If, like me, you’re an oldster fortunate enough to be in halfway decent shape, it behooves you to indulge your interests pretty damn frequently. That’s because time sure as shit ain’t on your side. I mean, I envision myself doing my thing for plenty more years to come. But who the hell knows?
Anyway, doing my thing partly involves taking a healthy number of walks, an activity I’ve enjoyed for decades. Villages, forests, beachy coastlines and cities are among my favorite locales to poke around in. When it comes to the latter, I’ve racked up far more miles within Philadelphia than any other. It’s the city I know best, having lived in or near it for most of my adult life.
My latest Philly trek began on the Ides of March an hour after I boarded a train that transported me from my little town, Willow Grove, to Philadelphia’s 30th Street Station. From there it was a short walk to my destination, the Schuylkill River, a lovely, narrow waterway that has its origins in Pennsylvania coal territory and flows southeastward for about 100 miles before reaching and, eventually, partially transecting Philadelphia. At the bottom of Philadelphia, the Schuylkill (both SKOOL-kil and SKOO-kil are accepted pronunciations) says goodbye by emptying into the mighty Delaware River.
With the construction in recent years of walking/biking pathways and parklands that border the river in central and southerly Philadelphia sections, most of the Schuylkill’s east bank in the city now is accessible and available for recreational use. Yet I hadn’t walked alongside the Schuylkill in a long while, a big oversight on my part.
And so, taking advantage of the Ides’ mild temperatures and blue skies streaked with happy clouds, I stretched my legs nicely while looking here, there and almost everywhere. The views were quiet and charming in some areas, such as those near the Philadelphia Museum Of Art. But most of the time I was very aware of the busy, often gritty city surrounding the river. On one long stretch across the river from where I walked, for instance, cars and trucks whizzed by non-stop on the Schuylkill Expressway. And an imposing power plant a block or two from the river wowed me as I neared the pathway’s current southern terminus (funding hasn’t been arranged yet to create pathways and parklands from the current southern terminus to the bottom of the city).
All in all, I walked about three miles, which is one-quarter or so of the total length of Philadelphia’s Schuylkill riverwalk. And I trod a short distance above the river too, having climbed the stairs that lead to the South Street Bridge’s walkway. (The South Street Bridge is one of many bridges in Philadelphia that span the river.)
Man, the sights were impressive from the bridge, because, duh, it’s way up there. As always, I was amazed by the undeniable fact that downtown Philadelphia is a place where towering modern structures and old buildings imbued with character get along absolutely just fine. And the heavy volume of those skyscrapers caught my attention more than it usually does. There weren’t all that many of them until the 1980s, you know. Since then they’ve sprouted vigorously.
What really made my day, though, was the human component. The pathways and lawn areas were by no means overrun, but substantial numbers of people, all of them on their best behavior, were around. I saw walkers, some of them with dogs, some of them pushing baby carriages, some unencumbered. Plenty of bicyclists too, and two guys fishing. And at least 30 joggers, a majority of whom were cute twenty-something ladies. Did I mention they were cute? Girls, wait for me! I know you’ve been praying for a wrinkled, balding geezer to join you.
After giving the matter a little thought, however, I think I’ll skip jogging. For one thing, I don’t enjoy getting sweaty. Plus, jogging might be dangerous to my health, precipitating a meeting between me and my maker, whoever or whatever it might be. Such an occurrence, needless to say, would suck, suck, suck.
I’m going to stick with walking.
(A note: Riverwalks have been constructed along much of the Schuylkill River, not just in the river’s Philadelphia leg. If you’re interested in learning more, click here.)
Yeah, Another Blogger 
you’re doing all the right things, Neil. We’re of a similar vintage. I do gym three times a week and longish walks on two other days but, like you. stay clear of jogging; it keeps us healthy. Neil, in mind and body. Hope we’re good for a long time yet. To paraphrase a Neil Young song: Long may we run 🙂
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I agree!
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Walking is always terrific but probably one of the best forms of exercise as we get older. Great photos. Thanks for sharing your ramble.
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Howdy, Lynette. Right, walking is a pretty good form of exercise, especially when there are some hills involved. See ya. Have a good day!
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Thank you, Neil, for the lovely views and the inspiration to be active! I think gardening is very good too.
Joanna
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It’s good for a person to stay busy with whatever activities give them pleasure. Life’s much better that way.
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I wholly agree!
Joanna
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How do you know meeting you maker would suck, suck suck? Love your photos and your writing.
