Walk For All Seasons Blog

Haven't posted in a long time! Just got back from a trip to Las Vegas and Lake Havasu City, Arizona, where I gave a kick-off talk for special walking program created by Jackie Lord, which will foster team building for walkers and a celebratory Walking Relay next February.

Lake Havasu City is about 2 1/2 hours from Vegas, in the middle of the Mohave Desert, nestled along a portion of the Colorado River made Lake-sized by the Parker Dam. It was very unusually cold while I was there-- (38 during the day, with a wind chill that made it feel like 20!) ONe night the humidity got down to 2 percent! I had to drink gatorade and water regularly to avoid dehydration just being in the house!

One of my favorite experiences was picking oranges, and eating them fresh off the tree....WOW! Delicious! We also explored some canyons and resort areas by car---a very intriquing and vast landscape...would like to go back and hunt for exotic rocks!

The kick-off was a success-- 80 plus people came to hear Jackie and I speak about the benefits of walking and team building --and many signed up for the year-long program. They'll be using the Walk With Spirit site (www.walkwithspirit.org) to record their steps as they progress towards the 40 mile relay race next year.

Jim Thorpe Hike

Catching up a bit --- Clara and I (and puppy!) hiked the Glenn Onoko Trail up at Jim Thorpe in September. That's when we brainstormed doing the Stitch n Bitch, Hike n Bike tour for Fall of next year. It actually started raining while we were on the trail that day, but we made it to the top. Unfortunately, the view was obscured by fog, but the bottom of the falls was still enchanting.

Jim Thorpe is near the Appalachian Trail we hiked and I mentioned in an earlier blog, with spectacular panoramic views. The Glenn Onoko Trail is just outside of town. It's a very popular spot and a rocky climb along a stream, with several smaller waterfalls along the way to the top, where you can sit on rocks overlooking the falls. I would never have made it without my poles for support! We bushwacked a bit in order to come down on a less challenging path, as the rocks got slippery in the rain.

There is also a bike/walking path through the gorge, along the river, that goes by waterfalls. If you start farther north, it's a very gentle downhill ride all the way back to Jim Thorpe, about 20 miles in all. The town is very picturesque and has an historic train ride and the jail tour where the Molly MacGuires were incarcerated.

Since Clara is an experienced knitter and we both love to hike and bike we decided to combine all of the above into a unique 4-day tour for 2007.

The little sunflower dress posted here is one of Clara's many creations -- she designed it as well!

Wisconsin Walkers Rally

Just back from Wisconsin and the 2006 Walkers Rally. This photo was taken outside the House on the Rock Attraction if front of one of those huge planters with lizards crawling among the flowers. Notice the LIME GREEN Rally t-shirts. On the back, they say, "Everywhere is walking distance if you have the time." (a quote from comedian Steven Wrights -- He was being sarcastic, but walkers like the idea!)

I will be back with a link to more photos as soon as I get them up on a photo share site.

We had great weather, great walks and hikes, a unique theater experience (under a harvest moon) and wonderful music for our finale dinner. Check out my Highlights page on the website for a few more pictures and reviews. If you can, post your comments on the event! (You will notice they do not appear immediately, because I have to clear them, to avoid unsuitable content getting onto this blog.)

Getting ready now for the Haunted Reiglesville walk on Saturday and the Harvest Moon walk next Saturday! Then going up to Hyde Park to finish scouting for next year's Spring Break for Women ---looks like we'll have a full house for that!

T-tapp Workout Tips

Okay, so it's catch up time for posts! On Sunday, Michele Barbuto flew out from Pittsburgh to give me a T-tapp workout tune-up, thanks to Teresa Tapp-- who wanted to make sure I was getting the most out of my 15 minute T-tapp DVD.

Michele is a mother of 6!!!! and 40 years old. We went down in my basement, in front of a mirror, as she gave me pointers to help me perfect the form on all the moves in the 15 minute workout. Boy, did we both sweat! T-tapp is an isometric exercise system that activates so many muscles and so much of the muscle fiber that what looks fairly simple is really a workout. I highly recommmend you go to the website at http:www.t-tapp.com and download some of the exercises and give them a try. You can really lose inches fast -- as you cinch in your body with your muscles and develop core strength.

Michele said she had become quite barrel chested after carrying 6 babies, but that T-tapp helped cinch her ribcage and belly back in. As you can see, she must be doing something right! And she says she "exercises to eat!"

Appalachian Trail near Slatington

On Monday, my friend Clara invited me to hike along the Appalachian trail. We started just outside of Slatington, off 248, near the Lehigh Gap. It was a beautiful day, breezy, not too hot, relatively low humidity. The trail took us up a gradual rocky incline to the Outerbridge Shelter, where we said hello to a thru hiker from Rochester NY. We wonder if he was the one who found the body on the trail a few hours later. (that's another story --a 64 year-old man who walks his dog regularly in the area was found dead around 11 am...no foul play suspected.)

