and went on the Monocacy Trail to Burnside.

 At the park and in the nature area there we many fishermen. (Yes, they were all men.)

 At Burnside the horse were out enjoying the warm weather.

When we arrived back to the pavilion the soup was on. And channel 69 was there. This soup was vegetarian. Maybe vegan. A ton of veggies, lentils, black beans, quinoa, potato, garlic ... the broth began as water. Damn, it was good.

The other one had chicken stock and noodles. Plus a ton of veggies and garlic.

From the look of things, the person cooking wasn't a Girl Scout. Neither pot was soaped. Wow, with the char be hard to get off.

The camera man was eyeing up the soup. There was a ton. The people in charge told him to eat. No, I can't need to go to another location. I told him to go to the truck and get his coffee mug. He could drink it. Wonder if he took me up on it.

I outlined a few of the upcoming events in another post. Most were places I already  walk. But there a few that I've never heard of, maybe. The Thomas Darling Preserve, for example. I looked it up and it is in the Pocono's. "a place where visitors can witness an extensive mosaic of glacial wetlands via a two mile trail and boardwalk system." according to the website. Also in the Poconos is Hickory Run.

Another is the Woodland Hills Preserve. I have no idea where that is.

Bake Oven Knob, I'm pretty sure is on the AT. Yep, it is. In Germansville.

Then there is the Maple Tract Preserve. "Located in the heart of the Pocono Plateau, the Maple Tract Preserve is a remnant of the long-ago glacial period that shaped most of this region. The glacial wetlands of the area are the natural pumps that feed local creeks and streams and provide critical habitat to a host of plants and wildlife. Not easily accessible, the preserve is over 600 acres of forest and oak brush thickets, marsh and laurel hells (Rhododendron maximum). A host of wildlife abounds here including bear, grouse, snowshoe hare and beaver." according to the Wildlands website. It's also in the Poconos in Long Pond.

Now I realize that I don't know all the parks and trails in the Poconos. But the last walk is at Molasses Creek Park. It's in Quakertown! (Well Milford Township.) How did I miss that? The townships website says "Named after the creek in the woods, Molasses Creek Park is a hidden treasure in full site of major roads." Clearly. It's the first left past the Turnpike entrance off 663.  Next time I'm that way I'm checking this out.

After stone soup,  it was time to pick up the teen and take her to the girl scout cookie booth. As always, if you need cookies, I can hook you up in Pennsylvania and Kentucky.