When Rob got up, we decided to take Penny Lane for a run on the trail behind our campsite. It is called Switchback trail and runs along a really pretty creek. The trail is fairly flat and Penny Lane had access to the water for occasional cross training. Run a little, swim a little, run a little, swim a little. She added some occasional speed work running after chipmunks.
When we got back from our run, we decided to take our bicycles and ride from camp and attempt to connect to the LeHigh Valley Gorge trail.
The Lehigh Gorge Trail is a 26-mile (42 km) multi-use rail trail that winds along the valley of the Lehigh River Gorge from White Haven, to Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania. Much of the trail runs through the Lehigh Gorge State Park, and was originally developed into a railroad corridor after an extension of the Lehigh Canal was first built under the great push of Main Line of Public Works to connect the Delaware Valley to Pittsburgh.
To connect, we would need to get on the Switchback Trail and ride to Jim Thorpe. We hit the trail and stayed on it until it came to the paved road leading into Jim Thorpe. We could not find the rest of Switchback so we just took the road in. It was a fairly steep ride. We got as far as the train station and Rob went in and got a map to help us locate the Gorge Trail. We got ourselves oriented and headed out.
The ride on the Gorge Trail is very scenic. The surface is nice and the LeHigh river runs along the side.
A VIEW OF THE LEHIGH RIVER FROM ONE OF THE BRIDGE CROSSINGS.
BRIDGE ACROSS THE GORGE. FOR THOSE OF US WHO ARE A BIT AFRAID OF HEIGHTS, IT IS A LITTLE CREEPY. IT IS A GOOD, STURDY BRIDGE BUT IT IS ALSO VERY HIGH.
USEFUL MILE MARKER. WE ARE HEADED TO WHITE HAVEN TOMORROW
WE DID NOT SEE ANY BEARS
We rode out for a bit and passed the Glen Onoko Falls trail head. We had hiked this on Tuesday. We turned around after a couple of hours and headed back to town.
VERY COOL TRAIN STATION
The train station in Jim Thorpe offers scenic train rides along the rail to trail. Biking is nice but if you are not up for biking, the scenic railway is surely a good option.
When we got back to town, we decided to stop at Molly Maguires Pub and have a beer and a bite to eat. We were able to sit outside under a shaded deck. We had our meal and made sure we had plenty of water to go along with it. We still had to make our way back to camp.
We asked around a bit and got clearer directions to the Switchback trail. We had to go up a back street and find the trail head.
I NOTICED THIS LOVELY GROUPING OF FLOWER POTS ON OUR WAY UP TO SWITCHBACK.
When I say up, I am not kidding. It was steep. We finally found what we were looking for.
The ride to camp was hard but uneventful. It was our own little Tour De Thorpe. If we stopped pedaling, we were going to either put our feet down or go backwards. (The Tour De France is ongoing)
Our arrival was met by two very happy pups and we quickly got them out and went to the creek. Penny Land promptly went totally crazy and played and played and played in the creek. She found a huge limb and went between dragging it around and jumping into the water. She managed to get one of Rob's socks and had a good go at that. She finally played herself out and we headed back to Lewis.
We spent the rest of the day wondering how sore we would be in the morning.
Another great day in this thing we call life.
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