christmas eve in the christmas city

 

Pam and I haven't walked together in about three weeks.  Despite all the precautions her family was in quarantine. No walking for us. We had to delay our walk to see the gingerbread people in downtown Bethlehem. We had both created one and she wanted to see them displayed in person. Some were missing ... but not ours.

We agreed to meet at the Moravian Bookstore at 9:30. I saw a promo online that you could get free 3-hour parking if you downloaded the phone app. I do not download apps. I don't like to have my information stored in apps.For me it's not worth a free doughnut or coffee. The apps are so easy to hack. But at 12 minutes for a quarter, you need a lot of quarters to park. Do you have 15 quarters or hand? Me either. I downloaded the app at home. Pam had the old mobile park app, so she downloaded it there.

 

We began with the ginger people, and walked down the hill to the historic area. Then thru the historic area and up the stairs to the Main/Spring street, then over to Lehigh Street. We followed Lehigh east and crossed the intersection at the Fahy bridge and went thru the sculpture garden to Church, then thru the plaza to check out the trellis.

The we backtracked on Church and went past the cemetery to Linden. The whole time we've been out we've been looking at Christmas decorations. In this part of town they are classy, not tacky. I like both. But if you go tacky, go over the top tacky. 

It reminded me of an article I didn't read yesterday. It was on the benefits of "awe" walking. I'm too cheap to pay for a subscription to the NYT and I must have been out of free reads so I google it. This is not fitness or competitive walking. An article in Psychology Today online says that "An ‘awe walk’ is a stroll in which you intentionally shift your attention outward instead of inward. So, you’re not thinking about the tight deadline, the unfinished project, the strain in your relationship ... ." We look at everything. But I wouldn't say we strolled. That implies very slow. At least to me.

Then we headed out Market which was disappointing, and up New to Broad, and back down Main to the ginger people. We went past the people again, thru Johnston Park to Union Blvd, then up Main and back to the car. 

I grabbed my purse and then we walked up to the bagel shop, stood in line, and got bagels for brunch. Yum.

On the way home I stopped at Aharts for some last minute groceries and there was a man changing his clothes in the parking lot. In full view of Broadway. Thankfully the door covered him partially, just in case he was pulling a full Monty.

Miles/Steps:  3+I was shocked when I sat down at the computer that it said 4.7 miles
Bathrooms:    P-2.5. The handicapped was a 1.5. They were gross. I had to clean everything up before I could use it.
PPE Found:   4 disposable masks. 1 blue glove.
Extra:            Tuesday I went to the Gyno. My D&C is scheduled for January 27. One health issue taken care of.

bus stop

 

It's been a few days since the snowstorm. I thought it was safe to walk in the neighborhood. It wasn't. Nearly everyone had their curbs shovel shut so you had to climb over snow banks to cross a street. A few people didn't even shovel their walks.

I decided at least to walk around the block. So I decided to go check out the object in front of the bodega that I thought last week was a bus stop. It is! (see story on WFMZ.)

You press the "doorbell" to tell the bus to stop for you.There are schedules and seats.  The seats are metal. That means at this time of the year they are icy cold, and maybe with ice. In summer they will burn the skin right off of your thighs. But the rest of year they should hold an average size person, or child.

 I wonder when more will appear and where. A random corner on the border of Bethlehem and Fountain Hill seems like an odd place to start.

Miles/Steps:  Half? Not much
PPE Found:   3 disposable masks. One 10 steps from my house.

fat girl shoveling

 

We had our first big storm last night. The weather forecasters were predicting totals from a foot to 30 inches, most settling in the 12-20 range. It began around 1:45 in the afternoon and snowed all night. Maybe. Because you can't hear snow and I could hear it hitting the window and the air conditioner units in the neighborhood. I think we had snow and sleet.

This morning I woke up, ran to the window and was so disappointed. Where was the two feet of snow. The event so large that the Weather Channel sent their storm chaser here? I didn't think it was much more than six inches. The local news said nine.

I first had to clean off the porch. Then the steps, and finally the sidewalk. It was deeper than it looked so maybe that nine was correct. The biggest issue was there was no place to put it. The cars packed in tight yesterday. I had to scoop and carry it to the side of the house. Ad it was heavy. I think my theory about sleet was correct. The bottom half inch was actually wet. Many neighbors were out. One had the radio blaring the local Latinx pop radio station. We were showing the newbies how to shovel on the hill. I had forgotten about the neighbors coming out. I guess I should have put a mask on. But for the most part we were way further than six feet apart.

