Eagles & A Beaver on a Rainy Evening
2 Mile Walk on the Mohawk Hudson Bike Path
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Woke up to a surprising amount of sunshine this morning. I left my Kent road bike (the one I usually ride) out at Ann's yesterday to force me to start using the Dawes... pumped up the tires and lubed the chain today, then noticed that the rear wheel wasn't true. Seems I had forgotten I broke a spoke some time last summer... by the time I had it replaced and trued the wheel, the storms I'd been hearing about all afternoon had kicked in and it was raining too hard to go for a ride. So after putting in a short appearance at class, I headed over to the bike path to do a bit of walking before calling it an evening.
One nice thing about the bike path in the rain - there usually aren't many other people there! Since it was dusk the birds were all chattering away - robins, catbirds, and blackbirds, mostly. Unfortunately the #@&**$#!! mosquitoes were out in force and chowed down on me whenever I stopped to snap a picture (it wasn't raining very hard most of the time... actually, by the time I turned around it wasn't raining at all.) I really hate mosquitoes.
Across the mouth of the Lisha Kill there were two large birds perched at the top of a tree... the eagle whammy strikes again! Spent a while trying to get some decent pictures and swearing at the skeeters... it was tough going because it was getting dark (and because I kept getting bitten!) Looking at the photos, at least one was probably the same eagle I saw about a month ago... a youngster, probably 3 years old, still coming into to his full adult plumage. Wouldn't it be cool if two eagles settled in that area and had some eaglets...
I had planned to stop at the bridge but continued on a ways further because I could hear a duck calling out in the wetlands... never saw the duck but I did see one of the beavers swimming down the stream. This is the first time I've seen any of the ones there, though the lodge and the dams make it pretty obvious they're living there.
As it got darker during the walk back I was treated to the sight of dozens of fireflies blinking on and off in the bushes along the path... someday I will figure out a way to get a photo of one of them.
JMH
Monday, June 29, 2009
1.7 Mile Hike at Pratt's Falls Park
Monday, June 29, 2009
Pratt Fall's Park trail map (PDF)
Pratt's Falls Park is one of the many amazing Onondaga County parks. Ann and I first stumbled across it back in December 2007 when we were heading to Highland Forest Park. Since everything was covered in snow and ice, we really didn't get to see much - really, just the falls from the overlook. I'd been wanting to get back there ever since but the opportunity just never seemed to come up until today, when I passed signs for the park on my way to Chittenango Falls State Park and decided this was a better option instead, given the late hour and the state of my left knee.
A lot of work seems to have been done on the park in the last 18 months... there's a fancy new comfort station at the main parking lot and things just generally looked a lot spiffier than I remember from that first visit. I started out by checking out the 137 foot falls from the overlook at the top, then wandered across the road to walk around two small ponds which were home ot a number of very vocal frogs (including several I managed to snap pictures of.) I also passed several displays in recognition of the parks past as the location first of a sawmill in the late 1700's and then a gristmill in the 1800's.
From there I took the falls trail down into the gorge to see the waterfall from the bottom - a much better view than from the top, though slow going to get to given my current limited ability to hobble around. I had the area to myself and spent a while enjoying the site of the waterfall, as well as wondering if I could support some of the branches being cut back to give a better view. After a couple of failed attempts to support my camera and use the timer to get a photo for Ann, I headed back up the hill, but instead of going straight back to the parking lot followed a longer trail along the ridge and through the fields... mostly just a pleasant walk through the woods. By the time I got back to the car, there was no question it was time to get on the road and finally get back to Albany.
The map shows even more trails through the woods on the other side of the gorge... I think more visits are in order at some point in the future!
JMH
Monday, June 29, 2009
Pratt Fall's Park trail map (PDF)
Pratt's Falls Park is one of the many amazing Onondaga County parks. Ann and I first stumbled across it back in December 2007 when we were heading to Highland Forest Park. Since everything was covered in snow and ice, we really didn't get to see much - really, just the falls from the overlook. I'd been wanting to get back there ever since but the opportunity just never seemed to come up until today, when I passed signs for the park on my way to Chittenango Falls State Park and decided this was a better option instead, given the late hour and the state of my left knee.
A lot of work seems to have been done on the park in the last 18 months... there's a fancy new comfort station at the main parking lot and things just generally looked a lot spiffier than I remember from that first visit. I started out by checking out the 137 foot falls from the overlook at the top, then wandered across the road to walk around two small ponds which were home ot a number of very vocal frogs (including several I managed to snap pictures of.) I also passed several displays in recognition of the parks past as the location first of a sawmill in the late 1700's and then a gristmill in the 1800's.
From there I took the falls trail down into the gorge to see the waterfall from the bottom - a much better view than from the top, though slow going to get to given my current limited ability to hobble around. I had the area to myself and spent a while enjoying the site of the waterfall, as well as wondering if I could support some of the branches being cut back to give a better view. After a couple of failed attempts to support my camera and use the timer to get a photo for Ann, I headed back up the hill, but instead of going straight back to the parking lot followed a longer trail along the ridge and through the fields... mostly just a pleasant walk through the woods. By the time I got back to the car, there was no question it was time to get on the road and finally get back to Albany.
The map shows even more trails through the woods on the other side of the gorge... I think more visits are in order at some point in the future!
JMH
NOT QUITE FORGE THE GORGEOUS...
3.7 Mile Hike at Fillmore Glen State Park
Monday, June 29, 2009
I was a bit bummed about missing the Forge the Gorgeous trail race last Thursday (stupid knee) - when I first ran it in 2006 I decided I wanted to keep going back, just for the run along the Gorge Trail, which is a mini-version of Watkins Glen (the park, not the race track!) with the trail wandering along the bottom of the gorge past numerous waterfalls and bridges taking the path back and forth across the stream. I decided the drive back to Albany would be a good opportunity to make the trip to Fillmore Glen State Park to walk through the gorge while the water is still a bit higher than normal, thanks to all the rain we've been getting. The only real question was - would the rain hold off long enough for me to make it out to the far end of the gorge and back?
Before heading out on the trails I stopped at the main picnic shelter to use the restroom and spent a while watching swallows swoop through the building. Since it's an open sided structure there are a number of nests built up in the rafters, so I got to see quite a few hungry swallow chicks. Don't know that I'd want to have a picnic in there, but it was fun to watch. From there I headed across the bridge and up to the Cowsheds, a large waterfall at the end of the gorge (and the only one that isn't actually on the Gorge Trail.) There wasn't as much water as I'd hoped for, but still a good deal more than the last time I was here, in July 2007.
Then it was time to do a bit of climbing... up lots of steps to get to the trail through the gorge. Fortunately going up bothers my injured knee a lot less than going down, but it's still hard work hobbling around, regardless. At the top I headed into the gorge. The path generally heads uphill, though for the most part along a fairly easy grade, and the walls of the gorge keep things fairly cool and shady. The stream makes numerous cascades over the rocks in the creek bed, along with a few small waterfalls at different points and several larger falls up near the far end. Eight bridges cross the water a various points, providing some very scenic views out over the stream. Best of all, since it was a weekday, there were almost no other folks out on the trail - I only passed other walkers toward the end of my trip back.
