16.2 Mile Ride Through Genesee Valley Park & Along the Erie Canalway Trail
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Today began the stretch of unseasonably warm weather we're supposed to have this week, along with plenty of sunshine... a good day for a ride! I rode through Genesee Valley Park up the west side of the Genesee River and then back down the east side. Looking at the water flowing in the river I realized it's very deceptive... because it's relatively calm it looks like it's barely moving, but when you watch things floating downstream you see that it's actually moving very quickly... I suspect High Falls in downtown Rochester is pretty impressive right now. Hopefully the current will decrease by the end of April, when we're supposed to be paddling one leg of the Flower City Challenge Paddle Triathlon... if it's running this fast then, it could be a tough three miles of paddling.
There's a shallow section along the east side of the river by the University of Rochester campus that has snagged a number of logs, often a spot that the gulls, geese, and ducks (and herons and egrets, later in the summer) congregate. Today saw quite a few gulls and geese, along with a few ducks... many of whom were snoozing in the sunshine. There were also two crows that seemed to be enjoying the chance to splash around in the shallows.
The ride along the Erie Canal was also pretty nice... there were a few people out on the path, but one plus to riding in the afternoon on a weekday is a lot of folks are still at work. The canal itself isn't much to look at this time of year - mostly muddy stretches with a little bit of water at the bottom, it will be a few more weeks before they open the guard gates and let the water back in. I got off to a slightly later start than I'd planned on and needed to pick Ann up after work, so I mostly concentrated on riding and didn't stop for many photos. I ended up going all the way out to the new ramp under route 65 (replacing a set of stairs or a fairly busy road crossing) which is pretty nice. When I got back to the park I had a few minutes left so I looped through the park on the other side of the canal... the path along Red Creek was a lot more fun to ride before it became one long stretch of broken pavement and potholes, but at least it was quieter than it is during summer, when there are typically large picnics with all sorts of loud stereo systems blasting.
JMH
Monday, March 15, 2010
GOODBYE SNOWSHOE SEASON... HELLO MUD & WATER SEASON!
8 Mile Run at Black Creek Park
Monday, March 15, 2010
While it's not out of the question that I may get in a few more miles of snowshoeing over the next couple of weeks, snowshoe season is basically done... and all that melting snow, combined with the rain we've had recently means - lots of mud and standing water out on the trails!
I headed over to Black Creek Park expecting the trails to be pretty wet, and I wasn't disappointed. Mud, soggy ground, ankle deep water, knee deep water... there were a few spots that had firm footing but they were definitely in the minority.
I actually had a lot of fun running through the mud and water... the really wet sections were far enough apart that my feet generally warmed up in between, and the slippery footing slowed me down even more than usual, which meant I didn't finish 8 miles feeling whupped. Only passed a couple of folks out walking dogs (no surprise, given that it was in the afternoon on a work day) though I did see lots of evidence of folks who didn't clean up after Fido did his business... sometimes I think parks should require people to put diapers on their dogs when they walk them, though that's unfair to the dogs... after all, it's the rude dog owner who's at fault. OK, I'll climb down off my soapbox now...
Lots of birds out and about... tons of chickadees, Ann and I will have to try feeding them by hand sometime and see if they're as accomodating as the ones at Mendon Ponds. Saw a few geese in the swamp, and a heron flew off when I checked out the heron rookery. I also saw a decent sized grey raptor fly up from the ground near the end of the run... didn't get a clear enough view to see if it was a hawk or an owl, unfortunately. I even startled three deer in the woods overlooking the pond at the far end of the park.
The big surprise of the run was how much Black Creek has overflowed its banks... the creekside picnic area was flooded, which is where I ended up walking through knee-deep water (well away from the creek) to keep moving forward, rather than backtrack and take a different trail back to the car. All part of the adventure...
JMH
8 Mile Run at Black Creek Park
Monday, March 15, 2010
While it's not out of the question that I may get in a few more miles of snowshoeing over the next couple of weeks, snowshoe season is basically done... and all that melting snow, combined with the rain we've had recently means - lots of mud and standing water out on the trails!
I headed over to Black Creek Park expecting the trails to be pretty wet, and I wasn't disappointed. Mud, soggy ground, ankle deep water, knee deep water... there were a few spots that had firm footing but they were definitely in the minority.