I came in and took a break and then headed out back. When I opened the door I was shocked. The snow had all drifted from the yard onto the patio and against the house. It was much deeper than two feet.

Eventually I cleared a path on the patio and thru the yard. I was tired but I still had to tackle in front of my garage.

The plow had not come yet, of course. And I had a similar problem with the snow drifting against the garage door. Not nearly as badly as the yard. The neighbors were out shoveling there as well.

I was beat, but I really needed to do the part of the alley that the city should plow. Most of the neighbors were doing theirs. It's the only way we get a clean alley. There was a young person with the older people further up the hill. I grabbed a mask and walked up. "Do you want to earn $20 doing my snow? Just like you're doing here." Thankfully the answer was yes. He did a great job. I told him if there was more than four inches he should knock on my door. I'll fine tune it in the morning before work.

Was out working my ass off for about three hours and my FitBit read 1330 steps. Really? I should have put it on my wrist.

disappointing walk to the post office

Yesterday there was a storm brewing. The weather people have been beside themselves with glee. Not only was it the first storm, but it was a big one. Depending on the forecast it was up to 30 inches. They were talking feet of snow. Some famous person from the Weather Channel even came to town. It was going to be a snow event.

Originally the storm was supposed to start early in the day. By Tuesday evening they had moved it to afternoon. By yesterday it was late afternoon.

I decided that since the pony express was finally going to deliver my Christmas postcards I'd walk to the post office before the storm began. Then I could spend the storm addressing cards. Maybe, just maybe, they'd arrive before Christmas. 

I've also been wanting to stop at the Holiday Mart at the Art Establishment on Broadway. It's a craft fair that runs from Thanksgiving to Christmas. But since I have no gifts to buy, it usually means I will end up buying something for me. This would give me an excuse to go.

I left the house and stopped at the car to get gloves, hat and scarf. It was freaking cold. I walked to the post office and there was a line, of course. It was finally my turn at the window and I asked for 30 postcard stamps. They only had SIX. Mailing crap is their only job and they only had six stamps. He even checked in the back. Bewildered, I bought the six and went on my way. I'll have to get more on Friday before work.

The next stop was at the market for bread and cream. No, I wasn't making storm French toast. I needed the cream for dinner — Fettuccine Alfredo. And since I was there I decided to get the bread. Then I went across the street to get Thai food for lunch. But they were take-out only because of Covid and I sure couldn't picnic at MLK park. Worse, I couldn't take it home.

At Fiot Avenue I saw what I think might be a new bus stop apparatus. As I reached in my pocket to grab my phone to take a picture I realized I didn't have it with me. It was a pole with a rectangular windowed box at eye level, I'm thinking for a bus schedule. And a door bell. Not sure what that is for. Maybe it turns on a light? Off the pole were two seats. Basically it was a lower case T. I'll walk down again, when there is no storm.

The final stop was The Art Establishment. I did really well on the first floor.I resisted a lot. But it turns out that my Achilles heel was in the basement. There was a vendor making stuff out of old silverware. She made pens. I am a pen whore. (Really,I need a 12-step program.) There was three. It took forever to pick one. You can see in the picture above that I went for the rectangular one. I am please that I did not leave with three.

It was about 1:45 as I headed up the hill the the snow began. It was so fine you could hardly see it.

Miles/Steps:  2
Weather:       Low 30's.Windchill 26. Overcast, windy.
PPE Found:   a lot. I am clueless to how many.I lost count. Broadway was a pig sty. I found six or seven masks on one block! And most blocks had four. Hell, there was a mask in the street in front of my house. I also found three gloves.

christmas tree trail

The South Bethlehem Arts District has many, many events to bring people back to the south side of town. Even during the pandemic. For the Christmas season it's a Christmas tree trail. Local business were asked to put-up trees and then the citizens would vote for which was the most creative. I've wanted to go since I heard of it. But even this south Bethlehem loving girl is not stupid enough to walk the streets of South Bethlehem alone.

So I talked Lydia into coming along. She couldn't go with her husband because once he claims his parking spot after work, he doesn't leave again. Night adventures are out of the question.

Besides, her camera is better.

I picked her up in front of her house and we drove down to Arts Quest. I figured we could park for free there. 

