...passing through...

Many people and animals pass through Wildwood Park on their way to another destination. On May 20, I was substitute teaching at Belle Heth Elementary School and had the pleasure of accompanying three third grade classes to Bisset Park so that they could meet their pen pals from Riverlawn Elementary School and get acquainted over a picnic lunch. Mrs. Woolwine knew that I would enjoy the day as much as her students. 

A police escort cleared the short stretch of Second Avenue and Park Road and met us at the school. Students were eager to have the opportunity to walk with me through the Park and see places that I had shown them in photographs.

Walking through the tunnel was quite a noisy time - imagine 60 nine-year-olds trying to out-scream each other. We arrived at Bisset  in time to play a while before our Pulaski County friends got there, but soon students were busy meeting each other, asking lots of questions as they ate lunch together.

Our police escort was called to see us safely out of the park and back up the hill to school. Their small electric car was even able to drive down the bike path to see where we were so that other police officers and regular cars would be ready to guard intersections for us. We declared the day a fun and successful outing!

On Saturday, May 28, bike riders came through the Park as part of  the Wilderness Road Ride. Of course, I was there with my camera to see a few of the participants. Some whizzed by in a hurry. Perhaps riding in tandem allows you to ride faster?

                   Others were more leisurely. Can you guess what a recumbent bike is?

                    All of the bikers were glad to be coming to the end of their day's journey.

When I decided that I had taken enough pictures (Do I ever really take enough?!!) and needed to head home for lunch, I walked up to Main Street to take one more look down into the Park from above the tunnel. Imagine my surprise when I looked down the sidewalk and saw five horses coming along the walk with riders on two of them. Of course, I asked whether I could take photos, and the riders said, "Please do!" Chris and Shauna had begun traveling from Dallas, Texas, on March 8, 2011, and were on their way to New York City. They had decided to take the long journey to get attention for childhood cancer and hoped to raise $3,000.00 $1.00 for each mile of the round-trip) for Heroes for Children. They didn't actually pass through Wildwood but I thought that you would like to see them and  read about them.

NOTE: Be sure to take a look at the sidebar photos to see a few of the dogs that pass through the Park with their owners. Those dogs do their part to help keep their owners in shape!