Montour Trail-Letter

Volume 13, Issue 4

July/August, 2002

So at last they've arrived: The dog days of summer.

Of course, to a trail enthusiast, that's a bit of a misnomer. After all, what could be better than long days and warm evenings for taking full advantage of our beloved Montour Trail? No matter what your favorite activity, summer is the time to exploit the sunshine and heat (just be sure to carry extra water) and to enjoy extended or more frequent jaunts on your favorite stretch of trail.

Or, perhaps, explore a new trail section. A frequent user of the Bethel Park spur, I am always surprised by the variety the Trail has to offer when I venture out and take a walk along a path I've never before traveled. Now that my daughter's bike has shed its training wheels, we may even attempt a longer trip via bicycle that so many others before us have enjoyed on a regular basis.

And this summer offers some of the best Trail gazing in recent seasons. This spring's heavy rains have made for lush green trees and flora; vivid purples, yellows and whites among the wild flowers; and fluttering bursts of orange, blue, brown, black and all variety of other colors our native wildlife offers as butterflies and bees, birds and small mammals scurry along beside us.

Some people view the summer heat as a time to escape to air-conditioned comfort or the many area pools. We Trail users know, however, that the time to enjoy summer goes by all too swiftly, and we won't be wishing away our opportunities to bask in these dog days while they last.

Happy trails!

Astrid