back to the parkway

Today was the AARP walk at the fish hatchery. I didn't want to go, but I did. Pulling into the parking lot I  contemplated leaving by the exit. But I stayed. I don't know why. They were just as unorganized as last time.

The walk leader clearly hadn't prewalked the route. It was obvious. They weren't sure where to go. We went thru the arch and around the tanks to the house and hit the dead end. I knew that was going to happen. The leader went inside and asked. I was hoping that we'd walk on the other side of the creek. We didn't.

You guessed it. We climbed the big hill. This was an AARP walk. Everyone was over 60. Or more than likely more than 70. I was the last one up the hill.

Some reached the top and turned around and went back. The rest went down the hill.  The front of the pack was really booking it. They were well past the mid point cross over when I arrived. There was maybe six of us. I then explained the layout to the "sweep" person. She called the "front" group to find out where they were and then we saw them coming down the trail. That's how far out in front they were.

We left them pass and then we finished the walk past the Lenni Lenape Museum, and back to the parking lot. When we arrived the "sweep" person asked me to volunteer with the walk committee. I declined.

Tomorrow I plan to do the AT with the Pennsylvnia Volkssport group. It's almost a two hour drive. It's silly to go and a waste of time. But I need Perry County for my AVA Counties book and it's the only way to get it.

Will I stay or will I go? Stay tuned.

Miles/Steps:  1.5 miles
Weather:        mid-sixties, sunny
Wildlife:         chipmunk, and a lot of trout. Plus a few koi in the trout tanks.

sunday in the park with terry

 Today was the last day of the festival. I should have checked my directions. The route went right past my dorm. I could have stayed "home" and met them at the middle.

We walked down early again. They took the 10K people first. There was about 5 "guides" for the 5K. I asked them who took the slow walkers. The people that take too many pictures and walk at a saunter. This woman raised her hand. She was a bold faced liar.

Two groups left. And then a third. Maybe 5 minutes apart. Then they called for the slow group. And we were off. In less than a kilometer we caught up with the group before us. It started with a hill and then followed the river walk that we've been using all week. By the time we reached the boat launch I could barely see them in front of me. Not only were they going fast, but she wasn't stopping for the narrative. I was seriously thinking of just going back to town and doing something else. Then down the hill came  a woman. "Are you in the "slow" group? I said yes. She came back to walk with me. She is part of the Niagara Frontier Walkers and said nobody gets left behind. She didn't even notice our walk leader looking back.

We got to an area that the path went in a u or you could go straight. We went straight and were able to catch up with them. It was all sun. And it was beating down on us. I realized I forgot my hat. I wanted water but that would require stopping.  Finally I am in earshot of the walk leader and said, hey there is shade up ahead. Let's take a break. While doing that two things happened. The two groups that used to be  in front of us, past us. (The slow group.) Then she took a survey asking if anyone wanted to take a one block detour to go to the Bellavue Mansion. Now that's a few blocks behind my dorm. I knew exactly where it was. The street was in view. When we arrived at the part of the path that would take us "right" out to the street, she turned "left". WTF? Terry said where is she going, it's this way. We went the correct way and beat them there. ANd the way we went was all shade.

At this point we were more than 50% done. I knew where I was. I told Terri she could go catch up with them if she wanted I could find my way back to the start line. She said no. We're doing this together. And heck, she doesn't even know we're missing. 

Next to the athletic fields is a indigenous peoples long house. The walked right past it! How can you do that?

We explored.

As we walked back to the start point I mentioned I was going to do the boat tour. She had wanted to do that as well. She called her hubby to find out when they were meeting and went along. Except all the tours were booked for the day. We did go to the museum.

 

Walking back we got talking about A&W root beer floats. There's an A&W across from the host hotel. We decided we earned them. But they didn't have them.But they did have root beer in the frosted mugs, and damn was it good.

Afterwards I went to the hotel to refill my bottle and chill in the AC. When I went to the "washroom" I discovered I was beet red. The boat tour wasn't till 4. I asked the hotel clerk where the nearest pharmacy was. It was four block away. It was called Shopper's Drug Mart and looked like a CVS inside. I got some aloe. Princess Street was having sidewalk sales so I also bought a very lightweight long sleeve sun shirt that I wore on the cruise tour. It's a decent selfie and you can't even see my missing filling.

After the cruise we went to the pub and walked back to campus.

