14.5 Mile Hike/Run on the Taconic Crest & Taconic Skyline Trails
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Pittsfield State Forest trail map (3.75 MB PDF)
Today's trek was supposed to be a run... and I did run most of the relatively level sections for the first few miles (in between hiking up and down hills.) But as I went further the trail became more overgrown and I found myself walking even the level parts, until by the time I reached Berry Pond Rd in Pittsfield State Forest my ability to run was almost nonexistent... so I'm going to count this primarily as a hike. A very pleasant hike out along the beautiful Taconic Crest Trail, and a not nearly as pleasant hike back along the badly damaged Taconic Skyline Trail.
I've wanted to run the TCT for several years now, since I picked up a trail guide and maps put out by the Taconic Hiking Club. The stretches we ran during the 2008 Curly's Trail Races only whet my appetite to visit more of the trail. I've also been curious about the TST, which is listed as a mountain bike ride in Anna Milkowski's Mountain Biking the Berkshires, though I have to admit I didn't expect it to be nearly as nice a trail, knowing the damage that the idiotic ATV riders have done to many of the trails they have access to in western MA. So today I headed just across the border to Pittsfield, left the car at the parking area along route 20, and headed north with my Go Lite Rush hydration pack filled with more supplies than I expected to need. I'd been hoping for a sunny day (better pictures!) but cool and cloudy definitely has its advantages to.
I wasn't sure exactly what to expect beyond a singletrack hiking trail... the elevation profile that came with my maps shows a lot of climbing and descending, which would be tough to run (uphill for obvious reasons, downhill because that's what bothers my injured left knee the most.) As it turned out, the trail was beautiful. With one exception, none of the climbs were too long or steep, and there were reasonably level stretches in between most of them. A few miles in the hiking trail briefly intersected the eroded multi-abuse Skyline Trail, at the shore of a nice man-made pond, then headed back into the woods again. I heard lots of birds (including an owl as I was drawing near to Berry Pond Rd) and saw dozens of red efts (the land-dwelling, juvenile stage of the aquatic red-spotted newt.) I also passed a large beaver pond, though I didn't see any beavers out and about. Huge beds of ferns bordered the trail in many places, and there was lots of evidence of recent trail work to either remove branches brought down by the ice storms last winter or re-route around fallen trees.
Portions of the trail between the pond and Tower mountain were somewhat overgrown, mainly by brambles, which slowed me down quite a bit - I didn't feel like getting too torn up (though I did collect more than a few scratches) plus I needed to be able to see where I was placing my feet. I found myself walking more and more along those parts, which slowed things down a lot. The trail was fairly clear from Tower Mountain to Berry Pond Rd (in part due to work done last fall for the trail races) but that section is almsot entirely downhill, so I had to take it easy for the sake of my knee. Very slow going all around, which is why I decided to try taking the Skyline Trail back to the car, in hopes that I'd be able to run more on the way back.
Before heading back, I paid a brief visit to Berry Pond (the highest body of water in MA at an elevation of 2150 ft) and walked up the hill to take in the view to the west. Then it was time for the run back...
Except running turned out to be not really part of the picture. The trail was as bad asI expected - eroded and covered in fist-sized rocks in some spots, muddy with huge mudpuddles in others, and tough to run under the best of conditions. My legs were tired and sore and for whatever reason I found it pretty easy to convince myself after a couple of short running stretches to just hike the rest of the way out. I can't really say it was much fun... the surroundings were nice, but the trail was a huge eyesore and the damage done by the ATV riders always both breaks my heart and makes my blood boil. The worst sections were closer to route 20 - places where the trail had been widened to 15 or 20 feet by riders trying to avoid mud, numerous side trails cut to avoid sections they'd already ruined... any time I hear arguments for how we should open up more trails for the responsible ATV riders I think of the mess they've made of so many multiuse trails in western MA and all I can think is "Hell, no!"