I actually had a lot of fun running through the mud and water... the really wet sections were far enough apart that my feet generally warmed up in between, and the slippery footing slowed me down even more than usual, which meant I didn't finish 8 miles feeling whupped. Only passed a couple of folks out walking dogs (no surprise, given that it was in the afternoon on a work day) though I did see lots of evidence of folks who didn't clean up after Fido did his business... sometimes I think parks should require people to put diapers on their dogs when they walk them, though that's unfair to the dogs... after all, it's the rude dog owner who's at fault. OK, I'll climb down off my soapbox now...
Lots of birds out and about... tons of chickadees, Ann and I will have to try feeding them by hand sometime and see if they're as accomodating as the ones at Mendon Ponds. Saw a few geese in the swamp, and a heron flew off when I checked out the heron rookery. I also saw a decent sized grey raptor fly up from the ground near the end of the run... didn't get a clear enough view to see if it was a hawk or an owl, unfortunately. I even startled three deer in the woods overlooking the pond at the far end of the park.
The big surprise of the run was how much Black Creek has overflowed its banks... the creekside picnic area was flooded, which is where I ended up walking through knee-deep water (well away from the creek) to keep moving forward, rather than backtrack and take a different trail back to the car. All part of the adventure...
JMH
Sunday, March 14, 2010
A COLD GREY WINDY AFTERNOON
1.4 Mile Walk at Turning Point Park on the Genesee Riverway Trail
0.6 Mile Walk at Ontario Beach Park
0.3 Mile Walk at Braddock Bay Park
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Hello Daylight Savings Time! Hurray! Combined with the roughly 3 minutes of daylight we're currently gaining each day, that means my options for running and riding after work just went way up.
The predicted rain held off today, though it was grey, grey, grey... and very windy, which combined with the damp air made it much colder than either of us expected it to be. But despite that we still headed out for some walking, up near the shoreline of Lake Ontario.
Turning Point Park
Our first stop was at Turning Point Park, which was surprisingly quiet, probably because the gates were locked. We walked down to the Genesee Riverway Trail on the boardwalk across Turning Point Basin and about 2/3 of the way to the far side before we decided it was just too darn chilly to keep walking there. Along the way we spotted a group of mergansers, some gulls snoozing out on a mudbar, and a few geese and ducks. Red-winged blackbirds also hollered at us from perches near the start of the boardwalk, and at one point a red-tailed hawk took off and spent a while circling higher and higher into the sky before catching an air current he apparently liked and zooming away.
Ontario Beach Park
No great surprise, the beach was even colder, with the wind blasting in off the lake. The waves were incredible... even if we had wanted to brave the wind and walk all the way out to the end of the pier, we most likely wouldn't have because waves were breaking over the sides. I fed the gulls for a few minutes, then Ann fed the ducks, but we spent most of the time there watching a couple of fellows who were parachute-surfing - essentially their feet were strapped to what looked like an oversized snowboard and they were harnessed to parachutes that pulled them through the crashing waves. I would guess they had some pretty impressive cold gear on, because the water had to be absolutely frigid. It was neat to watch but I don't think I'd want to give it a try - I doubt my knees could take the stress. While we sitting in the car getting ready to leave, a killdeer came darting across the grass in front of us and plunked down near the parking area. It's amazing how well camouflaged they are... I kept losing sight of him and having to zoom out then back in, even though he wasn't moving.
Braddock Bay Park
We actually started out for the Braddock Bay Raptor Research trails but stopped first at Braddock Bay Park to take a look out over the wetlands, and it was sufficiently cold that we decided to call it a day. We spotted a couple of swans braving the cold and the wind but that was about it, and the ground was sufficiently saturated with water that the walk out to the observation deck was a bit wet. Hopefully the weather will be much better for Birds of Prey days at the end of April. Ann said it was pretty incredible last year, with dozens of hawks streaming across the sky, and this year I'll actually be in Rochester that weekend for the Flower City Challenge both mornings.
JMH
1.4 Mile Walk at Turning Point Park on the Genesee Riverway Trail
0.6 Mile Walk at Ontario Beach Park
0.3 Mile Walk at Braddock Bay Park
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Hello Daylight Savings Time! Hurray! Combined with the roughly 3 minutes of daylight we're currently gaining each day, that means my options for running and riding after work just went way up.
The predicted rain held off today, though it was grey, grey, grey... and very windy, which combined with the damp air made it much colder than either of us expected it to be. But despite that we still headed out for some walking, up near the shoreline of Lake Ontario.
