Tag Archives: Hiking

The Fahnestock Special (again and again)

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“The mind can go in a thousand directions, but on this beautiful path, I walk in peace. With each step, the wind blows. With each step, a flower blooms.”

-Nhat Hanh
“Walk as if you are kissing the earth with your feet”
-Nhat Hanh
 

One of the best things about hiking this time of year is you get to see the woods come back to life literally right before your eyes after a long winter. If you are familiar with my blog, you know that I have a 2.7 mile hike in Fahnestock State Park that I enjoying doing when I don’t have much time but have the need to get out on the trail. In the last couple of weeks I have done this hike several times and the change I have witnessed is nothing short of remarkable!

This is why I hike!!!

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The Appalachian Trail

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When thru hikers go to cross route 301, they will see this sign.

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A waterfall after almost three inches of rain four days ago.

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Quite simply-a dandelion.

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Compare this to other pictures from the hike a couple of weeks ago. What a difference!!!!

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The AT headed back to Route 301.

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More of the AT.

 

The Calm Before the Storm

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The A.T. calls me

Boots on the trail, walking

Lost in thought, my peace

The weather forecast here in the Hudson Valley of NY is not good for the next several days. They are saying we could get several inches of rain from late  tomorrow through Sunday. Knowing that I won’t be able to get out for a hike this weekend, I decided to take yet another trip to the Nose. As you know from previous posts, a hike to the Nose is never disappointing! Here is what it looks like in May.

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Bear Mt. from the Nose in May.

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Northwest from the Nose.

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Looking south towards the Timp.

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Fahnestock in Spring

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“I find that the three truly great times for thinking thoughts are when I am standing in the shower, sitting on the john, or walking. And the greatest of these, by far, is walking.”

-Colin Fletcher

I believe that I have noted before that one of the best things about hiking in the Hudson Valley is how the terrain changes along with the change of each season. Today is April 30th and as you can see by the pictures, winter is out of the picture and spring is here to stay.

Today’s journey was a familiar one in Fahnestock State Park. Although it is a pretty short hike at 2.7 miles, it was nice to get out since I didn’t have the entire day to spend on the trail. Once again I was lucky enough to have my daughter join me (even though she said she had homework to finish!) and that always makes any hike that much better.

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The start and end to todays hike. You have to love the AT!

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“Although the vast majority of walkers never even think of using a walking staff, I unhesitatingly include it among the foundations of the house that travels on my back.” -Colin Fletcher

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Runoff from Canopus Lake in Fahnestock State Park. 

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The view on the 3 Lakes Trail.

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If you look closely at the water you can see the rain. It lasted for 10 minutes.

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3 Lakes Trail

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In a couple of weeks this short part of the trail will be transformed into a lush tunnel of green.

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I have hiked by this section on the 3 Lakes Trail and have never seen any evidence of beavers until today.

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More work by the beavers.

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The beaver dam.

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A cairn where the 3 Lakes Trail intersects with the Appalachian Trail. It seems to change every time I pass by it. 

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The view on the Appalachian Trail.

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Another view on the AT.

“Hiking and happiness go hand in hand (or foot in boot).”

-Diane Spicer

A Variation on the Doodletown Bridle Path (2nd Attempt)

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***I received several messages yesterday saying that the pictures associated with this post could not be viewed. I am reposting the hike from yesterday and hopefully they will come out. If they don’t, please leave me a reply. Thanks to everyone who let me know yesterday!

“In winter, I plot and plan. In spring, I move.”

-Henry Rollins

We are enjoying another beautiful day here in the Hudson Valley. It appears as though winter has left us and spring will take hold until summer crashes down upon us (in a couple of days!) So, a great day means a great hike. Today, my daughter and I went into Bear Mt. and did a variation on one of the hikes in Circuit Hikes In Harriman. I got to spend some quality time with my daughter and got some fantastic pictures. Spring continues to be an awesome time to hike and get recharged for summer.

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A Variation on the Doodletown Bridle Path

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“In winter, I plot and plan. In spring, I move.”

