“It’s practically impossible to look at a penguin and feel angry.”
-Joe Moore
Today we decided to take a trip to the NY Aquarium in Brooklyn, NY. Although I don’t have much to say about it (what can you say?) I did take some pictures of penguins and sea lions.
A penguin waiting for a feeding.
Going in for the kill!
Not much of a challenge.
An after dinner swim.
Our friend showing off for the cameras!
Up close and personal.
A little friend I saw this morning just off of my front steps.
“It is a surprising and memorable, as well as valuable experience, to be lost in the woods any time.”
-Henry David Thoreau
“Earth and sky, woods and fields, lakes and rivers, the mountain and the sea, are excellent schoolmasters, and teach some of us more than we can ever learn from books.”
The weather for hiking this summer has been pretty good. Even though we have gotten more rain than in past summers, we have only had just a few days where the temperature has actually got into the 90’s. The Hudson Valley has also been spared the oppressive humidity that usually define the months of July and August. Until today. With the temperature hovering just around 70 and the dew point being just as high or even higher, I anticipated sweating even more than normally do!
As usual, I got to the trail at about 6:30 am and was hiking before 6:40. Starting at the kiosk on the Long Path, the trail starts off level and then heads sharply downhill.
The beginning of the hike on the Long Path.
After hiking for around 10 minutes, you will cross paths with the Popolopen Gorge trail on the right. At this point, stay on the blue blazed Long Path where you begin a relatively steep and winding climb to get to the top of Long Mountain.
Once you get to the top, not only do get some awesome views, but you see this memorial.
The Raymond H. Torrey Memorial on top of Long Mountain.
Turkey Hill Lake from Long Mountain.
The opposite side of Bear Mountain. Note Perkins Memorial Tower on the right hand side of the picture.
Looking towards NYC from Long Mountain on a really hazy day.
After spending some time checking out the views, I pulled out my map and saw that the descent looked like it might be steeper than the ascent. It also didn’t help that it had rained the night and added with that some steep drop offs to the left of the trail, the way down was more than a little treacherous. I actually slipped a couple of times and thought that the end might be near!
After getting to the bottom, the Long Path continues straight ahead. You should take the woods road that cuts sharply to the left and follow that until you meet up again with the Popolopen Gorge Trail. Remain on the PG Trail until you get to Turkey Hill Lake.
Turkey Hill Lake. Long Mountain is in the background.
As I made my way around the lake, I came across this shelter. It was actually very well built and looked as though it would keep you relatively dry during a rainstorm.
Obviously someone had some time on their hands to construct this shelter.
The tail end of Turkey Hill Lake.
A small flower alongside the trail.
Summer 2017 Mileage;
8/4/17-5.1-92.12
“Hiking is the best workout! You can hike for three hours and not even realize you’re working out. And, hiking alone lets me have some time to myself.”
“Hiking and happiness go hand in hand or foot in boot.”
Last night I went to my fourth Phish show in just over a week. If you are not aware, tonight will be night number nine of a thirteen night run for the band at Madison Square Garden. These shows provide me with the same type of Zen that hiking does. As with hiking, the music allows my mind to wander and to block out the stress of the day.
Yesterday’s hike started out at the intersection of route 9 and route 403 where the Appalachian Mart is located. Starting out on the AT, the trail begins a slow and gentle climb for a just over a quarter of a mile. Turning sharply left, the climb now becomes a bit more demanding. Heading up through the woods with the sweat now streaking my shirt, I stopped for a quick water break and to take a picture of the climb.
The AT at the start of the hike.
The AT as it begins its ascent.
The AT during a moderate climb.
The AT as it meanders through the woods of the Hudson Highlands.
Once you get to the end of the climb, the AT joins the Blue Blazed Osborne Loop trail where they will remain together until the AT heads off to the left to continue towards Bear Mt. and the loop moves off to the right.
The Osborn Loop
A small marker where trails from Manitoga intersect with the Osborn Loop.
A little over half way through the hike you will see the sign above. Trails from Manitoga join up with the Osborn loop or you can hike to your right and meet up with the AT in .7 of a mile. You can learn more about Manitoga here-www.visitmanitoga.org
More of the Osborn Loop.
Overall this was a pretty decent hike and a great way to prepare for seeing what will be another awesome Phish show!
Happy Hiking!
Summer 2017 Mileage:
8/1/17-7.2-87.02
“Music has always been my protection against the world, from a very young age. I feel safe inside of a jam.”
-Trey Anastasio
“We want to have a spontaneous adventure. You can’t plan an adventure, or it ceases to be one.”
-Trey Anastasio
Sunday was a late night. After attending my third Phish show in a week, I needed to get out into the woods to think and get the legs moving. So where did I go to accomplish this? The Nose of course.
Phish at MSG 7/30/17
Looking south on the Hudson River as seen from the southern end of the Nose.
Iona Island
Happy Hiking!
Summer 2017 Mileage:
7/31/17-4.0-79.82
The Zen Hiker 