Turning Point Park
Our first stop was at Turning Point Park, which was surprisingly quiet, probably because the gates were locked. We walked down to the Genesee Riverway Trail on the boardwalk across Turning Point Basin and about 2/3 of the way to the far side before we decided it was just too darn chilly to keep walking there. Along the way we spotted a group of mergansers, some gulls snoozing out on a mudbar, and a few geese and ducks. Red-winged blackbirds also hollered at us from perches near the start of the boardwalk, and at one point a red-tailed hawk took off and spent a while circling higher and higher into the sky before catching an air current he apparently liked and zooming away.
Ontario Beach Park
No great surprise, the beach was even colder, with the wind blasting in off the lake. The waves were incredible... even if we had wanted to brave the wind and walk all the way out to the end of the pier, we most likely wouldn't have because waves were breaking over the sides. I fed the gulls for a few minutes, then Ann fed the ducks, but we spent most of the time there watching a couple of fellows who were parachute-surfing - essentially their feet were strapped to what looked like an oversized snowboard and they were harnessed to parachutes that pulled them through the crashing waves. I would guess they had some pretty impressive cold gear on, because the water had to be absolutely frigid. It was neat to watch but I don't think I'd want to give it a try - I doubt my knees could take the stress. While we sitting in the car getting ready to leave, a killdeer came darting across the grass in front of us and plunked down near the parking area. It's amazing how well camouflaged they are... I kept losing sight of him and having to zoom out then back in, even though he wasn't moving.
Braddock Bay Park
We actually started out for the Braddock Bay Raptor Research trails but stopped first at Braddock Bay Park to take a look out over the wetlands, and it was sufficiently cold that we decided to call it a day. We spotted a couple of swans braving the cold and the wind but that was about it, and the ground was sufficiently saturated with water that the walk out to the observation deck was a bit wet. Hopefully the weather will be much better for Birds of Prey days at the end of April. Ann said it was pretty incredible last year, with dozens of hawks streaming across the sky, and this year I'll actually be in Rochester that weekend for the Flower City Challenge both mornings.
JMH
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Geese on the Move! Part 2
Saturday, March 13, 2010
This afternoon as I was driving on the NYS Thruway west of exit 42 I saw a field with hundreds of snow geese feeding... what a beautiful (if fleeting, at 70 mph) sight. I was very tempted to pull over and take some pictures... but decided against it. Perhaps I'll get lucky and they'll be at Montezuma NWR when I stop there in a few days...
JMH
Saturday, March 13, 2010
This afternoon as I was driving on the NYS Thruway west of exit 42 I saw a field with hundreds of snow geese feeding... what a beautiful (if fleeting, at 70 mph) sight. I was very tempted to pull over and take some pictures... but decided against it. Perhaps I'll get lucky and they'll be at Montezuma NWR when I stop there in a few days...
JMH
Friday, March 12, 2010
18.1 Mile Ride on the Mohawk Hudson Bike Path & through Colonie Mohawk River Park
Friday, March 12, 2010
With rain in the forecast for the next few days I decided today was a good day for riding rather than running... I'd much rather run in the rain than ride in it, and I really need to put some time in on the bike before the Flower City Challenge at the end of April; it's bad enough that I'll probably be jumping in the kayak without any time to train beforehand. So this afternoon I took the bike over to the bike path for some relatively easy riding with a few short hills thrown in. Started out heading east from the Nisky Lions Park over to Colonie Mohawk River Park; other than one short stretch the path was clear of snow and ice. The park was pretty much deserted, even though there were several cars parked at the locked gate... maybe folks were walking their dogs on the trails. Spent a little while enjoying the river and just listening, then headed back to the car to add an extra layer (it was getting chilly) and head west to Lock 7. I expected to have to turn around there, since the ice usually lingers for a while on the shaded path between Lock 7 and the base of the old landfill, and I was right.
Today was a day when a lot of things didn't go smoothly - I had a flat when I went to take the bike to the car, then I left my seat bag open and had to stop to pick up my tire levers that fell out, and I forgot to put fresh batteries in the camera, so I had to be somewhat judicious in my picture-taking. But in the end all of those were pretty minor challenges, and the pluses of the ride definitely outweighed them.
The biggest plus - critters galore! Canada geese and muskrats at the Nisky boat launch. Red winged blackbirds and robins all along the route. A large group of common mergansers out on the river near the trailhead just east of the Nisky Lions Park, and a few gulls over at Colonie Park. Heading west there were geese and ducks along the way, and - very cool - a trio of hooded mergansers in the beaver pond just west of the Ferry Road bridge. When I got back to the Nisky Lions Park there was a beaver swimming in the river as well... all in all, quite the day for wildlife. As much as I love winter, I'm definitely enjoying the approach of spring and the birds and animals that are returning with it.
