a zillion bikes, one runner and a girl in a bikini

Today I had a few errands to do in Bethlehem Township, so I decided to include walking into the mix. I chose to do the portion of the D&L at the Palmer boat ramp. It's really close to Rt. 33 and that's where most of my errands were.

Driving in I was going very slow. The road was a maze of potholes. Because I was driving so slow I noticed that a BMX park has appeared in the woods.  Take my word for it. It doesn't photograph well.

Since this is a boat launch it's always very busy. Today was no different. Oddly there was no geese around. I navigated the poop, and headed to the trail. It was a mess of mud and the bike tracks were deep. The trail was narrow and the weeds were high. The water was stagnet. Not in the actual Lehigh, but in the little "creek" area next to the trail. I actually think this might be part of the river, and that body of land is an island. Maybe the famous island of the old "Island Park".

I also got to see the new trail markers. The old ones were wood post. Maybe these will hold up better, but I doubt it. I think they will be easily bend. And they are harder to see.

The odd thing about today's walk was the lack of walkers and runner. A gazillion bikes past me in both directions. I thought that very odd. I was continually moving for them. I was almost back when the first runner past me. After so many bikes, he startled me.

Shortly after going under Rt. 33, and past the island, I saw a girl standing in a tree. She was wearing a bikini. After closer inspection, the tree had a ladder built into it and a rope. But it's very odd to see a  a girl in a bikini in a tree. Isn't it? It's a first for me.

I'm headed out to test my star app. I'm going to try and use it during yoga tomorrow night.

Miles/Steps:  4+
Bathrooms:   none used
Wildlife:        a blue heron, below, and an eastern tiger swallowtail butterfly. I'm going to need to keep a bug book in the car!
Weather:       Sunny, mid-70s. Breezy. 

$ found:        none

musikfest day 1

With the exception of Saturday and Sunday, my walks for the next week will be to Musikfest. There's plenty to look at, there's music, and next Friday there is yoga at the south side festival.

Wednesday or Thursday I noticed that the stairs on the Fahy Bridge were finally open. The sidewalks have been open since spring. I had a feeling that they might be because of the festival. Both bridges are used heavily by pedestrians.  The top picture is going up the bridge from 2nd Avenue. The second picture is taken from the bottom at Sand Island, and the last picture is the pedestrian bridge over the Monocacy. On each project, the landscaping is not finished. Especially on Sand Island and at the creek.

 On Sand Island, where the ice house is, there is a patch of weeds that at one point was a garden. It's still kind of weeds, but there are sculptures, and a mural, plus walking paths.  It looks so much better.

I came off Sand Island and walked thru Experienceplatz. The crown jewel of that area is the Luminarium. It takes up about half the space. I'm going to the Architects of Air on Monday or Tuesday. (Yeah, another art post!). The AOA website says "a luminarium is a sculpture people enter to be moved to a sense of wonder at the beauty of light and color." It looks freakin cool.


Then I crossed the street and walked thru Plaza Tropi-hell. Crossing the street again I entered Festplatz I remembered I should always bring a bag with me since I was being handed product samples from every direction. The Wholey Cheese smoked gouda crackers were delicious. They were made by Snyder's of Hanover and come in three flavors. I have no reason not to believe that the other flavors would not be as delicious. I must look for them in a store. Or maybe not. I'd eat the whole bag.

Then I went over the new pedestrian bridge to the historic area, which again is Familenplatz. Familenplatz has moved a lot, and this is where it started back in 1984.

Near the glass blowing area are two of these parachutes (?) that twist and turn and open and close in the wind.

Instead of traditional yarn bombing, The Knitter's Edge created mobiles this year. They are even more interesting from the inside than the outside. Maybe if it was windy they'd move more.

Then it was on thru Handwerkplatz to Volksplatz to get my annual funnel cake. EZ Concessions is not there this year. They had a dedicated fryer for funnel cakes. The place I stopped apparently didn't. They fry everything from cookies to cheesecake and vegetables. It tasted gross. Like dirty oil, and it was the first day. I picked at it hoping the grossness would go away, and ultimately threw 90% of it out. Maybe I'm just too old for funnel cake.

It was at Volksplatz that I encountered a busker riding a mechanical ostrich. The ostrich interacted with the crowd and took a number of selfies.

Then I walked back to Familienplaz and did a "make and take" art class (epic fail) before heading up the stairs of the bridge and home.

Earlier in the day I also took a walk around the block.

Miles/Steps:  5-ish
Bathrooms:   none used
Wildlife:        none
Weather:       Sunny, humid, high 80s. Did I say humid? in the mornings low to mid-70s

$ found:        none

i promise. this is not turning into an art blog.

This is the new mural on Hayes Street, near Fourth. Now I did not take the picture on a walk. But I need a picture for today's entry. I thought Angel sent me some.

