[Walking] is the perfect way of moving if you want to see into the life of things. It is the one way of freedom. If you go to a place on anything but your own feet you are taken there too fast, and miss a thousand delicate joys that were waiting for you by the wayside.
~ Elizabeth von Arnim, The Adventures of Elizabeth in Rugen
Earth is so thick with divine possibility that it is a wonder we can walk anywhere without cracking our shins on altars.
~ Barbara Brown Taylor
So, guys, this is it. The official Walktober post. This is the one where you should leave your link or pingback. This is where I’ll find your walk (or walks, since some of us like to take more than one) for the round-up post. If you link to this post, a pingback will appear in the comments section. Or, if you prefer, you can drop the link in the comments section on your own. Either way, I’ll find it (and keep an eye out in case it ends up elsewhere). I am not yet sure when I will do the round-up post. It depends on whether or not anyone needs extra time. If not, probably the week of the 21st. If so, I might wait until November to do it.
Your Walktober reminder: The dates for this year’s event are October 6th through the 19th but, as always, the dates are loosey-goosey. If you’ve already taken your walk, go ahead and post your link now. If you need extra time, let me know. I’ll be glad to extend it.
If you’re new to this and not sure what Walktober is, there is a link over in the sidebar to help you out. Just click on the photo labeled Walktober and that will take you to the “in a nutshell” explanation.
I’ve been Away again. I was in the Bogs, otherwise known as Northeast Ohio, visiting with family. I had a wonderful time. A full time. Very full. We went to the Akron Zoo and took a ride on a steam train (via the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railway and their Steam in the Valley event). We splashed around in an indoor water park, took walks around the pond, had sleepovers, and did about a thousand other things.
On our way to the Bogs, M and I stopped at the abandoned turnpike (Pike2Bike) near Breezewood, Pennsylvania, for a little hike. I’ve posted about it in the past (Take a hike) during a summer walk/hike. We didn’t make it all the way to the tunnel this time around because we didn’t have time to make it that far.
There was not a lot of change in the foliage to be seen, even when we got into the mountains of Pennsylvania. A little, here and there, on the way out. A little more on our way back. My guess is that this weekend is going to be the weekend that the fall foliage really puts on a show. Or maybe next weekend. They are just getting some cooler weather there.
It was surprisingly warm, in the mountains and in the Bogs. I don’t know why I was surprised by it. It has been warm pretty much everywhere, hasn’t it?
I noticed that the purple asters are doing really well this year. They were practically everywhere along the way once we got to western Maryland, into Pennsylvania, and Ohio. Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to photograph them. Had it been just me, not needing to be in any particular place at any particular time, I probably would have stopped every five minutes or so to take pictures of them. They were so pretty.
I did not take the big camera with me on our Abandoned Turnpike walk. I wish I had. There were so many beautiful wildflowers blooming along the way, and the morning light was wonderful. I did, however, have my phone with me. The photos are not as good as with the big camera although I am kind of out of practice with the big camera and have been taking a lot of bad photos lately. So, maybe the phone camera was for the best.
I’m going to keep this post relatively short so you don’t have to scroll a lot to get to where you want to go if you’re dropping off your Walktober link. Thank you for stopping by and walking some of the Abandoned Turnpike with me and my hiking partner, M. Let’s go out to the Point for sunset this evening. It’s very windy, but not nearly as hot and humid as it’s been for most of the week. You might even need to wear long sleeves or a light jacket. Sunset is scheduled for 6:43 PM. I think I’ll go early just to enjoy the beach and the view.
Be good, be kind, be love. ♥
A few of the 10,000 reasons to be happy: 1,166) Time with family and friends. Priceless. 1,167) Hiking and walking and just being outdoors. 1,168) Listening to a visiting loon in the early morning hours. He or she must be wintering here, or resting before continuing on his or her migration. 1,169) Purple asters. 1,170) The dance of the wind today. Everything is moving and swaying with it.
Lovely photos, Robin. It’s windy and cooler here, too. I hope I’ll be able to get in an interesting walk for Walktober.
