December in Downtown York

The weather was amazing – it felt like spring! Our first stop was York Academy Upper School where we were graciously welcomed by Dr. Dennis Baughman who gave us a very informative tour.

From there we moved on to Leadership York and were greeted by Executive Director Wilda Allesi and Joan Caruso, Coordinator of Future Leaders of York, a program designed to inspire young people in high schools throughout York County. 

Wilda Allesi 

Joan Caruso explains her work with high school students

We continued our ramble to the Appell Center and a magnificent tour of the Strand and the Capitol Theatre by a President and CEO Todd Fogdall. It was quite impressive! 

Todd Fogdall

The organ is still being used before shows

Note the new balcony

The new concession stand at the Capitol

Many of us finished the morning with a delicious lunch at Fig and Barrel Pub.Thank you to everyone for the opportunity to share parts of York City that are very special to me. I hope everyone is enjoying the holiday season, and a Happy New Year!!!

Looking forward to our next ramble. Thank you!!

Rosa Luz

Nixon Park

What a beautiful day for a beautiful walk at Nixon Park! Thanks to Jan Botterbusch for leading us on a trail I hadn't visited in years (the Hardwood Trail).  Great to share the morning with you.     Deb

Front:  Carol, Deb, Lee (Deb's sister)

Middle:  Kate, Anna, Joan

Back:  Christy, Fran, Jan

Joseph Raab County Park

Thank you, Christy, for the lovely and interesting walk this morning! It was a small group but most enjoyable. Here we are standing in front of the closed-off entrance to an iron mine.

Marilyn

Hello Fellow Ramblers,

I'm stepping in to lead our walk set for Friday, September 21 and only hope that I can fill the big shoes of my predecessors!  (No puns intended.)

Hopefully, we will be hiking the Joseph Raab County Park, which I'm told is less likely to be unwalkably muddy during this rainy season than some other area trails.  The park is on the site of iron ore mines that flourished in York County in the mid to late 1800s.  My husband and I walked this park today and found it both pretty and interesting.

The hike is approximately two miles and took us approximately an hour.  The terrain is somewhat hilly in the middle section, but all-in-all it can be considered a moderate hike.  Please be sure to bring bug spray as there were some mosquitoes.   

Directions to the parking lot:  Route 30 West to left on Route 616.  Follow Route 616 for five and a half miles to right on Green Valley Road (this is a hard right just before you enter Seven Valleys).  Follow Green Valley Road two miles to right on Hoff Road.  Parking lot is one half mile on the left.  The mapquest address is 2600 Hoff Road, Seven Valleys PA 17360.  From the Springdale area of York it took me approximately 20  minutes to drive to the parking lot. (I cut off the Route 30 part and just picked up 616 in York New Salem.)  Please plan to meet at the parking lot by 9 am.  

If the rains that are forecast for mid-week deluge us, I'll change the hiking course to a paved route through York College, the Water Company Park, and Wyndham Hills.  This course would involve parking at the Colonial Shopping Center at George and Rathton/Country Club Road.  I'll confirm by email Friday morning which of the two routes we'll take and will only opt for the second route if mud looks to be a real issue.  Hope I haven't made this too complicated! 

Christy 

Rail Trail North – August 17, 2018

 Only 6 of us on our hike on the northern part of the rail trail this morning. However the rain held off & despite the humidity, it was comfortable on much of the trail that goes through the woods. 3 of us went to Round the Clock Diner to stuff ourselves after the 4+ mile jaunt.
– Fran Baumgartner

Highpoint Park to the Zimmerman Center

July 20, 2018

Ten of us (along with Lisa's Alice)  hiked from Highpoint Park to the Zimmerman Center following the Mason Dixon Trail.  This trail starts in southern York county by the river and ends in Dillsburg...much of it is on back roads, like the section we did Friday...so perhaps others can lead a different walk on this trail.   

It was good we started at 8 am as we were finished by 10:30 and it was getting quite hot.  The views and scenery are gems of York county and were highlighted at the video we saw at the Zimmerman Center.  We celebrated our 4 mile challenging ramble with lunch at John Wright's restaurant. 

Fran will lead the walk in August...we will start again at 8 while the summer is at its best.

Carol Stowell

Catch Up

I've been remiss in posting photos of our rambles, mostly because of traveling.  Here's a catch-up for the ones I missed.

JANUARY 19, 2018
Pinchot Park 
Led by Deb Lord
(Anyone have a photo I can put here?)

FEBRUARY 16, 2018
Led by Leanne Diehl

Hello Ramblers - given the rain forecast and the thaw, it promises to be quite slippery on parts of the rail trail and wet overhead.  Several York County parks have closed their trails due to mud.  We want to stay safe!!

So - let's meet for brunch at Janina's at 10 a.m. on Leader Heights Road.   If you exit I-83 you'll drive toward S. Queen St.  Janina's is located in the small mall with the fitness center and First Wok.   If you come from S. George St towards S. Queen, Janina's is past Sheetz and before Powder Mill Road on the right side.   

Janina's Desserts

176 Leaders Heights Road
York, PA 17402

717-741-1144

MARCH 2018
Led by Kate Haldeman
It was a bitter, windy day but that didn't stop us! Thirteen showed up for the Ramble led by Kate Haldeman in the Greenmont Cemetery.  We have 4 new Ramblers in the past two months--Alice Frick, Jan Botterbush, Kacey French and Anna Ortman (I hope I spelled those names right!)  . Thanks Kate for organizing us.  We got lost wandering around the gravestones and made jokes that if we stumbled, we could just stay there....This is after three of us admitted to having (almost) Seventy birthdays!  Of course we all said that we weren't nearly as dowdy and old looking or thinking as the grandmothers in our families...And the fact that we could Ramble proves it!



APRIL 20, 2018
Led by Joan Fulton
We will be walking into town on city streets, and the only real elevation will be the walk up to Farquhar Park. From there we will make our way back to the RT and our cars.  Expect to walk 3-4 miles.

MAY 18, 2018
Led by Deb Lord

Southern-most section of Lake Redman. This walk is on a trail that has ups and downs (nothing serious) on the first half of the walk, then relatively flat on the return. It's about 3.5 miles and takes about 1.5 hours. 

Birders my want to bring binoculars as we'll be pausing at the Lake Redman boardwalk where many birds have been seen: https://ebird.org/camerica/hotspot/L447227?yr=all&m=&rank=mrec

The rain held off and nine hardy ramblers (and Maggie) enjoyed our walk at Lake Redman this morning. Nice to see everyone.

Spring Valley County Park

Seven of us enjoyed a 3.5 mile hike in this beautiful York county park, a first for many of us.  The sun was shining and the temps hovered in the low '70s, making it the perfect day for a hike.

Carol will lead the July 20th ramble from High Point Park to Zimmerman Center.

Marilyn, Anna, Joan, Deb, Fran, and Susan

Anna, Marilyn, Deb, Fran, Joan, and Janie

Susan, Joan, Fran, Anna, Marilyn, and Deb with Folklife buildings in the background

“The park was named after “Valley of Springs” referenced in several poems written by nationally recognized poet laureate of Pennsylvania, Lee Anderson, who lived within the area that became the park.”  

https://www.ydr.com/story/opinion/2017/07/11/poet-lee-anderson-lived-york-county-many-years-column/465886001/