Author Archives: Freedom Hiker

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About Freedom Hiker

I served in the USMC directly out of high school and then taught for two years in the Bronx, NY. I was then a Special Education Coordinator/Special Education teacher at a public high school in the Lower Hudson Valley in Westchester County, New York, for over 20 years. Although I love going to Anthony's Nose, I try to get to different spots in the area. One great thing about living in the Hudson Valley is the abundance of great hikes. You can do the same hike in different seasons, and it will be as if you were hiking that trail for the first time. It doesn't get much better than that!

The Sky’s The Limit

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“The main thing to understand is that we are imprisoned in some kind of work of art.”

-Terence McKenna

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When I pulled into the parking lot at work yesterday, the clouds were the color of cotton candy. Hovering above the building was a huge pink mass that appeared to be motionless. Even with the lack of motion and the beauty of the clouds, the photo conveys more in that single moment than I could ever put into words on this page.

When I am lucky enough to see a sunrise such as this, the Terence McKenna quote at the beginning of this post makes perfect sense. Would being trapped in either photo be such a bad thing? An interesting quote to think about….

It was an excellent way to start the day!

Perception Is King…Or Is It?

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“We have to recognize that the world is not something sculptured and finished, which we as perceivers walk through like patrons in a museum; the world is something we make through the act of perception.”

-Terence McKenna

Perception is a peculiar thing. When we perceive the way an event happened, we are trying to cultivate an understanding of how and what occurred through our own personal lens. Does this mean then that our perception is not reality? We know that what people perceive is usually what they believe, and this is based on what they hear, see and think. When it comes to events that happen in our lives, most of the time we cannot control what happens but we can always control our reaction to an event.

When then does the perception of an event become the reality? If enough people see the same event, and as a result have the same perception of the event, is it then considered the reality? And what then do we do if different people have different reactions to that same event? Is this where, after seeing and hearing something, we then rely on the thinking aspect to gauge an emotional response? One of anger, or of sadness?

Should we be careful to limit our analysis of events if we are not sure of their origin?

 

 

 

Start In The Dark, End In The…

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“Nature is not our enemy, to be raped and conquered. Nature is ourselves, to be cherished and explored.” 

-Terence McKenna

What a beautiful and exhilarating morning! I decided that on my hike today (11/4/17) I would test out the headlamp that I recently purchased (previous post). Starting out at just about 5:20 am, it was still fully dark and would remain so for almost the full duration of my hike. I also finally got the chilly morning that I have been waiting for! Even though the temperature was 35 degrees, it didn’t feel that cold and as I entered the woods, it was almost perfectly silent. The only sound that I could hear were my boots shuffling through the fallen leaves as I walked up the trail.

With the exception of the last 15 minutes of the hike, I used the headlamp to illuminate the ground as I walked. I thought at first that it would be difficult to see the trail in front of me, but the lamp proved to be very effective in making sure that I could see any rocks or roots that could prove to be an issue as I hiked.

The picture below, although it is a really crappy cell phone photo, shows you how well the trail was lit during this hike.

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As I made my way out of the woods, I saw the last of a huge moon setting and when I turned to the east, I was treated to a beautiful sunrise.

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Happy Hiking!!!

2017 Mileage:

11/4/17-5.3-313.92

The Cree T6 Headlight

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For several months now I have wanted to get a headlamp so I could either do some night hikes or just start my hikes earlier than I normally do. I went to Amazon and google just to do some research and I decided that the LED Waterproof Headlamp Flashlight, Rechargeable Zoomable Headlamps Adjustable Cree T6 Headlight for Camping Hiking Hunting Running Working Outdoor Sports with 18650 Batteries,Charger and USB Cable was the best choice for what I am looking to do.

At $16.88, the headlamp is basically everything that it was advertised to be. I was actually surprised at how bright the lamp is and how well it illuminated the trail and surrounding woods. In regards to the fit, after about 15 minutes of wearing the lamp, I didn’t even notice that I had it on. When I bent over to tie my boots or open my pack, it stayed securely on my head.

Instead of getting into all of the nuts and bolts of this headlamp, I have included the description below that was on Amazon. Overall, it was definitely worth the money. This will open up an entirely new world of hiking!

  • Ultra Bright & Modes: Max Output 800 Lumens CREE XML-T6 LED Bulbs with a Lifespan of 100,000 hours, Light Up to 200 meters (600 feet) Above. 3 Modes (High / Medium / Strobe), the Synchronous Rear Red Indicator Light on the Battery Holder Plays a good Warning role at Night
  • Focusable & Rotatable: 90 Degree Rotatable Lamp Head (Stretching to Adjust its Focus) allow you to Light Up Anywhere you need. Elastic Headband make it Fit Snugly on your Head or over a Baseball Cap, No Brain Squeeze or Bobbing. Detachable Lamp Head also can use a Headlamp or Waist Lamps, Easy to Install in Pocket Travel Bag, Backpack, Hat Brink etc
  • Multipurpose: Hands Free Headlight Prefect for Indoor and Outdoor Activities, like Jogging, Biking, Caving, Backpacking, Night Fishing, Walking your dog at Night, Household Work, Auto Repair, Emergency Kit or on Construction Helmet Hat
  • Waterproof & Heatproof – GREAT FOR INDOOR AND OUTDOOR USE: No more struggle in hot or rain Or ultra sunny weathers makes this light qualified and usable at all seasons all the time, Made with high quality Aerial Aluminum Alloy to prevent damage in rainy or hot weathers Great for camping, hiking and running.

