Tabors Corners

Visiting family for Thanksgiving break, we found ourselves in rural Wayland, NY. While the air was frigid, the sun was bright. We made our way down Tabors Corners Road and walked to the point where it intersects with Wetmore Road, passing Dutch Hollow Road along the way. Just a year ago, we had walked this road and marveled at the countless beaver dams plaguing both sides. Today, there was barely evidence that the labor-intensive dams had ever existed. Our noses grew cold as the sky spit snow, but still we looked for some activity. We came across the occasional deer hoof print in the mud, but not a beaver insight. It was an interesting lesson in eco-systems to have seen an animal community move in, impact the area to the point of flooding and move on, without a trace. The below image of the dam is from last year's walk.

Windsor Center

This picturesque fall morning made taking a walk inevitable. We began our walk with the intention of wandering the Windsor Center River Trail. We quickly got off track and wandered through the Palisado Ave overpass and towards the historic train bridge, picking up the town sidewalk. We wandered up Pleasant Street and back around Poquonock Ave through the center of town and looping back to where our walk originated at the trail head. It was a quiet morning and leant itself well to letting the path unfold before us. There is something to be said about the "best laid plans...". We had a chance to see a busy town center dormant and still have our original trail left to walk another day.

East Windsor Errands

Running errands on this Saturday morning seemed more like early September, than the second week in October. With the sun shining, the temperature danced around 60 degrees with fall barely in sight. Crossing Bridge Street, over the Connecticut River, you might see some graffiti or some folks fishing. You will always see cars lined up waiting at the lights at both ends. Standing in the center of the bridge, looking towards Windsor Locks, you will see the abandoned Montgomery complex. If you turn your sites towards East Windsor, you will see the blocked out windows of the local bar. Though, standing in the middle, straddling the East Windsor-Windsor Locks town line, you can see for miles down the historic Connecticut River. On a day this warm, standing above the lazy river, below the floating clouds, I can't help but wonder about all the people who have followed this river for hundreds of years to new destinations.

Big E!!

Tonight's walk lead us through all six New England States, or at least the buildings that represent them. The start of fall in New England is marked by the Big E, the largest fair in the northeast. Where else can you learn about the history of New England, stand in awe of 600 lbs of sculpted butter and enjoy a bacon cheeseburger nestled between two glazed donuts? Since it was a warm and sunny afternoon, we thought we'd head up to West Springfield hoping that midweek might mean less crowds. We were wrong and wandered around the Eastern States Exposition with more than 84,000 of our neighbors, breaking records for that day's attendance (the following day saw 1/5 of that traffic). Our path was determined by our own desire to avoid the daily parade, which we walked right into. Everywhere we went, there it was; floats, marching bands and all. More than 11,000 steps later, we had covered the Avenue of the States, New England Avenue and Commonwealth Avenue, while managing to out-maneuver the parade. Deterred by the path of the parade and the dense crowds, we had an interesting evening walking a path determined by what we were trying to avoid, rather than the destinations we had intended to arrive at. We were able to approach a familiar path from a new perspective, which lead to some unexpected discoveries.

Nantucket, MA

A surprise scavenger hunt lead us to the little island of Nantucket, off the coast of Massachusetts. We were greeted by cobblestone streets and old brick sidewalks. Around every corner, this sea village alluded to its foothold in early American history. Arriving after dark, we rambled through the uneven streets towards the inn where we were staying. The island was blanketed in darkness which appeared never ending as it blended into the sea. The next morning, we began our stroll in the heart of the village and made our way toward the pier. On this perfect morning walk, the sun danced endlessly across the surface of the Atlantic Ocean. The island is accessible by plane or boat and discourages visitors from bringing cars over. As a visitor you get to experience a small island comprised of a walking culture. While only an hour by high-speed ferry, it feels a million miles away from the busy rush of mainland life. The quiet streets illustrate this picturesque community; from the local farmer's market to the whaling museum. Off season, there is a sense of peace and seclusion walking through the streets. This sense is sort of similar to the one I felt in Denali; miles away from the hustle and bustle, but not necessarily alone. Much like Denali, my walk is being viewed by those "tuned in". Here, whether walking up Main Street or out to Great Point, there are live webcams broadcasting your experience in this place. This leaves me wondering what the experience of me experiencing this place is like to those watching...