-Henry Rollins

We are enjoying another beautiful day here in the Hudson Valley. It appears as though winter has left us and spring will take hold until summer crashes down upon us (in a couple of days!) So, a great day means a great hike. Today, my daughter and I went into Bear Mt. and did a variation on one of the hikes in Circuit Hikes In Harriman. I got to spend some quality time with my daughter and got some fantastic pictures. Spring continues to be an awesome time to hike and get recharged for summer.
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Anthony’s Nose in the Spring

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“Take only memories, leave only footsteps.”

-Chief Seattle

With spring upon us it can only be assumed that I would make a trip to Anthony’s Nose. For mid April (4/10/17), the weather was perfect and the trail was as beautiful as you would imagine it would be. What also made this hike special was my fifteen (almost sixteen) year old daughter asked if she could come hiking with me. I almost fell over with surprise. Because of hockey, “I’m tired,” and “I have too much school work,” she really hasn’t been out with me much the last couple of years so this was really nice.

One quick side note-As we sat at the top taking pictures, several people made their way from the trail to the view-point. As one group sat and ate a snack, three young ladies arrived and started taking pictures of each over looking the Bear Mt. Bridge. Normally I wouldn’t even give this a second thought, but when they started giving each other directions such as, “lift you leg,” “turn to your left” and “fix your hair,” I literally began to laugh out loud. Even my daughter, who is obviously much closer in age to them as I am, found this amusing as well.

Please don’t get me wrong, I take pictures while I am hiking all of the time. You have seen many of them here on this blog. But posing for pictures like you are on a model shoot to me is over the line. And…after ten minutes of posing for pictures, one of the young ladies turned, posed and then said to her friends, “Is this hikey enough?” Oh boy…

I have no idea why this bothers me so much.

Anyway, here are pictures of yet another hike to Anthony’s Nose.

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A brook at the beginning of the hike.

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A small pond filled with fresh rain and melted snow.

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A freight train heading north on the Hudson River.

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Perkins Memorial Tower at the top of Bear Mt., approximately 300 feet higher than Anthony’s Nose.

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Old glory standing stiffly, crimson white and indigo.

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A wide shot of Bear Mt. as seen from the Nose.

Zen On The Trail

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I look up the trail and what do I see,

A day full of promise I think you’ll agree.

I hope and I pray for clear lucid thought,

The sun and the stars are all that is sought.

As I walk down the path and my mind starts to wander,

I take a deep breath, my heart growing fonder.

Is it possible? Can it be true?

Should I walk this alone, did I think it all through?

A path of enlightenment, Zen promises abound,

The earth and rocks flutter, a vibe from the ground.

So each step that I take, dust scattering the trail,

No way will I stop, no way will I fail.

I can now see the end, a magnificent view,

My love of the trail, a love that is true.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Inner Peace

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Slivers of sun fall softly through the trees,

Warming your face and the trail with ease.

Walking the earth, the miles go by,

The wind whispers welcome from the blue sun kissed sky.

I walk and I walk, smelling the soft scent of pine,

Invading my spirit and caressing my mind.

As my thoughts start to wander, I don’t travel for speed,

My journey is nowhere, I just have the need.

So as I move on and my thoughts become clearer,

I’m closer to peace, my soul is a mirror.

 

 

 

Why Do I Love The Trail?

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Why do I love the trail?

My feet falling upon the rocky earth, searching for the white hot blaze that leads to bliss.

I walk the wooded miles, up down all around, the stress washing off,

Each drop of sweat a needed  dose of nothing. Asking for nothing, telling nothing. The silence of the wind as it washes over me.

Why do I love the trail?

The crunch, crunch, crunch of my boots,  one step after the other, guiding me to serenity. Each narrow path, shrouded by oddly shaped green leaves, pine needles and a fine dust being kicked up as I weave in and out of tree roots, exposed by time and the seasons.

Why do I love the trail?

The smell of the woods, snow covered rocks and the cool streams running high after springs wrath. The rain falling through the trees, head raised, collecting each precious drop.

Why do I love the trail?

Because  I can.