Miles/Steps:  10K +some more
Bathrooms:    P4.5
Weather:        23 degrees C, sunny
Wildlife:         Mostly water fowl ducks, geese, gulls

saturday with bagpipes, rain and trolley cars

Up early, as usual, I decided there had to be a different way to the start point. So I sat in my room while everyone was doing their hour long morning routines and figured out a new way. I could actually pick three and all went thru campus. It turned out that the way I chose was half the University walk 5K in the afternoon. So I did the second half of that walk to get to the start point, and then followed the directions to get home thereby completing the whole 5K as written. Sneaky.

We arrived at the start point early, as usual. A bagpiper came down the street and started warming up. I thought maybe he was doing a wedding or something at one of the nearby hotels. Another weird thing happened as well. I was too stupid to put 2+2 together. Friday, as groups of 20 arrived they left them go and people were really spread out. People arrived early because of that. And we waited and waited. Nobody left until 9:20. Why?

 

BAGPIPES!

The entire group of 10K-ers were escorted by a bagpiper. He probably went half a kilometer with them. I was feeling a little jealous. However, he returned to escort the whole group of 5K-ers as well. We also split into smaller groups. It was here that I found some of my LBW friends so I had people to walk with. I also ran into some of my French "friends" from esterday. They stopped to say bonjour. Later, on the walk I saw a few more in the English group. They said since I seemed like I was having fun the prior day they decided to try it. But they at least had working knowledge of English.

There was a lot of nature on this walk. I'd say 60%. We spent a little time in town and then got on the coastal walk and headed north. The wildlife was abundant. We ran into a photographer who pointed out where many things were. Like on the D&L the turtle were sunning themselves. There was some waterfowl but not like at the downtown section of the trail. We past a beautiful building that once was a cotton mill. Like in America, it's been broken into many spaces. The tall tower is now a climbing gym.

For the 5K people, this walk was out and back, more or less. The 10K people did more of a large circle.

I returned to the host hotel to charge my phone and refill my water. Then I went searching for a deli for lunch. By this time the rain clouds moved in big time. It wasn't supposed to rain until 7. I left my raincoat at the dorm.

I didn't do the afternoon walks. Sadly the boat museum I was planning on going to was having it's Christening / opening party. It was mobbed. It's a luxury liner the same vintage as the Titanic, but a little smaller. It actually cruised the great lakes. It's supposed to be just as fancy. I'll try again Sunday. It began to rain and I needed to be somewhere dry. My pass was still good for the trolley so I rode it again rode it again. Different driver. More info. My car mates keep asking me how I know all this stuff. Ask me about the insane asylum with the "help" sign still in the window, or the women's prison which they are converting into a hotel, or maybe skeleton park — not it's real name — built on top of a cemetery.

When I returned it was still raining so I walked into the shopping district and bought an umbrella. A half hour later it was sunny and humid. I should have bought the umbrella sooner.

I met my car mates and other PAWs members for dinner at a pub, and then walked the first half of the afternoon route back to the dorm.

Miles/Steps:  10K +some more
Weather:        15 degrees C, sunny, then rainy, then a little more than humid

Wildlife:         I can't even remember them all .... so much. Near the beginning of the walk was a mallard family, mom, dad, and three babies. But then there was two more babies and they were squeaking like crazy. Mom must have told them to get moving and they didn't so she left them behind. And about 4 adult geese and their teenage offspring. Must have been a dozen all together. Maybe 15 turtles of various sizes. Water snakes mating. A blue heron. Then a gaggle of geese and more duck. Oh, and carp jumping in the lake.I'm sure I missed something.

 

played hookey

The original title of this post was going to be "parlez-vous Français", But well that was this morning, and then the afternoon happened.

Let's start with breakfast. Wednesday I noticed my front tooth was feeling squirrely. I looked in the mirror and saw nothing. The timing was, of course, dreadful, with the trip and the holiday. First thing on my Tuesday list was call the dentist. This morning we met at 7 and walked down to the dining hall. I've been avoiding the tooth but forgot and bit a piece of bacon and it was hard. I pulled it out and you guessed it, the filling from that tooth. Thankfully it's on the side and just looks broken. I don't look like a redneck hick from Pennsyltucky. 

Let's start with the positive. As I said yesterday, the owner of the car we drove up in was not moving it all weekend. We had to walk to the start point, about 2.2K away. I thought it was cuckoo for coco-puffs. I decided to take the bus or taxi or Uber or something other than my feet. But when I awoke this morning it was a beautiful day and I decided to walk in on the river walk. I started with my car mates but I was taking so many pictures -- 36 I think -- that they went on with out me. And I stayed on the river trail. I'm not walking the same way twice.

I saw windmills ...

I saw sculpture...

battleships, ...

 

19th century forts ...

a helicopter pad for the hospital across the street  and ... wait for it ... 

