keystone games

Today was the Keystone Games in Pennsylvania. The Games are the largest annually held multi-sport competitions providing Pennsylvania's amateur athletes an opportunity to compete against athletes from throughout the Commonwealth and beyond in a festival atmosphere that promotes all of the positive aspects of amateur sports.

The York White Rose Wanderers had a volkssport walk as part of the games. Imagine, plain walking as an athletic event.  Tell that to all the professionals who have told me over the years that walking isn't exercise.

Getting to York wasn't an issue. Finding the arena was. I arrived at the fairgrounds. The instructions said the arena was 3/4 of the way around. So I stayed on the street looking for signage at each gate for the arena. there was none. There was no signage on the street side of any building. As a graphic designer, this is an epic fail of environmental graphics. After driving all the way around I entered the grounds at the first gate that was open, and followed the road around. There was tons of signage INSIDE the gates. It was easy to find the arena. 

I signed in for both the walk and the games, picked up the directions, and headed out the door. the instructions said to turn right and follow the pink strings to Pennsylvania Avenue. I never found the pink strings. I came in on Penna. Ave. so I knew where it was. When I left I saw the only sign for the Games on the fence. Just 1 sign. (Bangs head on gate.)

The first 5K was a giant loop, that was fatter at the top. It went thru a couple parks and around a man-made lake called Liberty Lake.

 Inside the park was a lovely veterans memorial

 Filled with art and flowers.

The lake returns to being a creek over this little dam-like item. And then it was time to return to the park.

 I walked down the correct road and went past the Vietnam Memorial and

the fair grandstand. When I returned, I signed in at the check point, filled my water bottle and headed out for the second loop—West York.

Bonnie would have hated this one. I think they measured it out and it was short, so they added these little jogs where you went around the block. Bonnie X's those suckers right out. It also was a loop, of sorts, but when we returned to the arena, we didn't go back in the fence, we walked all the way around the back side. Again, Bonnie would have said hell no.

This was a very residential/business walk. The most interesting thing I saw on the walk was the lettering for this club. It's divine. I'd love to see it lit.

On the way out of the arena I saw a hex sign and went to investigate.  It was another Heritage Quilt Block.  We have two at the fairgrounds in Allentown. Maybe I should look at fairgrounds for them?

It was a nice time. And at the end I got a patch. Not sure what I'll do with it, but I feel very athletic having it.

Miles/Steps: 7
Bathrooms:   I-4.5 in the arena
Wildlife:        A sord of mallards, a gaggle of geese, birds, squirrels, nothing out of the ordinary. I was told the park was filled with egrets and herron. Didn't see one. There was another gaggle of geese on the road.
Weather:       Overcast high 60s at start, low 70s at end. Breezy