Past the shelter you pick up a blue blazed trail that takes out out to the ridge where the views are fantastic for almost a mile...and just grasses and scrubby trees grow. IT was quite windy and the windy was cool so even though we were exposed,we were very comfortable. At the cell phone towers, we took the road down a short ways and picked up the Appalachian trail again, which went back to the Shelter and then out the way we came. About 5 miles over all. The woods were thick with ferns and deeply shaded most of the time. Though a bit buggy, a little bug spray seemed to take care of it.

I was well worn out at the end. It took us about 3 1/2 hours but I move slowly and stay in my comfort zone. On the way out we heard the sirens and helicopters and went down to the Wildlife Sanctuary to have our lunch on the shaded porch and check out the action with the telescope they have there. We could see firemen and what looked to be a lifeless body up near the ridge. This wasn't a rescue mission, but a retrieval. Sobering to think that you could go out for a walk with your dog and not come home, but then, he was clearly doing what he enjoyed, right?

I hope to lead a group on this hike, perhaps in September. I'll send out emails to those on my list of locals.

Bake Oven Knob on the Appalachian Trail

I know I did this hike some 20 years ago, and I wasn't much better at scrambling over rocks then, than I am now. Hiking poles did help, but I had to say, it was way more strenuous that I remembered and after an hour, I finally turned around and went back to the parking lot. I was scouting for my weekly Community College hiking group and knew that several people would not find rock scrambling fun.

The HIke from the Parking Lot up to the Bake Oven Knob Lookout is quite easy. The path is minimally rocky and not very steep. And the lookout is fantastic. It's just .6 miles one way, so it only takes 10 minutes or so to get up there. But then you hit the boulder piles immediately and I never got through them to the tamer side.

The dog loved scampering over them, but then she had someone who picked her up and lowered her down when they got too high or far apart.

I've posted some pictures so you can see exactly what I mean. I think the lookout is worth going to see, but you might want to plan some other walks in the area to add to your exercise. The Wildlife Information Center is nearby, just off 248 where it goes over the bridge with 145. You turn left, if you're coming from the South, and you take the first hairpin turn on your left after the bridge and ride back a gravel road to the center. (There is a sign at the hairpin turn.)

The Wildlife Center has several trails and links with the D and R Rail Trail and the Appalachian Trail.But our group will be hiking the Osprey Trail on Sunday. I'll post some more pictures then.

I want to thank Clara for leading the way, taking pictures and even carrying puppy when she got pooped.

Hikes in the Valley/Musconetcong Gorge

This is a pretty neat little hike, (Thank you boy scouts of america) very close by, in NJ. You take the Free Bridge in to Phillipsburg, turn right on south Main and pick up 519.. follow that through Alpha and just keep making the turns (there are several) to stay on 519. When you pass FiberTox (the papermill) Dennis Road will be on your left shortly after that. Turn up Dennis road and in about a quarter mile you will hit the trailhead. There is parking for about 10 cars.

From there you can take the ORANGE or the WHITE Trail (The white trail is farther to your right.) The orange trail is very well kept and easy, though steep at times, and leads down to a bride over a rocky stream. Then you can come back out (just 1.2 miles round trip)

Or you can continue downhill and pick up the white trail blaze and walk along what appears almost like a service road, for a couple of miles...when you see the rocky water fall that cuts under the trail, you can climb up to your right and follow white blazes, but it is a rock scramble. This is a prime area for copperheads, but in the summer they are supposed to be sleeping during the day!

If you take the white blaze trail from the parking lot, it goes up on the ridge and in the fall there is probably a really nice view. It also cuts across the stream in the gorge and with all the rain, the water was over the rocks and we got our feet soaked. Then there is a very steep ascent and more rocky trails. When you start coming down into the gorge there are some pretty tricky scrambles for old stiff people like me. :-) It took my friend and I four hours to do both trails (We did the orange loop at the end, twice, because we missed the exit.

I took the NCC hiking group back too days later and we just did the orange loop and walked along the flat trail, which parallels the river and the canal, and back, spending about an hour and 45 minutes. Everyone seemed to enjoy it. Here's their picture!

Maggie

Hikes in the Valley/Jacobsburg

Jacobsburg Park has some very nice trails and is a popular mountain biking site. The NCC group met here one Saturday morning and hiked for about two hours. Since the bridge is stll out over the creek, we headed out the parking lot to the right and got on the trail opening that takes you to the restrooms and the Henry's Woods Trail. This loop takes you by the creekbed and then over the bridge, up to to the overlook, and down the steps and back out to the parking lot. Takes about 45 minutes to an hour at a moderately brisk pace. We then entered the trail at the far end of the parking lot which takes you up into more of a meadow-like area..more open...lots of wildflowers and birds. We circled back and and eventually came around the the Henry's Woods Trail again and back out to the parking lot. It's nice to split it up this way in case people want to use the restrooms after an hour, since most have had coffee before they arrived!