One of my favorite spots is up near the top of the gorge, where several drops create some sizeable waterfalls, plus there's often water dripping down onto the path from the sheer sides of the gorge. It's all very beautiful and I spent a while there just enjoying the surroundings. At that point I also had to decide how I would get back - return via the gorge or climb up to the south rim and take the trail or road back down. I eventually opted to retrace my steps, both because the grade was easier and because that gave me more time to enjoy walking along the stream.
As I walked along the trail I was a bit surprised to see a number of markers left from the race Thursday night... I have to admit, that made today's hike somewhat bittersweet. I had a great time hiking through the gorge and it brought back some great memories of the two times I ran here, but that also reminded me of missing the race this year and that was a bit of a bummer... fortunately not enough to ruin my enjoyment of the day, but still a tad bittersweet.
It was very slow going back down all the steps, but eventually I was back to the swimming area. I wandered across the grass to the replica of Millard Fillmore's cabin (Fillmore, the 13th president of the US, was born in a cabin a few miles away from the park.) And then it was time to get on the road, possibly to visit Chittenango Falls State Park and definitely to get back to Albany.
JMH
3.7 Mile Hike at Fillmore Glen State Park
Monday, June 29, 2009
I was a bit bummed about missing the Forge the Gorgeous trail race last Thursday (stupid knee) - when I first ran it in 2006 I decided I wanted to keep going back, just for the run along the Gorge Trail, which is a mini-version of Watkins Glen (the park, not the race track!) with the trail wandering along the bottom of the gorge past numerous waterfalls and bridges taking the path back and forth across the stream. I decided the drive back to Albany would be a good opportunity to make the trip to Fillmore Glen State Park to walk through the gorge while the water is still a bit higher than normal, thanks to all the rain we've been getting. The only real question was - would the rain hold off long enough for me to make it out to the far end of the gorge and back?
Before heading out on the trails I stopped at the main picnic shelter to use the restroom and spent a while watching swallows swoop through the building. Since it's an open sided structure there are a number of nests built up in the rafters, so I got to see quite a few hungry swallow chicks. Don't know that I'd want to have a picnic in there, but it was fun to watch. From there I headed across the bridge and up to the Cowsheds, a large waterfall at the end of the gorge (and the only one that isn't actually on the Gorge Trail.) There wasn't as much water as I'd hoped for, but still a good deal more than the last time I was here, in July 2007.
Then it was time to do a bit of climbing... up lots of steps to get to the trail through the gorge. Fortunately going up bothers my injured knee a lot less than going down, but it's still hard work hobbling around, regardless. At the top I headed into the gorge. The path generally heads uphill, though for the most part along a fairly easy grade, and the walls of the gorge keep things fairly cool and shady. The stream makes numerous cascades over the rocks in the creek bed, along with a few small waterfalls at different points and several larger falls up near the far end. Eight bridges cross the water a various points, providing some very scenic views out over the stream. Best of all, since it was a weekday, there were almost no other folks out on the trail - I only passed other walkers toward the end of my trip back.
One of my favorite spots is up near the top of the gorge, where several drops create some sizeable waterfalls, plus there's often water dripping down onto the path from the sheer sides of the gorge. It's all very beautiful and I spent a while there just enjoying the surroundings. At that point I also had to decide how I would get back - return via the gorge or climb up to the south rim and take the trail or road back down. I eventually opted to retrace my steps, both because the grade was easier and because that gave me more time to enjoy walking along the stream.
As I walked along the trail I was a bit surprised to see a number of markers left from the race Thursday night... I have to admit, that made today's hike somewhat bittersweet. I had a great time hiking through the gorge and it brought back some great memories of the two times I ran here, but that also reminded me of missing the race this year and that was a bit of a bummer... fortunately not enough to ruin my enjoyment of the day, but still a tad bittersweet.
It was very slow going back down all the steps, but eventually I was back to the swimming area. I wandered across the grass to the replica of Millard Fillmore's cabin (Fillmore, the 13th president of the US, was born in a cabin a few miles away from the park.) And then it was time to get on the road, possibly to visit Chittenango Falls State Park and definitely to get back to Albany.
JMH
Ospreys Still Nesting, But the Eaglets Have Fledged
Monday, June 29, 2009
My drive to Fillmore Glen State Park conveniently took me past Montezuma NWR and Lock 1 on the Cayuga-Seneca Canal... of course, even if it hadn't I most likely still would have stopped to check out the qspreys and eagles.
The ospreys along route 20 are still nesting and taking care of their chicks... one adult was clearly visible, along with at least one other bird in the nest, I couldn't tell if it was the other adult or a youngster.
No great surprise, the eagle nest at Lock CS-1 was empty... when I was there two weeks ago the eaglets were clearly getting ready to fledge, and apparently they've done so. I did spot one of the youngsters in a tree further down the shore of Cayuga Lake. Next year I'll have to start visiting there earlier and maybe get a chance to see the eaglets when they're younger.
JMH
Monday, June 29, 2009
My drive to Fillmore Glen State Park conveniently took me past Montezuma NWR and Lock 1 on the Cayuga-Seneca Canal... of course, even if it hadn't I most likely still would have stopped to check out the qspreys and eagles.
The ospreys along route 20 are still nesting and taking care of their chicks... one adult was clearly visible, along with at least one other bird in the nest, I couldn't tell if it was the other adult or a youngster.
No great surprise, the eagle nest at Lock CS-1 was empty... when I was there two weeks ago the eaglets were clearly getting ready to fledge, and apparently they've done so. I did spot one of the youngsters in a tree further down the shore of Cayuga Lake. Next year I'll have to start visiting there earlier and maybe get a chance to see the eaglets when they're younger.
JMH
Sunday, June 28, 2009
5 Mile Paddle Along Black Creek
Sunday, June 28, 2009
I was initially concerned about my ability to get in and out of my kayak, an action which typically causes me more than a little concern due to my crappy knees, but it actually ended up not being that big a deal... I just got a bit wetter than I usually do. Black Creek was much higher than when we paddled here last August - no great surprise, given the rainy weather we've been having - and there wasn't as much wildlife around, but it was still a fairly nice paddle, and a bit easier than last summer because many of the logs and obstructions were under water. I'd hoped we could explore a bit further, but the tree across the creek still hasn't been cleared and there was no way we were going to try to drag to boats over it (twice!) today.
I'm still experimenting with the best way to get pictures with my "new" camera (which doesn't fit in the waterproof camera bag I used last summer) - today I tried packing it in a waterproof boxand taking it out when I wanted to snap a photo. Very inconvenient, and once it started sprinkling as we were heading back to where we put in, I wasn't able to take any more pictures, since I'm trying not to abuse this camera as much as I did my dead Canon Powershot A570IS (which, to be fair, did last for somwhere between 40,000 and 50,000 photos and all sorts of conditions I suspect it wasn't designed for.)
Happily, the heavy rain held off until we got the kayaks out of the water and back in Ann's truck... it started pouring literally moments after we pulled out of the parking lot.
