Taking Advantage of a Dry Day....

Having been washed out last weekend, Sara and I decided to try getting out the bikes today.

We agreed on 10 miles. I haven't been on the bike at all this year and not a lot last year. Sara wanted to practice clipping and un-clipping her shoes. (it's likely I've got the terminology wrong there). Plus it was chilly and damp. While today is dry, it's been raining a lot all week and the forecast calls from more tomorrow. The air is full of moisture and the temperature when we started was mid-high 40s.

We completed a slow almost 10 miles on the Chester Valley Trail between East Whiteland Twp building and the end of the trail heading west. That's why it was almost 10. We resisted the urge to ride around the parking lot to make it an even 10. :) It was a successful 'get out the kinks ride. Nobody fell down! :)

I brought my running shoes with the intention of keeping Sara company if she wanted to run after. She is in training for the Atlantic City Ironman in September! (Go SARA!) However, she did not want to run today because she is running Broad Street tomorrow. I was not unhappy about this. :)

When I got home I decided to tackle the side hard where the weeds were taking over the Hostas. This is a perfect example of 'careful what you wish for'. Since the neighbors took down their tree we have lots of sunshine on the side and things grow. Yay! Some it's grass but most of it's weeds. Not so yay! I didn't take a before photo. So look at the after photo and imagine grass and dandelion puffs weaving in and around the Hostas.

Trust me it was a mess! The job's not finished but my hands and neck were. The azeleas popped this week. Unfortunately, by the time  I could take the photos the sun left again. Hopefully it comes back before the color leaves.

Keep smiling and keep moving.
-Paula

When it Rains on Plan A

You go to plan B, right?

Well here's the thing. Plan A was a bike ride. When we set it up the forecast was good and even though it waffled during the week it still looked good for today. Rain showers to end by 8 am. Perfect. Well the clouds either really liked our hospitality or they were too drunk too float. By this morning it looked like we would have rain during out ride.

Plan B then was to run. I knew Sara and Maggi were planning to run after the ride so I wore my running shoes (bike still in the back of the car just in case). When I arrived at the meeting spot it was raining pretty steady and got more so as time wore on. By 8 am it was coming down enough that we didn't even want to run in it. *sigh* So we left. As I drove home it lightened up. But I was heading more or less East and so was the storm so I knew it would catch up with me if I tried to run at home.

Since my watch was already set for 1 and 2 intervals I decided to use it. First, 1 minute up and down our stairs. During the 2 minute interval I did 30 cross body punches (15 each side), 30 jumping jacks, 30 cross body marches (15 each side). Any remainder in the 2 minute interval was spent doing runner stretches, hip hinges or warrior 2. I had less time for stretches in the last few intervals as my body wanted to cheat on form and I had to work harder to avoid slouching while moving through the jumping jacks and cross body work.

My goal was to keep moving for the 12 intervals I had set up for running and I did. I worked up a very satisfying sweat too. Although, that may be just as much due to the humidity as anything else.

Sometimes you have to go to Plan C.

Keep smiling and keep moving
- Paula

A Banner Week

Blogger does not think Villanova is a word. One would think that wining the NCAA Basketball Championship (Div I) we could get official 'word' status without having to add it to a personal dictionary. Hmphh!

So anyway, because of that life in this area has been a bit wild and crazy this week. Police escorts back to campus, a parade and yesterday it snowed. April 9, 2016 it snowed. I don't think the events are related but it has been a crazy week.

A friend bought me a Villanova championship t-shirt. It says "Built on Banners" with dates and such. I'm really not sure what "Built on Banners" means. I know the team gets a banner to hang in their gym but it's not like we have tons of them having only won once before. And even if we had tons of them that's a weird thing to say on a t-shirt or anywhere. BUT we did win, it's a championship shirt and I will wear it proudly whenever I can even if I have to shrug when folks ask what does that mean?