Christkindlmarket ended early this year. They had it in October and November because it needed to be outside due to Covid restrictions. It wasn't even close to Christmas so I figured the Christmas decorations would still be up. WRONG. It was all gone. It's was the 11th of December and it was gone. We were shocked. Sure, tear down the tent and pack up the port-o-potties but leave up the Christmas decorations. Even though the pandemic has everything closed, people still walk around down there all the time.

4th and Adams, Randy's Pizza, Flying V, Antique Shop, NIMH

We parked on the street and fed the meter then headed to the Museum of Industrial History to see their tree. It was metal parts and topped with an I-Beam. A coil of steel rolled out from the base and it ended with a box.

We cut thru the NCC south side campus and headed toward the Social Still. It was then I realized I didn't have a mask on. People were eating outside. Lydia had a mask so she went and got the pic -- bourbon barrels stacked in a tree shape and decorated. Next to it, the fire ballister was decorated into a Santa Pez Dispenser.

Social Still, random store with pretty tree, Dinky's, Lit, official Southside tree, Homebase. 

Next stop was Cutters bike shop. It was ordinary. And hard to see. I went to get my mask and Lydia headed to Dinky's Ice Cream. Their tree was large, outside, ordinary but they had a train around the bottom with Yukon Cornelius (Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer, 1964) and packages. Update 12/22: this was the winning tree!

 

We took a pic at Fox optical of their tree made from lights strung into a triangle from a top point. Lit, an official stop was next door. Their tree was ordinary.

We cut thru the gas station's corner onto New Street and crossed at the Greenway to the other side to see the official south side tree tree under the covered walkway. Then we headed up to Fourth, turned right went to the Homebase skate shop. There's was clever made of branches, wire and maybe skate parts. Not sure what the dangles were.

Roasted, hair salon, dress shop, cigar shop, Color Me Mine

We crossed the street, again, and headed back to Roasted for a tall skinny tree dressed in gold lamé fabric wire ribbon, and a poof on top.  

A few doors from Roasted was this window. Not part of the trail, but one of the more creative ones that we saw. I think this might be a "vintage" store.

 

At Fourth and New, we couldn't see the one at Molly's pub. The windows were covered with neon beer signs obstructing our view. They must have wanted you to come inside. Going back down the other side of New there was another skinny tree at a hair salon, and a cool white tree that had a color lights like Aunt Dorothy's old silver one under it. We crossed Third at the bridge, and headed east to Color me Mine. It was a tiny tree very high up. I was disappointed it didn't have little bisque ornaments on it. A lot of these business missed an opportunity to market their products for free.

At Fourth and Adams is a hair salon with a clever tree made of hangers. It was hard to take a pic because the logo was covering it in the window. At Webster is the Flying V and the only living tree we saw. It was hanging upside down, outside. It was great. 

 

We crossed the street again and headed up Webster to Morton to a tiny pizza shop called Randy's. Lydia said the pizza is good there. Their tree was made of pizza boxes covered in lights.

Then it was back down to Third,across the street again,  and back to the car.

Seven Sirens Brewery was also on the list but they were far off the trail. We parked and went to look at it, but it's in the middle of the dining room. We did not go in. That place is way above my pay grade. It's made from beer kegs.

Miles/Steps:  maybe a mile. Not much more with lots of stopping. I wouldn't call it exercise.
Weather:       48 and dropping

back on the d&l

On Sunday I received a call. It was the walk coordinator from the Liberty Bell Wanderers. The Thursday group walk this week is on the D&L. Where would you like the start point?

Huh? I just hosted a walk on Saturday, I was unprepared.

I told her the Durham trailhead at 611 and 212. But as I was driving home from work I reconsidered. There are no bathrooms at that trail head. So I changed it to the Ground Hog Lock at the Theodore Roosevelt Recreation Area outside of Raubsville. This section of trail is 3.9 miles, a bit more than our normal 10K out and back. We advertised it as a 12K.

Yesterday it snowed, so the trail was going to be wet and muddy, with lots of puddles.

When I left the house this morning I figured there would be four or five people, tops. There were nearly twenty. They were still arriving after 10 am. There was a line for the bathroom before and after the walk and it ran out of TP.

I don't think anybody even looked at the ruins. They took off and started walking. The group was really spaced out. I announce we were at the 5K turnaround but no-one turned around. Everyone walked to the Riegelsville trail head. Some even explore the town. Two walked over the bridge into New Jersey. Nobody walked to the Durham trailhead.