JMH
Sunday, June 28, 2009
I was initially concerned about my ability to get in and out of my kayak, an action which typically causes me more than a little concern due to my crappy knees, but it actually ended up not being that big a deal... I just got a bit wetter than I usually do. Black Creek was much higher than when we paddled here last August - no great surprise, given the rainy weather we've been having - and there wasn't as much wildlife around, but it was still a fairly nice paddle, and a bit easier than last summer because many of the logs and obstructions were under water. I'd hoped we could explore a bit further, but the tree across the creek still hasn't been cleared and there was no way we were going to try to drag to boats over it (twice!) today.
I'm still experimenting with the best way to get pictures with my "new" camera (which doesn't fit in the waterproof camera bag I used last summer) - today I tried packing it in a waterproof boxand taking it out when I wanted to snap a photo. Very inconvenient, and once it started sprinkling as we were heading back to where we put in, I wasn't able to take any more pictures, since I'm trying not to abuse this camera as much as I did my dead Canon Powershot A570IS (which, to be fair, did last for somwhere between 40,000 and 50,000 photos and all sorts of conditions I suspect it wasn't designed for.)
Happily, the heavy rain held off until we got the kayaks out of the water and back in Ann's truck... it started pouring literally moments after we pulled out of the parking lot.
JMH
Knee... What Else?
Sunday, June 28, 2009
My knee is slowly bouncing back... I can do a little more with it each day. But it's clearly not going to be a quick recovery, which is why I've decided to skip the Finger Lakes 50k this Saturday, even if I'm feeling well enough to run again. It's just not worth the risk of putting my knee out of commission for an even longer time (like... most of the summer!) because of trying to do too much too soon.
Aargh.
JMH
Sunday, June 28, 2009
My knee is slowly bouncing back... I can do a little more with it each day. But it's clearly not going to be a quick recovery, which is why I've decided to skip the Finger Lakes 50k this Saturday, even if I'm feeling well enough to run again. It's just not worth the risk of putting my knee out of commission for an even longer time (like... most of the summer!) because of trying to do too much too soon.
Aargh.
JMH
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Visiting the Lake Ontario Shoreline at Webster Park & Durand Eastman Park
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Ann and I grabbed some lunch at a small chinese restaurant in Penfield (one of the first places we went when we started dating) then set out for home... except I decided to take advantage of the nice day and took us over to Webster Park instead, where we walked along the waterfront and out onto the concrete pier with the Webster "lighthouse" at the end. Probably the highlight of our walk was a female mallard with a crew of ten very small ducklings, bobbing up and down in some very rough waters...
From there we headed over to Durand Eastman Park... no great surprise on a warm sunny summer day, the beach was very crowded, but I took off my shoes and we waded to a spot that no one else was using and spent a little while watching the waves roll in. I had orginally thought we'd head across the road and see if there were any swans or herons on the lakes, but in the end we decided not to deal with dodging the fairly heavy traffic (especially considering that I couldn't run) and finally headed for home and some dinner and rest.
JMH
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Ann and I grabbed some lunch at a small chinese restaurant in Penfield (one of the first places we went when we started dating) then set out for home... except I decided to take advantage of the nice day and took us over to Webster Park instead, where we walked along the waterfront and out onto the concrete pier with the Webster "lighthouse" at the end. Probably the highlight of our walk was a female mallard with a crew of ten very small ducklings, bobbing up and down in some very rough waters...
From there we headed over to Durand Eastman Park... no great surprise on a warm sunny summer day, the beach was very crowded, but I took off my shoes and we waded to a spot that no one else was using and spent a little while watching the waves roll in. I had orginally thought we'd head across the road and see if there were any swans or herons on the lakes, but in the end we decided not to deal with dodging the fairly heavy traffic (especially considering that I couldn't run) and finally headed for home and some dinner and rest.
JMH
A VERY Slow 2.7 Mile Walk at Corbett's Glen
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Corbett's Glen North trail map (PDF)
Corbett's Glen South trail map (PDF)
Corbett's Glen site
I was determined to get outdoors today, regardless of how my knee felt, so Ann and I headed over to Corbett's Glen to do a bit of walking. I chose this particular park because I remembered the trails being fairly flat (that was mostly true), because one section of trail runs along Allen's Creek which has three very nice waterfalls, and because I hadn't been there during the summer for several years.
The parking lot on Penfield Road was a lot more crowded than I expected, but thankfully we saw very few people while we were out on the trails... I guess most folks don't walk through the whole park. The knee made for tough going... I had to take it pretty slow, and most of the time it still hurt quite a bit, but at least we were outdoors on a beautiful sunny day!
Down in the Glen Ann decided to wade out into the creek. The first spot she chose, just below the second waterfall, turned out to be interesting - when she almost stepped on a medium-sized snapping turtle doing a good impersonation of a rock! Needless to say she decided to head downstream before going into the water again... she waded across the top of the third waterfall and then out into the stream below the falls as well.
After that we walked the perimeter of the Glen and got to see a number of birds, including a group of downy woodpeckers that were chasing each other up and down trees and some very active brown birds that were probably some kind of thrush (they never sat still long enough for me to get a decent photo...)
I was getting pretty tired by the time we finished circling the Glen, so the walk back to the car was very slow going. A couple of miles of walking wouldn't ordinarily cause me much stress, but between the constant need to be aware of my knee and the frequent pain from it... this walk did a pretty good job of wearing me out. But, as I said already - it was great to be outdoors on a gorgeous day, even if only for a relatively short and very slow walk.
JMH
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Corbett's Glen North trail map (PDF)
Corbett's Glen South trail map (PDF)
Corbett's Glen site
I was determined to get outdoors today, regardless of how my knee felt, so Ann and I headed over to Corbett's Glen to do a bit of walking. I chose this particular park because I remembered the trails being fairly flat (that was mostly true), because one section of trail runs along Allen's Creek which has three very nice waterfalls, and because I hadn't been there during the summer for several years.
The parking lot on Penfield Road was a lot more crowded than I expected, but thankfully we saw very few people while we were out on the trails... I guess most folks don't walk through the whole park. The knee made for tough going... I had to take it pretty slow, and most of the time it still hurt quite a bit, but at least we were outdoors on a beautiful sunny day!
Down in the Glen Ann decided to wade out into the creek. The first spot she chose, just below the second waterfall, turned out to be interesting - when she almost stepped on a medium-sized snapping turtle doing a good impersonation of a rock! Needless to say she decided to head downstream before going into the water again... she waded across the top of the third waterfall and then out into the stream below the falls as well.
After that we walked the perimeter of the Glen and got to see a number of birds, including a group of downy woodpeckers that were chasing each other up and down trees and some very active brown birds that were probably some kind of thrush (they never sat still long enough for me to get a decent photo...)
I was getting pretty tired by the time we finished circling the Glen, so the walk back to the car was very slow going. A couple of miles of walking wouldn't ordinarily cause me much stress, but between the constant need to be aware of my knee and the frequent pain from it... this walk did a pretty good job of wearing me out. But, as I said already - it was great to be outdoors on a gorgeous day, even if only for a relatively short and very slow walk.
JMH
Friday, June 26, 2009
Knee Update... Of Sorts
Friday, June 26, 2009
It feels slightly better than yesterday (very slightly) but I'm still hobbling around pretty slowly.
Apparently they had a very good turnout at Forge the Gorgeous last night... I'm bummed I missed it. Maybe my knee will be in good enough shape that I can stop on the way back on Monday and at least walk the gorge path and see all the waterfalls.
