Saturday Michelle, the walking coach, posted that the Saucon Rail Trail connector was open. Finally. The bridge has been done for more than a year. It was already getting dark so I couldn't go right away. But the next morning I was up at the crack of dawn and ready to go. For a few seconds the old Gayle was back.
I parked in the Park and headed up the hill to the trail. I could see right away the path was connected. But as I turned the corner I saw the "Trail Closed" sign. The barricades were gone. The tape was gone. Everything was gone but the sign. There were clearly bike, paw and foot prints on that new compressed gravel.
What to do?
A man was coming up the hill but was going towards the stab listed trail. I said "Pardon me. Do you know if the trail is open or closed." He didn't know but said everyone and his brother was using it. So I bit the bullet and I went.It's all fenced except a small section by the DeSales athletic fields. There was a break in the fencing and a path going toward the fields. Clearly the university is using the trail for training.
This is the bridge that crosses Preston lane. The Park is split by the road. On one side is fields, pavilions, a lot of parking, forest, etc. On the other side is the library, and more fields. Previously you had to parkonone side, go under the road, comet at the library to get to the additional fields. You had to do the same to connect the trail.
The bridge crosses the road and connects the two ends of the trail. If you continue long enough you'll end up in Quakertown. This side of the path had no "Trail Closed" sign. My thought is maybe the bolts on the old sign were frozen. Who knows.
A very low creek, slightly frozen. Headed back to the parking lot.
Today was the volkssport walk in Easton. It was really cold — 23 degrees — and windy so there was only two of us. That's not rapids in the Delaware. It's floating ice.
You can see it better from the free bridge. My goal was to make it over the free bridge and back the toll bridge. I actually made it to the 5K split. I really considered the 7K, but I was afraid I'd get so tired that I wouldn't want to walk back. It was too cold to sit and wait till I regrouped. So I headed back.
I stopped a couple of times, but I wasn't out of breath. I think the difference is having someone to talk too. Gets your mind off of how far you're going.
Now can I keep it up? My Friday chair yoga class has ended. I have to do something. I'm going to try for twice a week. Maybe even once a week. Maybe I'll get back to where I was.
Miles/Steps: 5k
Weather: 23, sunny, 38MPH wind gusts
