New section of trail opened

News Intern Ben Dalton covered a dedication of the Schuylkill River Trail's new section in Birdsboro on Friday, July 25. The section was incomplete from Reading to Pottstown before the addition.

I haven't been to the section of the trail yet, but I invite you to check it out. There's not a whole lot to do in Birdsboro (and correct me if you think I'm wrong) so the opening of the trail is definitely beneficial to the area.

Also check out other recreation areas in Berks County: Antietam Lake (Mt. Penn area), Monocacy Hill in Amity Township and the Union Township Recreation Area off of Route 724. I've been to both Monocacy Hill and the Union Township Park and they are great for people who enjoy hiking or just being outdoors.

If you like hiking and history, also check out Valley Forge Park. I went there a few months ago and had a great time. My boyfriend and I looked at the war memorial there. I want to go back and take my camera next time.

For more information, check out these web sites:

Schuylkill River Heritage Area: www.schuylkillriver.org
Antietam Lake: www.berkscountyweb.com/Antietam_Lake.htm
Monocacy Hill: www.monocacyhill.org
Union Township: www.co.berks.pa.us/Union
Valley Forge: www.nps.gov/vafo

Learning about the Schuylkill River Sojourn

Coming this week is an article I wrote about the Schuylkill River Sojourn. I had the chance to see the sojourners stop in the Union Township Recreation Area.
This is the first time I had heard about the sojourn (where people paddle down the Schuylkill River in their kayaks and enjoy entertainment along the way.) I thought it was a pretty neat concept. The total sojourn is more than 100 miles but you get to choose how far you want your journey to be.
A few of the people I talked to said that a lot of the participants come back every year. I can definitely see why. I think it would be relaxing (as long as the weather was nice) to paddle along the river. I like the outdoors for the most part but not camping because I can’t stand mosquitoes and other bugs.
I talked to the sojourners about the heat. As you know, a few days last week were unbearable. The one man I talked to said that it was pretty hot but he didn’t mind it since he was wet from paddling. He said it was difficult to sleep at night. (The sojourners camp out in township and state parks along the way.)
It was nice to see the Union Township Recreation Area also. I was told the boat ramp just opened this spring.
One of the beautiful sights I saw while on the assignment was butterflies.
For more information about the sojourn, check out The Southern Berks News this week.