volkssport group walk in south bethlehem

First things first. What's going on with my blog posts?  Why does my "belly dancing" post get truncated without a picture even? I might have to switch templates after 14 years. Hopefully that will not happen today.

This is my second volkssport walk this month and my third group walk. So far I've hit one each week of the new year. Maybe I can aim for two a week? Pat sure did belly ache when I  left. You would have thought I was going to Mars instead of the Comfort Suites on Third Street.

There were twelve walkers today. That's a fairly good number. Three were from the Chester Red Rovers and they had never done the walk before. 

I told them up front that I was out of shape and I'd meet them at the top of the hill at Lehigh. They were a minimum of a block ahead of me.  The courtyard at Zoellner was closed so we had to navigate around that. Then the side walk on New and entrance of the Greenway were closed so I had to navigate around that. 

Walking up and down the new sidewalks on New Street could break me of my looking down habit. The new pavers are set in a herringbone pattern where one side is light grey and the other dark. I should have taken a picture. If you look down it looks like the sidewalk is buckling.

For about 3/4 of the Greenway I kept up with the group. Then I had to wait for a car where Third changes to Daly, and got behind. By the time we reached the casino I was a block behind again. They rested waiting for the light. When I arrived I had to run across Daly Avenue before the countdown was over. I made it with two seconds to spare.

I'll need to update the directions near the Casino. Emeril's Chop House sign (and restaurant I suppose) is no longer there. And the old macadam sidewalks have been replaced by concrete ones.

We headed to the HMT and the back door was locked. So we walked around. Thankfully the one near the PBS station was open. The new people came just to walk on the HMT. After coming down we headed to Arts Quest so they could see the flame glass sculpture. Then we worked our way around to 2nd Avenue and picked up the route again near the Museum of Industrial History. Then we headed back. At the 6Ksplit Bill and I headed back to the hotel. The others finished the 10K.

Afterwards I went to visit Sharon's senior client and move furniture. They repaired her heat (after at least a month) yesterday and left the furniture in the middle of the room.

Next Saturday I was hoping to do the walk at Hugh Moore Park from 1-3. The Tail on the Trail winter kick-off. But I cannot walk. It's my brother David's "Celebration of Life". Would I look silly showing up in church clothes?

athletic adventures: belly dancing

s'more walking (and eating)

 

Today was the first hike in the Get Out For Wellness program sponsored by the Wildlands Conservancy and LVH. It was held at Riverside Park in Palmerton. Well within the 45 minutes "before the roomie starts bitching about wasting gas" away.

I left an hour for travel. It took 35 minutes. I was really early. The event was advertised as

"Explore the Three Ponds at Lehigh Gap Nature Center with the option to add mileage in good weather. Beginning at Riverview Park, we’ll walk about 2.5 miles on easy terrain. When we return to the park, enjoy some gourmet s’mores!"

 

They had me at s'mores. I totally missed the part about gourmet. Thirty+ other people were tempted with s'mores as well.

I've walked this stretch of the D&L before and it is easy and flat. Never hear of Three Ponds. We walked about a mile on the D&L, past the new dog park, and into Lehigh Gap Nature Center property.

 

We continued a bit further and turned on the Three Pond Trail.  I almost didn't take the hiking stick I bought in Eagles Mere, but the email last night said "expect trails to be muddy". Where there is mud there is potential for Gayle to fall. (The last time I did this walk with the group here in 2020 I went splat taking a picture.) I was not taking chances. When we turned onto the trail I was happy I took it. This is where the "easy terrain" disappeared. It was rocks, roots, and hilly. Not steep hills but with all the mud not easy either.

The three ponds.

After circling the three ponds, we headed back to the D&L and back to the park for s'mores. The fire wastoo hot, It needed an hour. The first people back lit it. Therefore the marshmallows charred but didn't heat through, so the chocolate didn't melt.

These people watch too much Tic/Tok or spend too much time on Pinterest. The spread for the s'mores was intense. There was even a menu.