I enjoyed a wonderful hike at Ridley Creek State Park today (as most of them are). The sun came out and the snow sparkled. I was  glad to have my hiking poles. I don't need them for inclines or declines in this park but I find that having my hands above my elbows keeps them from swelling. Today the polls also helped in some spots that were covered in ice as the snowfall last night turned to rain before stopping and then froze overnight. I enjoyed hearing my feet crunch through the snow and only almost wiped out on some black ice when making a road crossing. Almost but not quite thankfully.

Here are some more photos of the morning.

Trail Running

Tonight I went to Ridley Creek State Park after work.

The plan was to do the little trail loop (about 1/4 mile) off of Area 17 to warm up and then tackle the exercise court. The loop part was easy. It's pretty much flat there with just enough roots to make you have to pay attention but not enough to discourage.

The exercise court (a circuit of body weight exercises) proved more intimidating than I should have let it. Partly because I can't do a pull up to save my life and partly because other people showed up who seemed to know what they were doing and I felt like I was in the way. I have to figure out how to look or act like I know what I'm doing since I plan to go back.

Frustrated by what I felt was not enough of a work out I decided to tackle the longer trail loop. This was about 1.25 on the yellow trail mostly. Much more up and down than the smaller loop. A steep up and down and then one longish climb. Steep and longish are of course relative to one's experience and skill level on trails. I am a newbie.. you can do the math. Still I'm proud of having done it. It's all about just doing things this year.

On the way home, I marveled at how a mile in the woods is more fun than a mile on the road.

-Keep smiling and keep moving
Paula

Haverford Heritage Trail - 3/26/16

Sara and I went on a 'urban hike' today. We did go through some woods and traveled on off road trails in sections but the primary surface was paved roads and sidewalks.

Total mileage 6.5 give or take

I created our route starting with the Haverford Heritage Trail. Page two of the brochure found here shows the entire 14 mile trail. The trail is not fully traverse-able right now because the Darby Creek Trail is washed out in spots. So we did the route marked in blue in this photo.

From Ardmore Avenue and Golf View Road we wandered into the center of the map to visit my old house on Grasslyn Avenue. Hey, this was a heritage hike after all. ;)

From here we headed out to Eagle Road to pick up the Pennsy Trail which takes off behind the YMCA formerly the bubble gum factory for those that remember these things. I closed my eyes to see if I could still smell the bubble gum. Mostly all I could smell was chlorine.

I'm fairly certain the Pennsy Trial is new. Ok new is a relative term. It wasn't there when I lived in the area 40+ years ago. If it had been I'm sure I would have discovered it. The Pennsy Trail connects the Y to the Skatium.

We turned off the trail at Manoa Road to follow the Heritage Trail. The trail is nicely done. It connected us to all sorts of historic spots. Being the old fashioned dork that I am I printed out the descriptions to take with us. Yes, I know we could have looked them up on our phones but that uses data and battery unnecessarily (IMHO). Sara patiently listened as I read off the descriptions at various stops. Go ahead laugh. I'll wait.

Our tour took us past; The Glen; The Grange Estate; Old Manoa Road; Powder Mill Valley; Gunpowder Magazine; Lawrence Cabin (relocated); Nitre Hall; Beechwood Station/Park/Bridge; Leedom/Dickinson Mansion; Old Haverford Friends Meeting; St. Denis Church/Cemetery; Mary Kelly Ott House.

The spots were in various states from functioning structures (The Grange, St Denis Church and the Mary Kelly Ott House) to crumbling remains (the gunpowder magazine). I was grateful for the directions and descriptions or we wold have missed a few of the stops.

The trail is well marked in a variety of ways depending on what was available.

The Leedom/Dickinson Mansion fascinated me. I wondered if the folks who lived in the more modern houses surrounding knew what it was. There is no sign and it appears that someone does live in it.

We arrived back at our cars about 2.5 hours after we left them. We had mapped out another 3 miles but decided to save that for another day. With all the stops to check things out that 3 miles was going to take us farther into the afternoon than I wanted to go today.

The Haverford Heritage Trail is a great idea. More communities should do this!

-Keep smiling and keep moving
Paula