Day Totals: 16 hrs, 27,4 kms

I'm going to count a couple more "mini-hikes" in Chambersburg as being part of my great Appalachian Superhike:

(3 hours) Night Hike Loop . After an afternoon and evening taking care of the kids, I just need to get out of the house for a bit. So at 11 pm I go for a walk around town. After 5 years in Casablanca where I was always looking over my shoulder even in the middle of the day, I tell you, it feels great to feel perfectly safe walking all over town in the midde of the night--worthy of making this one of my "mini-hikes"

(1 hour) New Shopping Area. In the northwest side of town, thanks to a new freeway exit a few years ago, a vast area of former farmland has been turned into a huge sprawl of strip mall--with every store and restaurant franchise under the sun, each with a sprawling parking lot in front. I've always been annoyed at these developments, which tend to kill Main Streets all over America, as Americans prefer the convenience of a parking lot over the traditional way of shopping where you actually have to do a little walking to go from shop to shop. Now even the Chambersburg Mall is at risk due to this new shopping district (which doesn't have the personality of a Main Street--but at least there's more human interaction than a car-shopping cart-to cash register-to car experience) .

But today I'm not going to feel critical. This is how Americans want to shop... this is how they want their landscape to look like... so be it. In another decade or so, things will change again, there will be a new way of shopping... and on and on in this ever evolving society.

This is what strikes me the most as the contrast between American and European civilization. In Europe, things were built to last... hundreds and hundreds of years. Here... almost every structure I see around me is meant to be disposable. It'll be around a couple of decades--then something completely different will replace it. Always embracing change, always looking for something better, more efficient.

That's the beauty... and the ugliness of America.

(2 hrs) Scotland Avenue: this is where I shared an apartment with a guy in a new development after moving here 8 months ago . Like my Budget Inn experience, mixed feelings about this... I was pleasantly surprised here to find developers going back to a more efficient land use, with townhouses and apartments rather than the typical sprawling yard for each house...

(2 hrs) Snow Hike: This mini-hike obviously took place a long time ago. Of course I had to re-experience Chambersburg under a blanket of fresh snow, and take some pictures...

(2 hrs) Wilson College Woods: A little section of forest tucked inside Chambersburg borough along the stream. Good place for blackberry gathering too...

(6 hrs) Kensington Heights: I decided that my Tour of Chambersburg would not be complete without a pilgrimage to Kensington Heights, a development away from town, snuggled against the Letterkenny Army Depot. Why? Because I worked here in construction for a summer back in 94, at a critical crossroads in my life.

So off I go, past very familiar territory I used to pass every day on my bicycle .... The cemetery on Franklin Street... the dangerous turnoff at the ridge to Edenville road... Hamilton Heights market, a hoagie shop--pretty much the only place to buy anything in this area. There are a lot of houses up this way and I wish there were some shops etc to give it more of a "town" feel than just sprawl.

However, along the perimeter of Kensington Heights, I do notice a postive side to suburban development: in contrast with the surrounding area, which is all treeless farmland, Kensington Heights looks more like a dense forest, with a thick grove of trees all along the perimeter (although an aerial view will show something different!) So it actually does add rather than detract from the beauty of the general landscape...

Then the road abruptly ends at the fence surrounding the Army Depot--luckily there's a dirt road I can follow to look around back towards the development, where I stop at a house under construction, to reminisce on old days ...

Overall, the work experience here was a positive one--although that was a confusing time in my life, as I discussed in my Scotland, Pennsylvania entry a few months ago. I'm glad I walked back here to pay homage to an important phase in my life.

I wander around the development to see if I can pick out the houses I worked on and remember my experiences and mishaps during my summer as a construction worker...

And with that, I loop on back towards the Heart of Chambersburg, and officially declare this town FULLY explored and re-explored. Now it's time to set my eyes on the Northeast for a new chapter in my Appalachia journey.

Post-visit Chambersburg (0076): Family activities 1
June 15, 2014
Day totals: 14 hrs, 0 kms

Or maybe not... I figure some of my family adventures around town should be counted as part of this adventure as well--particularly as this is where my 7 year old daughter had many first time experiences after coming here to the US .

Let's start with our winter adventures... going outside for a first walk in the snow... enjoying the Christmas lights downtown... the Ice Sculpture festival with an ice slide she really enjoyed...

Post-visit Chambersburg (0076): Family activities 2
June 16, 2014
Day totals: 14 hrs, 0 kms

Some summer firsts: bicycling together to the park... heading to the stream just 2 blocks away to float downstream on a raft together (something I'd always wanted to do here in Chambersburg, but felt I would look silly doing it as an adult by myself... so having kids CAN actually help me enjoy more adventures!)... going hiking in the forest... blackberry picking... firefly catching... fireworks watching...

Yeah... vicariously enjoying a child's "first" experiences with them can certainly be an adventure as well.

NOW I'm done exploring Chambersburg...