Let It Shine

Tohickon Valley Park and Ralph Stover State Park

2013-04-13T21:05:00.001-04:00

Early Spring is a wonderful time of year for hiking, the air is pleasantly warm, and signs of new life are everywhere! Today was a beautiful day for a hike in Tohickon Valley Park and Ralph Stover State Park in Bucks County Pennsylvania. The high cliffs make this a popular area for climbers, and the gentle rapids attract kayakers.

The view from up high. Way down below there are a few kayakers in Tohickon Creek.

The trail had many beautiful views of the swiftly flowing creek.

Blue skies, ever so slightly overcast, new signs of Spring everywhere!

Hickory Run State Park

2013-01-12T16:48:00.000-05:00

This weekend the weather was unseasonably warm, in the forties, a perfect opportunity for some winter hiking in Hickory Run State Park.

Rhododendrons line the creek, a perfect contrast of dark green against white snow and flowing water.

I love forests of conifers providing plenty of greenery, even in winter.

The creek is partially frozen in spots.

I love the sound of hiking along water.

Sand Spring Lake was frozen over, but starting to thaw, creating patterns of swirls in the ice.

A popular tourist destination in summer, now quiet and covered with ice and snow.

Lehigh Gap

2012-11-23T19:47:00.000-05:00

The day after Thanksgiving was a perfect day to be out of the mall and on to the trail! Hiking and spending time outdoors is a great way to continue to celebrate this beautiful time of year, give gratitude, and work off some of yesterday's calories!

And so our hike begins... Pennsylvania is known for having some of the rockiest sections of the Appalachian Trail.

We did a bit of rock scrambling to view the river below.

White blazes mark the Appalachian Trail.

I CAN rock scramble, I CAN rock scramble! (photo by Rich)

Still more rocks to traverse...

A beautiful view of the section of trail known as Devil's Pulpit.

The climb was worth it!

I ran into my high school biology teacher Dan Kunkle with a group of students learning about the mountain! I had not seen him since high school. Dan's work with the Lehigh Gap Nature Center has been instrumental in protecting and restoring this area which has been so badly damaged by industrial pollution from zinc smelting. Huge sections of this area were completely barren before restoration projects began. (photo by Rich)

After our rock scramble, we are treated to a flat, beautiful section of trail beginning to recover from the pollution damage.

Fields of golden grasses....

Palmerton below...

Here you can see some of the damage: dead trees and barren landscapes.

Recovery is slow but certain.

Native trees are planted here and fenced in to protect them from deer.

Dead trees killed by zinc pollution. Many did not decay naturally because the environment was so barren.

Damaged areas with recovery projects in the background

Rows of tall grasses

I loved this view of the rolling mountains beyond.

I've often speculated about who lives in this house on the hill.

We're almost back! Trail is surrounded by grass fields.

Delaware Water Gap - Dunnfield Creek Trail to Sunfish Pond

2012-11-11T18:03:00.003-05:00

This weekend brought some unseasonably warm temperatures, perfect weather for a hike in Delaware Water Gap to experience the beauty of this area and witness the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.

Trees are mostly all bare by now. The air smelled like pine, and our hiking was accompanied by the sounds of flowing water from Dunnfield Creek and the crunch of leaves underneath our hiking boots.

For the most part, the path was unobstructed, with a few exceptions when we had to crawl over fallen tree trunks or pick our way through a tumble of branches across the trail.

Evidence of Hurricane Sandy was everywhere.

We saw many huge fallen trees, their roots torn right out of the ground.

Sunfish Pond on a grey November day.

View of Mount Tammany

Hikers viewing the river below

A waterfall in Dunnfield Creek

French Creek State Park, Berks County, Pennsylvania

2012-10-28T21:28:00.003-04:00

This weekend was a perfect time for a hike in French Creek State Park. This is the last hike before Hurricane Sandy pummels our area and likely takes down the last remnants of Autumn leaves. It was a surprisingly warm day, a bit of misty rain in the morning and some cloud cover, but otherwise very pleasant hiking weather.