The decision deadline for the Finger Lakes 50k is Wednesday morning... that's when I definitely have to decide whether or not to cancel my luxurious room at the Cortland Econolodge. I'm trying to remain optimistic but at the same time... realistically it seems unlikely this will heal up enough in a week for me to subject it to 31 miles on the trails. But we'll see how the weekend goes before I make a definite decision. Either way I'll still be making a trip to race HQ... I paid extra for a 2009 race shirt and by golly I'm going to go get that sucker.
JMH
Friday, June 26, 2009
It feels slightly better than yesterday (very slightly) but I'm still hobbling around pretty slowly.
Apparently they had a very good turnout at Forge the Gorgeous last night... I'm bummed I missed it. Maybe my knee will be in good enough shape that I can stop on the way back on Monday and at least walk the gorge path and see all the waterfalls.
The decision deadline for the Finger Lakes 50k is Wednesday morning... that's when I definitely have to decide whether or not to cancel my luxurious room at the Cortland Econolodge. I'm trying to remain optimistic but at the same time... realistically it seems unlikely this will heal up enough in a week for me to subject it to 31 miles on the trails. But we'll see how the weekend goes before I make a definite decision. Either way I'll still be making a trip to race HQ... I paid extra for a 2009 race shirt and by golly I'm going to go get that sucker.
JMH
Hudson Valley Grand Walkabout
Friday, June 26, 2009
Grand Walkabout site
This is pretty cool... as part of the NYS quadicentennial it's an attempt to encourage folks to get out and explore the many trails and historic sites in the lower Hudson Valley, particularly in Ulster, Putnam, Dutchess, and Orange counties. Participants can register and then keep track of the trails and distances they've covered. The site mentions awards and incentives but doesn't seem to indicate what they might be.
I'm finding myself drawn more and more to exploring some of the parks and trails in southeastern NY (of course, I also want to explore a whole slew of other places too... so much outdoors to visit and so little time...) so I think this is a pretty cool way try to motivate people to get outside and play.
JMH
Friday, June 26, 2009
Grand Walkabout site
This is pretty cool... as part of the NYS quadicentennial it's an attempt to encourage folks to get out and explore the many trails and historic sites in the lower Hudson Valley, particularly in Ulster, Putnam, Dutchess, and Orange counties. Participants can register and then keep track of the trails and distances they've covered. The site mentions awards and incentives but doesn't seem to indicate what they might be.
I'm finding myself drawn more and more to exploring some of the parks and trails in southeastern NY (of course, I also want to explore a whole slew of other places too... so much outdoors to visit and so little time...) so I think this is a pretty cool way try to motivate people to get outside and play.
JMH
Thursday, June 25, 2009
OK, Knee's More Than Just Tweaked...
Thursday, June 25, 2009
That was wishful thinking on my part. The darn thing hurts like the dickens and is nicely swollen, so I tore something... definitely no running for the next few days (so much for Forge the Gorgeous and Harborfest) and possibly not much else either - I'm not sure if I'll be able to get in and out of my kayak and walking is uncomfortable. Maybe I'll be able to handle some easy riding...
The Finger Lakes 50k is up in the air... I'll have to check my motel reservation and see when the last day I can cancel is (since that will determine the deadline to decide whether I go or not.) I'm still hoping this will bounce back quickly if I'm nice to it and I'll be able to run my first 50k after a restful week of little or no running...
JMH
Thursday, June 25, 2009
That was wishful thinking on my part. The darn thing hurts like the dickens and is nicely swollen, so I tore something... definitely no running for the next few days (so much for Forge the Gorgeous and Harborfest) and possibly not much else either - I'm not sure if I'll be able to get in and out of my kayak and walking is uncomfortable. Maybe I'll be able to handle some easy riding...
The Finger Lakes 50k is up in the air... I'll have to check my motel reservation and see when the last day I can cancel is (since that will determine the deadline to decide whether I go or not.) I'm still hoping this will bounce back quickly if I'm nice to it and I'll be able to run my first 50k after a restful week of little or no running...
JMH
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
AAARGH! Tweaked Knee...
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
During the last couple of miles of the Summer Solstice Run my left knee started feeling tight, and now it's complaining vigorously... so I will almost definitely be skipping the Forge the Gorgeous trail race tomorrow at Filmore Glen State Park (which sucks because that's a gorgeous course through the gorge... hence the name...) and probably the Harborfest 10k Sunday morning so as not to aggravate it further before next Saturday's long, long haul in the Finger Lakes National Forest...
$#@*&*#*$$!!!
(We now return to our typical family-friendly blog posts...)
JMH
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
During the last couple of miles of the Summer Solstice Run my left knee started feeling tight, and now it's complaining vigorously... so I will almost definitely be skipping the Forge the Gorgeous trail race tomorrow at Filmore Glen State Park (which sucks because that's a gorgeous course through the gorge... hence the name...) and probably the Harborfest 10k Sunday morning so as not to aggravate it further before next Saturday's long, long haul in the Finger Lakes National Forest...
$#@*&*#*$$!!!
(We now return to our typical family-friendly blog posts...)
JMH
LONG DISTANCE 2009 - Race #15
Summer Solstice 8.5 Mile Trail Race
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
As I wandered around Minnewaska before the start of tonight's race, I realized that it's been 10 years since I first ran the Summer Solstice Run and discovered one of the most beautiful places I know of. After that first time in 1999, I didn't come back until 2005... but I've run this one every year since then and hope I can keep running it for many years to come.
As I was running tonight I kept thinking of the Navajo/Irish poem that's recited at the start of each Leatherman's Loop:
Rather than go through a blow-by-blow description of the race I think this year I'll simply provide a few "snapshots" to give an idea of what it was like...
About 10 minutes before the scheduled start, black clouds moved in and it started pouring - it was raining hard enough that it was tough to see. Runners scrambled for any cover they could find, and I walked back to my car to ditch my camera, change into a shirt with sleeves (it was pretty chilly), grab a hat, and put on one of my rain jackets. I should have skipped the last one, since I took it off about 5-10 minutes in and spent the rest of the run with it tied around my waist.
The 4 mile climb to Castle Point is always tough, but this year my battered legs found it even tougher than usual - lots of walking breaks. One of the highlights is peeking off the cliffs to see the wonderful views - initially all I could see was grey cloud cover (yup, we were up in the clouds) but as I got further along the views cleared up and I could see over to Gertrude's Nose and eventually off into the distance along the Shawangunk Ridge. The water stop at the high point has the best views in the park!
It felt good to hammer the downhills after all that climbing - I managed to pass a few other runners along the way. I find the last three miles tough going - contrary to what everyone says, it's not all downhill, and I always struggle to find the balance between hammering the downhill bits and switching to a lower gear on the gentle climbs. Along the way, I managed to pass another half dozen runners, which always feels good - nice to know I haven't been totally wasting my time slogging through long slow distances.
There's a cliff we run under about 2 miles from the finish... tonight the sun came out and lit up the rock face in all sorts of shades of tan and gold. Beautiful!