Windsor Locks Canal State Park

While we were greeted by a gray sky, the air was warm on this lazy September Sunday; making it the perfect day to wander along the Windsor Locks Canal State Park. This hidden gem runs 4.5 miles along the Connecticut River between the center of Windsor Locks and Suffield, Connecticut. This was the historic towpath along the canal that shipped freight nearly 200 years ago. Today it has been repurposed into a recreational trail filled with families fishing, couples biking and the ambitious jogging. To enter the path from the Windsor Locks side, you must brave the small driveway along the front of the old abandoned factory. This quickly opens up to a spacious parking area and the gates to the path. In the spring, the path is wide-open, but by this time in the fall, the brush has flourished and begins to narrow the path. There was an interesting dichotomy to walking along this path on this afternoon. Immediately to our left was the stagnant canal, sitting quietly; while to our right rolled the waters of the flowing Connecticut River. The canal had been cut off from its powerful source to now lay dormant, no longer serving its industrial purposes. We walked about halfway up the flat trail to the aqueducts before heading back to where we entered. This path provided an opportunity to explore nature and walk along a little piece of New England's industrial history.

Beavertail State Park

On Friday, the New England Coastline braced for "Hurricane" Earl, but what we experienced was (at best) "Tropical Storm" Earl. We received some much needed rain and in return had a break in the sweltering heat. By Saturday, the weather made for a beautiful day for a drive and the remnants of that tropical storm made for a perfect day to check out the ocean. If you find yourself in the South County area of Rhode Island, follow the bridge to Jamestown and drive to the end of this tiny island where you will find Beavertail State Park. It's open year round and at the tip of its 153 acres, you can visit the 3rd oldest lighthouse in the country. Parking near the entrance will give you a stunning 1.5 mile loop along the jagged coast which runs right by the historic lighthouse (and its museum). There are secluded little nooks, rocks to scale if you are feeling adventurous and plenty of lawn to set up your grill or kite or frisbee or hammock. This is a gentle walk, during which you are surrounded by a powerful sense of nature - from the crashing waves to the gusts of wind. On this afternoon, with the sun shinning off the deep blue sea, all we could taste was salt from the spray of the waves. With thunderous roars, every inch of the rocks were slammed by wave after crashing wave. The waves rolled and crashed with such fury that their foam became net-like forms, clinging to the rocks and shooting bubbles into the air. The winds whipped through the park, along the water front, strong enough to nearly knock us down. Behind that shining sun and beautiful blue sea, nature made clear her ferocious strength.

The Mudflats

At home, my backyard is, well, a paved parking lot that borders the local phone company headquarters. If you walk a few miles through my neighborhood you will actually find yourself in the middle of an international airport. Today I took a walk through a slightly different backyard. Our walk was cut short by flooding, though as you can see, not all of us were detoured by the water. A week ago, I left an area that was experiencing record levels of heat and drought. Now, I find myself half a world away in an area that is in the middle of a record-breaking streak of continuous days of rain. It is 70 degrees, sunny and everything is a lush green from all the rain. This weather is everything that summer was not on the east coast. Here, the backyard leads to a trail down to the mudflats. The flooding from the Knik Arm below the Chugach Range lends some explanation as to how this old WWII boat might have made it this far inland. Once again, I am on a walk that is impacted by water - what a fascinating barrier...

Anchorage, AK

Walking through downtown Anchorage we really could have been walking through any American city. There were aggressive cab drivers trying to pass the city buses, there were too many coffee shops to count, boutiques, parking garages and a mall anchored by a Nordstrom. But as we left the Anchorage Museum and headed out into the drizzling afternoon, all we had to do was look up to be reminded of how far from home we were. Rising up into the cloudy sky, the Chugach Mountain Range dwarfed the city. Having spent the summer walking through heat-stricken Philadelphia, the cool damp air was a relief. It even served as an excuse to head into the Cake Studio, which sounds like art but definitely smelled like a bakery. I had assumed at the edge of one of the last wild frontiers on the planet we would find moose or bears or wolves, but instead we managed to stumble onto a new frontier of deliciousness. What a fabulous city!

Talkeetna, AK

As I am a firm believer in the fact that a picture is worth a thousand words, I will simply leave you with these two images. It was certainly beautiful, though "downtown" seems like a bit of an exaggeration.