Grey clouds over Hopewell Lake in the morning, but the brilliant colors of Autumn are still here.

Much of the trail is under forest cover. I felt surrounded by the gorgeous yellow, orange and crimson colors of the season.

I love the smells of Autumn, and the sound of leaves crunching underfoot.

Vivid yellow everywhere.

Welcome Autumn!

2012-09-22T19:48:00.001-04:00

This weekend Autumn is finally here, with warm weather and bright sunshine, until an afternoon shower cooled things off. I compared last week's hiking pictures to today, and I can already see signs of the change of seasons.

This is Green Lane Reservoir from last week, which was, for me, the last hike of Summer.

Late Summer is clear skies and warm sun, but with the golden hues of Autumn slowly slipping in.

Today was a great way to celebrate the arrival of Autumn at the Rodale Organic Apple Festival. Here is a view of the festival from the organic apple orchard.

Fall is pumpkin time!

Bethlehem VegFest 2012

2012-09-09T18:56:00.000-04:00

Sunday was Bethlehem VegFest. I had a great day eating delicious food, engaging in uplifting conversation, and meeting some of my favorite cookbook authors! I had a Buddha bowl from Balasia and a peanut butter brownie from Vegan Treats (recently named one of America's Top Ten Bakeries by online magazine Departures). I was fortunate to meet Victoria Moran of Main Street Vegan and Allyson Kramer of Manifest Vegan.

Jamie K. of Save the Kales telling her vegan story and showing us we can all be activists.

The Cinnamon Snail line. I didn't want to wait that long in the heat, but I'm sure what they were selling was delicious! (I just read on their website that they sell "food to help you transform into a being of pure light who can serve all living creatures simultaneously and eternally". Had I known that, I would have waited in line!)

Lydia from From A to Vegan, Allyson Kramer from Manifest Vegan, Chris from From A to Vegan, me, and Jamie K. from Save the Kales.

September is the new January

2012-09-09T11:46:00.001-04:00

Gretchen Rubin of the Happiness Project recently wrote that "September is the new January". September is an appropriate time for starting over and new resolutions; it's the start of the school year, the change of seasons, a time for reflection and contemplation, and also action.

It's a time of change for me as well, and I've made a few resolutions of my own. I recently started the seemingly never ending task of decluttering once again, clearing out closets and shelves. shedding old possessions and leaving room for new life, new energy, new thoughts. Today I had my windows cleaned (I will not confess how long it's been since I've had really clean windows), and I savor the light, the brightness, the clear September sky now easily visible through all the rooms of my house! I also start a new job this month full of hope, promise, and new direction.

There is a passage in the Baha'i scripture The Hidden Words which says "I loved thy creation, hence I created thee... " * I have always taken this to mean that we were loved even before our inception (much like the Psalm "you knit me together in my mother's womb" *, I always visualize a tiny little crocheted skeleton!) I recently came across a different interpretation, that what we create: our life, our actions, our contribution, is loved. I never thought of it that way before.

So in this September, this time of transformation and renewal, I begin again the task of creating a life, my life with my own hopes, dreams, interests, aspirations, values...... And as I look out my newly cleaned windows, I look forward to what the new season brings!

Hawk Mountain - The Early Fall Migrants and Vulture Appreciation Day

2012-09-01T22:53:00.001-04:00

Today was the first day of September and a beautiful, warm, clear day for a visit to Hawk Mountain.

We arrived for Vulture Appreciation Day in time to see a fascinating talk on vultures given by a wildlife rehabilitation group. We found out that vultures are nature's sanitation mechanism, getting rid of dead wildlife, thereby keeping the environment safe from pathogens. The vulture's strong stomach acid keeps them safe and disease-free. The health of these magnificent birds was noticed by Native Americans who viewed them as a powerful source of healing.

We have learned many things from the vultures, including the aerodynamics of how they soar effortlessly on wind currents. Here our turkey vulture (appropriately named Hannibal) is showing off his beautiful wing span.

