Well, Team Liberty Bell 13-strong made it! All the way from Central Park in NYC to the Liberty Bell in PHL. Nine days, 120+ miles. (Jury is still out on how many miles we actually walked. Stay tuned as Al and Annie check what their machines recorded as our actual mileage.)
Today Competent Captains du Jour Barb, Barbara, Kathleen (with help from Judy who was on her childhood turf) walked us from Holiday Inn Express to Market East Station for train ride to East Falls to begin, on this Loveliest of Spring Days, our walk to Liberty Bell destination. We walked along the Schuylkill River, past The Pilgrim, Boathouse Row, Oarsman John B. Kelly, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia Free Library, LOVE sculpture, Ben Franklin.
We arrived at the Liberty Bell 3:35 pm, APR 12, 2014. Group picture of us by Cousin Steve outside Independence Hall, then on for The Grand Finale Lunch at City Tavern where greatness had wined and dined before us: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, etc. The latter dubbed City Tavern “The most genteel tavern in America”. We found it “genteel” enough but mainly it was just fun. See pics re history, menus, etc.
Great Big Thank You to Keith for making our journey comfortable and safe. He rented a van to scout our route, to transport our luggage to the next hotel, to be available for rescue if we needed him. (Fortunately a service we seldom needed.) He oversaw the lunch arrangements at City Tavern and even designed the Aries birthday cake. On one of his periodic checks on us on our route, when I ended the phone call with “I love you,” Team Liberty Bell yelled into the phone, “We all love you.”
We do! Thank you, Luv, for supporting and encouraging my antics all these years.
And, of course, how ever do Marjorie and I thank you all for walking with us to make our 75th so memorable?
When and if we ever “catch our breaths”, let’s add some more things (pics, funnies, observations, memories) to the blog. Send it all to Al to post or, I suppose in a pinch!, we ourselves could learn to post.
Stay tuned.
Enjoy the pics.
BestFeetForward, aka Kathy
*** Click on any image to open gallery and view full sized images ***
Ben Franklin Bridge in the background.
Independence Branch Library – PHL.
Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence here in the Graff House.
Thomas Jefferson wrote Declaration of Independence on this site.
W. C. Fields = a Philadelphian.
In Market East Train Station.
Grand Finale Day.
Harry contemplates the truth thereof at Cinnabon at Market East Station.
On the train to East Falls, PA.
On the train to East Falls, PA.
We arrive at East Falls to begin our final day of walking. Into lovely Philadelphia via trail along the Schuylkill River.
Traipsing along the Schuylkill.
Fish stencils.
Common Carp Cutout – on the Schuylkill.
Turtles sunning on the Schuylkill River.
Captains du Jour (Kathleen, Barbara, Barb) cogitating.
Grouped around John B. Kelly, Olympic Champion and father of Actress Grace Kelly.
John B. Kelly and the my shadow.
Art
Tree as art.
Striding along the Schuylkill River.
The Pilgrim by Augustus St. Gaudens.
The Pilgrim
Boathouse Row – read the sign.
Al, Lady Di, Diane enjoy ice cream break.
Marjorie and Harry take an ice cream break.
In back of Philadelphia Museum of Art.
From the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
Philadelphia Free Library.
LOVE in the City of Brotherly Love – by Robert Indiana.
Benjamin Franklin – Craftsman
Alexander Calder plaque but where is the sculpture?
Wedding in PHL.
Marjorie’s and my Mirror/mere images.
3:35 pm April 12, 2014 Independence Hall, PHL.
Liberty Bell through the glass.
Barbara and Cheryl catch a glimpse of The Bell.
We finish walking. Near the Liberty Bell. In front of Independence Hall.
Group in front of City Tavern, Philadelphia, PA.
Aries Birthday Cake designed by Keith.
Barbara, Barb, Judy, Annie, Diane, Lady Di, Kathleen, Louise give their orders to Leah.
Happy Birthday to 5 Aries: Judy, Kathy, Al, Keith, Marjorie.
Events Coordinator Tahera welcomes us.
Marjorie and Kathy complete the Central Park to Liberty Bell Walk on APR 12, 2014, in celebration of their 75th.
Independence Hall seen thru a Glass Darkly.
Harry and Al: our “token” gentlemen walkers who each added his “spark” to Team Liberty Bell.
Team Liberty Bell celebrates at City Tavern in PHL.
