Tag Archives: Hudson Valley

Three Days Later…

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“Sun is shining. Weather is sweet. Make you wanna move your dancing feet.” – Bob Marley

“It was a splendid summer morning and it seemed as if nothing could go wrong.” – John Cheever

“My favorite weather is bird-chirping weather.” – Terri Guillemets

Walking out of the house this morning to go to the gym was an absolute joy. When I left at 6:30, the sky was blue, and a cool breeze ran through my yard. It was awesome!!! We haven’t seen weather this nice for almost a week!

If you saw my previous post, you saw the result of weather conditions allowing the smoke from Canadian forest fires to infiltrate the Hudson Valley of NY where I live. An orange haze covered the area, making the air smell like a campfire. It was overwhelming!!!! Even though the smell of a woodsy fire was really strong, it was actually pleasant.

So, on my way to the gym, I decided to go to the two spots where I took pictures on Wednesday to replicate the same views on a clear day. WOW!!! What a difference.

Thankfully the haze didn’t last as long as they thought it was going to. A couple of days ago, there was talk that it could last well into the weekend. I can say that for the first time in days, I haven’t been coughing every two seconds with a sore throat.

HAPPY HIKING!!!

The First Hike Of 2018

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My trusty companions!

With a starting temperature of 56 degrees at 7:30 this morning I made my way to Ward Pound Ridge for my first hike of the new year. With my daughters hockey schedule, weather concerns and no real daylight in the afternoon, hiking really hasn’t been a possibility. For several days now, we have known that today was going to be a warm one.

With that in mind, I knew that I had to get out!

With a new pair of boots that needed breaking in, I decided to keep the distance relatively short and the pace kind of slow. Needless to say, it was great to get out.

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Happy Hiking!!!

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

Sunday At The Reservation

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“I slow down when hiking. The rhythm of nature is more leisurely. The sun comes up, it moves across the sky, and you begin to synchronize to that rhythm.”
-John Mackey

It was another beautiful morning in the Hudson Valley. I would really love it if it were about 15 degrees cooler, but that’s ok, it’s just good to get outside. As you can see below, the sunrise was spectacular and an outstanding way to start today’s hike.

The most important thing that I have come to love about Ward Pound Ridge Reservation is the flexibility that you have in determining the length of hikes. With the marked trails and the plethora of connector trails, you never have to do the same hike two times in a row. Going in the opposite direction of what you are used to also adds to the diversity of what the reservation offers.

So to mix things up today I traveled the initial mile on the Red Trail and then made a right turn on a connector trail. This trail took me to the Leatherman’s Loop Trail which I stayed on until it returned to the Red Trail. Almost immediately after getting back on the Red Trail, another connector trail veered off to the left and traveled through the woods until it came back again to the Red Trail. You then stay on the Red Trail until the finish.

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Happy Hiking!!!

2017 Mileage:

9/24/17-7.1-241.22

 

A Respite On The Nose (11)

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“Thoughts come clearly while one walks.”

-Thomas Mann

“Never trust a thought that didn’t come by walking.”

-Friedrich Nietzsche

As the week has progressed, the temperature and humidity in the Hudson Valley has risen into the 90’s. Being as hot and humid as it is supposed to be, I decided not only to keep today’s hike relatively short, but also something familiar. Soooo…..another trip to the Nose seemed to be in order.

When I started the hike at 5:50 am, the temperature was already over 70 and the dew point was equally as high. Needless to say, it wasn’t long before I was sweating buckets! Even at this early hour, the hiking wasn’t easy with the oppressive air sitting right on top of you. But once you get to the top, it makes it all worthwhile.

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A hazy morning on the Nose.

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Looking Northeast from the Nose.

Summer 2017 Mileage:

7/19/17-3.7-54.62

 

Elephant Trunk

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If it is a Sunday in July, then it must be time for another visit to the Elephant Trunk Flea Market. Today’s weather was beautiful and although we weren’t looking for anything in particular, it is always nice to see what people have. And, you never what you are going to come home with!

I couldn’t resist  starting the photographs off with this one. Every one of you with a teenager can relate to what it is saying!

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I love this!!!

As with every flea market, each of the vendors display an incredible array of items that are usually a reflection of themselves and what they like to collect (and are willing to part with).

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Lake Tiorati (7)

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“As a single footstep will not make a path on the earth, so a single thought will not make a pathway in the mind. To make a deep physical path, we walk again and again. To make a deep mental path, we must think over and over the kind of thoughts we wish to dominate our lives.”

-Henry David Thoreau

Today I decided to keep the hike kind of short. I parked my car in the Lake Tiorati lot and made my way up the blue connector trail that joins up with the Appalachian Trail in three tenths of a mile. Turning left, I immediately saw a Doe with her Fawn. This in itself isn’t so strange, but when they didn’t run as I approached, I thought it would be nice to get a picture.

As I took off my pack and took out my camera, fawn actually approached me and stopped about fifteen feet away!

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Mama and baby checking me out!

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I was actually very surprised that neither deer ran when they saw me.

Continuing on the AT, it was much nicer terrain than when I was on the trail the other day. Today’s section of the trail was wide open and I didn’t experience the closed in feeling that I did hiking around Silvermine Lake!

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The AT runs parallel to Lake Tiorati in Bear Mt. State Park.

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My trusty pack on the AT!!!!

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Shortly after I took this picture, the AT would intersect with a blue blazed trail that leads to the Fingerboard Shelter 350 feet away.