JMH
Friday, March 12, 2010
With rain in the forecast for the next few days I decided today was a good day for riding rather than running... I'd much rather run in the rain than ride in it, and I really need to put some time in on the bike before the Flower City Challenge at the end of April; it's bad enough that I'll probably be jumping in the kayak without any time to train beforehand. So this afternoon I took the bike over to the bike path for some relatively easy riding with a few short hills thrown in. Started out heading east from the Nisky Lions Park over to Colonie Mohawk River Park; other than one short stretch the path was clear of snow and ice. The park was pretty much deserted, even though there were several cars parked at the locked gate... maybe folks were walking their dogs on the trails. Spent a little while enjoying the river and just listening, then headed back to the car to add an extra layer (it was getting chilly) and head west to Lock 7. I expected to have to turn around there, since the ice usually lingers for a while on the shaded path between Lock 7 and the base of the old landfill, and I was right.
Today was a day when a lot of things didn't go smoothly - I had a flat when I went to take the bike to the car, then I left my seat bag open and had to stop to pick up my tire levers that fell out, and I forgot to put fresh batteries in the camera, so I had to be somewhat judicious in my picture-taking. But in the end all of those were pretty minor challenges, and the pluses of the ride definitely outweighed them.
The biggest plus - critters galore! Canada geese and muskrats at the Nisky boat launch. Red winged blackbirds and robins all along the route. A large group of common mergansers out on the river near the trailhead just east of the Nisky Lions Park, and a few gulls over at Colonie Park. Heading west there were geese and ducks along the way, and - very cool - a trio of hooded mergansers in the beaver pond just west of the Ferry Road bridge. When I got back to the Nisky Lions Park there was a beaver swimming in the river as well... all in all, quite the day for wildlife. As much as I love winter, I'm definitely enjoying the approach of spring and the birds and animals that are returning with it.
JMH
Thursday, March 11, 2010
EAGLE!
6.4 Mile Run on the Mohawk Hudson Bike Path
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Another day of feeling just a bit off, which meant I didn't get outdoors until late in the day and ended up doing a big chunk of the run at dusk. I also ended up cutting my run short - I'd planned to do 8-9 miles today but just didn't feel up to that once I got out there.
Plenty of wildlife along the bike path... blackbirds and robins, and quite a few geese now that the river is no longer iced over. I spotted a merganser right near the Niskayuna Lions Park boat launch, and I'm pretty sure it was a beaver I saw swimming nearby. Also saw a number of muskrats out and about. But the prize of the day was the bald eagle perched in his (or her) usual spot at the mouth of the Lisha Kill. Now it remains to be seen if this is the start of another "eagle whammy" like last spring, when I spotted an eagle almost every time I was out running or riding.
Since there was still some daylight left when I reached the construction zone by the Ferry Rd bridge, I was able to get a better look, and it does seem like they're going to be working on the bridge rather than replacing it with a ground-level roadway. In the meantime they've built a construction road from Rosendale Rd over to Niska Island and cut down a lot of trees to provide access. Necessary work I'm sure but it sure is unsightly. I'll have to wait and see what kind of impact it the construction has on the wildlife in the area - that's a prime area for herons, waterfowl, muskrats, and beaver. Of course, it's also the spot where I saw the otter last week...
It was such a pleasant night that I found myself seriously considering trying for the entire 8-9 miles, but I suspect I would have regretted it if I had. Spent a few minutes when I got back to the park looking out at the river and just listening... it's incredible how much the night sounds have changed in just a month or so when I was there in the midst of one of the big freezes back in late January/early February. Of course, as the weather keeps warming up things will really pick up in the evenings...
JMH
6.4 Mile Run on the Mohawk Hudson Bike Path
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Another day of feeling just a bit off, which meant I didn't get outdoors until late in the day and ended up doing a big chunk of the run at dusk. I also ended up cutting my run short - I'd planned to do 8-9 miles today but just didn't feel up to that once I got out there.
Plenty of wildlife along the bike path... blackbirds and robins, and quite a few geese now that the river is no longer iced over. I spotted a merganser right near the Niskayuna Lions Park boat launch, and I'm pretty sure it was a beaver I saw swimming nearby. Also saw a number of muskrats out and about. But the prize of the day was the bald eagle perched in his (or her) usual spot at the mouth of the Lisha Kill. Now it remains to be seen if this is the start of another "eagle whammy" like last spring, when I spotted an eagle almost every time I was out running or riding.
