Patapsco Valley State Park, Orange Grove area

Bobby and I tried out a new park today, or rather, a new area of the extensive Patapsco Valley State Park called Orange Grove. I do not know why it is called that, as oranges certainly do not grow in Maryland. "Blue Crab Grove," certainly, or "Silver Queen Corn Grove" but oranges? Not hardly.

The Orange Grove area boasts a 300-foot (100 meter) bridge suspended over the Patapsco River called the Swinging Bridge. The main trail runs between the Patapsco River and the railroad tracks and leads also to the Bloede dam, the first internally-housed hydroelectric dam. The trail was flat and very easy, but Bobby and I had decided to walk to the Trolley Stop for supper last night, which is about three miles from home, one way. It was a lot of fun, but I think we both appreciated an easy walk today!

We did about two to three miles, I estimate, at Patapsco Valley today, which totals to about eight miles in twenty-four hours. Ai! My legs and feet were sore by the end of it, but it was a good kind of sore--this sounds odd, yes, but will make sense to other athletic-types, I'm sure--not a painful kind of sore. That also probably sounds strange, but to me, there is a difference between "stop what you're doing right now!"-sore and "you've challenged yourself in a pleasant kind of way"-sore.

( Go Take A Hike...with Pictures! (dial-up beware) )