Overall a successful event.

Miles/Steps:  my Fitbit said 7
Weather:       36 to start. 48 at end. Overcast and damp to sunny.
Wildlife:         A turkey vulture flew within inches of our heads and into a tree.
Bathrooms:    I-4.5 and it ran out of TP

bethlehem north volkssport walk saga

 

I'm the point of contact for the Bethlehem walks. They had a walk scheduled for Saturday. It was a long week getting there.

Sunday I drove thru downtown and noticed some signs at the Hotel Bethlehem. They were about having a reservation to enter the building. Damn Covid. It's the height of Christmas tourism season here and everything is clamped down tight. But not before my walk. Please.

Monday it was raining. I dropped my gingerbread person off at the downtown Bethlehem association. It was raining too hard to walk the two blocks to the hotel.

Tuesday I went to the hotel. Indeed you need a reservation to get in — room, dining, tour, ect. I called. Can I get the walk box. She said yes. I went in, grabbed some directions to copy and stamped some insert cards. The bathrooms were closed to the public. I walked to Sand Island. Those bathrooms were also closed. The library has reopened but they have a half-hour limit. Their bathrooms were closed as well. PPardon the pun, but shit.

By the noon news they were calling for downpours Saturday. Okay, maybe it would be cancelled.

 

By Thursday they were asking about bathrooms again. There's a bagel shop, maybe they have a public restroom. Back over the bridge I go. The bagel shop had people packed in like sardines. NO social distancing. I got the hell out of there. I decided to go see if the ginger people were hung up. (There are 45.) They were. And at the top of the hill, behind the blacksmith was port-o-potties. Problem solved. Weather forecast looked worse. Copied the directions.

Friday the forecast started to change. They wanted Allentown clear by 10 am. After convincing myself this walk would be cancelled, it looks like it was back on.

Saturday I head to the hotel, again. Meet time is 9:45. I arrived at 9:35 and there was already someone there. It was damp and cold but not raining. Another couple showed up. That was it.

Finally, it was walk day. The historic district was filled with puddles and mud. But other than that, it was a nice walk. By the end, the sun was out.

Miles/Steps:  8K
Weather:       Mid-40s. Overcast and damp to sunny.
PPE found:    A lot of masks and some were reusable. 1 gloves.
Bathrooms:     P-4.5

the urban arts trail walk

Friday Pam, her daughter, and I walked the new South Bethlehem Urban Arts Trail. I described the route in detail in an  earlier post.

We began at the official start point, the South Side Arts District office at the south Bethlehem parking garage. We had planned to park in the garage but it was a "free parking" meter day. 

Something I hadn't seen before is the piano under the awning at the Fowler Center. As much as I've seen this art before it's mostly been by car. Sometimes on foot. But it's much different looking at random pieces of art than as a cohesive collection, which is what happens when you walk the trail.

Sadly, I had to stop going up the Hayes Street hill. It's not that steep. Partly I think it's because I no longer walk everyday (except with Pat.). I need to change that.

It also gave Pam an opportunity to show her daughter places that she lived/worked as a student at Lehigh. And places where her dad lived while they were dating. Including above the Tally Ho where this mural is located. We also told her the story of the fire at the Temple and how Gene Diamond ran up the hill to save the Torahs from the ark.

The trail ends at the Dunkin Donuts (Old Bethlehem Sporting Goods). We then headed back to the cars.

Now there is a Christmas Tree Trail on south side. They were lite tonight. I might scout them out one evening in the car and then find a friend to walk it at night.I may love south Bethlehem but I'm not stupid enough to walk downtown alone at night.

Miles/Steps:  2.75 miles
Weather:       high-60's. Sunny.
PPE found:    A lot of masks and some were reusable. 2 gloves.

we did it!

 We did it. We finished the D&L. I have a new appreciation for those people who walk the AT.

 We met at the Durham Trailhead, and drove to Raubsville. Thankfully that bathroom was open. Open restrooms were spotty this year.  Lisa, Pam's friend,  has this week off. Like Pam she was/is a professional photographer. After poking around the lock we headed out. The first thing we noticed was one of the retaining walls were blown out. If a section of 611 closes suddenly for a few weeks, you know why.

 Because it's fall and the weeds have died, we saw three mile markers today. On this section of the trail they are in the ground and hard to see with high grass and weeds.