Passed a beaver pond at one point and caught a glimpse of a beaver scrambling away, with a loud "smack" of his tail against the water as he submerged. Heard lots of birds, just as on the trip out, but didn't see many. I have to admit I was pleased when I finally started hearing traffic from route 20, though the long downhill of switchbacks to the trailhead seemed to take forever... it didn't help that it was getting dark (and my headlamp was back in Albany) or that I ran into the one ATV rider of the day along that stretch (and unlike many who slow when they're passing a hiker, this jerk seemed only interested in blasting up the hill on his noisy, smelly 4 wheeler as fast as he could... but to be fair, maybe he didn't even see me off to the side of the trail.) And I can say without a doubt that I was might pleased to finally walk out into the parking area and down the hill to my car to call it a day...
I definitely want to explore the TCT some more... maybe even someday do the 1 day end-to-end competition that the Taconic Hiking Club holds every year. But I think I'll steer clear of the Skyline Trail... it wasn't much fun to hike along today, and I doubt it would be much more fun to ride a bike along it. Too bad, really, but unfortunately I don't see the ATVs going anywhere anytime soon.
JMH
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
14.7 Mile Ride On the Mohawk Hudson Bike Path
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
A pleasant evening ride along the bike path west of Schenectady. My legs were definitely feeling the aftereffects of yesterday's 27 miler on the mountain bike... not a lot of get-up-and-go tonight. Spotted a wood duck and ducklings in the old canal, and a pair of beavers on the edge of the river down closer to SCCC... unfortunately by that point it was getting dark enough that it was tough to get a good look at them (or decent pictures.) On the way back to Lock 8 I also saw several bats flitting around - always good to see!
Tonight was a strong reminder that we've been losing 2-3 minutes of daylight every day... it was getting tough to see by 8:30. I should mount one of my lights on the bike if I'm going to keep riding later in the evening...
JMH
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
A pleasant evening ride along the bike path west of Schenectady. My legs were definitely feeling the aftereffects of yesterday's 27 miler on the mountain bike... not a lot of get-up-and-go tonight. Spotted a wood duck and ducklings in the old canal, and a pair of beavers on the edge of the river down closer to SCCC... unfortunately by that point it was getting dark enough that it was tough to get a good look at them (or decent pictures.) On the way back to Lock 8 I also saw several bats flitting around - always good to see!
Tonight was a strong reminder that we've been losing 2-3 minutes of daylight every day... it was getting tough to see by 8:30. I should mount one of my lights on the bike if I'm going to keep riding later in the evening...
JMH
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
27 Mile Ride Along the Erie Canalway Trail, Camillus to Jordan
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
The original Erie Canal was built between 1817 and 1825 and became an overnight success, allowing the easy and inexpensive transport of freight from the Hudson River to the Great Lakes in 10 days (as opposed to 6 weeks using overland routes.) Towns grew all across New York State to provide services for the canal and the canal boats. At 40 ft wide and 4 feet deep, however, it quickly became jammed with traffic, and in 1835 the Enlarged Erie Canal was built. In some places this simply meant widening and deepening the original channel, but in other spots the canal was relocated altogether. Another enlargement was done in the late 1800's and then in 1922 a number of sections of the Enlarged Canal were abandoned in favor of the canal following local rivers. In many places the original canal prism was filled, but in several locations we are fortunate to have these historic waterways as parks alongsde the current Canalway Trail.
One such section is the Erie Canalway Trail west of Syracuse from Jordan to Camillus. I first rode the path back in 2001 or 2002 on my road bike, and then a year or so later on my (at the time) new mountain bike. The section in Camillus was clear just as it is now, but what a difference has been made to the portions between the Camillus Canal Park and Jordan... what is now a level stone dust path was rough, uneven, and overgrown, so much so that in several spots I remembering having to push my bike because the weeds were too thick for me to see what little path there was. I marvelled at the changes last year when I rode this section, and they were still pretty amazing to me a year later.
The Erie Canal Park in Camillus is one of the more notable places along this stretch of canal, at least for anyone interested in canal and NYS history. The park includes a replica canal store which has been converted into a museum, the Sims Store Canal Museum. I've never made it inside, but on the grounds there are replicas of canal boats, remains of lock timbers, and a variety of informative signs. Further down the path is one of the more impressive remnants of the canal - the stonework of the aqueduct crossing Nine Mile Creek. The previous times I was here, the canal was dammed up on either side of the aqueduct, but in the last year the aqueduct has been restored and now the waters of the old canal once again are carried over the creek. I believe this is the only navigable aqueduct along any of the remaining segments of the old canal - needless to say, I had to see that!
