“Chester Valley trial,” let’s start our walking stories from Exton. Exton Park is just 4 miles away from our home. I think We started visiting the park the year we came to Pennsylvania. We can walk, and the kids can play in the park. They have a few slides and swings. There are big playgrounds close to that. Kida plays cricket, soccer, and some others too. Sometimes there will be crowds with parents and grandparents.
Summer is more into walking after winter and fall’s cold weather. Our exploration of the closeby parks begins then. We used to google and find close by places of interest. Some evenings we used to carry food from home and sit on ht bleachers (Esha taught me that word)in the playground. Spending time with family outside the home- is a togetherness we all like.
We used to see people on bikes, skating boards, and walkers on the trail. Completing their daily exercises - improves their health. Since Esha was a baby, we didn’t try a long walk. Now Esha is grown, and Sidhu can ride with Esha. So we started taking bikes to the park, we walked, and they rode. Thus we started covering small, small distances to both sides of the park.
When we were in India, Sumeshettan started going walking, taking his camera with him. And when we are back, we all set out to walk. A much longer walk. And this year we started covering more distances. After locking the car (I heard some theft happening in the park), we started walking to the left, crossed Swedesford Road, Phoenixville Road, and Battle of Clouds, and stopped at East Whiteland Township. Together we covered five and a half miles. Chester Valley trail is long, and it covers Chester County and Montgomery County passing through different places that we used to see on our drive through the highways.
One day after our small outing with Wyntree Brooke friends (Rohini, Chaithra, Latha, and Menaka), we walked from Philadelphia Park towards Esat Whiteland Township. I was excited and told Sumeshettan about the way that we already knew, and that is close to Chaitra’s home.
So we decided to park our car at the Township parking and started covering the next miles from there. We did this in the evening after all our work and when Sidhu and Esha were at home. The next destination was a place a few miles away from there. We found Wegmans at Malvern and decided to walk back that day, hoping to park our car at Wegmans. So the next day, straight to the Wegmans parking lot. Parked our car there, and Esha’s favorite Target, too, was close to that. The path was good, with stretches of highways and trees on either side.
We passed Vanguard and walked further straight. The next day was our trip to Niagara. We have been there a couple of times, but Esha was too small. She wants memories, so we planned the Niagara trip with two more areas of interest. One to Letchworth Park and another to Watkins Park. Both were interesting, and we enjoyed the trip a lot (Niagara stories later).
Sumeshettan was excited to tell about the roads that cross down the path. He learned about the highways and its exit, and I am really bad at it. Always GPS saves me, but I will exit from some roads even if I don’t have to exit. If I was driving, he used to tell me that I would be kicked out of the car if I exited, where I didn’t have to do so. Before, Esha used to tell Sidhu if I miss some road that Amma is taking us through ghostly places, Etta, we have to be careful. Now she stopped telling me that and started clapping for me if I completed a successful drive.
Again, back to our trail. We want parking for the next day’s walk. We found one,1055 West Lakes. They have parking lots for the hotel and Chester Valley trail. There were a lot many peoples on the trail with family, friends, cyclists as a group, people with leashed dogs, and many others. Everyone is busy with their things, but it feels like a community of trailers/walkers. Our walk that day ended when Esha said she needed to go back; she didn’t take her bike. But we reached contention ln and returned.
A hat, water bottles, some homemade snacks, and trail mix can help you from heat and hungry, and it worked out for us. The next day we wanted Sidhu to come with us. He is always busy with his assignments and games. Without much argument, he was ready, and we all went to 1055 Westlakes.
From 1055 WestLakes, we walked 5 miles at a stretch; Sidhu and Eshawere on their bike, They were far ahead, but I called them to make sure that they were on the path. They are smarter than us. They crossed small xing crossings and will wait for us. We crossed PennMedicine Valleyforge, then to Chesterbrooke, and finally, we found a park and ride.
It was just 2.75 miles for Sidhu and Esha to finish the trail, but they, too, were tired. But they rode 12 miles — a big clap to Sidhu and Esha. On the way back, we bought Icecream from Esha’s favorite Kiwi Yogurt, a place she wants to work when she is in high school.
On Saturday, we went to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island (from our bucket list). The trip was good, and Esha was so excited to see the statue.
4th of July was yesterday, and we want to finish our Chester Valley trail. The morning after having our black tea, we both, without taking Esha and Sidhu, went to the parking lot, and KOP mall was seen from there. These all are excitements for me. I feel more comfortable on trails or walks rather than heavy traffic roads or highways. We started, and Sumeshettan was a bit worried about parking the car and going. But we want to walk. That, too, was a long walk. Covered 4 miles, and we reached Bridgeport. A town close to Manayunk and Norristown SEPTA. Schuylkill River check dam is on the way. There is an ice cream parlor and a muffins shop in the town — both of our choice. The ice cream parlor was closed, and we went to the Muffins shop. We ordered regular coffee and a single egg. Video called Sidhu and Esha; they are at home. They had their French toast and milk. The Conshohocken trail is only 3.6 miles, and the trail to downtown is 24 miles. We completed our 18-mile trail. Met, but didn’t talk, different people from different countries on the walk and each walking through their life. There were more small stories and excitement in each walk. We always have the urge to move forward, a curiosity that takes us to walk through new places. Yes, there are more trails to walk and enjoy. Need to plan……