This section of the trail has locks at each end— 22 & 23 in Raubsville, and 21 in Riegelsville. With the Kleinhans Creek and Durham Aqueducts in the middle.

In Riegelsville we got off the trail and checked out the trailhead. There was a little bridge over the trail, and then a large green Riegelsville bridge. Then it was back down to the trail.

We could see this house from the trail. I love that they remember it's not Christmas ... yet. And look at the details above the windows.

Eventually we found our way back to the Durham Trailhead which ...

.. called for a toast.

We did it. We're done. Friday begins a new adventure as we #optoutside.

Miles/Steps:  4.5 miles
Weather:       Mid-40's. Sunny, windy, very muddy.
Wildlife:        Bunches of mallards. 
Bathrooms:   None at Durham. I-3.5 at Raubsville.
PPE found:    0

my vision is 20/200. whoo hoo!

Image by pixabay.com/users/bspence81-576043

 

I took my brand new Medicare card out for a spin yesterday ... to the eye doctor. The bad news is I have a deductible, so I'll probably end up paying.

I left twenty minutes to walk fie blocks. I arrived in ten. Afterall it's all uphill. I reach the alley, withing feet of the doctor's office, and realized Ihad no mask. I called and explained that I was a dumbass and had to go home for a mask. I was secretly hoping they would say they had a box of disposables, but alas no. She said they were running behind. I said I'd be back in 15. I zipped home.

I grabbed a mask and my car keys and zipped up to the doctor. I arrived at 9:02. Perfect timing. I walked around the front and the door was still locked. I walked around the back and entered. By this time it was 9:05. They took me right away.

He asked me how things were. I told him frustrating. It used to be I couldn't see at all and now it's like there's tight knit gauze over my eye.

So he covers my good eye with tape and turns out the light. He starts setting machines

"Excuse me. Is there a black square frame on the wall?"

"Yes"

"Is there a solid black box below it?"

"That's a chair". He starts scurrying around.  I can hear the chair move and I can see movement.

Soon I realize the black frame is the eye chart. "Is there a white box with a giant E in the frame?" He nearly fell off his chair in excitement.

I could read the giant S on the left of second line. "What is the next letter?" It's the stem of a straight letter but I can't see the other side so I can't see if it's a R K L E F". Things didn't go as well on the smaller lines. Curves letters were hard.

Next thing you know I'm having a depth of vision test. Basically every time I saw a light I hit a clicker. Like zapping aliens in a video game. The printout almost looked like a black and white "doughnut". Half was white, half was black. He's optimistic that I will recover more vision. But the best news was the "doughnut" had no holes. Holes are very bad.

Corrected vision is 20/200. Still legally blind in that eye.

He said as a doctor he lives for days like this.

I guess I should stop bitching about $200 eye drops now.

almost done. only one more section to go!

Monday Pam and I walked our second-last section of the D&L from Durham Furnace to Ringing Rocks. Sunday night there was a storm and I kept hearing road closures on the radio, but thankfully none effected us.

We met at Ringing Rocks Trailhead and drove down to Durham Furnace. This area is really nice now. They fixed the bridge, and in the process put in a brand spanking new paved parking lot. Oh the luxury. This is a huge lock and an aqueduct.

The path was straight and frequently ran right next to the river. In the summer I bet it's hot. It was cool and breezy that day. Occasionally we saw these open gates but we couldn't figure out what they did. There was also two locks, and a few of those water outlets with the wooden bridges.

The trail always followed the canal and the canal always had water in it. Sometimes it was wide, other times narrow. Sometimes gravel, sometimes red stones. Sometimes grass. A few times there were houses between the river and the canal. Really old houses. And a couple of farms.And for the first time ever on Delaware side of the trail we saw trail markers. Four in a row. Shocking!

 Occasionally the canal looked like a creek. It broke from it's formal state and made it's own path. Near Ringing Rocks we found a large pond.

 

 

When you reach the trail marker for Ringing Rocks  it's another .2 miles to the parking lot. You climb up a little hill and cross the bridge. Instead of crossing the bridge we went left and started hunting for the river. We hadn't seen it in a while. It seemed like a long walk going down but we we back in a flash.

We got in the car and headed back to Durham with a stop at the farm marker.