My first walk was up to Quest for my blood work. I guess I could take a pic of my black and blue arm. I look like a junkie. My vein rolled. And she had trouble finding another. It was odd, because she's one of the few techs that can get blood out of me. It's one reason why I stopped  donating blood. And then I walked home.

For the second walk, Angel and the teen came after lunch and we walked uptown (as mama would say) to Aardvark so Eva could be fitted properly for sneakers. It's her first pair of shoes that someone fussed over her, measured her, and made her walk around the building. To date she's been a Payless/Target/DSW kind-of girl. Her feet are healed and she wants to get moving again, and band camp is coming, so she needed shoes that fit properly and with structure.

And then we walked back to my house, taking a diversion down the steps of Nativity church, thru the alley and into CVS.

We arrived home thru the back gate and the teen saw one of the kittens run away. They had to leave so they missed them coming back. They still run from me. My guess is that they will be released back into the hood. Maybe Brian will take them as barn cats after they are caught and neutered.

Yesterday I walked to Lehigh, and then went to Fitness In The Park. It was plank night. Thought I'd die. Or at least collapse.  We also did the track three times.

Miles/Steps:  5 miles yesterday; today 6.5 miles for both walks
Bathrooms:   none used
Wildlife:        baby groundhog off the trail at the fitness class
Weather:       yesterday and this AM, cool and overcast. PM, sunny, getting more humid, high 80s 

$ found:        31¢ yesterday, 1¢ this afternoon

two walks in the hood, plus

Yesterday I walked in the hood. Nothing exciting. The basic Fountain Hill loop.

In the afternoon I went to The Cigar Factory in Allentown to shoot my found typography letters. And make more, on the floor. One of my students has a photo studio there. After shooting the letters, we played with the trash and made more. I think a 2-for-1 book is the next step.

The building —inside and out—has murals. I walked around and took many. And now the supermarket across the street is getting the same attention.  I don't wasnt to bore you so I picked three. All by the same graffiti artist Max Meano. If this was the kind of street art in my neighborhood, I wouldn't be so angry about graffiti.

I was told that the basement is amzing. But I didn't get to go down there.

Today I walked up to St Lukes, and then out to the bridge. That's where I encountered this sign. I thought that would be the only pic I took. I've walked this route a dozen times.

When I reached Dunkin Donuts I noticed the new bike rack and then I noticed a painted planter, and another in front of the Tally Ho. I went and took more pictures. I think little kids are going to want to climb on it. It looks like a Seussical jungle gym.

The two new planters got me thinking. How do I apply to paint one? None of them are Picasso.  Some are pretty rudimentary. So I found the southbethlehemarts.org website and asked. We'll see.

After todays walk I cut up the tree branches and lugged them to the compost center. I also lugged all the font typography stuff to NCC to store it. It's been a pretty active couple of days.

Miles/Steps:  for both days—10 with the walks, the mural hunt, and the lugging
Bathrooms:   none used
Wildlife:        none
Weather:       Sunny, getting more humid, high 70s-low 80s in the mornings 

$ found:        none

changes and little museums

Today I left late for my walk. I did the laundry, hung it out and then has a call and visit from my sister. She's up for the weekend. It was probably one before I left.

Since this is the summer of little museums, I picked the parkway because I was sure the Museum of Indian Culture would be open. And this summer, I'm doing little museums.  I parked at the Fish Hatchery and headed toward the trail. At first I couldn't find the trail head. I had to ask a runner. I guess I lost it becuase I looked at the fish. The first part of this section of the trail is a really big hill. Then a long downhill. I always go this way because the otherway it would be a long uphill and a short, steep downhill! I headed toward the covered bridge.

Then I crossed the covered bridge and came back the other side. I actually think this side is a little shorter than the other side. The museum is right before the Hatchery. The trail forks and I took the fork to the Musuem.

I couldn't get in. At three places it said "open" by the door was locked. I was about to give up when the door opened and someone left me in. I'm guessing she was college age, but she looked 12. However, she was an excellent docent and has a lot of experience in the subject of indigenious peoples. I had never been there, but I learned a few things which is always great.

 Friday night/Saturday morning a branch fromt the tree fell on a car. It was only dinged, if anything. But they never moved the car. When I arrived home the car was gone — they just pulled out — and left the damage laying in the street. The only saw I have is my Christmas Tree saw, and it didn't work well. It kept seizing. I was trying to cut the big pieces into smaller pieces. I thought I was inept.

Mr. Schuster came home (A neighbor up the hill) and I told Sharon to run up and ask if he had a chain saw. He did, and he had trouble with a chain saw. I suddenly wasn't feeling so bad. Apparently my tree out front is very hard wood.

