21 Comments
Feb 20Liked by Thomas Pluck

That looks like so much fun!

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Beautiful, love this!

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Sounds like an Excellent Excursion™️!

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Thomas, What fun. D

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founding
Feb 19Liked by Thomas Pluck

Ok first of all, Dracula, call me after you call that other person.

Second, these are *fabulous* pictures and descriptions and it makes me so happy to see you and Antonia and a bunch of other walkers & artists so happy.

Third, hold up, you saw groundhogs?

And finally, so cool you’re going to Montana in September! Can’t wait to read/hear more about it.

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There was a groundhog living by Graffiti Pier. We were milling around semi-preparing to start walking again and he scurried up the hillside. Disappeared into the hole for a minute but peeked back out. Tom's picture is probably the best one!

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founding
Feb 19Liked by Thomas Pluck

I love that he took a brief peek back at y’all — curious in both directions! ❤️

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This groundhog DGAF about us. They were in their hole watching us for minutes. They weren't afraid of us or their shadow!

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Sorry but I’m in Philly and writing that graffiti is like an art gallery is the most ridiculous woke nonsense I’ve read this week. It’s trash and vandalism. Good grief, please come back at night and meet some of these artists in person. They’ll make art of you too.

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I normally don't argue with people who use fake names, but in your racist dog-whistle case, I will make an exception. The artists were there painting, and no one attacked me. Or tried to take my expensive camera. Or panhandle. Some of the people I walked with actually live in Kensington, you would have been terrified. I flirted with Libertarianism in my youth, but thankfully I grew up. I hope someday you will, too. Also, LOL woke? anyone who uses that word is a troll-child who needs to get out and walk more.

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I so wanted to do this walk after reading it about it on Nia's post, so thanks for the vicarious enjoyment of your walk. That street art is robust, to be sure! I love the way the old industrial edgs of cities meet natural areas like rivers. There's so much life there, despite the decades of abuse. We have a lot of similar shoreline in Baltimore, although nothing like Graffiti Pier.

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Maybe Baltimore next time, Julie ... 💖

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I love this. Antonia is one of my favorite people and seeing you two together makes me very, very happy.

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Back atcha, Chris. ☺️💚

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I look forward to seeing you both in Montana!

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❤️

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Oh my gosh, Tom, I LOVE this! You have no idea what a similar smile to that top photo this all brought to my face, alone in my office while everyone else in my house is asleep (although there is a very persistent chickadee outside). I was really hoping you were going to share your Graffiti Pier pictures, since you had a great camera and knew what you were doing. 😀

There is so much to be happy about and respond to here. I've been thinking about how to write about this walk, but mostly I'd rather read what you wrote here, about what walking brings us and how it throws some serendipity and meeting-the-world-as-it-is-ness into our lives. That leaves me free to also own the grumpiness I was trying to quelch as the prospect of a bite to eat and a cold drink got further away. 😅 The tater tots I eventually found were a lifesaver but came pretty late in the evening. Despite my aching knee, I'm glad you and I got to linger back and have more conversation.

My only two regrets are that we didn't take the route that would have gone where those people were fishing (don't know why, I just wish I had despite or maybe because of the no trespassing warnings), and that I didn't dunk in the river like JJ did. I know it's probably a health hazard. But meeting water is . . . well, it's meeting water. And I'm excited to see you on your trip out west later this year!

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We could have gone down there but why bother people fishing? Or attract attention to them, if it was trespassing. If you want to meet the Delaware River, up by the Water Gap is the way... and I think you said you have? If you visit again, the Pine Barrens isn't terribly far from the New Jersey Bayshore, which is the best view of Delaware Bay.

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Very true. They looked like they were having a very nice day, as were we!

I have been to the Water Gap. When we lived in upstate New York. It was beautiful, but yes, I still really, really want to see the Pine Barrens after all you're writing about them.

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It's not going anywhere. Any time you are near NY or Philly, let me know. I love gallivanting in the Pines. I'll give you the grand tour!

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🚲🚶🏻‍♀️🌿

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