Since there was still some daylight left when I reached the construction zone by the Ferry Rd bridge, I was able to get a better look, and it does seem like they're going to be working on the bridge rather than replacing it with a ground-level roadway. In the meantime they've built a construction road from Rosendale Rd over to Niska Island and cut down a lot of trees to provide access. Necessary work I'm sure but it sure is unsightly. I'll have to wait and see what kind of impact it the construction has on the wildlife in the area - that's a prime area for herons, waterfowl, muskrats, and beaver. Of course, it's also the spot where I saw the otter last week...
It was such a pleasant night that I found myself seriously considering trying for the entire 8-9 miles, but I suspect I would have regretted it if I had. Spent a few minutes when I got back to the park looking out at the river and just listening... it's incredible how much the night sounds have changed in just a month or so when I was there in the midst of one of the big freezes back in late January/early February. Of course, as the weather keeps warming up things will really pick up in the evenings...
JMH
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
11.1 Mile Ride at the Corning Preserve & Schuyler Flatts Cultural Park
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
I was feeling a bit under the weather today, so instead of stopping somewhere between Rochester and Albany for a run I decided to take one of the bikes out once I got home. Unfortunately I dilly-dallied around a lot in the morning so by the time I got home, changed clothes, and got the bike on the car the only reasonable option was to go down to the Corning Preserve, which meant I'd be somewhat limited in the distance I could cover.
Yesterday Ann and I noticed that while the day was pleasantly warm, the temperature dropped rapidly once the sun started to go down, and today the same thing happened... I ended up with a fairly chilly ride in the end, especially since I got off to a late enough start that I ended up making the ride back pretty much in the dark. On the plus side, that meant I spent most of my time riding, because it was too dark to stop and take pictures!
The warm weather continued to bring out the birds, especially red-winged blackbirds and robins. I also spotted the kingfisher at the spot where I frequently saw him last year - it's good to see that he's back. Surprisingly there were very few gulls around.
There were more people than I expected out on the path during the ride back, most walking with no lights and dark clothing... that kept me on my toes, since I really didn't want to run into anyone. The worst stretch was the last mile to the parking lot, both because it was darkest and the lights from downtown and the cars over on 787 made it tough to see what was in front of me.
JMH
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
I was feeling a bit under the weather today, so instead of stopping somewhere between Rochester and Albany for a run I decided to take one of the bikes out once I got home. Unfortunately I dilly-dallied around a lot in the morning so by the time I got home, changed clothes, and got the bike on the car the only reasonable option was to go down to the Corning Preserve, which meant I'd be somewhat limited in the distance I could cover.
Yesterday Ann and I noticed that while the day was pleasantly warm, the temperature dropped rapidly once the sun started to go down, and today the same thing happened... I ended up with a fairly chilly ride in the end, especially since I got off to a late enough start that I ended up making the ride back pretty much in the dark. On the plus side, that meant I spent most of my time riding, because it was too dark to stop and take pictures!
The warm weather continued to bring out the birds, especially red-winged blackbirds and robins. I also spotted the kingfisher at the spot where I frequently saw him last year - it's good to see that he's back. Surprisingly there were very few gulls around.
There were more people than I expected out on the path during the ride back, most walking with no lights and dark clothing... that kept me on my toes, since I really didn't want to run into anyone. The worst stretch was the last mile to the parking lot, both because it was darkest and the lights from downtown and the cars over on 787 made it tough to see what was in front of me.
JMH
Geese on the Move!
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Yet another sign that spring is on the way - Canada Geese are migrating north. During my drive back to Albany I saw a number of flocks flying overhead, in some cases with what looked to be a hundred or more geese in a group. They were particularly concentrated in the area around Montezuma NWR - no surprise, really, except that the ponds there are still frozen, which left me wondering where the geese are spending their time. I had my answer just past Montezuma - a flooded field just a short distance east of the Cayuga-Seneca Canal had some open patches of water and was covered with geese. I wish I could have stopped and gotten pictures of both the flocks in the air and the geese on the ground, but given that I was on the NYS Thruway it would have been an incredibly bad idea to do so.
