“I have a therapist. Her name is nature.”
-Unknown
Today’s hike started a little on the dark and dreary side. When I left the house at just around 8 am, it was foggy and the temperature was 47 degrees. By the end of the hike the temp would rise to an extremely comfortable 64 degrees.
As I made my way through and around Ward Pound Ridge reservation, the skies cleared and a nice breeze took care of the bugs that had been had been feasting on my face.
Happy Hiking!!!
Hike #6-8.0-34.3
“Walking is a man’s best medicine.”
-Hippocrates
For the second day this week we have had some superb hiking weather. If it could be like this all year round it would be awesome!
Happy Hiking!!!
Hike #5-5.1-26.3
“Hiking and happiness go hand in hand or foot in boot.”
-Diane Spicer
Monday April 23rd was probably the best day weather wise that we have had this year. With a temperature of around 60 with absolutely no humidity, a strong breeze and clear blue skies, it felt really good to be back out on the trail.
Happy Hiking!!!
Hike #4-4.9-21.2
“Every day is a new day. Don’t live in the past. Enjoy the now and make it count!”
-Unknown
“Don’t look back, you’re not going that way.”
-Unknown
I happened to look in the rear view mirror on my way to work this morning and I saw these clouds being bisected by the condensation trail of a jetliner. So of course I had to pull over and take a picture. Unfortunately I didn’t have my camera with me and I had to use my inferior cell phone camera. With that said, the two together with the sun slowly rising made for a beautiful sunrise.
“Happiness starts with a wet nose and ends with a tail.”
-Anonymous
“Dogs are not our whole lives but they make our lives whole.”
-Anonymous
One of my favorite things to do besides hiking is taking photos of my animals. We finally have a day with clear blue skies and a temperature hovering around 60 degrees. When it is as beautiful as this, our dog Jase knows that he will be able to partake in the warmth with us. He is quite the handsome fella!!!!
Our boy soaking up the sun!
This is a photo taken prior to the start of a hike at Ward Pound Ridge Reservation. The sky was void of any clouds and the sun was just rising to bring us a new day, a day of endless possibilities.
Last July I spent a great deal of time hiking in Bear Mt. and Harriman State Parks. Both parks offer an incredibly diverse assortment of hiking terrain, ranging from woods roads to conventional dirt trails. One thing, however, that sometimes makes hiking more difficult than it should be is the prolific amount of rocks on some trails. It is tough on the feet and tough on the mind!
A rocky trail in Harriman State Park.
“Where are you? Here
What time is it? Now
What are you? This moment.”
―Dan Millman
I saw this quote and I thought that this was exactly how I felt this morning as I headed out on my hike. Total immersion in the now.
“Because in the end, you won’t remember the time you spent working in an office or mowing the lawn. Climb that goddamn mountain.”
– Jack Kerouac
All week long the weather folks have been promising us that we were in store for a beautiful day today. With temps in the high 60’s, it hasn’t been this nice in a long, long time. After a winter of nor’easters, snow and freezing rain, I firmly believe that we were owed a day like today. Ignore the fact that tomorrow the high is supposed to be 38 and they are saying we might get some sleet, I’ll take a day like today anytime I can.
Starting at just around 6:20 am, the temperature was an incredible 52 degrees and the sky was devoid of any clouds. There is really nothing I can say to describe just how glorious it was! I can’t think of to many other things I would have rather been doing this morning.
My first critter sighting of the new hiking season. He came within a half of a step of going to froggy heaven.
My new friend giving me the peace sign after not losing his life.
My trusty pack and poles resting on one of the rocks where I take breaks.
Happy Hiking!!!
Hike #3-7.1-16.3
Every day I walk into class and I think today’s the day.
All of my students sitting attentive, waiting for the fray.
Pencils out, minds alert, I’ve seen it all before,
I think that they are ready to learn, history, maybe more.
But one or two they can’t sit still and it drives me kind of crazy,
The fact that they disrupt my class strikes me as just a little bit lazy.
But the rest of the class, they make me smile,
They want to learn, they tell me so, and they go the extra mile.
The Zen Hiker 