Healing on the PA Quilt (and Rug) Trails

Recently my housemate took a work trip to Glacier National Monument in Montana. If you have never been to Glacier, it is something you must add to your bucket list (and do it soon as the glaciers are rapidly disappearing). Each day she has been posting photos of the area, which brought me back to my own trip there about ten years ago.

A friend and I decided to participate in a yoga retreat in Helena, Montana with three of our favorite yoga gurus. We planned and saved for a year, deciding to not only go to the retreat but to take extra time and explore Alberta, British Columbia, Idaho and Montana. Seven days before the scheduled trip we were both in a horrific car accident. Our van was hit by a tractor trailer pulling a piece of an overpass to be part of the new interstate. We were rolled and dragged by the tractor trailer, finally coming to a rest on a berm at the side of the road. Traffic was stopped in all directions and police and ambulance summoned. Miraculously we both survived; my friend with a head injury and me with minor injuries, splinters of glass covering my arms, chest and face, broken little toe, whiplash and a moderate amount of pain; yet still alive and still able to climb out of the car before the ambulance arrived.

A few hours later as my friend and I lay in the hospital, surrounded by our families, awaiting results of various xrays, my friend's husband (now ex) declared, "The trip is off!"

At no time was the trip that I had scrimped and saved for was going to be cancelled. I told my friend that I respected her decision but with or without her I was still going. This was to be a driving trip, we had planned on driving about 2,000 kilometers, I decided to use this trip to get over my new fear of being in a car and heal my achy body through the beauty of the Canadian and American Rockies. And heal I did. At first, things were slow going. Because of my injuries it was hard sitting in a car for many hours. I took things slow and listened to my body and discovered some of the most magical, unexpected places. To this day I never have regretted going.

The PA Quilt (and Rug) Trails also has healing magic. As you follow the trail you can drive through lovely Amish country, deeply wooded forest, past full running rivers and some of the most fertile land of this country. The next time you need some healing take some time off of your schedule and follow the trail. Let the healing begin.

The first quilt square for the PA Quilt (and Rug) Trails sits high atop the lovely community of Liverpool, Pennsylvania. Settled in 1808 by the Stailey family, emigrants from Liverpool, England, Liverpool is surrounded by dense woods and a lovely river, Liverpool has many beautiful architectural homes and shops and a historic cemetery. Just a stone's throw from hiking trails including a well maintained "Rails to Trails", Liverpool has an abundance of outdoor activities including hiking, biking, fishing, hunting, canoeing, bird watching and photography as well as many lovely antique shops, wine tastings and restaurants serving locally grown foods and regional dishes. Walk the streets of this lovely burg and see wall murals, a restored train station and a lovely old inn.

Installing Geocache Sites Along the PA Quilt (And Rug) Trails

Finally everything has come together and it's time to knuckle down and install the first two geocache sites along the PA Quilt (And Rug) Trails. According to Wikipedia, geocaching is,"Geocaching is an outdoor recreational activity in which the participants use a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver or  mobile device and other navigational techniques to hide and seek containers, called "geocaches" or "caches""

One style of site indicators that I like is to give localized GPS coordinates and then post several photo clues to get the seeker closer to the cache. This makes the activity more of a treasure hunt than simply looking at a GPS device to find exact placement.

There are several guidelines to follow when selecting a site for a geocache:

1. Permission for placement must be granted by property owner.

2. Geocaches must never be buried.

3. Geocaches must not deface area.

4. Wildlife must not be affected by placement or retrieval of cache.

The cache itself will be placed in a waterproof container. Inside the container will be the following: 

1. A log sheet for geocachers to record their visit.

2. Family friendly contents only.

3. Nothing that will attract wildlife such as food.

4. Nothing that can be damaged by melting, cold.

5. Non liquids

Caches are not to be political, religious, cannot try to sell a product, nor promote a social agenda.

In the next few weeks Beth Miller of Community Partnerships RC&D will be depositing  caches along the PA Quilt (and Rug) Trails. 

A great activity for all ages-with no hidden costs

Enjoy geocaching along the PA Quilt (and Rug) Trails!

You Gotta Have Friends

Become a friend of the 

PA Quilt (and Rug) Trails 

• A $35 donation receives as a thank you:
• 5 notecards featuring scenes from the PA Quilt (and Rug) Trails
• 2 guests passes to exclusive annual PA Quilt (and Rug) Trails party
• Quarterly PA Quilt (and Rug) Trails enewsletter (covering relevant information, announcements and events.)

To pay either send check to:

Community Partnerships RC&D

23 North Main Street

Lewistown, PA. 17044

or pay via Paypal

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PA Quilt Trails

Summer's End

Every August I panic. After months of warm days and still warm evenings, I realize that the fall is about to approach and it is necessary to prepare for cold weather. Do not misunderstand me; I love the cold weather. There is nothing more lovely than cross country skiing through the woods on a day when snow has recently fallen. I love the smell of burning oak in the woodstove. And homemade soups, pumpkins, crisp, tart, juicy apples.

But there is a change of activity and focus from spending all one's time out of doors to the move inside when the weather changes. Summer activities such as swimming and sunbathing become more limited. The PA Quilt (and Rug) Trails, however can be followed year 'round. Autumn leaves add indescribably color to the landscape. The smell of fallen leaves decomposing on the ground is intoxicating.

This fall plan to follow some, if not all of the PA Quilt (and Rug) Trails. Stop at Hunters Valley winery and pick up a bottle to save for the upcoming winter holidays, hike in the Tuscarora State forest. Have a coffee in Vicksburg and look upclose at a remarkable quilt square. Just like a cup of hot tea on a cold night exploring central Pennsylvania via the PA Quilt (and Rug) Trails is warm and inviting.

Send photos and I will post here and on Facebook.

Happy Travels!!

Dinner and a Cupcake

The other day a good friend and I went to a favorite local restaurant for dinner. We decided to order two entrees  splitting both, so we could enjoy the tastes of two entrees instead of one. After a few tastes of both, I decided that one was not to my liking and gladly surrounded my half to my friend. Disappointed, my friend who had chosen the "unliked" meal, was concerned that my dinner was ruined. My reply was, "We also have a  cupcake and any meal that ends with a cupcake is a good meal."

I think of the PA Quilt (and Rug) Trails as meal ending with a cupcake. Each trail site is chosen for its surroundings, culture, beauty and opportunity. Central Pennsylvania is a picturesque  area making the journey to each quilt square memorable. Occasionally roads may be detoured, traffic (though not likely), inclement weather, grumpy passengers, grumbling stomachs, cramps, headache, etc. yet once the trail square location is reached, a delightful trail piece (the proverbial cupcake) awaits the PA Quilt (and Rug) Trails traveler.


Follow the PA Quilt (and Rug) Trails. Don't forget to pack a cupcake!

Inspiration

Because of my interest in quilt trails, I receive notification from Google when even a quilt trail is mention on the internet. I thought it would be great to share some of the photos I have been privy to finding:

 North Georgia Quilt Trail

Barn Quilts of Madison County 

Quilt Trails of Western North Carolina

 

 The Callaway County Barn Quilt Trail / Callaway County, Missouri

 

Miami County, Ohio Quilt Barn Trail / Miami County, Ohio