I started out at Warners Park and rode east to Camillus. The water in the canal was the highest I've ever seen it - no big surprise, given how much rain we've had this summer. It was good to be out on a bright sunny day riding. I didn't stop at the museum - I checked out the outdoor displays pretty extensively last year. About a mile beyond that, I reached the aqueduct. There's still work being done in the area, so it's not as nice-looking as it will probably be by the end of the season, but wow. The work that was done to restore the water-trough is impressive. I knew that from the pictures posted on both the Camillus Canal Park site and at Frank Sadowski Jr's wonderful Erie Canal site, but seeing it in person really drove the point home. But what I think is even more impressive is the work that was done building the original aqueduct. The stone work is still intact after over 150 years, and what was done this summer using heavy equipment and modern materials was originally done entirely by hand. Incredible. And this is one of the smaller aqueducts! The work that must have gone into building and maintaining the larger ones, like the ones at Schoharie Creek and Rexford (both now mostly either dismantled or partially in ruins) is just unbelievable.
The only real disadvantage to the restoration of the aqueduct is the need to cross the canal at one of the road crossings - it used to be possible to cross to the path on the far side using the dam. Before heading back to check out the other side of the restoration project, I rode the rest of the path down to Warners Road. Along the way I managed to get some good pictures of a swallowtail butterfly and a green heron that was far more interested in hunting than in my close proximity. Then I headed back up the path, crossed the canal, and road down the grass and dirt path on the far side. After taking more pictures of the aqueduct, I headed back west. For a change, I decided to ride the somewhat rougher path on the south side of the canal. While it didn't provide nearly as many views of the water (there were a lot of trees and bushes along the path) I did pass a sign marking the halfway point for the Enlarged Canal between Albany and Buffalo.
Back at Warners Park, I refilled my water bottles and decided to ride west to Jordan, about 7 1/2 miles away. The first stretch is probably one of the least pleasant portions of the ride, about a mile of broken up dirt road. What looked like a new road was running parallel to it, so perhaps the next time I'm here the path next to the canal will be in better shape and will be limited to foot and bike travel. Much of the path to Jordan runs through woods (shade, a wonderful thing!) and the old canal is much more overgrown. Unfortunately, it was also along here that the deerflies discovered me, and any time I stopped I found myself fighting a swarm of them buzzing around my head. The last mile of path into Jordan holds fond memories of my running the 2005 Jordan Alpine Classic (it's the first part of the race) - with luck I'll be there again in September!
There was a group of local kids hanging out at the Jordan Aqueduct across Skaneateles Creek, where there's a park in the prism of the old canal. I stopped just past there to munch a Powerbar and give myself a fresh dose of bug spray in hopes of discouraging the flies on the way back. Snapped a few photos of the park and then headed back... it was getting a bit late, so I pushed fairly hard to try and get back to the car before dark. A good ride, overall... one of these days I'll have to ride the path from Jordan to Port Byron.
JMH
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
The original Erie Canal was built between 1817 and 1825 and became an overnight success, allowing the easy and inexpensive transport of freight from the Hudson River to the Great Lakes in 10 days (as opposed to 6 weeks using overland routes.) Towns grew all across New York State to provide services for the canal and the canal boats. At 40 ft wide and 4 feet deep, however, it quickly became jammed with traffic, and in 1835 the Enlarged Erie Canal was built. In some places this simply meant widening and deepening the original channel, but in other spots the canal was relocated altogether. Another enlargement was done in the late 1800's and then in 1922 a number of sections of the Enlarged Canal were abandoned in favor of the canal following local rivers. In many places the original canal prism was filled, but in several locations we are fortunate to have these historic waterways as parks alongsde the current Canalway Trail.
One such section is the Erie Canalway Trail west of Syracuse from Jordan to Camillus. I first rode the path back in 2001 or 2002 on my road bike, and then a year or so later on my (at the time) new mountain bike. The section in Camillus was clear just as it is now, but what a difference has been made to the portions between the Camillus Canal Park and Jordan... what is now a level stone dust path was rough, uneven, and overgrown, so much so that in several spots I remembering having to push my bike because the weeds were too thick for me to see what little path there was. I marvelled at the changes last year when I rode this section, and they were still pretty amazing to me a year later.