JMH
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Yet another sign that spring is on the way - Canada Geese are migrating north. During my drive back to Albany I saw a number of flocks flying overhead, in some cases with what looked to be a hundred or more geese in a group. They were particularly concentrated in the area around Montezuma NWR - no surprise, really, except that the ponds there are still frozen, which left me wondering where the geese are spending their time. I had my answer just past Montezuma - a flooded field just a short distance east of the Cayuga-Seneca Canal had some open patches of water and was covered with geese. I wish I could have stopped and gotten pictures of both the flocks in the air and the geese on the ground, but given that I was on the NYS Thruway it would have been an incredibly bad idea to do so.
JMH
Tuesday, March 09, 2010
1.4 Mile Walk at Ontario Beach Park
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
After Ann got home from work we headed over to Ontario Beach Park to see the sights and hopefully feed the gulls. Only problem was - there were almost no gulls there! I would have fed the ducks instead, but there were a couple of people already doing so with large bags of bread, so they seemed all set. Even the swans got in on the free food action...
We walked all the way out to the end of the concrete pier, which turned out to be tougher work than usual because much of it is still covered with snow and ice. I was hoping to see more "barking" ducks (actually long-tailed ducks) like we spotted this time last year, but the only ducks in sight were mallards. As the sun went down it chilled down very quickly, which made things a bit foggy out on the water... while we were standing out at the "lighthouse" we could hear gulls and geese off in the distance - maybe there was an ice floe they were on out in the lake? - and we spotted one diving duck that was probably a long-tail - the photo I took was very blurry but the markings didn't seem to match any other diving ducks.
The sun setting over the water was very scenic but it also made things very cold by the time we headed back... I was very glad to finally get back in the car and turn on the heat!
I've seen very few gulls so far this year in places where they usually congregate - I wonder if that's timing (either wrong time of day or maybe I'm out earlier this year than usual) or something else going on? Clearly more visits are in order to figure out the answer...
JMH
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
After Ann got home from work we headed over to Ontario Beach Park to see the sights and hopefully feed the gulls. Only problem was - there were almost no gulls there! I would have fed the ducks instead, but there were a couple of people already doing so with large bags of bread, so they seemed all set. Even the swans got in on the free food action...
We walked all the way out to the end of the concrete pier, which turned out to be tougher work than usual because much of it is still covered with snow and ice. I was hoping to see more "barking" ducks (actually long-tailed ducks) like we spotted this time last year, but the only ducks in sight were mallards. As the sun went down it chilled down very quickly, which made things a bit foggy out on the water... while we were standing out at the "lighthouse" we could hear gulls and geese off in the distance - maybe there was an ice floe they were on out in the lake? - and we spotted one diving duck that was probably a long-tail - the photo I took was very blurry but the markings didn't seem to match any other diving ducks.
The sun setting over the water was very scenic but it also made things very cold by the time we headed back... I was very glad to finally get back in the car and turn on the heat!
I've seen very few gulls so far this year in places where they usually congregate - I wonder if that's timing (either wrong time of day or maybe I'm out earlier this year than usual) or something else going on? Clearly more visits are in order to figure out the answer...
JMH
Monday, March 08, 2010
SUNSHINE, BIRDS, & DEER
1.2 Mile Walk at Mendon Ponds Park
Monday, March 8, 2010
For some reason my legs were a bit tired today (OK, that was no surprise) so Ann and I decided to go for a relatively easy walk at Mendon Ponds Park, with a bit of feeding the birds and checking out the deer thrown in for good measure.
Given what a gorgeous sunny day it was, I guess we shouldn't have been surprised to find lots of other folks there as well, many with small children in tow. We started at the Nature Center and headed down the path, spotting a deer a ways off immediately. When we stopped at the spot where people feed the birds, we were a bit disappointed that the birds didn't seem all that interested... we had a couple of chickadees come to our hands but that was it. Of course, with all the seed on the ground it may just have been a case of the birds being so well fed that they didn't have any need to take food out of our hands. We spotted lots of them while we were there - there were chickadees, titmouses, cardinals, juncos, sparrows, downy woodpeckers, and nuthatches all around us. We also saw a couple more deer, including one that appears to have figured out that people can mean free food, because it kept wondering out onto the path not far from where all the people were, even after getting chased by a toddler at one point.
From there we headed over to the other spot where we've fed the birds, catching sight of half a dozen deer along the way. Apparently they were enjoying the warm sunny weather too! We had a similar reaction from the birds at the 2nd location, and the usual spot was in the shade (and thus a bit chilly) so we tried a sunny spot nearby. Ann had a titmouse come to her hand; I gave up after a bit and put my seeds on the top of a fence post, then sat on the fence and watched the birds come in to eat. I also watched a pair of nuthatches at a suet feeder someone had hung in the trees a little ways off.