Hannibal looks proud to be a vulture today! Sadly, Hannibal was raised in captivity by someone who found him as a baby bird, and when finally released, did not have the necessary skills for survival as a vulture in the wild. He was found by a person who took him to the wildlife rehabilitation center. It is unfortunate that Hannibal cannot soar and survive in nature as he was meant to do, but, lacking that, he has played a role in our education about these helpful and necessary animals. The talk was a success, I now have a renewed appreciation for these birds and their role in a healthy environment!

Now time to head to North Lookout! Highlights included spotting broad winged hawks, merlins, even a bald eagle! (sadly, I missed the view of the eagle!). One treat was a flock of gregarious cedar waxwings, who briefly rested on a nearby small tree, then, in a flurry of wing beats, continued on their path.

Beautiful but hazy view of the River of Rocks and nearby countryside.

Cape Cod August 2012

2012-08-19T16:50:00.002-04:00

In mid August, I had a relaxing vacation in Cape Cod. Cape Cod is one of my favorite spots because it is a National Seashore which is protected from most commercial development. Although Cape Cod is immensely popular, locals have taken care to protect much of the natural environment. There is plenty of opportunity for hiking, biking, nature watching, and strolling along clean, beautiful beaches.

This was my first year eating vegan on vacation (long time vegetarian, new vegan, truth be told, in some ways still transitioning). In the past I have never found Cape Cod to be vegetarian friendly, so this would be an interesting experiment. I found a very warm and welcoming Bed and Breakfast, the Shady Hollow Inn, in South Dennis, which is totally vegetarian and vegan upon request. Breakfasts were amazing! (grilled portabella mushroom, red pepper, and tofu; French toast filled with almond butter; blueberry waffles; scrambled tofu on a bed of lightly sauteed vegetables; and apple oatmeal with toppings. Fresh fruit and vegan baked goods were served with every breakfast. Much of the food was grown in their own gardens. With a hearty breakfast, I just ate a light lunch, and managed to find vegan options available for dinner with some searching (using the HappyCow app!) and the recommendations of my hosts. Gary and Beth (the bed and breakfast owners) also had numerous suggestions for fun things to see and do, tailored to my own interests.

Sunday August 12

Today was the long drive to Cape Cod. When I arrived, I settled in to my room, then went out for some Pad Thai, and spent the early evening on West Dennis Beach.

Monday August 13

Beach day! Today I spent the day at Nauset Beach. Nauset's most famous toothy visitor (seen here tracking a kayak) did not make an appearance. In one sense I am happy to know that the Great White Sharks are coming back to Cape Cod, because a healthy environment requires a top predator, but I'm not eager to share the water with a fearsome predator. I hope they are swimming in the icy deep far away from humans enjoying the beach!

First a quick visit to the Salt Pond Visitor Center...

then a full day at the beach!

Tuesday August 14

Today I went to Provincetown for a whale watch. I went in the late afternoon, early evening. We had some beautiful views of whales feeding in the ocean.

Most of the time we are lucky to get a glimpse of the arch of a back, or the splash of a tail...

Every once in a while we get a magnificent view like this!

We saw 3 whales traveling together. Little is known about the social lives of these amazing animals.

Time to head back! A beautiful sunset...

Colors are deepening...

Fire red sun sinks into the ocean.

Wednesday August 15

Today I set out on a series of hikes recommended by Gary from Shady Hollow.

Hike 1 was Wing's Island to the dunes and tidal flats along the Cape Cod Bay.

Marshy grass

A view of the meadow and the bay

Tidal flats. I saw lots of wildlife, seagulls and wading birds, tiny fishes...

Hike 2 was the Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge.

View of salt ponds and ocean.

Lots of walking along sparsely populated trails.

A view of the ocean from the trail

Hike 3 was Namequoit and Pah Wah Point, a very nicely preserved and quiet refuge.

