Sunday, November 20, 2011

Peace Valley Park

Today I had a desire to run. I didn't know how far or long I wanted to go for but the one thing that I did know was that I wanted to revisit one of my favorite parks in Bucks county.
Peace Valley Park is a perfect place for just about anyone. Ample paved and unpaved trails to walk, hike, or run on. There is a boat rental spot to rent out sail or paddle boats or ramps if you have your own and want to relax out on the man made lake. One neat fact about the man made lake is that there is actually a town on the lake floor. In the process of forming the lake instead of demolishing everything in the town they decided to cover it all up with water.
Around the entire body of water is a wonderful paved path that takes you by a nature preserve, through a beautiful section of woods, and some open fields where you are likely to encounter deer or even wild turkeys. The loop itself is exactly 6 miles long and has a nice 8% grade incline that tends to kick my bottom every time I set foot on it.
With the weather being in the high 50's and overcast it was a perfect day for a run. I was able to make the 6 mile trek in 50 minutes and 45 seconds which averages out to about 8:40 minutes per mile.

I hope you had a great Sunday and got to enjoy the beautiful weather and relax before the beginning of yet another work week.

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Best Hikes in the National Parks -- National Geographic

Best Hikes in the National Parks -- National Geographic

If you are a hiking enthusiast check out the link above.
As a youngster growing up in Colorado my weekends and summer vacations were spent with a backpack and a map in hand exploring all of the incredible trails that Colorado has to offer. It was an amazing experience and always a humbling one. I can recall feeling so grateful to have been able to see with my own two eyes the beauty that nature has to offer instead of watching it on the television.
Since its been far to long since I have hiked in a great national park my main goal for this year and the ones to come is to start visiting as many of the national parks as I can.
One that I would love to visit soon is Acadia national park in Maine. Not only would it be a great trip to explore the incredible landscape but also a great excuse to go out and buy more gear :)
If you've been to Arcadia or any one of the national parks I would love to hear all about your experience.

Monday, October 17, 2011

Yarn at Work

Who ever said work can't be fun? With a little yarn, some knitting needles and a conference room booked up for an hour - you've got yourself a fun lunch knitting "meeting".
A very good friend of mine kindly invited me to come along and knit.Although I've knitted scarfs before -yes, I know, very technical- overall I come with very little knitting experience. Tomorrow might just be a "get to know you" type of meeting as I get my "fingers" wet and see if I can hang with these more experienced crafters.

Although I'm not sure if this is something a newbie can do, I would really like to knit two toys for my 3 month old nephew and 4.5 months old niece.  I'm leaning towards something along this route.....

Minus the treats of course

Keep your fingers crossed for me as I put "my" fingers to the test. Hopefully my crafty side will reveal itself and I can knit like nobodies business. Maybe I'll even finish these in time for Christmas :D


....Quick update on my knitting meeting.
Well, I never knew just how involved knitting could be. From the way you hold your needles, to the direction that you take off your stitch from one needle to the next and not to forget all the math. Yes, there was math involved!
This little meeting has definitely opened my eyes to the incredibly complex and exciting world of knitting.
If you are interested in seeing the wonderful things you can create with just some yarn, needles, and a little time check out this websites:  knitting. Although the site requires you to create a profile it is free and worth it!
Hope you enjoy and get inspired the same way I was.



Sunday, October 16, 2011

Jim Thorpe Fall Festival

Just got back from Jim Thorpe and I must say that I'm already thinking about going back there in a few weeks. The drive was not bad although we did run into a few USMC trucks that seemed to be transporting equipment which caused a little bit of delay but it was neat seeing all the different trucks.
     

We decided we would go for a hike first and check out the town last. As we came with no trail maps or a clue of the nearest trail head we drove around for a bit and actually stumbled onto something pretty special.
I can't explain just how beautiful it was. With no one else on the path but the 3 of us we were in our own little sanctuary.
 




It was a perfect fall day to take in such stunning fews.

The town of Jim Thorpe was filled with festivities and people to match. There were restaurants that would please the pickiest of eaters and little gift and antique shops filled every street. The fall   decorations were in full swing as you can see from this beautifully decorated door

We walked throughout the entire town and got to enjoy the live music that was set up every couple blocks. A nice array of styles to please just about everyone.

It was a great way to spend a Sunday and share it with two very special people. Thank you mom and dad for accompanying me on this fun little outing.

Saturday, October 15, 2011

Valley Forge National Park

What better way to spend a morning than to take a nice long trail walk at Valley Forge National Park.
It was a great way to start the day. Although it was a bit windy it actually made it that much more liberating as it felt like the wind was taking all your worries and thoughts away so that you were only left with taking in the beauty of the park.  I haven't been at the park for at least 4 months so I was super excited to see that a  new walking path had been crafted through one of the many open fields that you will find at the park.


Friday, October 14, 2011

Hello FALL

Its that time of year again. The leaves are changing colors and the chill is creeping back into the air. What better time than now to go check out the amazing fall colors that we have been starting to see here in Pennsylvania. Tomorrow I'm heading to Jim Thorpe, named one of the top 50 best places to live and play in the USA by the National Geographic magazine, to take in all these amazing fall colors.  I'm in store for their annual fall foliage fest which is suppose to be filled with great food, music, crafts, and of course- beautiful scenery which I will share with all of you.  I can't wait!
Here's a sneak peak at what I will be seeing tomorrow....ok maybe not as pretty since its only just the beginning of October....













Hope you are enjoying this beautiful time of year and are planning your own exciting adventures.