This has to be one of the hardest finishes of just about any race I do... a gradual uphill to the shore of Lake Minnewaska, and then a short steep climb to the cliff overlooking the lake! Didn't have a prayer of running up that - I walked almost to the top and ran the last 50 m or so. I was pleasantly surprised to finish in 1 hr 34 min - 4 min faster than last year (though the course was changed slightly and was about 1/4 mile shorter) and only a minute or two slower than my best times. Not bad at all, considering I'm still recovering from Sunday's long haul...
Caught glimpses of the setting sun as I was changing clothes in the parking lot, so I hurried to get out of the park and down the road to the overlooks... only to find them completely fogged in! Guess I should have hiked out to one of the viewpoints up on top of the ridge.
Here's to my next ten years of running at Minnewaska!
JMH
2009 Event Totals
Run 168.4 mi, 42 hr 06 min
Bike 16.2 mi, 1 hr 25 min
Snowshoe 54.6 mi, 13 hr 05 min
XC Ski 3.3 mi, 1 hr 2 min
states visited: CT, MA, ME, NH, NY, RI, VT
Summer Solstice 8.5 Mile Trail Race
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
As I wandered around Minnewaska before the start of tonight's race, I realized that it's been 10 years since I first ran the Summer Solstice Run and discovered one of the most beautiful places I know of. After that first time in 1999, I didn't come back until 2005... but I've run this one every year since then and hope I can keep running it for many years to come.
As I was running tonight I kept thinking of the Navajo/Irish poem that's recited at the start of each Leatherman's Loop:
Somehow that just fit tonight to a "T".Beauty before me when I run.
Beauty behind me when I run.
Beauty below me when I run.
Beauty above me when I run.
Beauty beside me when I run.
Beauty within me when I run.
I see Beauty all around.
In beauty may I walk.
In beauty may I see.
In beauty may we all be.
Rather than go through a blow-by-blow description of the race I think this year I'll simply provide a few "snapshots" to give an idea of what it was like...
About 10 minutes before the scheduled start, black clouds moved in and it started pouring - it was raining hard enough that it was tough to see. Runners scrambled for any cover they could find, and I walked back to my car to ditch my camera, change into a shirt with sleeves (it was pretty chilly), grab a hat, and put on one of my rain jackets. I should have skipped the last one, since I took it off about 5-10 minutes in and spent the rest of the run with it tied around my waist.
The 4 mile climb to Castle Point is always tough, but this year my battered legs found it even tougher than usual - lots of walking breaks. One of the highlights is peeking off the cliffs to see the wonderful views - initially all I could see was grey cloud cover (yup, we were up in the clouds) but as I got further along the views cleared up and I could see over to Gertrude's Nose and eventually off into the distance along the Shawangunk Ridge. The water stop at the high point has the best views in the park!
It felt good to hammer the downhills after all that climbing - I managed to pass a few other runners along the way. I find the last three miles tough going - contrary to what everyone says, it's not all downhill, and I always struggle to find the balance between hammering the downhill bits and switching to a lower gear on the gentle climbs. Along the way, I managed to pass another half dozen runners, which always feels good - nice to know I haven't been totally wasting my time slogging through long slow distances.
There's a cliff we run under about 2 miles from the finish... tonight the sun came out and lit up the rock face in all sorts of shades of tan and gold. Beautiful!
This has to be one of the hardest finishes of just about any race I do... a gradual uphill to the shore of Lake Minnewaska, and then a short steep climb to the cliff overlooking the lake! Didn't have a prayer of running up that - I walked almost to the top and ran the last 50 m or so. I was pleasantly surprised to finish in 1 hr 34 min - 4 min faster than last year (though the course was changed slightly and was about 1/4 mile shorter) and only a minute or two slower than my best times. Not bad at all, considering I'm still recovering from Sunday's long haul...
Caught glimpses of the setting sun as I was changing clothes in the parking lot, so I hurried to get out of the park and down the road to the overlooks... only to find them completely fogged in! Guess I should have hiked out to one of the viewpoints up on top of the ridge.
Here's to my next ten years of running at Minnewaska!
JMH
2009 Event Totals
Run 168.4 mi, 42 hr 06 min
Bike 16.2 mi, 1 hr 25 min
Snowshoe 54.6 mi, 13 hr 05 min
XC Ski 3.3 mi, 1 hr 2 min
states visited: CT, MA, ME, NH, NY, RI, VT
1.5 Mile Wander Around Lake Minnewaska
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
At least this year's pre-race wander was dry and sunny!
Nothing unusual, I just wandered up to the cliffs overlooking the lake and out to the overlook where I could see the ridge heading off toward Skytop and mountains far off in the distance to the east... after I changed into my running gear I walked down the Sunset Carriageway a ways to check out the view off to the west.
Unfortunately I didn't leave the house early enough to stop at the lower lot and walk down to Awosting Falls... given the water I was seeing everywhere else I suspect they're pretty impressive right now. I may try to get back down to Minnewaska next week for some riding and hiking, while the laurel is still blooming and the water is (hopefully) still high...
No surprise, the 'Gunks remain one of my favorite places to visit!
JMH
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
At least this year's pre-race wander was dry and sunny!
Nothing unusual, I just wandered up to the cliffs overlooking the lake and out to the overlook where I could see the ridge heading off toward Skytop and mountains far off in the distance to the east... after I changed into my running gear I walked down the Sunset Carriageway a ways to check out the view off to the west.
Unfortunately I didn't leave the house early enough to stop at the lower lot and walk down to Awosting Falls... given the water I was seeing everywhere else I suspect they're pretty impressive right now. I may try to get back down to Minnewaska next week for some riding and hiking, while the laurel is still blooming and the water is (hopefully) still high...
No surprise, the 'Gunks remain one of my favorite places to visit!
JMH
2.5 Mile Walk at the Harcourt Wildlife Sanctuary
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
I originally wanted to visit the Harcourt Wildlife Sanctuary last summer, after reading about it in Peggy Turco's Walks and Rambles in the Western Hudson Valley, but never managed to get down to New Paltz early enough to stop there on the way to Minnewaska or Mohonk. Today I made sure to get on the road early enough to stop there and walk the mile or so of trails before heading up to Minnewaska.
The guide book gives the location of the trailhead and mentions a pulloff for one car directly across the road. I drove past it once, and when I came back through the reason why was obvious - the pulloff was blocked by several large stones, presumably to keep people from parking there. A check of the map in the book showed the trail running all the way down to the parking area along the Walkill River where I stopped last summer to ride the rail trail, so I headed there instead. Driving past all the old stone buildings on Hugenot Street reminded me that on a future visit I should leave enough time to walk the historical district.
I followed the Hugenot Trail down past the community gardens and along the river, which was running fairly high - no great surprise, given the amount of rain we've had recently. The path was very muddy and it was apparent that the area had been flooded recently. I followed the path all the way to its end - I have to admit, it wasn't as interesting as I'd hoped - then made my way back to the gardens and the path over to the Harcourt Sanctuary.
The path led through fields and was also pretty wet and muddy - I hit a spot pretty quickly that ended up soaking my feet. Off in the distance I spotted one of the oxbow ponds; the frogs were croaking up a storm, and I'm pretty sure I spotted a wood duck and ducklings heading for cover. From there the trail wound through the woods, which were nice to look at but nothing spectacular.
