Thanks for reading the June 2022 issue of This Awful Awesome Life. Next month we will be focusing on all things Pittsburgh. I’ll be reviewing The Memory of Cotton by Pittsburgh author, Ann Howley and if time permits, the debut novel of another Pittsburgh author.

Lilly Kauffman and Orlando Bartro will be back with articles and Linda Cahill will have more delicious recipes from Pampered Chef.

We’ll be talking about Pittsburgh history, foods, sports, museums, movies, businesses, technology, and so much more! You won’t want to miss July 2022 in Pictures, and our vegetable of the month, broccoli. The two people featured in “Dare to Believe” will be Pittsburgh natives, and my reading recommendations for kids and adults will have a Pittsburgh theme. Test your knowledge of the Burgh with our July 2022 quiz.

In our June 2017 issue we covered the Pittsburgh movie scene, and we’ll see what’s changed in the last five years.

Until next month, stay safe; stay well. You are important and you are loved.

All my best,

 

Fran

 

Answers to the June 2022 Quiz:

1.       Johnson’s Shut-Ins State Park – Enjoy spectacular hiking and singletrack mountain bike trails and swim in shallow pools formed by rocky wells. Missouri

2.       Colt State Park – Enjoy spectacular ocean views in this park: watch the sailboats cruising by or hop on the bike trail and pedal around this tiny piece of heaven. Rhode Island

3.       Lost Dutchman State Park – Located near the Superstition Mountains with towering red rock formations, cacti, and challenging hiking trails. Arizona

4.       Lake Murray State Park – This park is home to Lake Murray, campgrounds, bike trails, beaches, and a golf course. Oklahoma

5.       Eldorado Canyon State Park – hike beneath towering sandstone cliffs or take one of the park’s climbing routes for one of this state’s most scenic canyons. Colorado

6.       Smuggler’s Notch State Park – located in the Green Mountains this park is popular with photographers, hikers, and picnickers. Vermont

7.       Gulf State Park – white sandy beaches where you can swim or kayak and bike and hiking trails to explore. Alabama

8.       Ichetucknee Springs State Park – located in this state’s interior, enjoy swamps and natural springs great for kayaking or tubing. Florida

9.       Brown County State Park – Enjoy nearly 30 miles of singletrack mountain bike trails or go hiking. This area is known for its outstanding fall foliage. Indiana

10.   Wai`ānapanapa State Park – Visit the famous black-sand Pa`iloa Beach, freshwater pools, hiking, and scared ruins. Hawaii

11.   Baxter State Park – Enjoy 200,000 acres of land in this park that includes part of the Appalachian Trail. There are hundreds of miles of hiking and biking trails, lakes, streams, and excellent camping. Maine

12.   Farragut State Park – Set up camp in the Coeur d’Alene Mountains and enjoy fishing, hiking, and biking. Idaho

13.   McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park – the second oldest park in its state – enjoy camping, fishing, watersports, hiking, and horseback riding facilities. California

14.   Starved Rock State Park – Enjoy sandstone canyons, waterfalls, and wooded trails where you might see bald eagles and white-tailed deer. Illinois

15.   Chugach State Park – visit glaciers and hike picturesque mountains. Alaska

16.   Backbone State Park – Explore caves or go trout fishing. Go climbing or enjoy 31-miles of hiking and biking trails. Iowa

17.   Cape Henlopen State Park – Swim, boat, fish, kayak, paddleboard and windsurf or grab a surfboard and visit one of the park’s two surf breaks. Delaware

18.   Cumberland Falls State Park – Hike through the forest or book a raft trip down the Cumberland River and visit Cumberland Falls, one of the few places in the world where you can see moonbows (white rainbows or lunar rainbows). Kentucky

19.   Devil’s Den State Park – Wood and stone structures, shady caverns, and rock formations – enjoy hiking, boating, mountain biking, or go fishing on Lake Devil. Arkansas

20.   Oswald West State Park – this park sits along the wild rugged coastline of its state. Along with the beautiful seaside, enjoy temperate rainforests and a surf break, Short Sands Beach (aka Shorty’s). Oregon

21.   Chicot State Park – Take a 20-mile hike around the circumference of this park deep in the bayou and fish for crappie, bass, blue-gill, and red-ear sunfish in Chicot Lake. Louisiana

22.   Devil’s Lake State Park – the largest state park in its state, this park contains Devil’s Lake which was formed by a glacier. The lake is surrounded by bluffs and giant trees. Enjoy hiking, horseback riding, and mountain biking along its trails and cool of in the lake. Wisconsin

23.   City of Rocks State Park – This park is located at the site of a volcanic eruption that happened millions of years ago spewing rocks and boulders across the landscape making it a climber’s paradise. New Mexico

24.   Assateague State Park – This park sits on Assateague Island where you can see wild horses running along the sandy coast. Maryland

25.   Deception Pass State Park – This is the most visited park in its state. Visitors enjoy hiking in the forest, swimming in Cranberry Lake, boating, and searching for shells along its coastline. It’s a popular spot for birdwatchers and photographers. Washington