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Hey there, Cindy. Thanks for the thumbs-up. Appreciated!
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Lovely account. Makes me want to visit your part of the world more and more
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Hi, Basia. My region awaits you!
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I hope we’ve all got many more years in us.
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Hi. Me too.
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😎
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Getting out and about is the thing to do and is even more important these days – not alone because of our advancing years but as a break from the confinements and restrictions imposed by this pandemic. Riverside walks are especially enjoyable. We are fortunate here to have a “greenway” within minutes of home – a discontinued railway line coverted into a walking, jogging, cycling track. It runs for about 45km and will shortly have an addition of about 30 more in one direction with plans for a much longer stretch in the oppositie direction. We’ll need to get into training for those longer stretches! …..Jogging – I’m competely with you on that one; it’s an unnatural thing. Walking is a normal way to get around. Fear or panic would induce greater speed and that would lead to running, acceptable in those circumstances, but jogging is neither here nor there, a bit like golf – a way to spoil a good walk!
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You know, I like golf, but I stopped playing circa 1975. A couple of years before that my golfing skills started to go downhill. I kept getting worse and worse. Finally, I couldn’t take it anymore. So, I quit the game in the middle of a round!
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I played several rounds of “pitch and putt” while in college. The Geography Professor was an avid golfer and had made a course in the grounds. A pairs competition was organised, pairs decided on ranking and I was paired with the professor. I skewed my first shot, snigger, went astray with me second, snigger, and eventually holed after a few more putts, snigger, snigger. I was taken aside and told, “I don’t give a f..k that you’re usless but if you laugh once more you’re going to fail your geography exams!” That was my last game!
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He took the game seriously! You know, though, Paddy, I bet you’d like golf if you took it up. It’s not fun playing in bad weather conditions, but it can be nice on a sunny, warm day.
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No, I don’t imagine I’d enjoy golf – though, if the company were good it might be a different story.
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Let me add, “To the river” has been used colloquially to mean somebody had gone to jump into the river!
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Hola Neil, Those feet are made for walking….Mine were, but the years have decided to give my knees a rest, so its short strolls now. Always enjoy reading your posts. Enjoy while you can. Best wishes. Cheers. x
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Hi, Joy. Short strolls are very good. You can see and do a lot during short strolls. Enjoy!
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The Philly river trail and your enjoyment of it reminds me of the river trail in my neighborhood. I wonder if ours was inspired by Philadelphia’s. Anyway, I’m glad such trails have been built.
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Hey there. I think that a whole lot of river trails have been built all over the world during the last 25 or 30 years. People like them for a bunch of reasons. And, usually, they look good too.
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A lovely river that reminds me of our own Kennebec. I had no idea Philadelphia had such a pretty skyline. That alone is worth the walk.
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The central/downtown sections of Philadelphia are A-OK. And many of the outlying sections are too.
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Love your photos. Spent 40 years walking all around downtown Philly when l worked. Many lunch hours had a picnic lunch by the river near the art museum and azalea gardens.
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You picked a great spot to have lunch in!
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Goes to show a river runs through it, through the city and the mountains, through our limitless dreams.
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You’re right. The planet would be a much less welcoming place without rivers.
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I so enjoyed this walk with you . . . and, needless to say, your photos are lovely. Thank you.
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Many thanks, Tyler. I’m glad you “joined” me on my ramble.
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Super photographs…..your walks are good for you…and for us.
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Afternoon, Helen. One good thing about Philly is that it’s physically huge — so, you never run out of places to walk around in.
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I love that you go so far afield to find new walking places. Me, I walk a lot–2 mikes a day–but it’s always the same path around my neighborhood or on my Peloton.
Well, the tread does have ‘scenic walks’ that take me all over the world!
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Hi. You walk a lot, and that’s the main thing. Walking is good for a person’s health!
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That looks and sounds like a nice riverine excursion, Neil, despite the noise and exhaust along some stretches. I hope that funding will be found to extend the trail beyond its southern terminus.
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I think it will happen. But I suppose there are all kinds of legal issues involved, in addition to raising the funds.
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“Time sure as shit ain’t on your side”. Thanks for the reminder!!! Nice post.
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Yeah, I think about my advancing age a fair amount. I can hardly believe that I’m as old as I am. But, of course, there’s no holding back the hands of time.
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Hey there Neil, Next time take me along. This morning my wife told me I should take a hike. Go figure. Have a great day – good essay. Jerry
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Hi, Jerry. Did you do what your wife told you to do?