Denali National Park

Yesterday began with a trip via the Alaska Rail Road from Anchorage up to Denali. The glass domed ceilings on the train cars allowed for impressive views of mother nature in all her majesty. We pulled into the Denali stop, in the middle of Denali National Park and Preserve in late afternoon. For a general comparison, the park is roughly the size of the state of Massachusetts. Taking the train up through the park was a great way to see much of the countryside. Today, stretching our legs, it was much more exciting to feel the soft earth underfoot. We wandered our way along the Horseshoe Lake Trail. The trail is short, but steep enough to allow for some awesome views. We had spent hours riding that train through the park, but we really didn't know the park until we stepped foot in it, until we saw the crystal blue lake, heard the silence of the mountains broken only by the passing birds and felt the cool breeze against our face. As part of the Sharing Knowledge Project, visitors to the Smithsonian Heritage Exhibit at the Anchorage Museum are greeted by a quote from lyaaka (Anders Apassingok, St. Lawrence Island Yupik) which reads:

"Esghallghilnguq,

(what you do not see)

Nagaqullghilnguq,

(do not hear)

Nanghiillghilnguq,

(do not experience)

Nalluksaghqaq."

(you will never really know)

Here, standing in this majestic place, the wisdom of the elders echo and resonate to our very core.

Alaskan Subdivision??

What words come to mind when you think of Alaska? Rural? Wild? Nature? How about growing subdivision near an upscale golf course? I traveled across the continent into the great unknown to find suburbia. My travels took me to visit friends who I had worked with years ago in New Hampshire. We had lived in a small town in the lakes region where they had a bustling sled dog kennel that I had several opportunities to dog sit for. There, the rule was "don't lock the doors - who knows where the keys are". They had a few dozen dogs who lived like kings on a large property with neighbors up the road a bit. Imagine my surprise to arrive to their new home in Alaska to find out that now we lock the doors and the neighbors are right next door. What a funny turn of events. So, my first official walk through Alaska was through a lovely neighborhood, with my husband and a tagalong - a neighbor's dog named Duke who was not about to be left behind.

August Adventures!

So I left behind the sweltering heat of Philadelphia in July and have traded it for some cool Alaskan air as I enter into August. These walks should be a whole new sort of adventure. Today was filled with a lot of traveling, though even the views from the side of the road have been pretty exceptional.

Reflections

So where exactly did the walks from the last month lead me? It has been an intriguing exercise to examine my walks from the point of view of the destination, rather than the entire journey. As was pointed out by a friend recently "have you found anything here that wasn't delicious??", the answer so far is No. Delicious is defined as "being highly pleasing or agreeable to the senses". I have found each of these destinations to be truly delicious. It is highly pleasing to step out of the hustle and bustle of our fast paced day into welcoming spaces. Obviously I love the smell of coffee and the fresh baked treats, but these destinations were full of micro-communities. Each stop allowed me a glimpse at communities within a city that I am only a visitor to. Observing the workings of diverse people all coming from separate places and leaving for separate places, but for a short time unified by this one place. It leaves much (delicious) food for thought. Below are some of the line drawings that I have made from these walks. They reflect the GPS maps that have accompanied my posts and gestural recall drawings I have made upon my return from the walks. Now the question becomes where to go next?

Capogiro

My original intention for this afternoon was to check out Cafe Almaz who boasts excellent coffee paired with Ethiopian cuisine. Once again, I have found that the posted hours of local businesses in Philly are more like "suggestions" than actual information, as I arrived to find a note taped to the door reading "be back Monday". I continued on and looked up to see the word "Espresso" (in full disclosure it was followed by the word "Gelato") and entered Capogiro's on 20th street (one of four local locations). I paired my cold brewed iced coffee with a sandwich on fresh bread with layers of goat cheese, sun dried tomatoes and cucumbers. Yes, it was as delicious as it sounded. The small iced coffee was truly outstanding, each sip deserved a pause in between. I had stopped in to do some afternoon reading and was floored by the non-stop onslaught of customers, and the laid back staff who continued to literally whistle while they worked. Of course, one can not visit a cafe that claims to be "Gelato Artisans" without sampling that sweet treat. A small serving of Hazelnut and Sweet Amish Milk gelato little danced on my tongue for the remainder of the afternoon. I guess sometimes the best laid plans are best if they get you started and leave room for the adventure to unfold...