The Erie Canal Park in Camillus is one of the more notable places along this stretch of canal, at least for anyone interested in canal and NYS history. The park includes a replica canal store which has been converted into a museum, the Sims Store Canal Museum. I've never made it inside, but on the grounds there are replicas of canal boats, remains of lock timbers, and a variety of informative signs. Further down the path is one of the more impressive remnants of the canal - the stonework of the aqueduct crossing Nine Mile Creek. The previous times I was here, the canal was dammed up on either side of the aqueduct, but in the last year the aqueduct has been restored and now the waters of the old canal once again are carried over the creek. I believe this is the only navigable aqueduct along any of the remaining segments of the old canal - needless to say, I had to see that!
I started out at Warners Park and rode east to Camillus. The water in the canal was the highest I've ever seen it - no big surprise, given how much rain we've had this summer. It was good to be out on a bright sunny day riding. I didn't stop at the museum - I checked out the outdoor displays pretty extensively last year. About a mile beyond that, I reached the aqueduct. There's still work being done in the area, so it's not as nice-looking as it will probably be by the end of the season, but wow. The work that was done to restore the water-trough is impressive. I knew that from the pictures posted on both the Camillus Canal Park site and at Frank Sadowski Jr's wonderful Erie Canal site, but seeing it in person really drove the point home. But what I think is even more impressive is the work that was done building the original aqueduct. The stone work is still intact after over 150 years, and what was done this summer using heavy equipment and modern materials was originally done entirely by hand. Incredible. And this is one of the smaller aqueducts! The work that must have gone into building and maintaining the larger ones, like the ones at Schoharie Creek and Rexford (both now mostly either dismantled or partially in ruins) is just unbelievable.
The only real disadvantage to the restoration of the aqueduct is the need to cross the canal at one of the road crossings - it used to be possible to cross to the path on the far side using the dam. Before heading back to check out the other side of the restoration project, I rode the rest of the path down to Warners Road. Along the way I managed to get some good pictures of a swallowtail butterfly and a green heron that was far more interested in hunting than in my close proximity. Then I headed back up the path, crossed the canal, and road down the grass and dirt path on the far side. After taking more pictures of the aqueduct, I headed back west. For a change, I decided to ride the somewhat rougher path on the south side of the canal. While it didn't provide nearly as many views of the water (there were a lot of trees and bushes along the path) I did pass a sign marking the halfway point for the Enlarged Canal between Albany and Buffalo.
Back at Warners Park, I refilled my water bottles and decided to ride west to Jordan, about 7 1/2 miles away. The first stretch is probably one of the least pleasant portions of the ride, about a mile of broken up dirt road. What looked like a new road was running parallel to it, so perhaps the next time I'm here the path next to the canal will be in better shape and will be limited to foot and bike travel. Much of the path to Jordan runs through woods (shade, a wonderful thing!) and the old canal is much more overgrown. Unfortunately, it was also along here that the deerflies discovered me, and any time I stopped I found myself fighting a swarm of them buzzing around my head. The last mile of path into Jordan holds fond memories of my running the 2005 Jordan Alpine Classic (it's the first part of the race) - with luck I'll be there again in September!
There was a group of local kids hanging out at the Jordan Aqueduct across Skaneateles Creek, where there's a park in the prism of the old canal. I stopped just past there to munch a Powerbar and give myself a fresh dose of bug spray in hopes of discouraging the flies on the way back. Snapped a few photos of the park and then headed back... it was getting a bit late, so I pushed fairly hard to try and get back to the car before dark. A good ride, overall... one of these days I'll have to ride the path from Jordan to Port Byron.
JMH
Monday, August 10, 2009
Feathered Friends
Monday, August 10, 2009
A hot humid lazy day today... which meant I had plenty of opportunity to watch the birds in the backyard...
These two sparrows seem to be wondering if I'm going to come out and fill the feeder soon...
I put up a thistle seed feeder last summer to attract goldfinches...
... but this summer everyone seems to be enjoying it, especially the doves and chipmunks.
This house finch was so startlingly red that at first glimpse I thought he might be a cardinal.
JMH
Monday, August 10, 2009
A hot humid lazy day today... which meant I had plenty of opportunity to watch the birds in the backyard...