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Philly is one city I’m looking forward to visiting when we move back to the east coast in May. Your spring looks like its weeks away. I’m chilled looking at your pictures. 😉
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It’s been pretty cold here the last few days. But the predicted high for tomorrow is 72 or so!
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You’ve inspired me – I’m going to go rambling!
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Go, go, go!
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Three of my grandparents were from PA and lived near that river, and I still have to always look up how it’s spelled. The view from the bridge is great, sounds like the joggers are giving you some incentive to walk there more often!
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Parts of the river trail in Philly are excellent for girl-watching!
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What I like about your outing is taking the train to get there. I miss living in an area with great mass transit. You’re very fortunate. – Marty
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Hey, Marty. The public transit system around here is known as SEPTA. It covers Philly and four surrounding counties. It has taken quite a hit since the pandemic started. Buses, subways, elevated lines, trollies and trains comprise the system.
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Wise decision to stick with walking and not go running after those cute joggers 😀 Based on your beautiful photos (wished they were larger), the walk along the river is quite scenic and looks like a fun place to be on a warm day.
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Hi there. In addition to the riverwalk, there are many parks in Philly, some of them enormous. All of that helps to make Philadelphia quite a fine city.
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Walking is important to me too and we’re lucky to have the canal and the Kelvin, Glasgow’s minor river, on our doorstep. Glasgow has only started in recent years to get to grips with its big river, the Clyde, which was desolate for so long – parts I just wouldn’t walk alone. It’s dispiriting because I have visited so many other cities that make a big thing of their waterfront. It’s improving now, I’m glad to say, but has a long way to go.
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It’s smart public policy for cities to develop their waterfronts and to create riverwalks. Those kinds of things attract visitors and sometimes cause people to move there.
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Thanks for sharing your corner of the world Neil. I too like walking but know that I don’t do it as much as I should. I plan to change that after my upcoming surgery.
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Hi, Lynne. I hope your surgery goes well, and that you’ll be wandering here and there soon after.
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Being born and raised in Reading PA and having worked for one year in Philadelphia back in the 60s, I always enjoy your posts because they bring back good memories. Thanks for the memories of good times back then.
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Hi. Speaking of Philadelphia: if you remember the Horn and Hardart automats, you’d probably like a new documentary called Automat. I saw it in a theater recently. It probably will end up on Netflix or the like, if it’s not already there.
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I remember it well. I will watch for it. Thanks for the heads up.
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I’m with you: no need to run when walking will do….it’s much healthier, especially for those of us who have reached “a certain age!”
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Right — we have to listen to our bodies.
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Wonderful photos, Neil!
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Thanks, Becky. I appreciate that.
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Always my pleasure to view your walks!
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That was a fine walk, Neil! If you haven’t gone in the opposite direction on the same trail, a great time to go is in the next week or so, when the cherry trees along Kelly Drive are in bloom (an excellent photo opportunity, BTW). That part of the trail has a completely different look from the one you were just on—more beautiful, I think—and lots of young women run there, too! I bet you’d like it.
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You know, maybe some day I’ll walk the trail from Boathouse Row to the top end of Roxborough. I’ve never walked on much of that section.
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You took that shot of the cityscape from the bridge, right? (Who else would have? lol)
It’s amazing, that shot. It could be on a bus or a billboard or postcards. What a beautiful day!
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Howdy, Stacey. Right, that photo was taken from the bridge. Great views from up there.
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As the song says…Take me to river…drop me in the water! Well, maybe when it warms up a bit. 😉 Mel
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Well, maybe I’d dip my toes in the Schuylkill River. But not much more than that!
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OK – forewarned is forearmed! 🙂
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Walking is excellent cardio! And that you’re alert and taking pix is definitely good for your blogs and readers. Nice photos!
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Hi. Smart phone cameras are the greatest, because our phones are never far from us. When we want to take a picture, it’s easily and conveniently accomplished.
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I love a good walk. And I do miss Philly – it’s a great city to walk around in.
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That’s true, and more so than ever, because various neighborhoods have gotten better in recent years.
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Thanks for sharing your walk with us. I seriously need to gather some energy and get walking again.
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Hi, and thanks for visiting. Here’s to your upcoming walks!
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Great post and fun to revisit my former stomping ground! Did plenty of walking around there during my college days and later for photography. The museum area, the historic area, the coal piers and Eastern State Penitentiary were some favorite places to shoot.
