Parks and Recreation

My 2-year-old enjoys going to the park. She usually questions which one we are going to play at soon after I announce we are making the journey. Her geographic sense has grown and her predictions have become quite accurate. Mixed in with those predictions remains a bombardment of random thoughts and ideas.

To round out August, our family went in pursuit of new parks. The Johnstown region is full of recreational opportunities and we picked a sunny day to set out. I got behind the wheel of the Subaru and the chatter began.

Our first stop was at Laurel Ridge State Park. The Laurel Highlands hiking trail stretches 70 miles from Johnstown to Ohiopyle. I have hiked sections of the trail over the years and have enjoyed the challenging climbs and scenic terrain. On this afternoon, my wife played the role of Clark. I was Lewis. Our children were the sleepy cargo.

We did not walk far, but walked far enough to feel a parental escape. My cargo missed a gray squirrel firing through the ferns. She would have loved this National Geographic moment, but she needed her afternoon nap. My wife's cargo was snug as a wilderness bug. For fifteen minutes, we found freedom in the forest and our kids snoozed through the sunshine. We loaded the car back up and journeyed over Ligonier Mountain.

As a former Ligonier resident, I never experienced the Friendship Park of today. Recently renovated, this is a colorful and colossal park. My 2-year-old, fresh out of hibernation, attacked this new frontier. Minutes into her mad dash, she turned her bobbing blonde head toward me and stated, "Dad, this is amazing." She proceeded over the wobbly bridge.

And, fittingly, we made some friends. I served as lookout in follow-the-leader. I later led an expedition for acorns. Days later, my eldest and wisest daughter slept with a prized acorn from this trip. Oh, the glory of childhood.

At the end of the week, I returned to Friendship Park and ran the Ligonier Valley Trail at sunrise. This flat course runs through cow country and then hugs the road. It was a great way to start the day. I have been fortunate enough to build friendships stretching from Johnstown to Ligonier. I am appreciative of the people who preserve our parks and support the trail systems scattered throughout our stretch of land.

When my daughter called Friendship park "amazing" it was not an exclamation. She stopped and calmly uttered her viewpoint. It made me smile. I did not have much time to appreciate her analysis. We had to get across that bridge and attack the next obstacle.

Seize the day. Pursue the park. Be amazing.