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Thank you, Merril. 🙂 Any walk will do and I always find your walks interesting. I hope you have some time for it now. I know you’ve been very busy lately.
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Thanks, Robin! 🙂
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I’m going to try to get one in before the 19th, but it may be later. 🙂
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That’s fine, Merril. I’m running so far behind that it might be November before I catch up with myself. 🙂
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🙂
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*writing Post-It * plan walk to write for Walktober. 🙂
Lovely photos, as always. The abandoned turnpike. Who knew?
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Thank you, Tara. 🙂 I hope you join us. The abandoned turnpike is pretty cool, especially the tunnels. I read somewhere that parts of it were used for “The Road,” a movie based on the novel by Cormac McCarthy. I haven’t seen the movie. I really should add that to my Netflix queue.
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I’m planning to. I’m going to add the abandoned turnpike to my list of possible places to go (all-time, not just for Walktober). 🙂
Interesting fun fact about the movie. And I’m reminded that I should sign up for Netflix (again). People keep telling me I’m missing good shows there.
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I haven’t had a chance to do my walk. Life changes happening here. I anticipate being able to do my walk this week (by Friday at the latest). Too late to join in?
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Not too late at all. I was just working on my own Walktober post and will probably do the round-up next week (the 30th or 31st, I hope). Life is getting in the way here, too.
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Yay! I’ll walk and post asap this week. Happy to be included in the round-up. Life and its interruptions…. !!
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I’ve been thinking of good spots for my post. Looking forward to seeing everyone’s Walktober!
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I’m sure you’ll find something wonderful, Eliza. 🙂
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Thanks for the vote of confidence. 😉
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Done! Here’s the link to my 2019 Walktober post: https://wp.me/p3O3z4-2ox
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An abandoned turnpike? Who abandons a turnpike? Aren’t they expensive? ANYWAY…it looks really cool and I would so be into walking some of it. Love your photos. There’s an easiness about just carrying the phone, but I get what you mean about wishing, sometimes, you had the big camera. And I’m like you, if I’m by myself I’m constantly stopping for pictures…it’s a wonder I ever make it anywhere.
Katie went on her Walktober today…but now she’s sleeping so she hasn’t written it up yet. I haven’t even looked at the pictures to see if there’s anything worthy of Walktober…but I’m sure she’ll have the final say. She might opt for me taking her out again for a better walk. Then again, she’s almost 13 and she may settle. We’ll see.
I, on the other hand, have no idea what I’m going to do. I have two ideas, neither are very conventional. But the point of it all is to get out there somewhere and walk…so they’d do…but I’m not sure. We will see how the week goes.
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Can’t wait to walk with Katie. And I’m looking forward to whatever you decide, Dawn. I like the sound of “neither are very conventional.”
The turnpike was rerouted in 1968 due to the one lane tunnels (which created a lot of backup). Now, instead of going through the mountains, the turnpike goes over them. I think they’re working on taking out most (if not all) of the tunnels. They do use the abandoned turnpike for training and it’s featured in a movie. We were talking with the owner of the hotel where we stay in Breezewood and he said they recently got a grant to turn it into a bike trail (which is what a lot of people use it for anyhow, even though it’s supposedly closed). I hope they leave it with some of its abandoned look and that they don’t attempt to get rid of the graffiti. I think that’s part of what makes it so fascinating.
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That is the sweetest hand and flower picture.
Walks, steam trains – giggles – sounds like a perfect fall adventure
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Thank you, PhilosopherMouse. It was. 🙂
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Yea … Walktober is here! As always, a delightful stroll. Then again, you celebrate Walktober with us through the majority of your posts. 🙂 … but an abandoned turnpike? Who would have thunk it?
I put my walk on the fast track, so I hope to have it posted Tuesday night.
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The abandoned turnpike is pretty cool, Frank. If you ever get out that way, you should check it out. 🙂 I see you’ve posted your walk. Yay! Looking forward to it. I’m going to try to wait until I’ve done my walk to check out the walks of others. It’s a practice in patience. lol!
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Definitely check out the posts on your pace. After all, you’re the host. 😉
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Wonderful start to Walktober! I am planning on going Tuesday or Wednesday (my days off), weather permitting. The colours are going wild right now.