Canada Geese in Canada. They have not all emigrated to the Lehigh Valley.

 

The 10K walkers left in groups first. There was close to 400 walkers. I was probably at the start point nearly an hour. I sat on a bench under a tree and a woman sat down next to me. She had an accent but I didn't know what it was. Then another woman came by and they talked. They were both members of the Quebec group. It was then I found out she was leading the French language 5Ks. I said to her, maybe I'll do your walk instead. I wouldn't understand a thing your saying but when else would I get the opportunity?

So I did. I lost them twice because I was moving so slow. But we all finished together.

I went to the host hotel because it was the only place with free water. (I have since found the bottle fountain at the dorm.) I also needed to plug in my phone. So by this point I've walked 7.5K and I made the rookie mistake of sitting down. Not only did I sit, but I sat in a cushy hotel chair ... for an hour! When I went to stand my leg muscles pretty much told me to go duck myself.

I went outside to find the deli I heard everyone talking about. I couldn't find it and went to a juice bar instead and got a wrap. Again, I sat to eat it. I got up to go back to the start point and I couldn't move faster than a snail. I was done. I had 2.5 hours until the meet and greet at 4. I could sit on a park bench and watch the seagulls but that didn't sound like fun. Then one of the trolleys went by that takes you to all the sites and you hop on and off. The walks in the afternoon were "history".  On a whim I bought a ticket and got on the trolley. If I wanted it to take me "home" it would have. It drove right past my dorm.

I did the full circuit and learned everything I didn't want to know about Kingston. (Which used to be Kings Town but those dang American kept pronouncing it wrong and it stuck.) Then it was off to the host hotel for the meet and greet with the carpool gang. Everyone looked beat. I took off my shoes and was walking around in my socks. My feet were very happy.

Those crazy people mostly did two 10Ks plus walking to the event. One did a 10 and a 5. Another a 10 and a 7. At the end of the event, I said to my table, I'm taking a taxi back to school. Two people can join me. No, no, they were purists and had to walk back. Finally our driver -- the one who insists we leave the car parked -- said, may I come? I said sure. And we rode home.

You'll notice I said taxi. I cannot seem to get Canadian money. People prefer charge cards. Here in the dorm the vending machine only takes charge cards. I need real Canadian bucks for the bus. 

I'm planning on doing the walk, then working my way back on foot and hitting up the Murney Tower Museum, The Pumphouse Museum, and the boat. I didn't sign up for the social so I'll have the whole evening free. Too bad the tv only streams and the University is closed up tight for the summer.

Sunday there is only one walk. There is a dinner cruise that you needed to sign up for ahead of time. But my car mates and I have decided that we're going to just go on the cruise on the lake.

Miles/Steps:  2.2K + 5K +some more
Weather:        15 degrees C, sunny, a little humid

Wildlife:         4 Canada geese in Canada. A lot of gulls of various sizes and markings. 3 male mallards

oh canada!

The line to cross the border. It took a good 20 minutes.

Thursday morning it rained like hell. There was sideways wind and for about 30 minutes I thought I was going nowhere. But then it cleared and the sun came out and it was a beautiful day.

I arrived at the Park and Ride at 10:20. The crew that was picking me up was leaving Princeton at 9. They arrived about 10:40. We were on the road by 10:45. The back seat slept most of the way. The driver I think is younger than the others because she is still working.

We drove up to 80, then pretty much took 81 here, stopping once to get gas an pee. They also switched drivers. Then we stopped again for two minutes about 20 minutes outside of Canada for the cars owner to take the wheel.

We made it thru with no problems and the customs agent was really nice.

We dropped one passenger off at the host hotel, and then proceeded to the university to find our dorms. The lines were long and slow, so we checked in with the festival first. It was nice, we got the instructions for the weekend all in one bundle.

We were 2.2 k away from the host hotel and downtown. The university is on the St. Lawrence Seaway and in a mostly residential neighborhood. It was decided that we'd walk into town and get dinner. I wasn't up for a mostly 5K after sitting all day, but the driver is not moving the car all weekend. 

Think about it. My car mates are doing two 10Ks a day PLUS walking into and back from the start point. That's about 25K A DAY! No thank you. I found the bus from the university to downtown. Now all I need to get is some Canadian money. And I'm only walking 5Ks.

My car mates remind me of the twins, so my vacation is pretty much the same as at home. Oh well, I tried.