The map and the trail markings at Jacobsburg are kind of squirrely.. I don't know why. But we split into two groups and one group got lost of couple of times...now that might be the map readers, not the maps but everyone agreed the maps were hard to decipher. And if anybody knows what the Rocking Chair icon means, please post a comment. We guessed it means Homestead Trail...not a trail for seniors!

YOu need to be careful that you don't venture onto trails that lead into hunting areas during hunting season. (I know from experience! ) it is easy to do if you're not paying attention. Also, someone I know hiked on a Friday morning when fewer cars are around, and her window was smashed and her purse stolen. (As well as the car next to hers) Wear a Fanny Pack and carry your valuables!!! Hiking shoes not necessary...but always nice to have. Dogs are allowed on leash.Please be sure to bring bags to clean up after yours!

This park offers a certain serenity in it's pine forest, along the creek, that is delightful. And the stairs and steep inclines get your heart rate up for a bit. Everyone said they enjoyed it and it's not too far from most Valley residents. Up 33 and take the Belfast Exit, turn right off the ramp and left at the stop sign...the first parking lot you come to has the kiosk and maps.. and that's where we parked, though there are other options.

Hiking in The Valley/ Mariton Wildlife Sanctuary

I'm leading hikes for Northampton Community College on Saturdays. Our next hike is at Mariton Wildlife Sanctuary, near Rieglesville, PA. It's about 10 minutes south of Easton, off 611. Few people know about Mariton.

The property is about 200 acres of land, west of the Delaware River. Previously, I'd only hiked to the Delware River Lookout point, and usually in the fall when the leaves are down and also covering all the rocks, which makes it a bit treacherous. But I hiked it last Wednesday for two hours and found it really lovely and more expansive than I'd thought, though the views are difficult with all the foliage. There's only about 5 total miles of trails but much of it is somewhat steep by walking standards. I'd wished I'd taken my hiking poles with me! It was very shady most of the time. On occasion you come out on some meadows that are sunny and filled with plants that attract butterflies. Blue bird boxes abound.

The maps is excellent and the trails are marked very well.

Here's the route I took, which took about two hours of steady walking (and stopping to catch my breath here and there on the inclines.

I walked the main trail up to Chimney Rock, which is a pile of rocks that looks like it could have been a giant barbecue. (the picture shows the fall or winter view.)Then I came back up to he Fox trail and took the North Fox Trail to Pine Circle. That was a little confusing...When I was on the Pine Circle I thought I was at Stouts Valley Lookout, but actually had not reached that yet. The Pine Circle is mostly meadow and is really pretty after being in the woods for a while. It was hot and sticky though, so I didn't linger. From up there I was tempted to take the TurnpikeTrail straight back down, (I guess that's why it's called Turnpike-- it's a straigh shoot) but instead, went back to the N Fox Trail and look the lower fork to the Main Trail (by this time I was hot, sweaty and a bit thirsty and without a water bottle or I would have opted for the South Fox Trail(BAD MOVE!) and then The Squeeze Trail. I don't know why it's called Squeeze..I was anticipating having to squeeze through some boulders outcropping, but I saw nothing out of the ordinary. The Squeeze trail winds around some nice meadows and then hooks up with Turnpike trail coming out behind beside the Barn/Nature Center.

I suggest wearing hiking shoes at least, though sneakers will do it...but the trails are a bit rocky. Some very pleasant scenery and a feeling of being away from it all for two or three hours, though you can hear the sounds of traffic from time to time on the 611 side. Lots of poison, so high socks would be a good idea. or pretreat. though i have to admit, I had neither and I came out without blisters...I guess the poison ivy oil is a little less volatile at this point..? I definitely brushed up against it.

Note: Dogs are allowed here but must be leashed. I took my cockapoo --but let go of the leash on the steep hills so she wouldn't be dragging my weight up the mountain. :-) But we did not pass anyone on the trails on this weekday morning. Kids were getting a nature lesson farther down below.

Tell Others Why You Come Back to the Walkers Rally Year after Year

HI Folk
If you've been to more than Walkers Rally --(And most attendees have been to MANY, please tell folks why you like it. Just click the comments button to post.

And if you've never been to this Annual Event/Vacation, read attendees comments here.

This is a great value, great active vacation, wonderful way to spend time with a friend, spouse, sister or come alone and meet great people who like to travel the way you do. Many single women arrive at the Walkers Rally fearful that they won't fit in, make friends, find a buddy -- and leave having had a great time and planning to come back next year!

Maggie Spilner
Walk For All Seasons