montco challenge, day two

This challenge is designed for Montgomery county residents, and meant to be done over time. Not in kamikozi travel and walking sessions. But the budget, and time, doesn't allow for multiple trips to Montgomery county.  I do what I can.

First on the list was the Wissahickon Green Ribbon Trail in Upper Gywneth Township. I have been to this park several times. This whole area has had an explosion of development and additional roads. I didn't recognized anything but the Wawa. Now, I didn't map out this part of the trip. I thought I knew where I was going. Wrong.

Basically, you get off the Turnpike in Lansdale and head up Sumneytown Pike.  I couldn't find it. Hmmm. Maybe this is the park that I had to turn down Forty Foot Rd. So I did. It wasn't there either. Only logical explanation is I went the wrong direction on Sumneytown. I got as far as Merck and couldn't find it. Frustrated I left. This was supposed to be the easy find. When I checked google at home I was two blocks away. It's right AFTER Merck. This just shows me that I need to check the map, even for places I know. That simple two-minute step would have saved me a half hour of searching and frustration.

I returned to the Turnpike and got off at Norristown. I was on Chemical Rd. I needed to be at Chemical and the Germantown Pike. Somehow I missed the Germantown Pike getting off the Turnpike. I turned around at a Lukoil station, and it smelled like bleach. (Jokingly I wondered where the body was hidden. Too many crime shows!) To avoid the problem at the last stop, I went into the Lukoil and asked.

Thankfully my sense of direction was correct. I found the Cross Country Trail and there was a business and a parking lot at the corner. There were cars near the trail, none near the business. I thought the parking lot was for the trail, but it wasn't. As I reached the trailhead there was a sign blocking the entrance to the trail so you didn't miss it—Parking is for XYZ company. All others towed. Shit. I had to go back to the car and move it to the big office buildings lot next door. (Bonnie would have said "leave it. They won't tow on a Saturday.") I walked back to the corner so I could begin at the start of the trail. The water drop icon was on both the front and the back of the sign. They must be much more trail friendly because they have stairs from the lot down to the trail. I went 15 minutes out and then back.

I didn't care for this trail because the turnpike was on one side and Chemical Road on the other. In this section, anyway, it was loud. But you could walk for groceries and to a mall.

Next stop was the Norristown Farm Park. I tried to get here last week and had shitty directions. I kept ending up at the state hospital. It was about 5 miles away, right off the Germantown Pike.  It was so easy to find. Why Google took me that half-ass way last week I have no idea. It wanted to do it again this week, but I kept looking at the map thinking there was an easier way. More traffic, but easier. Who knew you could edit a Google map? It also told me I needed to make two U-turns to get into the park. I didn't. As soon as I got there I knew where I was from the Volkssport state park weekend.

The easiest trail to get to from where I was, was the trail around the cornfield. But it was about 3.5 miles. And I still had two more parks to do—that was out. In addition, it was in the full sun. I had parked near the entrance, so I chose to and walk into the main part of the park. It turned out to be about the same distance as my first walk. And it was all in the shade, plus a bathroom.

I headed out again on the Germantown Pike to get to Rt. 29. I was on the home loop of this trip. For awhile I thought I was going wrong, again. I could see the cooling towers on the Delaware River. That didn't seem right. Then I thought, just F-it. If I get to the river I can get home. But Rt. 29 did come well before the cooling towers.

If you read last weeks adventure, you will remember I also tried this park last week. I couldn't find the challenge sign and gave up. I parked at the same place and walked over the lake bridge. Durring the week it occurred to me thought that maybe since the park was a drop-off, the marker would be hidden on the park office somewhere. It was! If you were not looking for it, you would have not seen it. Then I walked part way around the lake, turned around, went back over the bridge, and came back to the car.

My final stop was in Graterford on the Perkiomen Trail. There is a trail head right before the prison. My walk was the same as it was for the other parks. This time, however, there was a hill. This was the toughest trail because there was some sort of bike race. I was afraid of being run over. It was shady, though.

I have completed the basic challenge. The "Explorer" portion—5 walks. But actually I have completed 8. The next level is "Adventurer", at 10. Three are in the southwest corner of the county. I never have a reason to go there. Could I come up with an excuse to go to Lansdale again. Probably. But then I'd have 9. Then I've have to do the 10. I really don't need a medal. Hell, I don't need a patch either. It's the competition to get my butt out there.

Miles/Steps: 5 spread between 4 walks
Bathrooms:   I-4.5 The bathroom at the Farm Park.
Wildlife:        None. The geese were not even at Green Lane Park!
Weather:       Sunny, low-70s, breezy