In and Around Salem

Traveling outside our area is on our agenda this summer.  However, we are taking advantage of activities we can do in and around our hometown.  The beauty of our schedule is we can devote afternoons to family activities--something that is not possible during the school year when we are both working.

Whether it is something simple like a walk to the Circle K to get slurpies or something more intensive like a day hike, we are seizing these opportunities.  It has helped our family become reconnected after a busy (and sometimes anxiety ridden) spring.

Rob and I are both planners.  I love written schedules on white boards, my ipad calendar, written to do lists on notebook paper and beeping reminders telling me when to leave for an event.  This summer, I am appreciating last minute scheduling and keeping a condensed to do list with no crunching deadlines.

Some activities we did this week...

The pool!  The past couple years we have had a 30 day membership to our local community pool.  That means "milking it for all its worth" and going every single day.  One day last summer I was huddled in a sweatshirt and jeans watching the kids swim because I wanted my money's worth. This summer, it is nice to go a few times a week.  

Riding the Riverfront Park Carousel.  We are attending a church that is located downtown.  So we started a summer tradition of staying downtown and going to a park afterwards.  We went to Riverfront Park and the kids rode the carousel.  The youngest rode on the new giraffe.  I have sweet memories of taking infants and toddlers on this same carousel.  It is nice they can ride alone because this 40 year old body gets dizzy going round and round while up and down at the same time.

We hiked the Croisan Creek trail which is practically in our neighborhood.  It is a less than five minute drive to the trail head.  We walked a little ways past the trail to Nelson Park.  This is one of my favorite parks because it is on a bunch of rolling hills not far from River Road.  The play equipment is a mix of old school and modern.  

In the summer time, neighbors often leave cardboard boxes at the top of one of the hills.  You can actually "sled" down the hill and pick up some speed. 

We realized some of the weeds at the bottom of the hill cling and stick to nylon athletic shorts.  Which we did our best to pull out. It is an advantage to wear jeans.

I did my first ride of the summer (and second ride ever) with the Salem Bicycle Club. I am training for an Olympic distance triathlon (which you can read more about on my tri blog).  Finding others to ride with has always been a challenge.  Biking in our town solo is not very safe because we have few bike paths that are more than four miles long.  As I increase my mileage, I am cycling a ways outside the city.  I would rather have a buddy or at least a small group of people with me.  Many of my triathlon friends are on different schedules and not always available.  I managed to get in 28 miles.  Like I found with running and especially swimming, you improve significantly when you are exercising in a group with people more experienced.

 

Then on Tuesday, the cat was not too thrilled to wear a red bandana in celebration of the 4th of July.  Her fashion accessory was quickly disregarded.

We did enjoy going to the 4th of July parade in Independence.  Candy was gathered was by all.  The weather was absolutely perfect:  hot but not the crazy heat we got two weeks ago.

We joined some friends for a backyard barbeque and a dip in their pool.  Then we headed downtown for the fireworks.

We got there early enough so we could relax in the park, listen to local music, play Egyptian Rat Race and Speed, and read books.

And the fireworks well worth the wait.  Salem put on a great show. We were pretty impressed.  

Beyond that, normal summer days continue.  The kids are racking up summer reading hours hoping to win some raffle prizes.  We are enjoying the slower pace.