Walk with Megan...this time (June 8, 2018) in Baltimore, MD.   This was a 6K walk in the the Canton and Fells Point areas.  The starting point was Patterson Park, a huge open space that was donated by Mr. Patterson many years ago, for the enjoyment of the Baltimore residents.  There was a beautiful pagoda there on the grounds.

Our walk took us into the residential areas where there were the row houses with their front stoops.  On one block was an old time cellar door, which reminded Peggy of the cellar door attached to her childhood home in Cleveland, OH.  At another spot was a highly decorated racer that would have been fun to drive around town.

After our walk, sponsored by the Baltimore Volksmarch Club, we drove to Harbor Place and ate at the Rusty Scupper restaurant located right on the Baltimore Harbor.  Since it was our 55th wedding anniversary we splurged a little.  Peggy chose Mahi Mahi and I chose Chilean Sea Bass for our entrees.

I have heard that Megan has grown fond of the city....New York, especially....since spending a good chunk of time there for her treatments.  We'll have to get her into Baltimore and have her explore this city sometime.

Previous total    51K
Current                6K
Total                  57K (goal 100K)

Pagoda in Patterson Park

Row houses commonly seen in Baltimore

Peggy on an old time cellar door

Quite an interesting racer

Peggy at Rusty Scupper with Baltimore skyline in background

A Walk with Megan in Columbia, MD.

We completed a 5K walk sponsored by the Columbia Volksmarch Club.  Columbia, MD is a planned community, which I remember having its start in the 60's.  It  was planned with open spaces, connecting paths and a friendly lifestyle setting.  Of course, now with any urban site it has its problems too.

However, our walk took us into the Wilde Lake community, over paths and around a man made lake.  There was lush greenery everywhere, probably due to the abundance of rain recently received.  (remember Ellicott City down the road?)  We spotted a great blue heron at the dam.  Some of the streets have unusual names...one was "Gray Owl Garth."  Along the path was a mini outdoor library where you could chose a book to take home.  Columbia seems to stress the appreciation of art, so we noticed an interesting sculpture.  See below...make your own interpretation.

Megan spoke about her interest in planting flowers and vegetables at her new residence in Buffalo, NY.  We hope she enjoys the wonders of Spring and the satisfaction to see the colors of growth as we did on our walk.

This walk took us over the halfway mark for a goal of 100K..a walk with Megan. (Yeah!)

Previous   46K
Current       5K
Total         51K (Goal 100K)

Peggy on the path around Wilde Lake

The dam at Wilde Lake

A Great Blue Heron spotted

A Mini Outdoor Library

Interesting sculpture

What???Gray Owl Garth??

A Hike at North Manchester, IN.

While Peggy and I were visiting my sister, Lois,  in North Manchester, IN, we took a 2K hike near and on the campus of  my alma mater, Manchester Univ.(formally Manchester College)   To get there we traveled over the Pennsylvania Turnpike, Ohio Turnpike and headed down rte #24 past Fort Wayne, IN to North Manchester, IN to Timbercrest Senior Community where Lois lives.

Our travels to Indiana took us to a weekend celebration of Lois' 90th birthday.  We enjoyed a reunion with family and friends while there, including my other sister, Mary Alice and her husband, Tom.  We were reunited with our niece, Mary Anna, and nephews, Tim and Michael.  And further we enjoyed seeing many of Lois' grand children and great grand children.

After the festivities of the weekend, we decided to take a hike on Monday, May 21, in honor of Megan.  This hike took us out of the Timbercrest community and into North Manchester, IN and on to the campus of Manchester Univ. where I graduated in 1960.  Some new buildings were not so familiar to me, but I could recognize the Administration bldg. as it stood in my memory.  Also the celebrated fountain was there.  Tradition was that new engaged couples (or perhaps the prospective grooms) were thrown into the water to initiate them to their marriage plans.  My chemistry classroom and lab building had been remodeled and turned into a computer science hall.

Memories of our college years stick with us and  college years become a significant influence on our lives.  I remember, clearly,  Megan's graduation from Binghamton Univ in her home town.  It was quite a festive day.  Now she is planning to attend Univ.of Buffalo as a graduate student.  Our best to her on this new adventure!

Previous    44K
Current        2K
Total          46K (Goal 100K)

Administration Bldg at Manchester Univ.

Traditional fountain

My remodeled chemistry hall

Remaining Bagwell family (sister Mary Alice, myself, and the 90 yr old, Lois)

While visiting the Santa Croces this past weekend Peggy and I decided to take a Volksmarch year round event. (YRE)  Our starting point was the YMCA in downtown Binghamton, NY.  On our hike we discovered several bridges that connect the roads into downtown Binghamton.  Two rivers merge in the city limits, the Susquehanna River and the Chenango  River.  I guess you call this a "confluence." So to get around in town you have to cross these rivers.