As per usual, your photos are beautiful.
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Thank you, Dale. 🙂 I hope the weather permits so we can see all the wild colours.
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Oh it has. Went yesterday and going back today! My Walktober will be over two days…😉
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I think your phone camera did justice to these gorgeous sights! Love Love Love those purple and white asters (they’re my birth month flower). I’m planning on doing my Walktober later this week before the rains arrive. Thank you for organizing this so we all can enjoy it!!
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You’re welcome, and thank you, Debbie. Looking forward to your walk. I love the asters, too, especially the purple ones. 🙂
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https://helenshomeworld.blogspot.com/2019/10/walktober-gatineau-park.html
We did a Walktober walk today. We had spectacular fall weather, cool enough for a jacket but warm enough that you didn’t even have to zip it up. They say the leaves are either mid way or already at the fall peak here but there still seemed to be a lot of green.
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Thanks, Helen. Looking forward to joining you on your walk. 🙂
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Thanks for talking us along on this walktober. It was delightful. And the images beautiful. Wish you a lovely continuation of the autumn.
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You’re welcome, and thank you, Otto. 🙂
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Hi, Robin – I just dropped by from Dawnkinster’s blog. Walktober is an awesome idea. I’m totally in and will try to post something by the 19th (she says with confidence)!
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Hi! So glad you are going to join us. If you can’t get in by the 19th, no worries. It looks like I might be extending the dates. There will be plenty of time. 🙂
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Great work ❤️
I also write about love. Please view my site too.
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Came over to your blog via Eliza Walter’s blog. Glad I found your delightful words and images. I’ll be back.
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Should be “Waters” not “Walters.”
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Thank you and welcome, Laurie. 🙂
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Should be “Waters” not “Walters.”
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I found you via Deb’s blog. I remember her walk from last year, and I hardly can believe a year has passed! I’ll join in this year, and I’m hoping this Sunday will be the day for the walk. We had a strong frontal passage today, and it’s terrifically windy, but in a couple of days the wind ought to lay, and I know just where to go.
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Welcome, Linda. 🙂 So glad you’re going to join us. We’ve had some windy days here, too, with Melissa (a nor’easter turned tropical storm) sitting off the coast for a while.
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https://helenshomeworld.blogspot.com/2019/10/walktober-lime-kiln-trail.html
We did another walktober walk last Thursday. Might have an opportunity to get in another before the end of the month.
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Well done! Looking forward to walking along with you soon. (I’m saving the walks for a day when I can go through them all at once. I like to take my time — which is sort of how I walk, now that I think about it.)
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Beautiful post, Robin. I found out about your Walktober when I went over to Eliza’s blog. I joined in and will be posting my contribution tomorrow. This is a great idea!!! I hope many more do this! Thank you for sharing with us your part of the glory seen at this time of year!!
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You’re welcome, and thank you for joining us, AmyRose. 🙂
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Hi, Robin – Thank you for the inspiration! I completed my Walktober post today (on a hike done with two other bloggers). You can find that post here: https://retirementreflections.com/2019/10/17/walktober-holland-creek-trail/
I greatly look forward to following the other walks inspired by this challenge!
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Looking forward to it. 🙂
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I love your walk. We call your asters Michaelmas daisies as they are usually in flower for Michaelmas at the end of September. I have a lot in my garden and they were lovely this year. Here is my October walk.
https://www.theplatinumline.blog/a-few-hours-in-tallinn-estonias-medieval-capital/
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Thank you, Anne. I’m so glad you could join us. 🙂
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Thought I did put a pingback, here is the official link to my Walktober.
https://adelectablelife.com/2019/10/19/walktober-st-helens-island-and-marie-victorin-park/
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Hi Robin: I found your blog via Donna’s blog. Love your photos of nature. Here’s my post https://natalietheexplorer.home.blog/2019/10/27/hiking-the-tonquin-trail/. Looking forward to following the other walks.
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Thank you for joining us, Natalie!! I’m in the midst of visiting all of the walks now (and hope to post the round-up on Monday).
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