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Four tenths of a mile after passing the shelter, you end up back on Seven Lakes Road. Turn left and walk along the road (approximately 1 1/4 miles) and you end up back where you started.

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Lake Tiorati

Summer 2017 Mileage:

7/8/17-3.5-28.82

 

And She Was Next…

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I’ve been hiking with my daughter for over ten years. At first, we would take short walks around Pelton Pond in Fahnestock State Park. At a distance of 1.5 miles, she would run ahead and explore every inch of the trail and the woods around her. As she grew up, the distance and difficulty of the hikes increased and she would hike ahead not to explore, but because I was to slow!

One of the things that I was able to do over the years was give her the knowledge on how to be a “good” hiker. From simple acts such as reading trail markers and maps to first aid and what to do if you are lost, she knows it all.

My daughter is now 16 and yesterday asked to go on a hike with a friend. She has never gone on a hike before without any type adult supervision and I will admit I was nervous. Why was I nervous? I really have no idea. I know how prepared she is, but that didn’t help alleviate my anxiety. So for the next couple of hours I peppered her with questions and scenarios about things that could never possibly happen. You would have that she was headed up K2.

When I dropped the both of them at the trailhead, I came to another unpleasant realization. My little girl is growing up. Between this and her getting her learners permit, I’m sure what to do. She doesn’t need me to point her in the right direction anymore. She doesn’t need me to harp on her about having enough water or a first aid kit. She knows this and is well prepared for any adventure.

As sad as I am about this, I am also proud of the young woman that she has become. Full of confidence, she now has the ability to do what she wants to do. I know it may seem trivial that I am using hiking as an example, but I think I was more surprised at my apprehension when she asked to go hiking with her friend. Just to clarify-I know some adults that I wouldn’t trust out in the woods alone!

So I guess that this will be the same as with my son. I have to resign myself to the fact that she doesn’t need me as much as she used to. I have to let her get out and about without being right on top of her. This, too, has been a tough pill to swallow.

“Dance Like There’s Nobody Watching”

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“You’ve gotta dance like there’s nobody watching,  Love like you’ll never be hurt, Sing like there’s nobody listening, And live like it’s heaven on earth.”

-William Purkey

One of the things that I love about hiking is the solitude. Most of the time, based on my really early start times, I get a great deal of alone time. For me, that’s ok. I don’t mind hiking alone and I certainly don’t crave having a hiking partner. If someone wants to join me, then of course I’ll hike with them, but it doesn’t really matter.

Why do I mention that? And why did I choose the very famous quote from William Purkey to start this post? I’ll tell you why. When I get out on the trail, I get into a zone. My legs feel good, my mind is clear and I feel like I can go on forever. When I take a break, I’ll drink some water and listen to music (usually Phish). This morning, I was on the AT taking a quick break before I finished the hike. I pulled out my iPod, put on my headphones and dialed up a Phish show from last summer.

One thing that you need to know about Phish is that most of their songs are songs that you can’t help but dance to. Filled with funk and rhythm, the music itself calls out to you!

So, today I’m taking this break and I’m moving and grooving. I’m not going to lie-it was at the end of great hike, I was in the zone and I was really getting into the music. The one thing that I didn’t see were the four thru hikers that had come up behind me! They said that they had been watching me for almost 5 minutes. At first I was a little embarrassed, but then I thought, WTF??? Why be embarassed? The best part??? I got a round of applause when I turned around and saw them.

Another reason to love hiking!!!!!

 

Iron Mines Short Loop (4)

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“Hiking is the answer. Who cares what the question is.

-Anonymous

“I walk, I look, I see, I stop, I photograph.”

-Leon Levinstein

After resting my ankle for three days, I decided it was time to get back out into the woods. The swelling was gone and it felt pretty good so I figured at the very least I would lace the boots up and if it hurt too much I could just turn around and end today’s hike early.

As you pull into the parking lot, this is your view.

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Lake Skannatati

As is the norm with most of my summer hikes, I got the parking area pretty early today. Since it is the day before Independence Day, I thought that even at this hour more people would have been out. But at 6:10 am, the only other person I saw was this guy fishing!

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To the right of the lake you immediately see a kiosk and two trails. This will be the start as well as the end of the hike. The blue blazed Long Path is on your left and the red triangle A-SB (Arden Surebridge) will be on your right.

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The beginning and end of the hike.

Starting on the Long Path, you will wind your way around the lake, mainly staying on even ground. As you move deeper into the woods, you begin a series of small ups and downs on the trail until you intersect with the yellow blazed Dunning Trail. If you are looking for an even shorter hike than this one, you could make the right onto this trail and it will eventually intersect with the A-SB trail. Instead, take a left and after a few minutes the Long Path will turn off to the right while Dunning Trail stays on the left.

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The Long Path intersects with the Dunning Trail

Staying on the LP, you begin a steady climb until you reach the A-SB trail.

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The blue blazed Long Path

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Red Triangle A-SB Trail

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Heading down the A-SB Trail back towards the lake.

Once you turn onto the A-SB trail, it’s mainly all downhill until you get to the lake.

Overall I enjoyed this hike. The difficulty rating of moderate that I have seen in its description seems appropriate. The only negative thing that I can see with it, and this has been an issue with the Long Path in the past is the way that they blaze the trail. While I was on the LP today I spent way to much today not being able to find blazes and I had to reroute myself several times.  They could definitely put some of the blazes closer together and at critical junctures make it easier to follow them.

Summer 2017 Mileage:

7/3/17-4.3-16.02