I have a pile of branches to cut smaller and take to the compost center, but the stree doesn't look too bad. Of course, I have to find someone that has a little knowledge of trees to fix the wound. Right now it's a big, nasy, jaggy, tear

Miles/Steps:  5 ish includes tree cutting adventure because I didn't check my tracker
Bathrooms:   none used
Wildlife:        Doe, fawn, cardinal, birds, squirrels. No geese or ducks. Lots of trout. But they weren't wild. They were captive
Weather:       Sunny, not humid, 80s    

$ found:        none

Extras:          One reason we don't use this section of the trail much is because there was a bad spot under the bridge. It felt like mountian climbing. They rebuilt the bridge and fixed the trail! (Below) Wooo Hoooo.

keystone games

Today was the Keystone Games in Pennsylvania. The Games are the largest annually held multi-sport competitions providing Pennsylvania's amateur athletes an opportunity to compete against athletes from throughout the Commonwealth and beyond in a festival atmosphere that promotes all of the positive aspects of amateur sports.

The York White Rose Wanderers had a volkssport walk as part of the games. Imagine, plain walking as an athletic event.  Tell that to all the professionals who have told me over the years that walking isn't exercise.

Getting to York wasn't an issue. Finding the arena was. I arrived at the fairgrounds. The instructions said the arena was 3/4 of the way around. So I stayed on the street looking for signage at each gate for the arena. there was none. There was no signage on the street side of any building. As a graphic designer, this is an epic fail of environmental graphics. After driving all the way around I entered the grounds at the first gate that was open, and followed the road around. There was tons of signage INSIDE the gates. It was easy to find the arena. 

I signed in for both the walk and the games, picked up the directions, and headed out the door. the instructions said to turn right and follow the pink strings to Pennsylvania Avenue. I never found the pink strings. I came in on Penna. Ave. so I knew where it was. When I left I saw the only sign for the Games on the fence. Just 1 sign. (Bangs head on gate.)

The first 5K was a giant loop, that was fatter at the top. It went thru a couple parks and around a man-made lake called Liberty Lake.

 Inside the park was a lovely veterans memorial

 Filled with art and flowers.

The lake returns to being a creek over this little dam-like item. And then it was time to return to the park.

 I walked down the correct road and went past the Vietnam Memorial and

the fair grandstand. When I returned, I signed in at the check point, filled my water bottle and headed out for the second loop—West York.

Bonnie would have hated this one. I think they measured it out and it was short, so they added these little jogs where you went around the block. Bonnie X's those suckers right out. It also was a loop, of sorts, but when we returned to the arena, we didn't go back in the fence, we walked all the way around the back side. Again, Bonnie would have said hell no.

This was a very residential/business walk. The most interesting thing I saw on the walk was the lettering for this club. It's divine. I'd love to see it lit.

On the way out of the arena I saw a hex sign and went to investigate.  It was another Heritage Quilt Block.  We have two at the fairgrounds in Allentown. Maybe I should look at fairgrounds for them?

It was a nice time. And at the end I got a patch. Not sure what I'll do with it, but I feel very athletic having it.

Miles/Steps: 7
Bathrooms:   I-4.5 in the arena
Wildlife:        A sord of mallards, a gaggle of geese, birds, squirrels, nothing out of the ordinary. I was told the park was filled with egrets and herron. Didn't see one. There was another gaggle of geese on the road.
Weather:       Overcast high 60s at start, low 70s at end. Breezy  

a beautiful couple of days

It's been a beautiful couple of days. The weather report above is from Lydia's phone. Not as hot. Not as humid. So it's been great walking weather. However, I've stuck mostly to the hood, and that just isn't real interesting.

Thursday I was very active. I did a simple traingular walk in the hood, basically out Broadway to St Ursula's, and back.  Then, later I picked up my nephew and weworked in my yard for two hours, and then another hour in Lydia's.

When I returned home the wreath fairy had come to my house and left this beautiful sunflower wreath on my front door. I came in the back so I didn't notice it. Good thing I've been on a cleaning spree lately. Thursday between outdoor activities it was the front hall!

Today I walked in Fountain Hill and I climbed up the hill to St Lukes and went to take the stairs in the parking lot. They were gone!. I guess now that people are using the new sidewalk they didn't need them anymore. I need them. I have serious concerns for this hillside. It's barren and eroding. Especially where the stairs were.

Afterwards, Lydia, Adonis and I took the compost from her house to the compost center. Adonis wasn't welcome. Lyd had to stay outside with him. We had no problems at the recycle center. Later, at my house, I took him to see the dead people. That made him happy.

Tomorrow is the Keystone Games. It's supposed to rain. Oh goodie.

Miles/Steps:  4.5 (with outdoor work) Thrs., 3 Friday
Bathrooms:   none
Wildlife:        birds, squirrels, a single bunny. Nothing out of the ordinary
Weather:       Partly Cloudy high 70s    

$ found:        1¢