President's Picnic

President’s Picnic

When I was approximately 4 years old, I went to discover Richard Nixon state park for the first time in my life. There was some activity is being lead for youth education at the time, as we took an interesting personality test to discover what dinosaur we were most like. We then were asked to draw that dinosaur, and the best-looking dinosaur want some sort of prize. To this day, I have the artistic capabilities of figgy pudding, so I did not win the prize. However, inside their ecological Center, I did learn a lot that day about the evolution of species throughout time.

I Revisited Richard Nixon park for the first time since then when I was 22. The ecological Center has ex‐ panded to include exhibits on flora and fauna around the United States and in this part of Pennsylvania that I live in. I stopped by because I wanted to go on a hike and see what their Trails were like, as I had a serious Edge to go out and go hiking one day but no way to fill it without too far of a drive. So, my friend Brett and I found ourselves out at Richard Nixon Park, hiking one of their shortest trails.

This state park has several trails that all loop around or through the periphery of the park and then some. That was transfer time, we decided to take the shortest trail that cut through the center of the park. There were actually a couple of switchbacks on this little Trail, but it eventually led to an open field with a platform in but it eventually led to an open field with a platform in the center of it. I still don't top of the platform and felt omnipotent. I also found a caterpillar on the platform and made friends with it, shooting some pictures before letting him go on the nearby plant.

Before I knew it, time for me to go to work had to come. I knew that before long I would come back and Hike more of the trails one day, still thoroughly impressed at how far Richard Nixon park has come. I will come back to the park to do more hiking as time permits in my hectic schedule and life course.

My Visit to Knoebels

At age 22, I'd only been to a handful of amusement parks. I am an adrenaline junkie, and I love the feeling of falling out of the sky, but I just haven't had the money or time to take extended trips to go see amusement parks. At this point in time though, at the age of 22, I had already been to Knoebels, and it was time for me to go again. But this time, I would be going with my then girlfriend, who became a "BACA Child", or a kid who receives the services of Bikers Against Child Abuse. As such, I'll be sharing a bit about Knoebels and Baca both.

BACA (Bikers Against Child Abuse) began in 1995 when John Paul Lilly, known as the chief, noticed that a lot of his pediatric abuse patients still felt insecure in their neighborhoods and especially around their perpetrators. He noticed that whenever he rode his motorcycle with his friends, children felt safer and protected when he was around them. And so, he took one of his most favorite patients and invited some 40 bikers to the child house one day. The mother later reported that the child started riding his bicycle around the neighborhood again for the first time in months. The organization grew in popularity when a sexually abused child had to sit in court and testify against her father, who was also her abuser. BACA was there to stand behind her and support her every step of the way, and she became one of the most noteworthy BACA children.

Fast forward to 2016, where my girlfriend's PTSD regarding her father and his abuse has become so severe that it keeps her awake at night. She enlists to become a BACA child, quickly becoming part of the family, and before I know it, there are some 20 bikers or so at my house with her when I get off of work one day. I'm introduced to all of them, whom retain Anonymous identities for the sake of Health privacy, and do the same, giving me a nickname later that day. I became 'FIT', as I wanted to fit in and be physically fit. A month later, they have their annual picnic an amusement park they at Knoebels. I loved Knoebels the last time I went when I was 17, so I couldn't resist going.

Owned and operated by the Knoebels family since 1926, located in Elysburg Pennsylvania is Knoebels Amusement Park, the largest free admission amusement park in America. Although they have seen Leaps and Bounds over their career, they have long-standing Ben a family fun place for everybody, including roller coasters, a large water park, kids rides, haunted house attractions, and live entertainment. Going with BACA, my girlfriend and I got several bags full of Free Ride tickets, as well as free food. As such, the only thing I had to pay for the entire day was cotton candy. Needless to say, it was an awesome concept that I wasn't going to complain about.

Their oldest wooden roller coasters where the Phoenix and the tornado, and both will send you for a loop. No pun intended. There are two log flume rides are also and there are plenty of. Parking is also expansive, and even better yet, it is free. You can literally just walk around the park for the entire day and not get on any rides and not spend a dime. Or you can get a wristband for a day and spend $28, much better than any other amusement park I can think of. Whatever you decide, you will have a blast.

When the day is done, they have cheap catering services around every corner, and a family picnic & Campground. Staying the night there is also rather cost-efficient, as they have some of the cheapest camping fares Pennsylvania. It is family friendly, fun, and full of fantasy... And absolutely worth a visit if you can make it up there.

Park Contemplations

One day in April, I was working on my book at a local park. I was using my voice text on my phone to type up notes concerning the book I was writing about dementia care at the time. When I got to the park, there were two groups of children playing on the big toy and the swingset respectively. From being out in nature and typing my notes, catching up on some much-needed Vitamin D from the winter months, I noticed a couple of things:

1) Kids actually still go outside.