Miles/Steps:  4.5 miles
Weather:       Sunny, windy, muddy.
Wildlife:        one short section had a lot of geese and ducks. Otherwise we saw nothing. 
Bathrooms:   None at either site
PPE found:    1 mask

 

When I arrived home I went with Pat for her walk. It was really just around the block. I didn't want to go because I needed to get work done, but I went anyway. I'm nothing, if not willing to procrastinate.

Miles/Steps:  4 blocks
Weather:       Sunny, windy, muddy.
PPE found:    3 masks

it's official. i'm old.

 

My mail carrier delivered proof of senior citizenship late last week. On one hand it awful. How they hell did I get to be 65? (Well, not for another 10 days. Let's not rush things.) On the other hand, medical insurance!

only two more left!

Monday Pam, Bill and I walked from Ringing Rocks trailhead to the Tinicum Park Trailhead. We thought it was about 6.5 miles. Turns out it was eight. Oops. We only have two more sections to do. Less than two miles.

 

We met Bill at Tinicum and drove to Ringing Rocks. It's a .2 mile walk to the trail from the parking lot.We crossed the canal and climbed down the hill to the trail and we were off. For awhile we were parallel to the river, but soon we turned and were on the other side of the Rt. 32. We arrived to the smell of roasting coffee. Here it was a coffee roasting business. I waited canal side while the others went for a fresh brew.

We alked past a lock and the Delaware Canal Park offices. We soon found a Little Free Library house in an old newspaper box. Cllever. I did not pick up any books. I didn't want to carry them.

We also encounted some dredging in the canal. I wonder what they are going to do with all the mud? This section of the canal is probably only a foot deep. You can see the bottom. There were sections with duck weed where the canal was still.

Since we were away from the road, this sectioned offered views of some wildlife including deer swimming across the canal. On the other side were swamps wetlands and agriculture fields.

I think in this section we saw two mile markers on the ground. I'll be happy when we are done on the Delaware section. Not seeing mile markers drives me nuts. It's not that they aren't there, it's that they are on the ground covered with weeds and leaves. You just can't see them. There were two other mile indicators on the signs under "camel hump" bridges. Apparently there are only six of these bridges left.

 

In Uhlerstown (once named Mexico) there was a covered bridge and a lock. We followed the path off the trail to go on the bridge, because we could. I would have been very disappointed if we couldn't.

This is the part were I started getting tired. It was feeling a whole lot more than 6 miles.  Bill follows the trail on his phone and he soon thought we were entering the park. A half-, three-quarters of a mile later we arrived at the parking lot. I couldn't wait to get back to Ringing Rocks to pull off my shoes.

 

Miles/Steps:  8 miles
Weather:       73 when I arrived at the car. Sunny.
Wildlife:         Many groups of mallards. A few were in the water, but most were on the shore curled up like rocks. At least two dozen turtles. Five doe. Three of them swimming across the canal. Two cardinals. 
Bathrooms:    None at Ringing Rocks. Didn't check the port-o-potty at Tinicum. They did use the one at the coffee roaster.
PPE Found:     None!

After I arrived home I went for a walk with Pat. It was a beautiful day and I really think it helped me not to get stiff. (Oh, and the Aleve I took before I left in the morning!) We walked up to Sioux, down the alley and home.

Miles/Steps:  about 3 blocks
Weather:       75. Sunny.
PPE Found:    2 Masks

urban arts trail

 

Today is the kick off of the South Bethlehem Urban Arts Trail. It's 2.75 miles of murals, mosaics, sculptures, bike racks, flower planters, and a public piano.

I thought it was going to be an app, and maybe it will be after the grand opening tonight at 6, but right now it's a web site. If I can pull Angel or Bonnie or Pam away from their real lives I'll try to do it. I've already seen all but one piece. Lydia would never walk three miles.

It begins with the Welcome to the South Side mural at the Comfort Suites, and then heads to the Banana Factory for four items. Then it's a block for three more murals at the Fahy bridge intersection. (Lehigh Pizza, McCrory's, Phillips Music. You have to be as old as me to get those references.) Then you pick up more murals at 3rd and Adams, Lehigh Valley Charter Arts HS, a bike rack behind the high school, the Fowler Center which is also the location of the piano. I haven't seen that yet, but I bet it's under the awning. The final item at the Fowler Center is a bike rack in front of the parking lots.