We enjoyed getting this view of Binghamton.  We have visited family here many times, but this was a great way to get more familiar with the city.  At the "confluence," we met a fisherman and watched him bring in a catch.  Further down the line we passed  the Roberson Museum which has a fabulous winter, Chistmas display during the season.

On another block we passed  Christ Episcopal Church, the oldest church in Binghamton. The city has many old, stately homes and commercial buildings.  While walking down State Street we were hailed over to the curb by another out of towner in her car.  She couldn't find a Savings and Loan bank.  Peggy whipped out her trusty phone navigation app and traced it down, only a few blocks ahead of us.  (Our good deed for the day)

We ended our Volksmarch back at the YMCA,  with a much fuller picture of Binghamton, NY, where the confluence of the two rivers occurs.  This term "confluence," where the forces of two rivers swirl and boil, reminds me of Megan's experiences with battling cancer.  It was and is a meeting and mixing, a confluence of many medical contents...medicines, operations, exams, etc.  Megan was working when we took this walk so she could not join us, but I'm sure all these scenes are "old hat" to her anyway.

Previous totals    39K
Current                 5K
Totals                  44K (Goal 100K)

The spot where two rivers meet.

The oldest church in Binghamton

Beautiful bridge at the confluence

Roberson Museum

An Oriole fan in NY territory

Another hike with/for Megan at the Patuxent Wildlife Research center, Laurel, MD.  Peggy and I went on a 5K hike sponsored by the Greenbelt Volkmarch Club.  I had gone on most of this trail, but Peggy hadn't been on it.  The weather was ideal, with temps around 70 F and plenty of sunshine.

This area is becoming a favorite for me.  I plan to do more hiking on some of the other trails and also I hope to throw in a fishing line one of these days into one of the lakes.  Further, I am told, there are biking trails somewhere in the refuge.  This place seems to have everything.

 The trails were a little muddy due to rain on the previous day, but they were manageable.  I noticed some split trees, probably due to stormy weather this Spring.  This reminded me of the stormy experiences Megan has endured with her fight with cancer.  But the trail is on ahead and we will walk with her.  So far that totals to 39K or 24 miles.

Previous totals    34K
Current                 5K
Totals                  39K

A stand of cattails discovered along the trail

My hiking companion taking a break on the pier at Cash Lake

A split tree apparently damaged by Spring weather storms

What better can you think of doing than to go on a walk in nature on Earth Day?  I decided to take a hike at the Patuxent Wildlife Refuge near Laurel, MD.  It was a sunny day with temps in the 60's.  (Perhaps Spring is nearing, after a rough start)  The trails included paths through wooded areas and also a circling of a beautiful lake called Cash Lake.

On the trail near the lake I observed a large white bird hovering over the water and then taking a vertical dive into the water to catch a fish.  I asked a few birders along the trail and did some personal research and discovered it was a Caspian Tern.  It was quite interesting to witness the dives.  The bird circled carefully over the water looking for a fish, then dove into the water with a huge splash, quickly returning in flight with a fish in its mouth.  In my research on this bird I learned it is the largest of the Tern family.

It is wonderful to see birds in their habitat and on the wing.  Good luck and Godspeed to Megan as she ventures soon on her "winging" to Buffalo, NY to begin her graduate studies.

Previous totals  30K
Today's total       4K
Final                 34K  (goal 100K)

I passed a  small pond, called Goose Pond.

Cash Lake where the Caspian Tern was spotted

 

A "swinging bridge I crossed over Cash Lake

Another Walk with Megan.  Today Peggy and I walked 5k at the Columbia Volksmarch sponsored event starting at the Meadowbrook Recreation Center, Howard County, MD.  We had some difficultly finding a parking place at the center because there was a special athletic event being held there.  Some one hundred teams were in competition (Crossfit) doing weight lifting, running, and then jumping through an obstacle course outside.

The trail consisted of a  nature environment for the first half and then we walked in  neighborhood areas for the last portion.  Along the trail were posters highlighting some of the sights.  One I remember was about the dragonfly.  It noted that the dragonfly can fly forward, backwards,sideways and land on a dime.  Our trip through the neighborhood reminded  us of our former neighborhood.  We saw exact replicas of our house in the development.  Apparently the same builder was involved here.

Before we headed back home, Peggy wanted to pick up something at Staples, in a shopping center nearby.  Here I met Kristine Bagwell at the counter.  Made me think of family ties and how important it is to support each other.

Complex playground area in the park

Many cars at the Athletic Center

Peggy under a budding tree

Kristine Bagwell and David Bagwell

Previous Total   25K
Current               5K
Total                  30K  (Goal 100K)