After the woods the trail came out at a wooden bridge across the other oxbow pond, probably one of the coolest areas on the whole walk. I spent a while there watching turtles and blackbirds, then walked up to the Hugenot Street trailhead I'd driven past earlier. On my way back to the car I took a second trail that made its way through the fields with the oxbow pond off to one side and not only saw a lot more birds but also had a great view of Skytop off on the distance.
I think I'd like to visit here in fall and winter and see how it changes... maybe I can stop after the race at Minnewaska in November or make a trip down to do some skiing or snowshoeing next winter...
JMH
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
I originally wanted to visit the Harcourt Wildlife Sanctuary last summer, after reading about it in Peggy Turco's Walks and Rambles in the Western Hudson Valley, but never managed to get down to New Paltz early enough to stop there on the way to Minnewaska or Mohonk. Today I made sure to get on the road early enough to stop there and walk the mile or so of trails before heading up to Minnewaska.
The guide book gives the location of the trailhead and mentions a pulloff for one car directly across the road. I drove past it once, and when I came back through the reason why was obvious - the pulloff was blocked by several large stones, presumably to keep people from parking there. A check of the map in the book showed the trail running all the way down to the parking area along the Walkill River where I stopped last summer to ride the rail trail, so I headed there instead. Driving past all the old stone buildings on Hugenot Street reminded me that on a future visit I should leave enough time to walk the historical district.
I followed the Hugenot Trail down past the community gardens and along the river, which was running fairly high - no great surprise, given the amount of rain we've had recently. The path was very muddy and it was apparent that the area had been flooded recently. I followed the path all the way to its end - I have to admit, it wasn't as interesting as I'd hoped - then made my way back to the gardens and the path over to the Harcourt Sanctuary.
The path led through fields and was also pretty wet and muddy - I hit a spot pretty quickly that ended up soaking my feet. Off in the distance I spotted one of the oxbow ponds; the frogs were croaking up a storm, and I'm pretty sure I spotted a wood duck and ducklings heading for cover. From there the trail wound through the woods, which were nice to look at but nothing spectacular.
After the woods the trail came out at a wooden bridge across the other oxbow pond, probably one of the coolest areas on the whole walk. I spent a while there watching turtles and blackbirds, then walked up to the Hugenot Street trailhead I'd driven past earlier. On my way back to the car I took a second trail that made its way through the fields with the oxbow pond off to one side and not only saw a lot more birds but also had a great view of Skytop off on the distance.
I think I'd like to visit here in fall and winter and see how it changes... maybe I can stop after the race at Minnewaska in November or make a trip down to do some skiing or snowshoeing next winter...
JMH
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
2 Mile Walk at Shenantaha Creek Park
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
I chose to park at Shenantaha Creek Park even though it meant driving a little bit farther because then I could check out the park either before or after my ride. In particular, my copy of ECOS's Natural Areas of Saratoga County mentioned boulders which may have been used by Native Americans to grind food (the boulders have rounded depressions in their top surfaces) and the remains of an old mill along the banks of Ballston Creek.
My first walk through the park was before my ride - I stopped to use the restroom and decided to see if I could find the two areas of interest, but ended up wandering through the woods with no clear idea of where I was going before I finally gave up and walked back to the car.
After my ride I read the park description a bit more carefully and ended up walking to a different part of the park, where I found two markers noting the entrances to the trails I'd been looking for previously. Apparently quite a bit of work has been done at Shenantaha Creek Park since the guide book was written, including marking the trailheads. I hiked into the woods (no major hills, thank heavens!) and fairly quickly found an "Indian mortar" boulder... actually, I found quite a few rocks and glacial erratics in that section of the woods. From there I followed the trail along the edge of the ridge overlooking Ballston Creek, until it became evident I'd be heading down a significant hill (and would thus have to walk up said hill on my way back!)
Heading back the way I'd come, I surprised a garter snake sunning himself near one of the rocks and then made my way along the stream until I came to the mill ruins. Truthfully I wouldn't have known that was what they were if I hadn't been told beforehand... the rocks were all unworked stone (probably because the mill dated back to the late 1700's.) Followed the path along the stream a bit further until it turned back into the woods and, thankfully, deposited me back at the trailheads, where all that was left was for me to walk across the fields to the parking lot and my car.
JMH
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
I chose to park at Shenantaha Creek Park even though it meant driving a little bit farther because then I could check out the park either before or after my ride. In particular, my copy of ECOS's Natural Areas of Saratoga County mentioned boulders which may have been used by Native Americans to grind food (the boulders have rounded depressions in their top surfaces) and the remains of an old mill along the banks of Ballston Creek.
My first walk through the park was before my ride - I stopped to use the restroom and decided to see if I could find the two areas of interest, but ended up wandering through the woods with no clear idea of where I was going before I finally gave up and walked back to the car.
After my ride I read the park description a bit more carefully and ended up walking to a different part of the park, where I found two markers noting the entrances to the trails I'd been looking for previously. Apparently quite a bit of work has been done at Shenantaha Creek Park since the guide book was written, including marking the trailheads. I hiked into the woods (no major hills, thank heavens!) and fairly quickly found an "Indian mortar" boulder... actually, I found quite a few rocks and glacial erratics in that section of the woods. From there I followed the trail along the edge of the ridge overlooking Ballston Creek, until it became evident I'd be heading down a significant hill (and would thus have to walk up said hill on my way back!)
Heading back the way I'd come, I surprised a garter snake sunning himself near one of the rocks and then made my way along the stream until I came to the mill ruins. Truthfully I wouldn't have known that was what they were if I hadn't been told beforehand... the rocks were all unworked stone (probably because the mill dated back to the late 1700's.) Followed the path along the stream a bit further until it turned back into the woods and, thankfully, deposited me back at the trailheads, where all that was left was for me to walk across the fields to the parking lot and my car.
JMH
14.5 Mile Ride on the Zim Smith Trail
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Zim Smith Trail map
I first head about the Zim Smith Trail up in Malta when one of the Albany Running Exchange members posted a run there (or maybe it was a ride, I can't remember.) So it was a logical choice when I was looking for someplace different to head out on my bike today.
The one guidebook I have that references the trail (ECOS's Natural Areas of Saratoga County) describes it as a cinder railbed (actually it runs along the old Delaware & Hudson railbed) so I suspect the current trail is relatively recent. I parked at Shenataha Park in Malta and headed east. Initially the trail was paved, passing mostly through woodlands, but when it passed through Round Lake the surface changed to packed stone dust... somewhat tougher riding. It also headed mostly along a slight downhill grade, which meant I was looking at a somewhat more tougher ride back. The last segment of the trail was probably my favorite, as it went through a wetlands... a bit more scenic, and I saw a few more birds and even several turtles.
The ride back was a bit tiring, given that my legs hadn't recovered from Sunday's double trek up and around Mt Greylock... I was very pleased to pass through Round Lake and be back on pavement. I made one short side trip just before getting back to the park - a spur trail headed sharply downhill to a Whipple bridge across the Ballston Creek, then up the other side to allow access to the trail from a nearby neighborhood. I ended up walking my bike up both hills... it just wasn't worth the strain on my legs to climb two short hills.