We drove the long way through the park to see what we could see on our way out, and spotted even more deer. There were two by the Cobblestone House parking lot, so we pulled in and spent a while watching them. Ann even put some seed on the snowbank and managed to lure the smaller one over to eat... given how unconcerned they were about our presence (as well as people running and riding by on the road nearby) I suspect these two have done the "look cute for the humans and get a snack" trick before, though the larger deer was much more interested in the grass where a patch of snow had melted.
The Monroe County website refers to Mendon Ponds Park as the crowning jewel of the county parks system, and I will definitely agree that it's one of the more beautiful places to go in Monroe County (which is saying a lot... western NY has many wonderful parks and greenspaces.) There's an excellent article by John Sheret at the Crooked Lake Review which discusses the history of the park and includes a number of cool historical photos. At the end of the month I'll be over at Mendon again, for the Spring Forward 15k... though that only runs small part of its 9.3 miles through the park. On the other hand, the Medved Madness 15 mile trail race in early May will once again give me a chance to see the Mendon trails up close and personal - and if the snow and ice that are there right now are any indication, it should once again turn out to be the Medved Mudness trail race I've run for the past three years.
JMH
1.2 Mile Walk at Mendon Ponds Park
Monday, March 8, 2010
For some reason my legs were a bit tired today (OK, that was no surprise) so Ann and I decided to go for a relatively easy walk at Mendon Ponds Park, with a bit of feeding the birds and checking out the deer thrown in for good measure.
Given what a gorgeous sunny day it was, I guess we shouldn't have been surprised to find lots of other folks there as well, many with small children in tow. We started at the Nature Center and headed down the path, spotting a deer a ways off immediately. When we stopped at the spot where people feed the birds, we were a bit disappointed that the birds didn't seem all that interested... we had a couple of chickadees come to our hands but that was it. Of course, with all the seed on the ground it may just have been a case of the birds being so well fed that they didn't have any need to take food out of our hands. We spotted lots of them while we were there - there were chickadees, titmouses, cardinals, juncos, sparrows, downy woodpeckers, and nuthatches all around us. We also saw a couple more deer, including one that appears to have figured out that people can mean free food, because it kept wondering out onto the path not far from where all the people were, even after getting chased by a toddler at one point.
From there we headed over to the other spot where we've fed the birds, catching sight of half a dozen deer along the way. Apparently they were enjoying the warm sunny weather too! We had a similar reaction from the birds at the 2nd location, and the usual spot was in the shade (and thus a bit chilly) so we tried a sunny spot nearby. Ann had a titmouse come to her hand; I gave up after a bit and put my seeds on the top of a fence post, then sat on the fence and watched the birds come in to eat. I also watched a pair of nuthatches at a suet feeder someone had hung in the trees a little ways off.
We drove the long way through the park to see what we could see on our way out, and spotted even more deer. There were two by the Cobblestone House parking lot, so we pulled in and spent a while watching them. Ann even put some seed on the snowbank and managed to lure the smaller one over to eat... given how unconcerned they were about our presence (as well as people running and riding by on the road nearby) I suspect these two have done the "look cute for the humans and get a snack" trick before, though the larger deer was much more interested in the grass where a patch of snow had melted.
The Monroe County website refers to Mendon Ponds Park as the crowning jewel of the county parks system, and I will definitely agree that it's one of the more beautiful places to go in Monroe County (which is saying a lot... western NY has many wonderful parks and greenspaces.) There's an excellent article by John Sheret at the Crooked Lake Review which discusses the history of the park and includes a number of cool historical photos. At the end of the month I'll be over at Mendon again, for the Spring Forward 15k... though that only runs small part of its 9.3 miles through the park. On the other hand, the Medved Madness 15 mile trail race in early May will once again give me a chance to see the Mendon trails up close and personal - and if the snow and ice that are there right now are any indication, it should once again turn out to be the Medved Mudness trail race I've run for the past three years.
JMH
Sunday, March 07, 2010
Weekly Training Summary
2/28/2010 - 3/6/2010
running (1x) - 7 mi
riding - 0 mi
snowshoeing (2x) - 10.7 mi
pushups - 0
I had hoped to get in a few more miles this week but obviously that didn't happen. Having the next two weeks off should help... I've got a lot of training to do if I'm going to be ready for a half marathon (albeit a slow one!) a little over a month from now...