 

 

BTW this is my dorm room. A pair of rooms shares a bathroom. For the life of me I can't figure out the tv. It's all streaming stuff. I didn't go to Canada to binge watch something. News, weather, maybe a half hour decorating show and I'm set. After failing that I tried to put on Pandora. It knew I wasn't in the US. You do realize that I abhor silence.
 

lehigh parkway

 

It's been a while since I've walked in the Parkway, but that's where the AARP walk was today. They've been holding them each Tuesday all month, but with Sharon's physical Therapy and other appointments I just never made it. I got there in just the nick of time. 

They may have announced that the walk leader was absent, and the AARP people were winging it. I suggested the loop. It was about a mile, and flat. But of course I had forgotten the uphill at the start of the loop. Oops.

I took a picture of the limestone kilns.

And the Jordan Creek.

And finally of the reconstructed wall. 

I used my Allentown Million Clicks clicker for the first time in forever. I just did the loop, that was enough.

Leaving for Canada Thursday. Of course I'm having second thoughts and want to cancel. It really doesn't matter where I'm going or for how long, I always have second thoughts. But with the way the world is today, I relly don't want to leave the neighborhood. However, in preparation, I went to the bank on the way home to get cash. I withdrew $200. The drive-thru teller asked how I wanted my money. I said it didn't matter. I guess I thought they'd give me twenties. I opened the envelope and there was two $100 bills. I nwhat universe does anyone ever want hundred dollar bills? Now I have to go back to the bank. Stores/Restaurants in America don't want anything bigger than a twenty. It certainly won't fly in Canada.

Shit, I better check that my passport is still valid.

Miles/Steps:  About a mile.
Weather:        80, sunny, a little humid
Bathrooms:    didn't climb te hill to look.

Wildlife:         bunny

 

burning calories purging

 I haven't really done much regular exercise, but I have been gardening and purging. Hopefully that burns a few calories. Thursday I head to Canada for the walking festival. Ready or not, I'm going. And I'm going to do every walk they offer. Plus I signed up for an AT hike the Wednesday after I get back. Oh, an AARP walk tomorrow.

Yesterday my nephew came by to help carry stuff from the second and the third floors. I have to move stuff out constantly so I have room to pack up more. The dust is on a whole different level. He packed the car as he carried, and I took a load to Goodwill today. I also have gotten rid of a few things on a Buy Nothing Group on Facebook. Plus a few people that haven't picked stuff up. That kind-off pisses me off. Either you want it or you don't. Furniture is not moving.

I also picked up seven 12x12 paving stones from the group today. They were on my to buy list, so why not. I liked both the price and how they were dirty. New ones would have looked weird in my yard. I'm going to use them in an area that nothing grows in. I think the stray cats in the neighborhood use it as a littler box. I'll put pots of flowers on top of the pavers. I'm thinking about calling the fig tree guy. I've been seeing his telephone pole ads for 5 years. Actual figs would be a bonus.

Tuesday Bonnie and I went thru all of Pat's knitting. And took inventory. After removing family requests, and Christmas donations,  we ended up with 50 hats. Plus 36 lap blankets, 14 hat and scarf sets, 60 kitchen towels, 42 hot pads, 20 kitchen towels/dish cloths and 48 dishcloths.

We ended  up compacting about 30 containers of stuff into four vacuum storage bags. Dang they are heavy. The hats, and hats/scarfs are going to the Nam Knights. The two bags of lap blankets are headed for a nursing home once the request goes thru all the hoops. The only thing left will be the kitchen stuff.

We couldn't get my vacuum hose to work so Bonnie came back Wednesday to suck the bags. As she was sucking the bags with her vac she said "what's in the cedar chest?" Sixteen more blankets. Then yesterday we found three more tubs of afghans on the third floor.

I've also taken two loads of towels, blankets, and sheets to the animal shelter.

I'm making  dent. But not very fast. With the exception of getting rid of the two recliners and the freezer, I'm 95% done with the first floor. The second floor is probably at about 80%. I need to get rid of the desk, and all those bags of knitting. The third floor is at maybe 2%. It will be a dusty nightmare. The basement will be a musty nightmare. 

This is just getting rid of extra stuff. Stuff that we've been keeping because Pat didn't let much go. So it's her stuff and stuff from Mom and Dad. Then, eventually, I'll have to go thru everything again and pare down my stuff. Slowly and methodically. Especially if I ultimately move. 

But as I do this I am well aware of how much stuff is still in this house. When I die and they clean out my crap, they'll probably think I should have purged stuff before I died.

spur of the moment

 I'm still adjusting to living alone. My stand response when I see an event, or someone asks me to attend an event is to say "no, I have to do (or be home for) xxx." I don't have to do that anymore.

Early Saturday morning I saw the above graphic on social media post. I had a busy day and it didn't start until 4. I thought I could make it. Then I said to myself, no I have to be home for ... . Then I realized I didn't.

