Gamelands & Beltzville State Park (25-Feb-2016)

With heavy rains last night, my choices were extremely limited of places to go. The rivers and streams are all very high and clean-ups along most would currently be unproductive. This left me at Beltzville yet again. I think I am very close to having done at least one clean-up at every access there is around the lake. I started at another section of gamelands and took the worn down path through the corn field above. 

The path continued on through the brush to the water and at that point I started finding trash. As every other access to the lake there were chicken liver containers, water bottles and more.

How is it that finding full Gatorade bottles is a common thing? We are so incredibly wasteful. The item on the right I found soon after the gatorade bottle. In this case I just imagined this litter's day. He or she went to the convince mart, picked out a nice sandwich, grabbed some live bait and a pack of smokes. Then it was down to the lake for a leisurely day with a line in the water and oh that sandwich. Probably egg salad and only a couple days past expiration, but I am sure they enjoyed it. Then the rest of their afternoon was spent just puffing away at the entire pack of Marlboro lights. Not a single fish was caught, but they considered the day a success. As the sun went down they packed up the fishing gear and neatly packed away there garbage and tossing it into the brush as they started up the trail. Yes, I do sometimes imagine in more detail than this how specific trash items got to where I find them. You collect trash enough days in a row, you probably would too.

This is just what was near the water. I could see more in the thick brush and multiflora on both sides down the bank, but it is something that I would need to take care of in the kayak with the tongs. The lake was high today as well, I might possibly be able to do more once it lowers to average levels. 

In the gravel on the shore was this bead necklace. It matched Penny's color so I put it on her to see if she liked them. She calmly posed for this photo and proceeded to try to take it off. I helped her with that and added the necklace to the pack.

This was a lot of trash for the small area that I had covered and I know I couldn't even get to everything that was there. Do people enjoy fishing surrounded by a bunch of trash? 

I stayed at the same gamelands for the second venture for trash. This time I took paths up the lake. In this photo it is clear the lake is a little higher than normal. 

Someone didn't have a good day fishing. This reel was not next to the lake, but in a tree line between fields on the gamelands. 

After walking up a cove and following the road I had more than a pack again. I covered the majority of the paths and possible areas to stash trash that could reasonably be accessed. So it was back to the car and off to another site. 

The second pile of trash for the day and I think it was a good one. Even with more needing to be done at this and other sites around the lake at least it is a start. Well all of this is just a start. With warmer weather coming sadly there will just be more trash added. 

I wanted to get in a good hike for Penny without much stopping for trash. I drove down to the Sawmill Trail, where I have done multiple clean-ups in the recent past. No luck with not finding trash. 

Some of the items were ones that I had missed on the previous trips through. Most likely they were obstructed from view before. 

Other items were new. On the left is an old can, but it had recently been put in that tree. At the slate quarry along this trail there are often cans shoved between the layers of slate and of course there was a new one.

For a trip that was just supposed to be a hike fore Penny, I sure did pick up a lot of trash. Always more trash. 

I made one last stop before heading home. With finding amphibians last night I just wanted to check out a small spring to see what I might find. It was snowing by this time, but I continued to it anyway. I did not find any amphibians, but I did find multiple adult Water Striders. I can say I learned something today from this. I did not know Water Striders overwintered as adults, I guess I didn't think about it before now. It is astonishing that such a small creature could survive all winter long. 

I might be back out at Beltzville again tomorrow. Sorry to the readers who might be getting sick of it. There is still trash there though and it needs to be taken out.
You too can help with taking out the trash! If you get out hiking take a grocery bag with you, give it a second use and fill it with trash while you are out! Every bit helps. You can also help contributing to this project here: Help Fund Taking Out the Trash

Like this blog? Like it on Facebook: Taking Out the Trash in Eastern PA