get out lehigh valley —bethlehem steel edition

Today is better. I slept.

I was determined to get out of bed and take a real walk today. And I did!

I was registered for the Get Out Lehigh Valley Greenway walk and Steel tour. It began at 10 at the skate park. These people always ran late so I didn't leave the house till 9:50. Initially, I was going to leave at 10, and meet them at New Street, then walk to the skate park, do the Steel tour, and return home. But at the last minute I decided to meet them at the start. I never realized how small that lot is. It was packed! I was one of the lucky few that got a parking space.

They began, as they always do with a group photo. It was about half the group. People were still coming. Even after we left. By the time I reached New Street, we were spread out about 3 blocks.

There was a bit of a lecture at the turn around and then we headed back to the skatepark. With another group pix at the Chinese pavilion.

I didn't really take any pixs. This is my regular walking territory. Nothing changes quickly. They have planted some trees on the Greenway, including cherry trees. They were starting to bloom.

Then we had a choice of walking over to ArtsQuest or moving the car. Most people moved the car. Including me. That lot is so small, the skaters need a place to park.

There was at least a half hour to wait before the movie started. Yes, this walk came with a movie on Bethlehem and The Steel. Dave Fry was doing a children's P's and Q's concert in the lobby of ArtsQuest so the wait wasn't horrible. I decided not to refill my water bottle with warm water. My mouth tastes like crap. I wanted ice. So I went to the snack bar and bought a large glass of ice, to which they added a minimal amount of soda. Clearly I am not the only person to make this request. After drinking the bit of soda, I refilled my metal water bottle with the ice, and then water from the fountain. Perfect solution. A little sugar, and icy cold water.

The movie was a half-hour or so. Wow was it one-sided. Bethlehem sounds like Nirvana, and The Steel could do no wrong. Until they did. They didn't mention any labor unrest until the late 50s, because that worked into the "plot". Of course the laborers striking opened the door to cheap labor and foreign imports and the decline of The Steel. Honestly things are never THAT simple.  (Though I didn't know they lost the bid for the World Trade Centers—that went foreign. Just wondering if it would still be standing with Bethlehem Steel....) Again, I was wishing I could ask my dad his opinion.

Our tour guide wearing Dad's hard hat. She says she never complains about the heat doing tours,
because Dad will say, it's not hot. You've never experienced hot.

Then it was time to walk again. It was an HBI tour, not a Steel Archives tour. So we pretty much did the mile loop on the redeveloped roads. I was a little disappointed. She was knowledgeable and peppered the presentation with Dad stories.