This will be a relatively short post. I thought I'd deviate from my hilly theme now, and I indeed intend to. However, I felt compelled to write about where I went overnight two weeks ago, about two and a half hours from my house. A destination that is framed by hills and greenery so I will again touch upon said theme. Too tempting not to. That's right, I speak of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, in the heart of the Lehigh Valley. Home of the late Bethlehem Steel, Lehigh University and, as of just a few years ago, the Sands Casino. The latter was where I was headed. That's right, Atlantic City and Las Vegas have found a home right next to the old, shuttered steel plant that rises ominously -- yet oddly majestically -- into the sky. A testament to when U.S. industry was king. An ode to another era, juxtaposed next to that timeless bastion of chance and luck, a casino.
I mention the topography because once you leave the flatscape of I-78 West outside of Newark, New Jersey, the hills and valleys begin to take shape. They are most noticeable as you get close to the Delaware Water Gap near the PA border. Bucolic and calming almost, they are a far cry from the tumult and buzz of the casino floor.
Unfortunately, I tried my hand at slots and didn't win, (which I haven't in awhile) nor did I venture to play blackjack and lose. Still, the tranquility of the vista through the car window, coupled with the hopping nature of the Sands, made for a nice respite from the routine of home.
