less than five miles from home

Today's explorations were less than five miles from home. Not quite as close as Dotson Street Park but pretty damn close.

As my readers know I've been looking for new places to walk. It's tough in the valley. But I got to thinking today that there are places that I've been too, but not often.

First stop was South Mountain Park across from the old PBS building on Mountain Drive. I think we went there to picnic as a child. I didn't know what was there. I usually go to Emmaus to walk on those trails. It looks like the Bethlehem trailhead is for Disc Golf and pavillions only. There is an indoor comfort station, but no trails. I guess, if you really wanted to, you go follow the disc golf course. I didn't even bother putting on my sneakers. I wore my faux Birkenstocks.

I was going to head over to the Lehigh Parkway next and as I was standing in the lot trying to figure out how to get from Point A to Point B I realized I was close to Franco Farm Park in Salisbury. I've been there twice. Once for a wedding and once for a Get Out Lehigh Valley walk. In a downpour.  So I think it counts as kind-of new.

There is a pond with a gazebo and maybe fish since people were fishing. There was a bullffrog singing his lungs out. I think it was a boy. The voice was very deep.  I walked around the pond

From there I moved to the west of the community garden and went to find the trails. They we grass and gravel and quite wide. I didn't hesitate going alone because it wasn't a forest, even though I didn't have a map. I guessed it might be a loop.

A went a bit and the trail split I went left, and then it came back around to another split. I kept heading north and east feeling that I'd reach the park. I went past this gazeboo.

On it was painted the solar system.



52-Hike Challenge:   34/52
Miles/Steps:   about 3, combined
Bathrooms:   South Mountain I-3.5. Old but clean. P3
Weather:       78, sunny.
Wildlife:         Saw and heard a lot of birds at both locations. A bunch were robins. Two jays, 1 cardinal, 1 bull frog at Franko. 2 chippies at South Mountain.
Extra:            Is this a Giant Hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum)? I'm not sure and I certainly don't want to touch it to find out. It's tall enough, and it looks like a massive Queen Anne's Lace or Bishop's weed. It's in the same carrot family. The sap gives you 3rd degree burns when exposed to sun. It's invasive and has reached Pennsylvania. 

Update: It isn't Hogweed, so it won't burn off my flesh. It is poison hemlock (conium maculatum). Toxic if I eat it, but I can brush against it.