Salt ponds

View from the lookout

Thursday August 16

Today I rented a bike and explored some beautiful bike paths leading through forested areas to the ocean and saw Coast Guard Beach and Nauset Light Beach.

View of Coast Guard Beach

I found this little snail on a park sign. Actually, the "life savers' most dangerous duty" is avoiding giant snails who want to take over the boat!

Lovely Coast Guard Beach

Clean sand and water....

Never can have too much beach time...

Relaxing views

A view of the Coast Guard station

I biked to Three Sisters Lighthouses. Here are two of the Three Sisters, preserved lighthouses from a bygone era.

Nauset Light House

Wild roses on Nauset Light Beach

A view of the beach.

Just a short walk from the most densely populated areas one can find a little solitude.

Friday August 17

Time to drive back home! But first, a few photos of the Bed and Breakfast.

Much of the food served is either grown in the gardens or obtained locally.

Shady Hollow Inn

A beautiful spot to relax

There are many gardens with bird feeders to explore.

Green Lane Reservoir, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania

2012-07-28T23:30:00.000-04:00

Saturday was a hot and humid day for a hike around Green Lane Reservoir, in Montgomery County. The forecast called for rain, but not a drop fell from the sky during our hike. They day was hot and sunny, so we were careful to stay hydrated, and those moments when the trail meandered through wooded areas were a welcome relief.

We stopped for lunch by the reservoir.

The picnic tables were in the shade.

Sunny skies despite the weather forecast.

We had views of the reservoir from most parts of the trail.

Afterwards we stopped for gallons of iced tea and delicious sandwiches. I ordered a vegan portabella spinach sandwich on a crusty roll with some fresh cut french fries. A welcome treat!

Just a Little Walk in the Woods, Henry's Woods at Jacobsburg State Park

2012-07-21T21:28:00.001-04:00

I found this quote from Rachel Carson in her beautiful book "The Sense of Wonder" and I longed to be out in the woods today:

Those who dwell, as scientists or laymen, among the beauties and mysteries of the earth are never alone or weary of life. Whatever vexations or concerns of their personal lives, their thoughts can find paths that lead to inner contentment and to renewed excitement in living. Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts. There is symbolic as well as actual beauty in the migration of the birds, the ebb and flow of the tides, the folded bud ready for the spring. There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature - the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after the winter.

Late afternoon sunlight coming through a grove of hemlocks in Henry's Woods.

I love the sound of water bubbling over rocks, don't you?

The beauty is in the details...

Serenity...

I enjoyed these beautiful reflections while listening to the melodious notes of wood thrush calling to each other, and the occasional drumming of a woodpecker.

Mount Tammany to Sunfish Pond, Delaware Water Gap

2012-06-16T23:00:00.000-04:00

We had a beautiful day for a hike on Mount Tammany to Sunfish Pond. The weather could not have been better, mid eighties with very clear skies, hot in the sunshine, but with a nice refreshing light breeze.

View of the Delaware River

View from Mount Tammany

Sunfish Pond, my favorite place to stop for a lunch break

The light changed a little, now we can see the reflections of the clouds.

A rock sculpture garden created by hikers

Someone else was enjoying the sun also.

Serene view of the lake. A great cloud day!

We took the Appalachian Trail back, and stopped by Dunnfield Creek to cool off.

Perkiomen Trail from Central Perkiomen Valley Park

2012-05-26T22:02:00.002-04:00

Not a lot of pictures today, just a few to record the moment! Today was a hot and humid day, great day to be hiking on a mostly shaded trail along a river.

We've had a lot of rain lately, the creek looked relatively high.

Lots of greenery this time of year, can never get enough hiking in the woods!

Back on the Trail, Lehigh Gap

2012-05-12T21:14:00.001-04:00

I'm happy to be out hiking again! Today was one of the most beautiful weekend days we've had all year, mostly warm with an ever so slight breeze, perfect for hiking.

