golv: glen onoko falls

SPLAT! Again. I'm starting to get a reputation. But I digress.

Today was the Get Out Lehigh Valley Glen Onoko Falls walk. The last time I did this section of the trail we were on bikes. It was 2010.

Earlier this week, maybe even last week we received an email saying we weren't going to the falls. We'd stick to the D&L. Glen Onoko has a lot of accidents. I'm guessing a bean counter holding an insurance policy said "no way José."

I met Pam and Lisa at Pam's place and we drove up to Jim Thorpe. Driving to the falls I mentioned that the Jim Thorpe statue was pretty impressive for a town like JT.  We decided to stop on the way back.

After checking in, and the standard talk, we were off. We walked down to the river, and then thru the woods to the old hotel ruins. Some then went to the falls, and the rest of us continued on the D&L. From the river we could see the old railroad tunnel. I mentioned I knew how to go in it. Some were interested.

Christine put us in charge of the front of the pack and told us to walk 1 mile from that point and stop. That would be the turn around point. So we did. I guess I was moving a little too fast. They were quite a bit behind me. And it was so sunny and hot.

On the way back the three of use peeled off to go to the railroad tunnel. Maybe half the group followed. Since this wasn't a "sanctioned" portion of the walk we were on our own. I warned them that it was dark and rocky. It's only maybe a block long.

The tunnel was darker than I remembered. And the entrance steeper. I didn't have my walking stick, and I was wearing my sunglasses. It was rocky and uneven and I didn't remember the railroad ties at all. We walked carefully toward the bright light and arrived safely at the rail.

Coming back it was easier and harder. There was no bright light to walk toward, which made it easier on the eyes. But I had my sunglasses on, so it was dark. I decided to turn the flashlight on, on my phone. Instead of stopping, doing, and then moving, I tried to do it while moving and I missed seeing a rock.

Pam yelled "Gayle a rock" but I was already headed toward a free fall.  My hat flew off. And my glasses. And my phone. In my typical fashion I got up and tried to go on my way. I skinned both legs. One deeper than the other. Mostly it was dirt. It was everythere—clothes arms, face, legs.

Everyone wanted to fuss over me. It's nice, I gues it's better than being ignored totally. But golly I hate being fussed over. I could walk. Nothing was busted. I'll clean it up when I get back. We were a 1/4 mile away from the car. That didn't quite work. Fuss they did. Especially since we lost Lisa in the tunnel. The photographer was doing her thing with the iPhone. (She took these cave photos and many of the others.)

We finally headed toward the lot, and then it was time to get fussed over again. This time sitting on the cooler. I didn't mind it quite as much because most of the group had left.

Finally it was time to leave, and as promised we went to visit Jim. What I didn't notice the last time was how bad the typography was on the signage.

52-hile challenge:  35/52
Miles/Steps:   about 4 with the trip to see Jim.
Weather:        high 80s, sunny. Humidity hadn't rolled in yet.
Wildlife:          head many birds and swooshes thru the woods, but saw nothing
Extra:             I have a first aid kit in the car. We ended up using the one someone else had. Good thing. All the "medicine" in my was expired in 2010-2011. One was 2013. All the ointment, aspirin, burn creams .... expired. All the wet naps dry as a stone. It was useless. Even the band aids aren't the best. I used two of them on my leg and they kept peeling off. I think the glue is drying out. I think I need to put them in the house and just refill the whole kit.