ING Cafe

In spite of its overpriced location outside of Rittenhouse Square, on the corner of 17th & Walnut, you can always get a good cup of coffee at a good price at ING Cafe. Their understanding of the value of a dollar should be no surprise since they are, technically, a bank. Always bright and cheery (its tough not to be when everything is neon orange), their entire menu ranges from $1-$3 including coffees, teas and baked goods. When I popped in on my way home, there were dozens of people sitting and enjoying the free wi-fi, the five large flat-screened TVs above the bar and the computer banking stations in the back. Situated in the middle of a busy community, their mission includes educating kids about money, as evidenced by the activities available for families. I have to admit I am a fan since their generous support of education also includes grants that have funded my students to travel to see some pretty amazing art. On this afternoon, I settled into a cushy, coffee-house style arm chair and watched the city whiz by out the window. At a time when we are all too busy to stop multitasking long enough to focus on just one thing, how does a business get our attention long enough to engage us? They evolve into a contemporary version of a traditional service by providing a gathering spot in the middle of the hustle and bustle that does not disrupt our flow to enter into. Here, they provide a service that includes a cup of coffee while watching the game, sending work emails, banking and educating our kids, all on the walk home.

Philly Java

You'll notice that today's map is a little different. Instead of showing my path to a new spot, today it shows the path that I returned on. My coffee excursion today was part of a last minute art adventure. Despite the heat index hovering around 103 degrees, I found myself shlepping off towards 4th street. I was headed to the fabulous fabric district to buy a few yards of cloth for a last minute installation. For those not from the area, the fabric district is a cluster of streets where fabric is stuffed from floor to ceiling, sometimes many stories high. Browsing might leave you lost for days, but if you go knowing what you need, you will find it. I quickly did, but knew the walk back would be a killer, so I took the opportunity to discover the Philadelphia Java Company. I stepped into a cool oasis and forgot about my walk home. The coffee shop was bright and filled with sunflowers on this afternoon. Situated on South 4th Street, in what looks like an authentic old store front, down to its tin ceiling, it was filled with people both inside and out. In addition to my rich, dark ice coffee, I fueled up with a labreh sandwich *scrumptious*. This delicious delight involved italian bread, a creamy middle eastern yogurt spread, giant olives and olive oil - most of which ended up drizzled down the front of me because it was so delicious I didn't even notice the mess I was making. Leaving Philly Java, I shook my head at the bravely insane souls sitting outside on this painfully hot day. I wandered my way back to center city through the historic Old City district. Shockingly, the extreme heat had not slowed the onslaught of families to Independence Mall. I took a quick peak at the Liberty Bell as I slipped into the always free and mostly clean restrooms at this national park before continuing to trudge through the heat. I had just come from what really was a neighborhood coffee shop, through one of the first neighborhoods in this city, which was one of the first neighborhoods in this country. While I had taken that for granted, all of the people braving the heat around me had not. I was free to take this walk through the birthplace of freedom and all I was focused on were the free bathrooms, sounds about right.

For those interested in the art that lead to this adventure, you can check out my completed installation if you click here.

Cafe Ole

Today's adventure was due in part to our friend Christine Colby getting into the Graduate Student Show at The Clay Studio in Old City. In celebration, we all set off to congratulate her at the opening. Originally the intention was to hit up Ray's Cafe & Tea House in the heart of Chinatown, but for the second time now the computer has lead me astray. Ray's is still in business, but it did not occur to me they would be closed for the holiday weekend (of course!). A little weary, we continued on, hoping to hit someplace before we made it all the way to the gallery. We happened upon Cafe Ole at 147 North Third Street. The place was packed on this beautiful Friday evening, both inside and out. Seating in front and on the side of the cafe allowed patrons to people-watch and the comfy couches inside seemed to be filled with old friends catching up. Relieved, we found a table for six in the back. Catching all of our eyes, almost simultaneously, were the gorgeous glasses of fresh ice tea (tropical green tea or raspberry black tea) being served that were absolutely stuffed with fresh mint and lemon. We all got in on this business pretty quick. It was hands down, honestly refreshing. This was just the rest we needed, in this artsy little cafe, to continue on. On the way out the door, I grabbed an ice coffee to go. The rich flavor lingered with every sip and I was glad we had braved the packed tables to find ourselves a spot here. Once again, I find myself happy to consider where I ended up when I was forced to move beyond where I had planned (there is something in there about the best laid plans...).