Back at the park, I considered stopping but decided to get in a few more miles instead, so I headed west... and fairly quickly came to a very busy road that just didn't seem worth waiting to cross. So much for that few more miles... I did an about-face and headed back to the car. There will be other days to explore the rest of this path. (And actually, looking at the map... there's only another mile or so that I didn't ride, so I don't feel any huge complusion to head back ASAP and check the rest out.)
JMH
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Zim Smith Trail map
I first head about the Zim Smith Trail up in Malta when one of the Albany Running Exchange members posted a run there (or maybe it was a ride, I can't remember.) So it was a logical choice when I was looking for someplace different to head out on my bike today.
The one guidebook I have that references the trail (ECOS's Natural Areas of Saratoga County) describes it as a cinder railbed (actually it runs along the old Delaware & Hudson railbed) so I suspect the current trail is relatively recent. I parked at Shenataha Park in Malta and headed east. Initially the trail was paved, passing mostly through woodlands, but when it passed through Round Lake the surface changed to packed stone dust... somewhat tougher riding. It also headed mostly along a slight downhill grade, which meant I was looking at a somewhat more tougher ride back. The last segment of the trail was probably my favorite, as it went through a wetlands... a bit more scenic, and I saw a few more birds and even several turtles.
The ride back was a bit tiring, given that my legs hadn't recovered from Sunday's double trek up and around Mt Greylock... I was very pleased to pass through Round Lake and be back on pavement. I made one short side trip just before getting back to the park - a spur trail headed sharply downhill to a Whipple bridge across the Ballston Creek, then up the other side to allow access to the trail from a nearby neighborhood. I ended up walking my bike up both hills... it just wasn't worth the strain on my legs to climb two short hills.
Back at the park, I considered stopping but decided to get in a few more miles instead, so I headed west... and fairly quickly came to a very busy road that just didn't seem worth waiting to cross. So much for that few more miles... I did an about-face and headed back to the car. There will be other days to explore the rest of this path. (And actually, looking at the map... there's only another mile or so that I didn't ride, so I don't feel any huge complusion to head back ASAP and check the rest out.)
JMH
Monday, June 22, 2009
2.5 Mile Walk at the Normanskill Farm
Monday, June 22, 2009
Normanskill Historical Walk site
Legs are still tired from yesterday's trek (surprise, surprise) but I didn't want to end up stuck indoors all day... so after a tutoring session I headed over to the Normanskill Farm for what I thought would be an easy walk on level ground. (Well, part of it was...)
I first stumbled across references to this park on the Normanskill Yellow Brick Road page and was intrigued by the references to the old concrete bridge across the Normans Kill, the ruins of an ice house and a mill, and the yellow brick road, presumably an attempt to tie in with The Wizard of Oz, though there's no obvious historical reason to do so. I later found information about a series of trails along the creek in ECOS's Natural Areas of Albany County and had been interested in checking them out for a while now. Today seemed like a good opportunity to do so.
I parked in the fairly sizeable lot and first walked over to the bridge of the creek (now closed to traffic.) Lots of yellow bricks in evidence there... not so along the Yellow Brick Road, which seems to have had a layer of asphalt put over top of the bricks (probably either to reduce erosion or provide a more stable surface for traffic, since cars are allowed on the road.
From there I took a path that essentially followed the creek, first through woods and past the ice house and mill ruins, then past the Normanskill Farm, an old farm which serves several duties - some of the buildings are kept up for historical purposes, some of the farm is leased by the city to a cattle farmer, and the Albany Police Dept houses its mounted division here. Further along the path went past the Albany Community Gardens, where a number of folks were busily working on raising flowers and vegetables. Unfortunately, views across the creek were fairly limited.
Past the gardens I followed what I thought was the main path into the woods - actually it was more likely a herd path, since after climbing up a steep hill and then down the other side to creek level it pretty much disappeared. I surprised a heron twice along here - a nice change for all the robins that were chattering away at me.
The last stretch of trail goes through the Capitol Hills golf course, which didn't sound very interesting to me, so I hiked up another hill and then along the edge of the woods back to the path I'd been on previously. I decided to take the easy route out and walked along the dirt road that runs down to the garden. Along the way I saw lots of birds... the most obvious were the killdeers, which would run off a short ways then plunk themselves down until I drew closer, then pop back up and run a little ways and repeat the process. There were also swallows swooping around, mallards with duckings in a wet area off the side of the road, and goldfinches in the shrubs. As hikes go the trails aren't terribly scenic or exciting, but it seems like this could be a very good area for birding.
Back at the parking lot, I followed another path up the hillside along a ravine to a Whipple bridge that crosses the ravine between the old Yellow Brick Rd and the part of the farm used by the APD. I guess there aren't too many Whipple bridges left, and here we have three in the area (the others are at Union College in Schenectady and in the Vischer Ferry Nature Preserve near Clifton Park) probably in part because designer Squire Whipple, sometimes called the father of iron bridge building in America, graduated from Union College in 1830. On my way back from taking in the view from the bridge I saw something moving through the field on the far side of the APD area - a turkey.
I can't say that I plan to visit here all that often - it's just not as scenic as some of the other outdoor areas around here - but I'm glad I stopped by today, and it might make an interesting place to do some snowshoeing next winter, when the golf course is closed and I can follow the whole trail.
JMH
Monday, June 22, 2009
Normanskill Historical Walk site
Legs are still tired from yesterday's trek (surprise, surprise) but I didn't want to end up stuck indoors all day... so after a tutoring session I headed over to the Normanskill Farm for what I thought would be an easy walk on level ground. (Well, part of it was...)
I first stumbled across references to this park on the Normanskill Yellow Brick Road page and was intrigued by the references to the old concrete bridge across the Normans Kill, the ruins of an ice house and a mill, and the yellow brick road, presumably an attempt to tie in with The Wizard of Oz, though there's no obvious historical reason to do so. I later found information about a series of trails along the creek in ECOS's Natural Areas of Albany County and had been interested in checking them out for a while now. Today seemed like a good opportunity to do so.
I parked in the fairly sizeable lot and first walked over to the bridge of the creek (now closed to traffic.) Lots of yellow bricks in evidence there... not so along the Yellow Brick Road, which seems to have had a layer of asphalt put over top of the bricks (probably either to reduce erosion or provide a more stable surface for traffic, since cars are allowed on the road.
From there I took a path that essentially followed the creek, first through woods and past the ice house and mill ruins, then past the Normanskill Farm, an old farm which serves several duties - some of the buildings are kept up for historical purposes, some of the farm is leased by the city to a cattle farmer, and the Albany Police Dept houses its mounted division here. Further along the path went past the Albany Community Gardens, where a number of folks were busily working on raising flowers and vegetables. Unfortunately, views across the creek were fairly limited.
Past the gardens I followed what I thought was the main path into the woods - actually it was more likely a herd path, since after climbing up a steep hill and then down the other side to creek level it pretty much disappeared. I surprised a heron twice along here - a nice change for all the robins that were chattering away at me.