26.   Mount Greylock State Reservation – This park has 70 miles of trials and trailside shelters perfect for backpackers. Massachusetts

27.   Jones Gap State Park – this park is known for its beautiful wildflowers and waterfalls. South Carolina

28.   Makoshika State Park – Visit the badlands complete with bizarre shaped -rock outcroppings and dinosaur bones including bones from a Tyrannosaurus Rex. Montana

29.   Moraine State Park – This park is home to the man-made lake, Lake Arthur which is popular for sailing and fishing and it’s a favorite spot for camping, hiking, biking, and picnicking. Pennsylvania

30.   Franconia Notch State Park – Visit lush old-growth forests and Flume Gorge, a 90-foot-tall moss-covered granite canyon. New Hampshire

31.   Valley of Fire State Park – Enjoy the beautiful red sandstone in this park complete with petrified trees and petroglyphs. Nevada

32.   Tallulah Gorge States Park – Visit a 2-mile one-thousand-foot-deep gorge formed by the Tallulah River – hike around the rim of the gorge, walk the park’s iconic suspension bridge, or get a permit and hike to the floor of the gorge. Georgia

33.   Island Beach State Park – The 10-mile narrow barrier island of this small state makes up this park that’s all about the sandy coastlines and coastal dunes. New Jersey

34.   5inspiring cliffs and waterfalls. Enjoy hiking, swimming, kayaking, hot-air balloon rides in the summer and cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, tubing, and ice skating in the winter. Don’t forget to bring a bag for your garbage in accordance with their carry-in, carry-out policy for keeping the park free of trash. New York

35.   Tishomingo State Park – located at the base of the Appalachian Mountains, this park has sandstone outcroppings and is home to groundbreaking archaeological excavations. Mississippi

36.   Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park – Situated on 60,000 acres, enjoy old growth forests, river, streams and over 90 miles of hiking trails in the summer and a ski resort in the winter. Michigan

37.   Chimney Rock State Park – A 315-foot monolith of granite is the namesake for this park which boasts a 404-foot waterfall and views of the Blue Ridge Mountains. North Carolina

38.   Wilson State Park – Visit beautiful sandstone bluffs surrounding a reservoir stocked with walleye and bass where you can fish, kayak, swim, or paddleboard. Kansas

39.   Little Missouri State Park – Spoiler Alert – it’s not in Missouri – this park is all about hiking and contains trails leading into the badlands. North Dakota

40.   Hot Springs State Park – the riverside hot springs in this park remain a constant 128 degrees Fahrenheit. Hike the park trails and photograph the free roaming bison. Wyoming

41.   Palisades State Park – home to King and Queen Rock; this tiny park has a campground with 37 sites, 6 camper cabins, a group tent area, and a four-bedroom lodge that can be reserved for private events. Hiking trails wind around the park and rock climbing is permitted on the pink Sioux Quartzite rock formations, but the use of bolts is prohibited. South Dakota

42.   Justin P. Wilson Cumberland Trail State Park – perched atop the Eastern Cumberland Mountains, this park has a hiking trail specifically created to be accessible to waterfalls and swimming holes while minimizing the potential environmental impact on sensitive wildlife habitat, aquatic, and terrestrial habitats, and endangered or threatened species. It follows the ridges and gorges along the eastern escarpment of the Cumberland Plateaus and Cumberland Mountains. Tennessee

43.   Palo Duro Canyon State Park – This park contains the second largest canyon in the United States. It boasts miles of trails suitable for hiking, biking, and horseback riding. Texas

44.   Smith Falls State Park – this park is home to its state’s tallest waterfall. Paddle down the Niobrara River to visit the Fort Niobrara Wildlife Refuge, a protected area for bison and elk. Nebraska

45.   Goblin Valley State Park – People visit this park to photograph and walk among the goblin-like hoodoos of mushroom-shaped rock pinnacles. Utah

46.   Itasca State Park – This park includes over 100 lakes and the headwaters of the Mississippi River. Minnesota

47.   Grayson Highlands State Park – Located within the Jefferson National Forest and adjacent to the Mount Rogers National Recreation Center, this park contains 4,502 acres of land suitable for camping, mountain-biking, horseback riding, and backpacking. It also contains part of the Appalachian Trail. Virginia

48.   Hocking Hills State Park – Home to Old Man’s Cave, Whispering Cave, and Ash Cave, this park has varied terrain with over 25 miles of trails, waterfalls, interesting rock formations and plenty of caves. Ohio

49.   Blackwater Falls State Park – Much to the delight of visitors and anyone with a camera, the water flowing down the Blackwater River really does appear to be black. In addition to the gorge and waterfall, the park also has excellent trails for hiking, biking, and plenty of fishing spots. West Virginia

50.   Silver Sands State Park – Enjoy acres of dunes and beach and visit the bird sanctuary on Charles Island. Connecticut