Railroad bridge

This house on the hill has been there as long as I can remember. It reminds me of Edward Hopper's House by the Railroad. Some day I must find out more about it!

Ah greenery! How refreshing!

I always love hiking near water.

Trexler Game Preserve, Schnecksville, Pennsylvania

2012-02-18T17:40:00.003-05:00

There is nothing that restores my soul more than spending time in nature, except being with friends, and if I can do both together, I am doubly blessed. I had a wonderful hike at Trexler Game Preserve today with friends.

Rolling hills of Pennsylvania

It was a beautiful day for hiking along a stream, the weather was like early Spring.

Hemlocks

Great day

Commemorating the Centenary of 'Abdu'l-Baha's visit to America

2012-01-15T21:37:00.002-05:00

I've been asked by the Philadelphia Bahá'í Community to blog for the 100 year anniversary of the visit of 'Abdu'l-Baha to America. For more information, and to follow along, see the blog over here: A Celebration Of Unity.

Hope to see you there!

Conditioning Hike at Valley Forge National Park

2012-01-14T21:32:00.001-05:00

I had a wonderful ten mile hike at Valley Forge National Park on Saturday. Hiked up and over Mount Misery, up and over Mount Joy, all around the park, and up and over Mount Misery again! It was a cold day, but with all the elevation change and a brisk pace, I stayed nice and warm. This wasn't a "take pretty pictures of beautiful nature" hike, it was a "get in condition for Spring hiking" hike, nevertheless, here are a few shots to remember the day:

Pretty creek

Keeping watch over the fields

Best Way to Start the New Year

2012-01-01T21:24:00.001-05:00

There is no better way to start the New Year than by hiking with friends!

It was unseasonably warm, temperatures in the fifties, a perfect day for hiking along the Delaware Canal from Frenchtown to Upper Black Eddy.

I didn't take a lot of pictures this time, but I did manage to capture this shot from the Frenchtown Bridge.

Happy New Year!

Visit to Ground Zero Memorial and Metropolitan Museum of Art: The Worst of History, the Best of History

2011-12-31T19:30:00.005-05:00

Yesterday I visited New York City. Our first stop was the Ground Zero Memorial. I had not been to the site since the Towers were both standing. Although we all have been reflecting upon and absorbing the horrific event which happened over ten years ago, each in our own way according to our personal experiences, I did not know how I would react to the site.

What was most noticeable to me was the diversity of the names on the Memorial. There were victims of many nationalities, languages, creeds, and cultures. The sheer number of people lost is staggering.

Later in the day we went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. I love that the admission fee is only a recommended price. That policy indicates to me that this heritage belongs to everyone, regardless of ability to pay. Anyone can see these beautiful works of art.

The sheer size of the museum makes it impossible to see everything. We focused on the recently opened Art of the Arab Lands, then the European Impressionists, then Asia including China, Tibet, Korea, Cambodia, and India.

The visit was an interesting contrast to the morning's experience. Now we were seeing the height of culture, some of the greatest achievements and most beautiful creations of humankind. Each culture has a unique expression of what is most beautiful, meaningful, powerful, and enduring.

Our diverse cultures, which once developed along seemingly different paths (although with much interaction), all share one world. If war does not cease, and violent conflict does not end, we will all suffer the consequences together. Hate is a fire which devours everything in its path.

As our race, the human race, has created all these beautiful works of art, can we now create a world culture, diverse in its expressions, but united in one family? It is my hope that we can.

We ate lunch at Candle 79, which is "the" vegan restaurant in Manhattan. I ate a black bean pumpkin seed burger with polenta fries.

Monet
Van Gogh
Ancient Near East
China

Merry Christmas! Let us build a world of justice and peace

2011-12-25T20:45:00.003-05:00

It has been an ongoing Christmas tradition of mine to reflect upon the latest Vatican message for the Celebration of the World Day of Peace. This year Pope Benedict chose for his topic: Educating Young People in Justice and Peace.

