Highpoint to the Susquehanna Heritage Center

Nine of us enjoyed a brisk winter's day and a lovely walk from Highpoint Park down to the Susquehanna Heritage Center. After watching a short movie about the history of the area, we took a tour of the house which was purchased, beautifully restored, and gifted by the Zimmerman family. The morning was topped off with a delicious lunch at John Wright Restaurant.  Thank you, Carol, for planning this hike!

Today's ramblers:  Carol, Janie, Joan, Fran, Marilyn, Rosa, Kate, Donna, & Kathy

Highpoint Park: https://yorkcountypa.gov/parks-recreation/the-parks/highpoint-scenic-vista-recreation-area.html 

Susquehanna Heritage Center: http://www.susquehannaheritage.org 

John Wright Restaurant: http://jwrpa.com

Next ramble:  January 15, 2016 at 9:30 a.m.  Place TBD

Are these really chestnuts?

Susquehanna Heritage Center

Downtown York

Rosa organized a walking tour of downtown York on this beautiful fall day with Molly, Joan, Carol, Deb, Donna Janie, and Joann Hankey meeting at Common Grounds.  Our first stop was a fascinating and impressive tour of Logos Academy, followed by a quick look into Redeux Vintage and Handmade Marketplace on Duke St.and a cute little shop on the NW corner of Duke and King (someone will have to help with the name).  We ended the walk at Marketview Arts where First Lady Frances Donnelly Wolf is exhibiting at the PA Arts Experience.  Many thanks to Rosa for making the arrangements to see some of the many wonderful things that emerging in downtown York!

Gifford Pinchot State Park

It was a cool, clear autumn morning, and Joan, Janie and Carol met in the parking lot for a nice ramble beside the lake.  On my way back from the restroom, I passed a woman parking her car, and invited her to walk with us.  Her name is Mary Kay Alpaugh and she works in a spiritual center in Lancaster.  Turns out that she knows some of us (i.e. Molly through Hospice) and we had a lovely visit before she had to head out to work.  Meanwhile, Rosa had taken a wrong turn on her way to the Day Use Area, but we finally connected (thanks to a quick phone call from Deb, who was home sick and reading an email Rosa had just sent).  We continued our walk by the lovely lake in the Pinchot woods.  We missed all of you who couldn't make it, with special thoughts of Fran who is home nursing a broken ankle.  Rosa is planning a city walk for November - stay tuned!

Mary Kay (and no, she doesn't sell you know what), Joan, and Carol
Note the blue heron and geese on the lake.

Rosa, Janie, and Joan

Lake Redman

It was a short, sweet 3.2 mile walk on the southern end of Lake Redman off Hess Farm Road. TGIF!

Maizy, Rosa, Marilyn
Leslie, Deb L, Carol, Ro, Deb G, Fran, Denise

Maizy, Rosa, Marilyn
Leslie, Carol, Ro, Denise, Janie, Fran

 

Lake Williams

Temps in the 70's and sunny skies made for a beautiful, comfortable hike around Lake Williams. This was a first time experience for some of our ramblers, and a nice introduction to one of York County's many treasures.  

Carol Stowell, Julie Amberg, Leslie Robinson, Rosa Catterall, Janie McKnight, Joan Fulton, and Molly March
 (and Maizie!)

Our next hike will be on the third Friday in August (the 21st)  at 9 a.m.  We'll meet at Lake Williams again, but this time at the picnic area off of Water Street.  From the George Street parking lot, head south about 1 mile and turn right.  About 4/10 of a mile down, turn right to go into the picnic area.  We'll hike over to Nixon Park from there, and have a picnic when we return.  More on that when we send out the reminder in August.

Thanks Janie! Friday Ramblers is now official!

Wow, Thanks Janie for creating a blog for the Friday Ramblers!!

What fun...I guess that makes our walk group official!! I hope the group and interest keeps growing!
See you all on our next walk..I am glad we are starting at 9:00 next time...it was hot!  but I was also impressed with all the shade and water to cool us...and how lovely to have the majestic eagle blessing us with his presence!  Carol

The Rail Trail from John Rudy County Park

Maizie, Leslie Robinson, Carol Stowell, Joan Fulton, Janie McKnight, Julie Amberg, Rosa Catterall, & Fran Baumgartner
aka Seven Sweaty Babes

It was hot and it was sticky – perhaps not the best day to bite off an 8-mile 3-hour hike on the recently opened rail trail starting at John Rudy County Park.  The trail was lovely, often following the water and thankfully mostly shade.  Some of us (well, one of us) found her own way to cool off.

A Baltimore Oriole, and an Eagle were spotted along the way, and we ended the ramble admiring the Master Gardeners' handiwork.  Click here for more information on this outstanding community service organization:

  http://extension.psu.edu/plants/master-gardener/counties/york

The next ramble will be Friday, July 10.  Our maiden-voyage hike as a group was supposed to be around Lake Williams back in March, but muddy conditions put that one on the back burner. Let's give it another try in July.  We also thought it might be good to get started a little earlier (9 a.m.) during the summer.  We'll send out an email in July to remind everyone of time and place.