My Walk Club

We were in Meyersdale, Pa for the Maple Festival over the weekend.  What a great area.  Early Saturday Terri, Peg and myself walked through town to the bike path  We walked about 3 miles.

As we walked up Meyers Ave the old houses are all different.  Each home has a different story to tell.  Many have been doctor's homes where they actually practiced.   During winter the smell of coal burning is prevalent.  Something we don't have in Virginia.

The climb up main street to the old train depot is steep but short.  Then we began our walk on the bike path.  Frost was on the plants and the sun was just starting to come over the mountain.  We talked, laughed and walked.  It was too cold to ride bikes but the walk was brisk and fun.

I like the bike path because it goes from one town to another.  This spring we want to ride down to Cumberland, Md.  That may sound like a big deal but it's mostly down hill.  Don't tell anyone. ha ha

Last year Matt and I rode over to Rockwood.   I think that's about 14 miles one way.  We stopped for a snack at the  Playhouse.   It is a dinner theater which books all sorts of entertainment.

So what can you do in Meyersdale?

1. bike path - walking or biking this path is an old rail line running from Pittsburgh, Pa to Cumberland, Md. and connects with the C&O bike path which goes into Washington, DC.

2. Flight 93 Memorial is about 1/2 hour away.

3. Amish farms, buggies and business' surround Meyersdale.

4. Penn Alps - Amish restaurant and craft center, and a mill which still grinds flours.  Their buckwheat pancake mix is a favorite!

5. Springs, Pa - wonderful little store with lots of spices, bulk items and bakery.  Also during the summer the farmers market and flea market is alive with great bargains!

6. Meyersdale is the Maple Syrup capital of Pa with a Festival lasting 2 weekends in the spring.

7.  Meyersdale is also the center of the universe (according to the locals, and I believe them!)

Those are just a sampling of things we have found.  It is a wonderful area with great people!  Visit Meyersdale and tell them Ron sent you!

Until tomorrow, keep walkin,

Ron

Today is a new day filled with new and old problems, but more importantly a new day with more possibilities.  As I walked this morning the sun brought new radiance to everything it shined on.  Not just the picture perfect setting but the fenced dog barking, and the house with stuff strewn all over the lawn.

Life is not what the movies portray where each setting captures what a director thinks is appropriate.  Life is a mix of stuff.  The ordinary and the magnificent.  The closer I look the ordinary is usually magnificent too.

We took our usual walk through Water Street and Mark parted company in town.  Noel and I walked over the low water bridge past the campground on our way to Palmyra Road.   I wonder about the "whys" and one is a stone wall going up the hill from the campground.  Perhaps the road went another way one time.  Now it is covered over in the woods.  No  real function or reason?  Why?  There is probably a very good why.

The walk on Palmyra is a fantastic view.  Edinburg Gap is ominous before us and rolling fields behind.  The mountains and field have taken on so  many colors this last winter.  It is quite a show.

We cut down another side road that walks along the river.  There are a few cottages but the river is wide, jumping over the rocks.  Not exactly rapids but more like jumping.

We headed back on Palmyra and took the next road past an old park  of some sort.  My mother in law, Marie, remembers going there as kid with a pool and having picnics.

The subdivision up the road is a mix of small vacation houses  with some that are now year round living.  One yard I have another why. Why did they choose these particular plants and bushes?  Were some gifts at Easter or did they plant them according to some scheme or was it an eclectic plan?  It doesn't look like a plan was used but you had the sense they loved them.   Perhaps the smells or color of the flowers.  Some yards are barren suggesting no joy at all.

It was a nice walk.  Try Palmyra Road sometime, you will enjoy it!

Keep walkin,

Ron

You know life seems like water to me.  As soon as I have some epiphany about it.  Life just slips through.  If it is a flowing "thing" then slipping through is good.  There's an old song "All My Life's a Circle".  Find it and enjoy!

Today was Kathryn's birthday.  Terri had a whole list of running to do.  We started out and had time for walk so we called our friend Elaine in Strasburg.  She was open to an early morning walk so we met and walked from one end of Strasburg to the other.  Even though I am a Realtor and can get from point a to point b, if names are needed we are in trouble.

We walked along some of the back streets and what people have been doing is amazing. Strasburg's older homes are getting fixed up and they look great!  One Elaine said was on the house tour and is a second home.  Everything, house and yard were picture perfect.

There were porches that called out to be sat on.  One lady was leaving and we told her how much we liked her porch.

Oh and the different sidewalks, brick, fake brick, stone, creatively styled.  While the yards are still emerging for spring, the hardscapes were fun.  One house had a really great addition on the back with a perfect patio.  Modern yet so fitting to the old house.