There were regular and chocolate stuffed marshmallows. Four kinds of chocolate including Hershey, caramel, sea salt milk, and dark. There were Resees', banana's, strawberries, pretzels, cookies, and I don't remember what was in the pink bag. Clearly they do this a lot because there were boxes that said s'more station, and little signs for under the items.

I didn't stick around. I made my very traditional s'more and took it to go.

Miles/Steps:    2.5 miles
Weather:          high 30s at start. Sunny.
Bathrooms:      L-3.5.
Extra:                In 2014 I developed the "bathroom scale". There is is L for Latrine/outhouse, I for indoor, and P for Port-o-potty. The toilets today technically would be an L. They were outdoors in a comfort station. No running water, but the toilets were composting. Do I need another category?

souderton saunter

 

I did the Souderton volkssport walk today. Pat wasn't thrilled but it wasn't an hour away so she couldn't bitch. Let's see what happens with Palmerton tomorrow.

Souderton is much hillier than I remember. It's like walking in south Bethlehem. You're either going up hill or down. There were 17 walkers which is amazing.

The walk starts in the woods and follows macadam trails thru three 55+ developments, 2 parks, downtown and some residential neighborhoods. There is a 5K, 7K, and 10K option. I planned to do the 5K. I haven't walked much or far lately so I wasn't pushing it. But I was told that if I wanted to play on the new fitness course at the community park I had to do the 7K.

There was strength and cardio machines, and an area that would have blown off Angel's socks. All kinds of torture equipment, I mean cross training equipment, hanging on a frame like a swing set. Ropes, pull up bars, suspended ladders. She would have been in heaven. 

I can honestly say I was slow and tired but I did it and I guess that's all that matters.

Miles/Steps:    7k
Weather:          high 30s at start. Mid 40s at end. Overcast.
Bathrooms:      P-5. I swear not a soul used it since it was cleaned.

a new year kicks off

 

 

I have walked everyday this year, mostly in the neighborhood. Things changed while I was being lazy in autumn.

New year, old year, winter, summer, it doesn't make a difference they are STILL tearing up Broadway at several points. Walking is interesting. Driving is complex. And when they pack up at three, driving is like the rumble strips on the highway. Don't go to fast or you'll hit your head on the roof of the car. They were even out there in the rain! I'm not sure why they are replacing this stretch of sidewalk. It was actually half-decent by my standards. The other side is a nightmare. I've fallen on no less than three times. It's horrible, but not as horrible as Fiot Avenue.

They've also built a little chain link house at Junk Park and put gas pipes (I think) in it. The roof is even pitched so that poor basketball shots roll off. Not sure what they'll do about Frisbees. Sassafras and Sioux Streets are also a washboards. Mr. Robinson and several other people solved the uneven sidewalk issue with little "ramps" of macadam.

Nativity Church got a new sign. They built the frame out of the same stones as the church. I thought at first they were building a ramp. The sign is bright red and you can see it as you enter the bridge from 378. I need to take a pic during the volkssport walk on the 21st.

The Wilbur Mansion is also restored, renovated, and expanded and open for business. And the swifts still have their Masonic Temple chimney. And a spot on the webpage.

It looks like they are going to hang a new mural at the Banana Factory.

The Ideal Food Market, aka Aharts (Food Lane, Pantry Pride....) has hung up their signs and are working on the outside. The six month (okay 18) reno project seems to be coming to an end. I cannot wait to have a grocery store to walk to again.

Finally, the five points is getting a makeover. They ripped down two Victorians and the old transmission shop (ARCO station) and are building a AutoZone store. It's hideous and butts right up to the sidewalk. The remaining two houses and Pete's Hot Dogs are up for sale for more development.

I've also been riding the Cubii everyday for at least 20 minutes, and went to the senior chair exercise class Wednesday.

Not a fantastic start for the new year, but much better than I have been doing. Now I have to keep it going.