Then it's time to hike up the Hayes Street hill to Fourth where you will find a "phone booth" I think it looks like a painted Tardis. I've been wondering for years what the point of them is. Recently they became bulletin boards. Continue up Hayes to the South Side Lofts (the old St. Stanislaus Church) for two more murals on the church and another across the street, near Fifth. You can't miss it.

Return to Fourth and head west toward New Street. There is another phone booth across from the Windish Church. You'll need to cross the street to see this mural on Cafe, the Lodge (on the firehouse side) near Fourth and Fillmore. Further down the block there is a bike rack.

When you reach Taylor, turn left and there are three murals on Bonn Brewery. Turn left on the Greenway for another bike rack, Pagoda and bird sculptures. As the Greenway ends, turn left and head back up to Fourth. There is a bike rack and mural on Molly's Pub. At 4th an Adams, there is a window mural at the Homebase Skate Shop. Across the street at Deja Brew is another bike rack. The final mural is on the Tally Ho. The final bike rack is at Dunkin next to the flower planter. (Bethlehem Sporting Goods in a past life.)

tgw — antietam lake park

 Today I participated in a new kind of Volssport walk — a Traveling Guided Walk. These are walks which are sanctioned for one-time use, and you have a leader that runs down the history of the place. This walk was supposed to be back in April, but pandemics happen.

I decided last night to go. It's south of Reading and I really wasn't sure I wanted to drive an hour to walk, but it was worth it. It's a great park. Someday I'll go back and explore more.

The walk began at the Angora Road trailhead. The permanent bathrooms were not open, but there was port-o-potties. As we were about to leave another careful of walkers arrive. We had seventeen in total this time. That's a great turnout for a Thursday.

We crossed Angora Road, and stepped on a board walk for a view of the Valve House, and a small garden dedicated to the birch tree, "the mother's tree". We walked along side the road until we reached another lot and headed into the woods. It was rocky, rooty, and all uphill. None of my favorite things.  Plus most of the leaves had fallen and all the rocks and roots were covered making it more dangerous.

After we passed the lake we found the 60 foot tall rock waterfall which feeds the lake.

Then everyone stopped. Five trees had fallen across the road. The one in the foreground was easy to get over. The next cluster took some skill, a lot of balance, and ingenuity. None of which I possess. But with some help I managed to get over everything unscathed.

After coming out of the woods, we walked along the road and saw the stone walled creek. Check out the "stairs" inside of it. Then we walked to the site of the former dam, and returned the same way. The fallen trees were easier to navigate coming back. Maybe because it was downhill.

When we returned to the lot half the group moved on. My knees had enough. I went home.

Miles/Steps:  about 3 miles
Weather:        67 when I arrived at the car. Sunny.
Wildlife:         About seven geese on the lake
Bathrooms:    P-3.5

After arriving home I went with Pat for her walk. Yesterday we walk the Bishopthorpe/Sioux/Christian/Itaska rectangle. Today she wanted to walk the other direction. Maybe Violet would be out on her stoop. Violet is an old handicapped woman who used to be the neighborhood cat lady. Then the landlord threaten eviction.

We headed out Bastian to Fiot, then down to Itaska and there's Violet on her stoop. She really can't get around at all anymore. I said "I knew it was a nice day and you'd be out." She said she was waiting for someone to go around the corner to get her cigarettes. I told her I didn't have a mask, but I'll take Pat home and come back. I think she thought she'd miss her opportunity and said "I have masks". She can wait here with me. She goes in her purse and pulls out a fabric mask in a sealed bag. She's got tons of them. Got them from her health insurance company. I asked Pat if she was cool with it and I took the mask and headed for the bodega.

 

This is no throw-away mask. It's nice. I'm walking and tear open the bag and stuff it in my pocket. I'm carrying the mask. I'm almost to the store when there was a group of people with several pit bull puppies. They were cute. I'm approaching and putting on the mask and it smelled like cigarettes -- it was sealed in plastic in another plastic bag and the smell still got in!  I nearly gagged.There was no going back. I had to wear it for 5 minutes. I could do this. I went in the bodega, got the butts, and got the hell out of there. I took off the mask and walked on the opposite side of the street to avoid the people and the dogs. I was maybe one house away when I put it back on. 

I handed her the butts and her change, and helped Pat up. "Well, we gotta be going", and we left. I was 10 feet away when I ripped the mask off. It's in the wash, but I fear it will still stink. We'll see.

Miles/Steps:  34 mile
Weather:       68, sunny
PPE found:     1 mask