Walking is a verb, not something to hold or box up.  You experience it by doing it.  It just flows from you.  There must be a spiritual part to walking!

Poor Elaine is a CPA and knee deep in taxes so I think she enjoyed the walk too. We stopped at the coffee shop for refreshments and visited.  What better tonic than a laugh with friends.  I highly recommend it.

We walked back to her house along the same way with minor detours, enjoying the different homes, trees and budding plants.  Breathing in with our eyes the bursting of spring.  It was nice.

Thanks Elaine.

Hopefully I will see everyone reading this blog out walking soon.  Don't miss it.  Now is all we get.  Now is eternal but it only happens once.  You may remember yesterday or look to tomorrow, but you can only do that in the now.  I believe it was designed for us to enjoy.  So enjoy now.  Then share your joy!

Ron

This weekend we walked on Saturday with Carol and Arnie, Mark and Noel and Terri and I.  We began the walk on Water Street,  The ladies quickly were talking while the men followed in their group.

Water Street was it's usual magnificent self.  Now that warmer weather is here the grass is greening and daffodils and crocus are appearing all over.   The horse farm at the end of Water Street had the clouds rising with the sun coming up.  It was picture perfect.

Discussion among the men ranged from sports and monies involved to what was your favorite movie.  I like movies and why people like them.  Even movies that I might consider weird are viewed in a different light when I hear how the movie is perceived.  "Oh I hadn't thought of it that way".

We continued the walk down Main Street with Mark and Noel heading home to do errands.  So many things look different as you walk and there is almost always something that I have never noticed.  Like a neon open sign in a beauty shop.  Last week I saw it looking down an alley even though we walk by it daily.

Carol had never been on the old alley along  Stoney Creek.  So from Main Street we cut up the alley by the old brick home.  Quite the photo opportunity too.  You walk high above Stoney Creek overlooking the old Mill.  Then there is a well maintained path that descends into a field next to the water.

We crossed under the train tressel and walked past the original Miller's house for the mill.  The house is not in the best of shape but it still has an elegance about it.  With a lot of the old homes around the area there is a stone wall.  It is amazing to me how they built such large and grand walls.  Sometimes the stones are huge.   Hopefully someone will take on the task of doing a true restoration on the property.

As we came out on Stoney Creek Blvd, Carol and Arnie saw the old school and knew where we were.  While Carol was doing well we may have gotten carried away in our first walk together so we headed back through town.

Laughlin's was having an auction in their new building so we stopped and looked in.  Alas no treasures to tempt us.  Several weeks ago they had sold a birth certificate for over $10,000.   Makes you want to see what you could get for yours?  ha ha

Another great day and a great walk!

Till tomorrow,

Ron

Walking is man's best medicine.

Hippocrates (460 BC - 377 BC)

Not that I can afford to be some health snob, because I share the same problems as you do.  Last year the doctor said I was pre-diabetic which drove me nuts.

Fortunately Noel and Mark moved into our subdivision and were walkers too.  While walking has been part of my life for many years, walking under  32 degrees was not my thing.

Well Noel is the drill sargent of the group so she said I simply needed the right clothes.  So I scavenged for the high tech long johns and some running pants.  Layering is the buzz word.  3 layers on top and 2 on bottom with the new fibers wicking the persperation from your body.  Finding a coat that is water resistent is good too.

So there I was transformed from bubba atire (down vest, regular jacket and flannel lined jeans) into the new and improved version.  It was all going great except, I was freezing.  The problem may be that I don't and won't ever move as much as Noel.  She is like the energizer bunny on steroids!

So I compromised by adding a nice wool sweater in the middle.  Can you say ahh with me?

Once you find that place where you are comfortable,  the winter weather should not prevent you from walking.  Another fine point is gloves and socks.  Wool socks are my friend.  I wear them all winter long and they keep me toasty.  No more freezing feet during the winter!   Now as to gloves I bought an Eddie Bauer pair of gloves last summer and they are warm, too warm.  My hands would sweat in them and stink.  I have never had that problem before.

Then one day we were in Harrisonburg for our weekly pilgrimage (my daughter is in the bowling league there) and in a discount grocery store there were wool gloves for $1.99.  My kind of deal.  I wondered what the catch was and if they would last but they did.  They breath and keep your hands warm.  Even as the temps are climbing now into the 40's and 50's, these gloves are great.  Another bonus is they wash nicely, because they are also your kleenex.  Gross but true (not as gross for men but certainly for the ladies).  Noel at first said she uses socks on her hands.  I tried that but the gloves are my favorite.

The good news is I had the blood test  which measures the last 6 months of blood sugar and I am normal.  So thanks to my great walking buddies and drill sargent Noel.

I am normal.  At least my blood sugar is ok.  ha ha