These two sparrows seem to be wondering if I'm going to come out and fill the feeder soon...
I put up a thistle seed feeder last summer to attract goldfinches...
... but this summer everyone seems to be enjoying it, especially the doves and chipmunks.
This house finch was so startlingly red that at first glimpse I thought he might be a cardinal.
JMH
Sunday, August 09, 2009
WALKING AFTER THE STORMS
1.4 Mile Walk Along the Genesee Riverway Trail
1 Mile Walk at Ontario Beach Park
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Ann and I wanted to get outdoors for a bit, so we headed up toward the lake to do a bit of walking. We started out at Turning Point Park along the Genesee Riverway Trail. We were a bit surprised to see how many other people were there, given the storms that had swept through during the early afternoon, but I guess there's no dissuading someone who really wants to fish... they're kind of like runners that way...
After a fairly boring walk along the path at the top of the bluff and then a slow crawl down the very steep hill to the river's edge (my knee and right calf were both pretty sore from this morning's race) we made our way out onto the boardwalk bridge across Turning Point Basin. The water was the highest I've ever seen it this time of year. As we walked across the bridge, we spotted several blue herons and, it turns out, a green heron as well (I didn't realize that until I looked at my photos later.) Someone has apparently been feeding the ducks... as soon as we stopped on the bridge, a large group of them made a beeline toward us, then when we didn't have any food crossed under the bridge and seemed to have a good time feeding in the shallows.
Lots of fish in evidence, including a couple of good-sized orange carp... we also saw a number of turtles, including two little guys who were about the size of a silver dollar. The only swans in evidence were two adults... no little ones this year. But given how the swan population around Rochester seems to be increasing, maybe that's a good thing (though the fuzzy little guys are awfully cute.) The biggest surprise was a kingfisher that not only landed on the boardwalk railing ahead of us, but actually stuck around long enough for me to get some decent pictures of him.
After that we drove out to Ontario Beach Park and walked out on the concrete pier. Lots of gulls and ducks around. There was a large group of what looked like gulls over on the opposite pier, but it turned out that many of them were actually terns. We were both getting pretty tired by that point, so we only walked part of the way out to the light, then headed back to the car to pick up something for dinner and head home... a pleasant end to a mildly strenuous day.
JMH
1.4 Mile Walk Along the Genesee Riverway Trail
1 Mile Walk at Ontario Beach Park
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Ann and I wanted to get outdoors for a bit, so we headed up toward the lake to do a bit of walking. We started out at Turning Point Park along the Genesee Riverway Trail. We were a bit surprised to see how many other people were there, given the storms that had swept through during the early afternoon, but I guess there's no dissuading someone who really wants to fish... they're kind of like runners that way...
After a fairly boring walk along the path at the top of the bluff and then a slow crawl down the very steep hill to the river's edge (my knee and right calf were both pretty sore from this morning's race) we made our way out onto the boardwalk bridge across Turning Point Basin. The water was the highest I've ever seen it this time of year. As we walked across the bridge, we spotted several blue herons and, it turns out, a green heron as well (I didn't realize that until I looked at my photos later.) Someone has apparently been feeding the ducks... as soon as we stopped on the bridge, a large group of them made a beeline toward us, then when we didn't have any food crossed under the bridge and seemed to have a good time feeding in the shallows.
Lots of fish in evidence, including a couple of good-sized orange carp... we also saw a number of turtles, including two little guys who were about the size of a silver dollar. The only swans in evidence were two adults... no little ones this year. But given how the swan population around Rochester seems to be increasing, maybe that's a good thing (though the fuzzy little guys are awfully cute.) The biggest surprise was a kingfisher that not only landed on the boardwalk railing ahead of us, but actually stuck around long enough for me to get some decent pictures of him.
After that we drove out to Ontario Beach Park and walked out on the concrete pier. Lots of gulls and ducks around. There was a large group of what looked like gulls over on the opposite pier, but it turned out that many of them were actually terns. We were both getting pretty tired by that point, so we only walked part of the way out to the light, then headed back to the car to pick up something for dinner and head home... a pleasant end to a mildly strenuous day.