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Hi, Denise. Philly is a photogenic city, for sure. Where were the coal piers located? On the Delaware River?
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Yes … under them were pillars and tunnels loaded with graffiti. I think they took them down or somehow blocked them off.
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Those are great photos.
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I like the image of the buildings old and new nestled comfortably together.
And with all that exercise, methinks your maker/whatever will keep his/her/its distance. Here’s hopin’!
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Morning, Annie. I was a bit surprised by how fine the views of downtown Philly were from the walkway of the South Street Bridge. Being pretty high above the river really was enlightening!
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I’m becoming more and more impressed by your part of the world. I always enjoy seeing old and new nestled together, and it seems your city planners (or whoever) have done a fine job of it. You’re certainly right that urban trails are being developed everywhere, and it seems that people are taking to them with enthusiasm. I need to do more walking without a camera. When I have the camera with me, I tend to lollygag — fine for enjoyment, but not necessarily so good for the cardiovascular system.
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Hi. A really fine part of Philly is off to the right of the skyscraper photo that I included in the essay. The section I’m referring to is the historic area, where Ben Franklin et al lived and worked in the 1700s. Many of the buildings from that era are still there.
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Couldn’t agree more Neil. From my point of view, walking is fundamental to being a healthy human.
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Greetings, Henry. And it’s the best way to observe things. Even on a bike you’re going too fast to notice much of what is around.
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‘Time sure as shit ain’t on my side’ – didn’t the Rolling Stones sing that? They should now! 😉
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I’ll contact Jagger and Richards and suggest that they write a song about this!
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Never did know how to pronounce that river’s name…..’til now. Nice pictures, too.
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I think the name has a Dutch origin, though I’m not entirely sure about that. Anyway, there’s a Schuylkill County in Pennsylvania too.
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Nice changes to the city. It’s been too long since I was there. You’re right about jogging, it’s hard on older knees. Take care and keep moving. Cheers, Muriel
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Too much strain on the heart, too.
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I’m so glad you’re back to walking around different places and photographing things. That’s my favorite part of your blog ❤
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Thanks, Kathy. One good thing about these walks is that they get me out of the house!
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I love how you take a walk and make it an adventure. I want to be like Neil.
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You’ve made me blush!
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You have found some peaceful places to walk, even in a big city. It must be a pretty vibrant center if those high-rises just started in the 80s. That’s a great shot from the bridge.
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Hi. There were tall buildings in Philly before the 80s. But most of the really tall ones have gone up since then.
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Wow, you have a really nice river walk, Neil. One thing I noticed is no homeless camps. I live in a river town in the Northwest and we have homeless camps everywhere. You city is doing a better job than mine.
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Hi. Many thanks for your input. The homeless situation has been with Philly for decades. There have been various homeless camps in the city over the years. But I’m pretty sure that none of them have been beside either of Philly’s rivers (the Schuylkill and Delaware rivers).
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What a wonderfully varied walk. I think you made the right decision regarding jogging, though. I suspect you’re fitter than you make out, so I doubt it would have resulted in a premature appointment with your maker. Running after youthful girls, however, might have resulted in detention at the convenience of the Philadelphia Police Dept!
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Greetings, George. Your hypothesis about me, the girls and the police is very accurate!
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To the river, indeed, Neil! I love that path! It’s everything beautiful about Philly. xo
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Hi, Pam. I totally agree.
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💜
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I enjoyed the stroll with you – the sights you captured intrigued me, I’ve never been there so it’s fun to see the area through your eyes and thoughts. This is the second post this week where I read about Philly. Rebecca over at RustBeltGirl was just there for the AWP Convention. You might get a kick out of her post. Happy Trails to you 🙂
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Howdy, Shelley. Philadelphia is a pretty neat city. In various ways it has gotten better over the last 50 years. It’s become a foodie mecca, for instance. And the cultural scene has improved a lot too.
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Hi! I was to Philadelphia once. It was due to weather and an unexpected layover overnight. Since it happened at night, I saw very little of the place and didn’t get to enjoy any food.
Your descriptions make it sound like a place I’d enjoy wandering about in. I love to take in all the views like you do, thank you for sharing them with us.
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I would probably attempt to jog and end up walking. Easier to enjoy the view when moving slower. 🙂
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Hi, Betsy. What you say is true — the best way to see things, I think, is on foot.
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Just finished a hike up and down a mountain as I type this. 🙂
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