In the morning I did a bunch of errands and shopping for Sharon. One errand was taking flowers to the cemetery for mom. I could barely find her grave. My families plots are right at the property line and the trees are now massive. Plus now there are scrub trees and bushes. Anybody who is on the property line is being reclaimed by nature. Next time I go I'm taking a lopper.

After lunch my nephew came over to finish the lawn. He was gone by 2:45. That gave me enough time to go to Target and pickup my order (Space saver bags to store knit goods) and my RX. It was 3:30 when I left Target. I had 30 minutes to get to Nazareth. I could do this. I arrived with 10 minutes to spare. I even got a chance to look at the gallery show.

The tour began at the George Whitfield House (1740–1743). The oldest Moravian structure in Pennsylvania. Nazareth was settled before Bethlehem. The first year they only got the basement done before winter set in, so they needed to build a log cabin to live in.
 

Our guide wore brown. I asked her why. Guides in Bethlehem wear light blue. Apparently both are appropriate and brown was actually worn more often because it didn't show the dirt as easily.  However, those shoes are not Moravian by any stretch of the imagination. They had "diamond" buckles!

 

This is where the original cabin site. It's not really that farther than where it is now. I can't remember why she said they needed to move it. 

This is the 1740 Gray Cottage, the oldest surviving Moravian structure in North America. (Don't tell Bethlehem.) It had many modifications over the years like many old buildings. It got bigger and fancier and then a preservationist got a hold of it and stripped it all back down to the original. BTW, the Moravian Historical Society is the third oldest historical society in Pennsylvania.

What we now call the historic area was the original Nazareth. However as they began to open their closed society to outsiders, "new" Nazareth formed.

We headed down Main Street to New Nazareth, stopping along the way. One place we did not was at this house. It is clearly Moravian architecture. Old pics show the porch in red making it look even more so. You could plunk this down in historic Bethlehem and it would blend right in.

I really needed a note pad. I forgot what the significance of this building is.

This is the second oldest building in New Nazareth. It was a store. I think it's legal offices now. Many of the other buildings pointed out has so much renovations that it really wasn't worth taking a picture. We crossed the circle and continued heading west.

This is the original Moravian Hall Square. It was original built as a house for Count Zinzendorf who thought he'd have to flee Europe. He was never exiled. The obelisk in front is a Civil War Monument.

The center portion was to be his mansion. It then became a residential school for boys. Now it's an apartment complex. The Sister's House and Widow's House were also recycled into the boy's school and ultimately apartments. Also on this property were the third original church. The first was at the Whitefield House, the second in Gray Cabin. the current church is on the circle.

After this we pretty much just walked back to the beginning. I learned some stuff, that I now forget, and made my first impulse journey.

As far as clearing out the house goes, I've made three trips to Goodwill and one to the animal shelter. I forgot a bag so I'll be going back there again. Goodwill will know be by name. I rearranged the living room because I could. I also posted furniture on FB for free but no one took it. Tuesday Bonnie and I are taking inventory of the knit goods. Wednesday I have someone coming to clean the dryer vents. I still need to find Pat's paperwork to tell the insurance and IRA people she died. I did close her bank accounts. After I get back from Canada, my nephew and I will begin in the attic and start the big purge.

Miles/Steps:  It was a generous mile and for half of it we stopped frequently. 

 

another tough 5k … but i finished.

 

(Sign in the window at Aardvark.)

Sunday I planned to do the Tail on the Trail kick-off walk at Sand Island. But it was cancelled that morning due to rain. For two weeks I did the AARP Alaska stretching/yoga class on Wednesday. I have not done Milly in 2 weeks, nor have I done my chair yoga class.

Today was the Volkssport walk in Bethlehem. I arrived at the Hotel Bethlehem at 9:30 and there was someone already waiting. It didn’t start until 10.

By 10 there were five of us and we were off. I decided that we’d start with the 2nd 5K because it’s flatter. What drugs was I on. It certainly was not flatter.  We headed up Main, down 1st by the Tomb of the Unknown’s, out Prospect and down 2nd. The we wend under the bridge and headed to Sand Island. 

We made that loop and headed up Lehigh, around the city center and back to the hotel. We also wandered thru the God’s Acre. One of the walkers had never been there.

Then we went to the BrewWorks for lunch.

Miles/Steps:  This was a 5K. But my FitBit registered 4.83 miles. I know for a fact that walking to the brewworks and back from Market street isn’t a mile and a half! The only other walking I did was from the house to the garage. I put it on as I was leaving. Something is very odd. 
Bathrooms:    locked!

Wildlife:         dead water snake