Once, on a rare day off work, I decided to take a long walk.  One of the places to do this in the Lehigh Valley is the Saucon Rail Trail.  At the moment it doesn’t quite reach Bethlehem, so if you start from that end, you go south.  I noticed something on my long walk.  On the northern end of the trail there are informational signs.  One of the favorites that I spotted is this one, on dinosaurs of the Saucon Valley.  Some of the others are town names and commemorations of the rail stations that are no longer there.  There’s one of these in Hellertown and another in Bingen.  Educational signs are one of the simple pleasures in life.  It was a long walk, however, and I was just getting started.  The trail skirts along some wealthy properties.  During the fall, these often display right-leaning signs and banners.  As you head in that direction, the educational signs disappear.

More “private property” signs show up.  If you go far enough, “Residential area: please keep the noise down” (I don’t recall the exact wording) signs appear.  It seems less friendly.  Then “No Loitering” signs.  I was disappointed on my long walk, but not surprised.  My understanding of local politics are that the northern part of the trail leans blue.  Indeed, it too is a residential area, but there were no shushing signs, just educational ones (and the necessary ones about trail rules).  In fact, some property owners put out whimsical, occasionally interactive, diversions to amuse walkers, bikers, and joggers.  The near southern section goes through deep red territory.  The signs are less friendly, at least as far as I went.

I didn’t walk the entire length of the trail; it’s seven-and-a-half miles.  In my post-Nashotah days of shock I used to jog nine miles, but I’ve had a desk job far too many years and my daily jogs are now down to one or two.  I’m curious if the trend continues.  The Saucon Rail Trail used to be part of the North Pennsylvania Rail Road.  There’s a bit of history along the trail.  The Thomas Iron Company used to have a factory on the northern end of the path.  I see from the map that it also skirts DeSales University.  Perhaps, if I ever retire, I’ll be able to work back up to walking the entire distance.  Maybe by then there’ll be more friendly signs than warning ones.  But then again, I could be a dinosaur.