The Holy Father acknowledges that these are dark times, there is a crisis in labour and the economy and "It seems as if a shadow has fallen over our time, preventing us from clearly seeing the light of day." He proposes that "the young, with their enthusiasm and idealism, can offer new hope to the world." He says that teaching young people is "a primary duty for society as a whole, for the sake of building a future of justice and peace."

Pope Benedict writes about education in truth and freedom: "The right use of freedom, then, is central to the promotion of justice and peace, which require respect for oneself and others, including those whose way of being and living differs greatly from one’s own. This attitude engenders the elements without which peace and justice remain merely words without content: mutual trust, the capacity to hold constructive dialogue, the possibility of forgiveness, which one constantly wishes to receive but finds hard to bestow, mutual charity, compassion towards the weakest, as well as readiness to make sacrifices."

He states that the value of a person is threatened by a tendency to view others by criteria of "utility, profit and material possessions". Furthermore, peace isn't just the absence of war by "maintaining a balance of powers between adversaries", but rather "Peace cannot be attained on earth without safeguarding the goods of persons, free communication among men, respect for the dignity of persons and peoples, and the assiduous practice of fraternity." The human family is one family, reconciled in love.

We must be active in our pursuit of peace, because peace "is not merely a gift to be received: it is also a task to be undertaken. In order to be true peacemakers, we must educate ourselves in compassion, solidarity, working together, fraternity, in being active within the community and concerned to raise awareness about national and international issues and the importance of seeking adequate mechanisms for the redistribution of wealth, the promotion of growth, cooperation for development and conflict resolution. 'Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God", as Jesus says in the Sermon on the Mount (Mt 5:9). '"

The Holy Father ends with this inspiring paragraph: "All you men and women throughout the world, who take to heart the cause of peace: peace is not a blessing already attained, but rather a goal to which each and all of us must aspire. Let us look with greater hope to the future; let us encourage one another on our journey; let us work together to give our world a more humane and fraternal face; and let us feel a common responsibility towards present and future generations, especially in the task of training them to be people of peace and builders of peace. With these thoughts I offer my reflections and I appeal to everyone: let us pool our spiritual, moral and material resources for the great goal of 'educating young people in justice and peace'. "

Merry Christmas everyone! May we all work together to create a world of justice and peace for all!

Merrill Creek Reservoir and Snowy Owl

2011-12-04T21:11:00.007-05:00

Today was a beautiful day for a hike around Merrill Creek Reservoir in New Jersey. Temperatures were in the fifties, with a slight breeze which was sometimes chilly, but overall very pleasant, especially for December.

Submerged trees in the reservoir

The water was calm and still.

The highlight of the day was seeing this Snowy Owl. He is the little white speck in front of the largest rock. I know that my point and shoot camera barely shows there is an owl there, but, believe me, he was impressive. I had several nice views of him from different perspectives. He did not change his location the whole time, but he was moving his head and looking around. I have never seen a Snowy Owl before, so this was a rare treat. There were several other birdwatchers there to see our feathered visitor from the Arctic. He has been hanging around since November 4th.

Another view of the calm reservoir

A rainbow!

Self portrait. That's my shadow in the bottom left.

A beautiful day. The colors were bright and clear. You can see the moon in the top right.

Raccoon Ridge Delaware Water Gap, Hawks and American Chestnuts

2011-11-05T23:01:00.006-04:00

Today was a bright, clear and brisk day for a hike to Raccoon Ridge at the Delaware Water Gap. The day was cool, so we needed lots of layers, but there was not much wind so it was a very comfortable hike.
View from the ridge

Brian Hardiman, the official counter for the Raccoon Ridge Hawk Watch, spoke to us about raptor identification. He told us how to identify the major groups: accipiters, buteos, falcons, eagles, harriers, osprey, and vultures. They are identified by silhouette, and also flight patterns and behavior. With some more expertise, the exact type of bird is identifiable. He also told us about the migration cycles and which birds come through at particular times of year. November is the time for Red-Tailed Hawks and Golden Eagles.