In process of getting older, although only 23 at the time, I've grown quite cynical of generations below me. Just as the generation before me was under the assumption that Millennials would amount to very little, I was under the impression that the Youth of Generation Z would be hiding and doors, engaging an antisocial activities and sitting on their cell phones and Xbox all day long. I was happy to note that this was not the case, and that on a wonderful day such as today, they were still outside enjoying the Sun at each other's company.

2) The youth in 2018 used much more vulgarity.

when I was a kid, if you use any sort of vulgar language, your mouth got smacked. Now, I would place these children at about 7 to 12 years old, and they swear like sailors. Very fascinating.

3) Their language is much more inclusive then the generations before.

I actually overheard a conversation with two of the older kids as they were talking about lgbtq and trying to identify who in the group might be. They talked about it openly, however, which is something that would have never happened when I was their age. this could potentially be the beginnings of positive culture change.

4) They still play games together.

One group of children were sitting at the big toy chatting away together, and another group went up to the basketball court to play kickball together. I'm so glad to see that kids are still going outside and participating in Pro social activities and games together, as I thought it was a long lost art myself. I just hope this continues for years to come.

I am by no means whatsoever bashing on any one particular generation or group of individuals in general. I am simply noticing observations I made about the world around me in recent years. Things are changing rapidly, and sometimes, I feel as though I cannot keep up. However, that's for the way the world is going, it's not as bad as people interpret it to be. Kids still have the ability to have kids, and exercise that right freely. We are all getting older, there's nothing we can do to change that. So it's important to remember to slow down and enjoy the sunlight at the park once in awhile.

Green Acres... sorta?

After a short-lived Excursion to New York, I visited my friend who lives in East Greenville, Pennsylvania. It is a small town with not much more than a Walmart, is single run down movie theater, a local Burger Shop, a Main Street, a project Zone, and a few local gift shops. I was visiting my friend Hayden from college, as I promised him that I would make a visit to see him. 

There wasn't a whole lot to offer in this little town, but it was still incredibly enjoyable. It is situated about 20 minutes from Quakerville with the big Amish markets, Landisdowne, which is another small family-oriented town, Montgomery Mall in Montgomery County, and Dorney Park. Over the next few days, when not sitting at home watching movies with my friend, I would be exploring all of these areas with him. Although a small town with little activity is occurring, it was a delightful visit, and somewhere I might likely stop by again one day on my way up North.

Such a beautiful little shop!

Although there isn't much to discuss regarding the town, it was still a nice getaway for a couple of days. Anything outside the normal sights of York Pennsylvania was good enough for me at this point in time. This small But Mighty Town also has probably the single biggest Walmart I've ever stumbled upon in my entire life, for whatever interesting reason. This is one of many small towns that can be found in Montgomery County Pennsylvania, and it's definitely worth a visit for anybody who likes the feel of the small town.

Another York Park

Gifford Pinchot state park is a large State Park and central Pennsylvania dedicated to family usage. Several events are held here every summer regarding concerts and camping trips, as there is a lot of land and a lot of camping they can be done. In the center of the park is a large lake, which you can feel free to rent out a kayak and go on, or bring your own kayak. They also have rental paddle boats there, which can be used to take a swirl around the lake.

Surrounding the lake and the park itself are several miles worth of hiking trails, as well as a starting point to the northern part of the Heritage Rail Trail. The hiking is very light and family-friendly. When hiking, you can also see a large outdoor Frisbee Golf Course as well as some of the camping locations, cabins, and Yurts. If you are into Pokémon go, there are plenty of Pokémon that are found there as well, especially rare ones.

So ladies and gentlemen, pack your bags and picnic baskets, visit the Nature Center, go on a hike, and learn about the wonders of environmental chemist Gifford Pinchot. Because of this man's Legacy, York has a large portion of land dedicated to recreational use, to be untouched by modern life. Come by for a hike or a campout when you get the chance, and enjoy the process of slowing down.

Another Park in York

Gifford Pinchot state park is a large State Park and central Pennsylvania dedicated to family usage. Several events are held here every summer regarding concerts and camping trips, as there is a lot of land and a lot of camping they can be done. In the center of the park is a large lake, which you can feel free to rent out a kayak and go on, or bring your own kayak. They also have rental paddle boats there, which can be used to take a swirl around the lake.

Surrounding the lake and the park itself are several miles worth of hiking trails, as well as a starting point to the northern part of the Heritage Rail Trail. The hiking is very light and family-friendly. When hiking, you can also see a large outdoor Frisbee Golf Course as well as some of the camping locations, cabins, and Yurts. If you are into Pokémon go, there are plenty of Pokémon that are found there as well, especially rare ones.

So ladies and gentlemen, pack your bags and picnic baskets, visit the Nature Center, go on a hike, and learn about the wonders of environmental chemist Gifford Pinchot. Because of this man's Legacy, York has a large portion of land dedicated to recreational use, to be untouched by modern life. Come by for a hike or a campout when you get the chance, and enjoy the process of slowing down.