JMH
2/28/2010 - 3/6/2010
running (1x) - 7 mi
riding - 0 mi
snowshoeing (2x) - 10.7 mi
pushups - 0
I had hoped to get in a few more miles this week but obviously that didn't happen. Having the next two weeks off should help... I've got a lot of training to do if I'm going to be ready for a half marathon (albeit a slow one!) a little over a month from now...
JMH
Saturday, March 06, 2010
Wednesday, March 03, 2010
Cool...
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Sunday's Moody Spring snowshoe race got a write-up on the Runner's World website... the article also mentions Brad Herder's short but hilarious Youtube video of our descent off of Rounds Rock at the Moby Dick snowshoe race the weekend before.
While I didn't think Moody was as difficult as Jeff Dengate describes it, it's worth noting that (1) he came in 5th in 1 hr 5 min, I came in 49th in 1 hr 45 min, and (2) I had over 50 people ahead of me stomping down the trail before I got there... and I still found it very slow going. But maybe I was just saving my energy for Nationals this weekend...
It's hard to believe that in a few more weeks my 5th season of snowshoe racing will be coming to a close... seems like it was only a few short weeks ago that we ran the first race of the season at Woodford!
JMH
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Sunday's Moody Spring snowshoe race got a write-up on the Runner's World website... the article also mentions Brad Herder's short but hilarious Youtube video of our descent off of Rounds Rock at the Moby Dick snowshoe race the weekend before.
While I didn't think Moody was as difficult as Jeff Dengate describes it, it's worth noting that (1) he came in 5th in 1 hr 5 min, I came in 49th in 1 hr 45 min, and (2) I had over 50 people ahead of me stomping down the trail before I got there... and I still found it very slow going. But maybe I was just saving my energy for Nationals this weekend...
It's hard to believe that in a few more weeks my 5th season of snowshoe racing will be coming to a close... seems like it was only a few short weeks ago that we ran the first race of the season at Woodford!
JMH
Tuesday, March 02, 2010
OTTER!
7 Mile Run on the Mohawk Hudson Bike Path
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Didn't get my butt in gear until it was almost dark, but that's OK for running on the bike path... I started out on the Gerbil Wheel, ran over to Lock 7 and back. I tried heading in the opposite direction, but the snow was too difficult to run in, so I gave up fairly quickly and debated calling it a night... fortunately, I decided to go out to the Ferry Road bridge and back one more time, because while I was out there checking out the construction work next to the bridge (they've cut down a swathe of trees and bushes on both sides of the bridge and essentially built a road through the water from Rosendale Road over to Niska Isle, with pipes so that the water can flow from the Lisha Kill outlet into the river - I'll have to check it out later in daylight but it looks like they're either working on or replacing the Ferry Road bridge) I noticed something swimming in the water. It was too big to be a muskrat, so I thought it might be a beaver... but when I shined my light on it the tail was wrong. It took me a minute but I finally figured out it was a river otter! How cool is that?
I watched him swim for a bit, then lost him... thought I found him a bit later but that turned out to be a muskrat. Still, this makes the 2nd time I've seen otters in the wild - very exciting, and well worth the run back out to the bridge and back.
An otter I photographed at the Barkhamsted Reservoir in CT last August... I wish I could have gotten a picture of the one I saw tonight!
JMH
7 Mile Run on the Mohawk Hudson Bike Path
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Didn't get my butt in gear until it was almost dark, but that's OK for running on the bike path... I started out on the Gerbil Wheel, ran over to Lock 7 and back. I tried heading in the opposite direction, but the snow was too difficult to run in, so I gave up fairly quickly and debated calling it a night... fortunately, I decided to go out to the Ferry Road bridge and back one more time, because while I was out there checking out the construction work next to the bridge (they've cut down a swathe of trees and bushes on both sides of the bridge and essentially built a road through the water from Rosendale Road over to Niska Isle, with pipes so that the water can flow from the Lisha Kill outlet into the river - I'll have to check it out later in daylight but it looks like they're either working on or replacing the Ferry Road bridge) I noticed something swimming in the water. It was too big to be a muskrat, so I thought it might be a beaver... but when I shined my light on it the tail was wrong. It took me a minute but I finally figured out it was a river otter! How cool is that?
I watched him swim for a bit, then lost him... thought I found him a bit later but that turned out to be a muskrat. Still, this makes the 2nd time I've seen otters in the wild - very exciting, and well worth the run back out to the bridge and back.
An otter I photographed at the Barkhamsted Reservoir in CT last August... I wish I could have gotten a picture of the one I saw tonight!
JMH
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