JMH
The Mount Morris Dam & the Genesee River Gorge
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Despite the fact that I was tired, fried, and a bit aggravated about the lack of support at the very end of the race, I took a few minutes to wander around the overlook above the Mt Morris Dam and went into the Visitor's Center to check out the displays. Definitely time well-spent... in fact, I wish now I'd taken more photos of the displays and signage, since some of it was very interesting.
The Mt Morris Dam is what's known as a dry dam - in other words, much of the time water from the river simply flows under the dam. That's because instead of being in place to create a reservoir, this dam was built for flood control. Prior to its construction (1948-1952) the sections of the Genesee River Valley closer to Lake Ontario were periodically subject to major flooding, causing a good deal of damage. The displays in the Visitor's Center had some incredible photographs of downtown Rochester underwater, with people using rowboats to get around. Construction of the dam allows for the control of water flow into the lower river valley - essentially, in times of very high water the gorge at Letchworth becomes a 15 mile long lake as water is more slowly released through the dam. The most dramatic example of this was the Flood of 1972, when Hurricane Agnes hit the northeast in June, stallled over north-central Pennsylvania, and dropped 6 to 12 inches of rain. Over the course of several days water in the gorge rose to the top of the 230 foot dam, at which point water was released through the gates to prevent it overflowing the dam. While this caused minor flooding downstream, it prevented the catastrophic damage from all of that water and debris flowing down the river unchecked. For more info and some incredible photos, I recommend a visit to the flood pages at Tom Cook and Tom Breslin's wonderful Exploring Letchworth Park History website. There are three pages detailing the flood - the effects on the upper gorge at Upper & Middle Falls and then at Lower Falls, and then the effects at the dam. The US Army Corps of Engineers site has more info about the dam and its history, as well as useful information for folks planning a visit.
One of the fun things about the dam is the number of turkey vultures that hang out there... during one visit to Letchworth Ann and I watched a dozen or more soaring on the air currents above the gorge. Apparently they consider the dam a great spot to take a break - while I was there today there were a dozen or more of them perched on the top. Every few minutes one or two would take off to fly for a while, and others would come in to take a break.
I didn't take my camera with me on the run, both because there was a possibility of rain and because I wanted to focus on running and having the camera with me definitely slows me down. The downside to that was I couldn't get any pictures from the overlooks we passed along the way. Fortunately, just down the road from the Visitor's Center there was a small parking area with a view down the gorge. Not quite as nice as the view a few miles further down the trail, but much easier to get to, especially in my fried state.
JMH
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Despite the fact that I was tired, fried, and a bit aggravated about the lack of support at the very end of the race, I took a few minutes to wander around the overlook above the Mt Morris Dam and went into the Visitor's Center to check out the displays. Definitely time well-spent... in fact, I wish now I'd taken more photos of the displays and signage, since some of it was very interesting.
The Mt Morris Dam is what's known as a dry dam - in other words, much of the time water from the river simply flows under the dam. That's because instead of being in place to create a reservoir, this dam was built for flood control. Prior to its construction (1948-1952) the sections of the Genesee River Valley closer to Lake Ontario were periodically subject to major flooding, causing a good deal of damage. The displays in the Visitor's Center had some incredible photographs of downtown Rochester underwater, with people using rowboats to get around. Construction of the dam allows for the control of water flow into the lower river valley - essentially, in times of very high water the gorge at Letchworth becomes a 15 mile long lake as water is more slowly released through the dam. The most dramatic example of this was the Flood of 1972, when Hurricane Agnes hit the northeast in June, stallled over north-central Pennsylvania, and dropped 6 to 12 inches of rain. Over the course of several days water in the gorge rose to the top of the 230 foot dam, at which point water was released through the gates to prevent it overflowing the dam. While this caused minor flooding downstream, it prevented the catastrophic damage from all of that water and debris flowing down the river unchecked. For more info and some incredible photos, I recommend a visit to the flood pages at Tom Cook and Tom Breslin's wonderful Exploring Letchworth Park History website. There are three pages detailing the flood - the effects on the upper gorge at Upper & Middle Falls and then at Lower Falls, and then the effects at the dam. The US Army Corps of Engineers site has more info about the dam and its history, as well as useful information for folks planning a visit.