Happy Hiking!!!!

The Green Machine

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“If you don’t have a plan, you become part of somebody else’s plan.” 
―Terence Mckenna

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Autumn this year has been a strange one. Even though you have to expect some pretty drastic temperature changes during the months of October and November, at this point it has been way to warm to count as weather that you would associate with the coming winter. With that said, at four in the afternoon today (11/2/17) it was a toasty 72 degrees. Even with the higher temps, the absence of any humidity actually made for another incredible hike.

It seems that with my afternoon hikes I am resorting to a “go to” on the Green Trail at Ward Pound Ridge Reservation. It is a nice loop wth a couple of hills that will actually make you work.

Happy Hiking!!!

2017 Mileage:

11/2/17-4.1-308.62

Some Ghoulish Poetry

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It’s a ghoulish day much to the kids delight,

Dressed up and made up in all hopes to fright.

As they wait and wait for the sun to set,

A ton of candy they are planning to get.

As they walk down each street, eyes wide open and scared,

They look in their bags to see how they’ve fared.

But as they search through each bag, they aren’t looking around,

At the number of ghouls that are soon to be found.

Lurking behind trees and searching for prey,

The kids they saw nothing, and had nothing to say.

But as the first ghoul came forth and made himself known,

The children themselves were chilled to the bone.

So they took off running, screaming with a great deal of fright,

Only to come out again on the next Halloween night!

Ghoulish

Autumn Sunrise

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“Nothing is more beautiful than the loveliness of the woods before sunrise.”

-George Washington Carver

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This is why we hike…

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A Halloween sunrise!!!

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The tree in the first picture taken a few minutes later.

Mornings like today are the reason why people love to hike. Just as the sun was coming up the temperature was a crisp 44 degrees and a slight breeze was making its way through the woods. You could still see the evidence of a really nasty rainstorm that had moved through the area all day Sunday into Monday morning. Tons of twigs, small limbs and fallen trees now litter the trail as compared to just a few days ago.

Besides the abundance of debris on the trail, the only difference as the days progress is the continued loss of leaves from the trees. Every hike that I do now in Ward Pound Ridge serves as an awakening to the coming winter months. The trees are much barer and the woods have opened up, telling an entirely different story than the one I have been used to all summer.

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A happy place, either before or after a hike.

Happy Hiking!!!

2017 Mileage:

10/31/17-3.6-304.52

The Loss Of Trust…

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Ever since the founding of our great nation, we have embraced the idea of community. Community at every level of government, business, in our neighborhoods and in our schools has provided each of us with the appropriate social interactions that allow us to function and live as productive citizens.

In every type of community, a leader must be elected, chosen or somehow rise to prominence. In order for a community to be in a position where they can achieve any type of success, a leader must be able to be implicitly trusted, especially during times of transition and internal strife.

When change occurs, it is often times assumed that trust, not only of the new leader, but those who have placed that individual in their position, will not be jeopardized. What is the fear of breaking this sacred bond? (And yes, trust is a sacred bond) The fear is, and always will be, is that once the bond has been broken, even if by perception, it will almost be impossible to rebuild.

No amount of platitudes or promises can return us to where we were. The clock can not be turned back. There is no “way back machine.” As human beings, we have memories that act in a manner where the pain of the betrayal that has been thrust upon us is cataloged and stored for further reference.

When the bond has been broken, how does the rest of the community then remain functioning as a cohesive unit? We all react differently to what has happened. Some are angry, others feel betrayed and some are indifferent. These are the exact moments when those that have fallen victim must come together in a productive manner in order to be able to keep moving forward.

Leaders must be able to recognize when they have, either by design or inadvertently, done something to weaken this bond with the other stakeholders in their community. Without this self realization, nothing further can be accomplished and as a result everything in the future will fall into the category of “can they be trusted?”

Therefore, although it may bruise the ego, it is imperative that those in charge make amends so that the greater good of the community is not sacrificed. This is by no means a sign of weakness, rather it is the sign of a confident and competent leader.

What say you?

Where Do We Go When We Sleep?

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 I have asked myself the question, “Where do we go when we sleep?” many times over the course of my life.  Whether it’s a nap, an hour or two, or a full blown night of sleep, anyone can ride that cosmic bus to wherever they want a long as they are in the required state of REM. I know in my case, over the last 52 years, I have been to magnificent places. Places that have scared me, made me laugh and made me cry. Places that, yes, you can only dream about.