Brian spoke to us about the history of Raccoon Ridge. There has been a hawk count at the ridge for nearly as long as Hawk Mountain, which dates back to the 1930s.

I asked Brian some questions about hawk conservation. There really are mixed results. Many bird populations are actually increasing, due to increased awareness of pesticide dangers, improved water quality, and even re-introduction programs for Bald Eagles. This year there were record counts of Broad-Winged Hawks. Other populations are decreasing and their migration patterns are impacted by climate change. Hawk counts such as the one at Raccoon Ridge are important to identify these patterns and potential environmental threats, and also for education (perhaps inspiring future environmentalists!), and of course, recreation and the enjoyment of viewing nature.

Counts from Raccoon Ridge and many other hawk count sites are found at Hawkcount.

Another view from the ridge

The browns and golden colors of November are visible.

The river below

Look! In the sky! A hawk!

Mike Manes also explained to us the dire situation of the American Chestnut. The American Chestnut was once a prominent and common tree in the hardwood forests. The population was nearly decimated in the early 1900s with the introduction of a non-native blight. The blight either kills the tree outright, or severely stunts its growth. Almost all Chestnut trees in the Eastern forests are infected by the blight. Here Mike is standing by a Chestnut tree. In the past these trees were over one hundred feet tall and up to ten feet in diameter. You can see how the blight stunts the growth. Signs of blight were visible on this tree. More information is available at the American Chestnut Foundation, a group trying to reintroduce the American Chestnut into the Eastern forest.

Today was a fabulous day for hiking and also learning about our environment, how it is changing, and how we can work to protect it!

Lehigh Gorge State Park, Glen Onoko Falls

2011-10-22T20:55:00.005-04:00

Today was a beautiful, brisk day in the height of Autumn for one of the prettiest hikes in Eastern Pennsylvania, Glen Onoko Falls in Lehigh Gorge State Park.

The trail ascends along a flowing stream with many beautiful little waterfalls.

I always love to hear flowing water on a hike.

The first of three gorgeous waterfalls. Because of a lot of recent rain, the falls were really full.

Droplets of mist fill the air around these falls.

Can you see the rainbow?

So many beautiful sights to see along this trail.

The highest waterfall

In the summer this is a fun waterfall to walk behind.

We saw a bear! At least I think it was a bear. Okay, maybe it was a dog.

Pretty view of the river below

Overlooking the Lehigh River and the town of Jim Thorpe.

This section of the river is known as the Oxbow.

The foliage was beautiful.

Sunfish Pond and Raccoon Ridge, Delaware Water Gap

2011-09-18T22:26:00.008-04:00

Today was another gorgeous day for hiking with temperatures in the sixties and bright, full sun. We hiked 6.7 miles to Sunfish Pond and Raccoon Ridge at the Delaware Water Gap.

We started on the Douglas Trail and scrambled up the Sunfish drainage area.

The woods are beautiful here, very open and filled with sunlight.

We are rewarded for our steep ascent with our first beautiful view of Sunfish Pond.

I have taken so many photos from this vantage point, but every time I cannot resist another picture from this overlook.

Another view of Sunfish Pond

Relaxing by the pond

Next we walked on the Appalachian Trail to Raccoon Ridge, with beautiful vistas on both sides. This side overlooks some reservoirs. The ridge is a popular area for birding. Some people were counting raptors in early Fall migration. They said they saw a lot of broad winged hawks, and even a bald eagle in the distance.

On the other side of the ridge we see the Delaware River. Even the Catskills are visible in the far distance.

Overlooking the Delaware River. Why is there a plastic owl on a post by my head? Hawks are known to mob owls, and this owl may bring them in for the birders to get a closer look. I have heard this story many times, they have a similar fake owl on Hawk Mountain, but I have never actually seen a hawk mob an owl!

Next we went down the Garvey Springs Trail.

These fern covered woods were pretty in the afternoon light.

At the end of our hike we were rewarded with the view of a waterfall.