One of the fun things about the dam is the number of turkey vultures that hang out there... during one visit to Letchworth Ann and I watched a dozen or more soaring on the air currents above the gorge. Apparently they consider the dam a great spot to take a break - while I was there today there were a dozen or more of them perched on the top. Every few minutes one or two would take off to fly for a while, and others would come in to take a break.
I didn't take my camera with me on the run, both because there was a possibility of rain and because I wanted to focus on running and having the camera with me definitely slows me down. The downside to that was I couldn't get any pictures from the overlooks we passed along the way. Fortunately, just down the road from the Visitor's Center there was a small parking area with a view down the gorge. Not quite as nice as the view a few miles further down the trail, but much easier to get to, especially in my fried state.
JMH
Saturday, August 08, 2009
A Quick Wander Around Lollipop Farm
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Lollipop Farm site
Lollipop Farm is home to the Humane Society of Greater Rochester. In addition to the usual dogs, cats, and small animals they also give homes a a variety of larger animals - horses, deer, lamas, goats, pigs, and sheep - as well as ducks, geese, and swans. Since we were right next door for our ride today, we decided to stop by and walk through the animal pens before heading home.
We saw several pens with horses - earlier in the day there were people walking and riding them. The lamas were all inside their barn, and the one standing in the doorway didn't look particularly pleased to see us. The fallow deers were pretty indifferent, as were the very large pigs and the sheep.
The biggest surprise was a pair of emus in one pen - those are funky birds, no doubt about it. The goats were probably the most fun to watch, since the males were constantly butting heads with each other - literally! It's hard to imagine how thick their skulls must be to handle those kinds of impact.
When we stopped to look at the swans, geese, and ducks we were surprised to see they had some visitors in their pen - a couple of chipmunks and a woodchuck taking advantage of the free food.
I suspect I'm glad the main building was closed; somehow I don't think I would have been too happy seeing all the cats, dogs, and smaller animals in need of a permanent home. It's really a shame we have to have places like this to ensure that animals are properly cared for... but it's also a good thing that there are people and places like this there for the animals that need them.
JMH
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Lollipop Farm site
Lollipop Farm is home to the Humane Society of Greater Rochester. In addition to the usual dogs, cats, and small animals they also give homes a a variety of larger animals - horses, deer, lamas, goats, pigs, and sheep - as well as ducks, geese, and swans. Since we were right next door for our ride today, we decided to stop by and walk through the animal pens before heading home.
We saw several pens with horses - earlier in the day there were people walking and riding them. The lamas were all inside their barn, and the one standing in the doorway didn't look particularly pleased to see us. The fallow deers were pretty indifferent, as were the very large pigs and the sheep.
The biggest surprise was a pair of emus in one pen - those are funky birds, no doubt about it. The goats were probably the most fun to watch, since the males were constantly butting heads with each other - literally! It's hard to imagine how thick their skulls must be to handle those kinds of impact.
When we stopped to look at the swans, geese, and ducks we were surprised to see they had some visitors in their pen - a couple of chipmunks and a woodchuck taking advantage of the free food.
I suspect I'm glad the main building was closed; somehow I don't think I would have been too happy seeing all the cats, dogs, and smaller animals in need of a permanent home. It's really a shame we have to have places like this to ensure that animals are properly cared for... but it's also a good thing that there are people and places like this there for the animals that need them.
JMH
Thursday, August 06, 2009
Tuesday, August 04, 2009
Monday, August 03, 2009
No Question - I've Got It Pretty Darn Good
Monday, August 3, 2009
Spent part of the day a bit bummed that my knee is sore (from my pushing too had at Indian Ladder yesterday) and my lower back is sore (muscle spasm... it sucks getting old) and blah blah blah, grumble gripe complain.
Tonight while I was riding my bike I passed a gal on the path who was smiling while walking her dog... from her wheelchair. My knee and my back didn't seem like such a big deal after that.
JMH
Monday, August 3, 2009
Spent part of the day a bit bummed that my knee is sore (from my pushing too had at Indian Ladder yesterday) and my lower back is sore (muscle spasm... it sucks getting old) and blah blah blah, grumble gripe complain.
Tonight while I was riding my bike I passed a gal on the path who was smiling while walking her dog... from her wheelchair. My knee and my back didn't seem like such a big deal after that.
JMH
Sunday, August 02, 2009
Saturday, August 01, 2009
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