I would never have expected a public health epidemic to have the power to change so much about everyday life, but that is what has happened around the world as well as in the USA. Even for me, and I am one of the fortunate few who has been able to weather this storm relatively well. I've been able to stay safe, remain relatively healthy and happy, and keep active. Very thankful for all of that. I hope the same for you.
After a springtime of staying inside my house practically 24-7, this summer was a season of staying close to home and gradually getting outside more. I put my indoor pursuits of painting and language learning mostly on "pause" as I began to go out for more hikes, bike rides, and kayak trips. Although I've been doing more outdoor activities, I've pretty much restricted them to places in my home state that were likely to be uncrowded and still beautiful. About half of the time, I'd do things on my own; the other half of the time I'd share trips with small groups of safe and trusted friends. So far, so good!
There have been lots of places I've visited and things I've done for the first time in my 40 or so years of living in Pennsylvania. It was good to have the time and the opportunities to explore my own back yard. I'll group what I've done in three main categories.
First, I've been able to explore all of Pennsylvania's "Wild and Scenic" rivers this summer. All six of them. Four of them are on or near the eastern border; the other two are in the northwestern part of the state. All of them are pretty scenic; none of them are particularly wild, at least not by the standards I've experienced in the western states or northern parts of Canada. But I'm still very happy to have seen, hiked along, and paddled sections of all of them. I remain a fan of the Wild and Scenic Rivers system, an official way of preserving and protecting sections of rivers in their more or less natural states for present and future generations.
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| The Delaware Water Gap |
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| The Allegheny River |
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| The Clarion River There's more about Pennsylvania's Wild and Scenic Rivers at: |
Second, I've had a chance to visit a few local gems: Parks and rivers that are within an hour of my home. That includes paddling local lakes and rivers, hiking nearby trails that I'd heard about but never visited, and riding bike trails that never before got my attention. Lots to love locally; I am beginning to understand why many people view Central Pennsylvania as a vacation destination!
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| Along the Schuylkill River Bike Trail |
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| Suzy's Hole along the Pequea Creek |
More Local Gems here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/hmwRfZXoGMKJwUZK7
Third, I've had a chance to paddle more rivers and lakes with small groups of boating friends. Whitewater kayaking remains my first love in terms of water-based activities, but I've broadened my paddling experiences to include canoeing, paddle sailing, and scenic river touring. All wonderful ways to experience nature and see things from a different perspective (from the water), while being physically active. More and more I find myself in agreement with Kenneth Grahame when he wrote (in The Wind in the Willows) that "there is nothing ... half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats!" Well okay, there may be a few other things that are equally or even more worthwhile to me, but "messing about in boats" is pretty high on my list!
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| With friends on the Swatara Creek |
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| Ohiopyle Falls |
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| On the Youghiogheny River |
More Pennsylvania Paddling adventures here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/32e73xfGhuXSrnT9A
The pictures in the albums show more examples of everything I shared above. They might not be quite as stunning as places in the far west or the Canadian north, but I think I've been pretty fortunate to be "stuck" in Pennsylvania. Lots of natural beauty here, in my own back yard!
Up next: I'm planning to extend my reach a bit with trips to amazing places in nearby states, starting with a three week tour of Ohio, West Virginia, and Maryland that will include all of my favorite activities (hiking, biking, and paddling), and that will include meeting up with friends here and there along the way. I also plan to visit more state parks in northern Pennsylvania, explore a few spots in New York state, New Jersey, Virginia, and maybe even reach up to a couple of the New England states. As usual, open to suggestions and open to sharing experiences like these. And would love to know what you are up to and how you are doing in these trying times. Best wishes and happy trails!
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