The last stretch of trail goes through the Capitol Hills golf course, which didn't sound very interesting to me, so I hiked up another hill and then along the edge of the woods back to the path I'd been on previously. I decided to take the easy route out and walked along the dirt road that runs down to the garden. Along the way I saw lots of birds... the most obvious were the killdeers, which would run off a short ways then plunk themselves down until I drew closer, then pop back up and run a little ways and repeat the process. There were also swallows swooping around, mallards with duckings in a wet area off the side of the road, and goldfinches in the shrubs. As hikes go the trails aren't terribly scenic or exciting, but it seems like this could be a very good area for birding.
Back at the parking lot, I followed another path up the hillside along a ravine to a Whipple bridge that crosses the ravine between the old Yellow Brick Rd and the part of the farm used by the APD. I guess there aren't too many Whipple bridges left, and here we have three in the area (the others are at Union College in Schenectady and in the Vischer Ferry Nature Preserve near Clifton Park) probably in part because designer Squire Whipple, sometimes called the father of iron bridge building in America, graduated from Union College in 1830. On my way back from taking in the view from the bridge I saw something moving through the field on the far side of the APD area - a turkey.
I can't say that I plan to visit here all that often - it's just not as scenic as some of the other outdoor areas around here - but I'm glad I stopped by today, and it might make an interesting place to do some snowshoeing next winter, when the golf course is closed and I can follow the whole trail.
JMH
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Greylock Long Course Sweep
12.8 Miles of Hiking and Running
Sunday, June 21, 2009
So once I finished the race... the crazy part of the day began... the part that had several folks asking me "you're not really going to sweep the course after running it, are you?" and Farmer Ed telling me "you may end up deciding this was the dumbest thing you've ever done" (with a big smile on his face, of course!)
I moved my car up to the parking area where the trail crosses the road, changed into dry clothes, and grabbed some food to refuel and a ton of gear (my new Go Lite hydration back with a 2 L bladder of water, three water bottles with Nuun, half a dozen Power Bars, a rain jacket, headlamp, and hiking pole, two copies of the Greylock trail map, and my camera) and after chatting with a few friends let RD Ed S. know I was heading out on the course. Got a few suggestions from folks more knowledgeable than I am about possible bailout routes... and then I headed back up the mountain.
OK, time for total honesty... the first 3 miles back to the summit absolutely postively sucked. I was hot and tired and crawling along at a snail's pace, stopping ever couple of hundred feet to pull down pink course ribbons and occasionally cardstock signs. Trudge uphill, pull down ribbons, repeat for about 1 hr 45 min. Ugh. The only plus was my hiking stick, which made the climb a little bit easier than it had been the first time around.
The summit was a welcome sight, especially when I saw that the volunteers had cleared all the ribbons up there! It was initially clouded over (ie. almost zero visibility) then it cleared up briefly, and then we were back in the clouds. While it was clear I had a nice view down into Greylock Glen - didn't look like anyone was still there (no surprise, it was almost two hours since the last runner had come finished.) And I wasn't hot anymore - instead I needed to pull out my rain jacket to keep warm! I spent a few minutes there taking pictures and deciding what to do next. The trails between the summit and the CCC Dynamite Trail down toward Jones Nose were some of the toughest, most technical parts of the course, and I knew they would take me a long time (at least an hour, possibly more) and not only wear me out but also demolish any chance of getting off the mountain before dark. So I made a tough decision and decided to leave that stretch for someone else to clear, and headed down the road to the Dynamite trailhead.
Of course, running (very slowly) down the side of the road was a challenge in and of itself... in some spots the shoulder was nonexistent, visibility was not the greatest, and there were cars driving up the road... I was very glad my rain jacket is bright hi-vis yellow. I was on the road for quite a while - it's easier going than the Overlook and Hopper trails, but I don't know that it saved me much distance, just time and energy... in any case I was very happy to finally see the CCC Dynamite trailhead. I was also happy to see the two bottles of water from the race still there - it gave me a chance to refill my water bottles and mix some fresh Nuun.
Oddly enough, the trails from there and down Jones Nose were slow going but actually started to be a bit enjoyable. After all, I was out in a beautiful stretch of woods on a cool misty day... it was a bit like what I imagine hiking through a rainforest in the Pacific Northwest must be like... up to and including the point where it started raining. OK, that wasn't the most fun I've every had, but I had on rain jacket and it wasn't like I was particularly dry in any case... and I lucked out and it eased off by the time I hit the steep downhill. There were even some clear patches of sky way off in the distance as I crossed the clear section of Jones Nose... the view was postively awesome.
Took another break at the Old Adams Road trailhead to refill the water bottles and munch on some pretzels that had been left for the runners... then I did some more running down the first stretch of the old road. That felt pretty good, even with the pauses to pull down ribbons. Of course, all too quickly I hit the bottom and then it was time for more uphill hiking... bleah. I have to admit, I developed a strong loathing for Old Adams Rd today, and I'm looking forward to not being on it again until snowshoeing season. It's a bed of rocks and mud, lots of it was underwater, and it goes one for-freakin'-ever. I know I was only on it for 3 - 3.5 miles... but I'm convinced there's some sort of wierd dimensional anomaly and it's actually 8 miles long. The waterfalls in the later bits helped, but I just found that a long monotonous slog... though at least I was able to run some bits after I crested the hill. I have to say I was very happy to see the turnoff down onto the Gould trail... though at that point it was getting dark enough that seeing anything was becoming a challenge.
As I followed the trail down into the ravine I was a bit bummed to see that there were still ribbons up along the final stretch shared by both the long and short courses... I'd been hoping once I reached that spot I could just concentrate on getting back to the car (that came a bit later... apparently they'd started clearing the short course and just hadn't finished.) Made it down to the parking area off West Mountain Rd and spent a few minutes admiring the view of Greylock in the dusk... I hadn't realized that the monument at the top was lit up all night long. Then I kept on down the trail, and eventually hit the point where the ribbons were gone... it was nice to not have to pull any more down, but that did make it a bit more difficult to follow the course in the dark, even with my headlamp on! But I managed, and finally crossed the bridge over the brook and then climbed up to yet another cool sight - a field of tiny stars blinking on and off in the darkness (what can I say, I think fireflies are incredibly cool... just wish I could figure out how to get a picture of some!)
Hiking along the edge of the field was a good feeling - I knew I was almost there! One last bit through the woods, and then, finally, back to the car, something like 6 1/4 hours after I started. And it definitely felt good to be done, and able to change into dry clothes again, and head off to find some real food to eat.
So in the end, it was kind of fun, in a bizarre sort of way... I gained a new appreciation for how much work it takes to mark the course, because I know I worked pretty hard to take it down, and I'd guess putting the ribbons up is even harder. Don't know that I'd want to do it again - if I did, I'd want to get a ride to the summit and just sweep the latter ten miles, and let someone else to the trail up (actually, for someone with decent knees, clearing that as a descent might be easier than hiking up.) I've been fortunate to get out and play at a lot of races over the past 12 years - I'm glad I was able to help in some small way with this one, and get in one last long trek before the Finger Lakes 50k in two weeks. If the weather's anything decent (not god-awful hot and humid, and not pouring rain) I now have no doubt that I can finish that course - it's just a matter of how long it will take me.
And at least when I run the 2nd loop there I won't have to pull down the course markers!
JMH
12.8 Miles of Hiking and Running
Sunday, June 21, 2009
So once I finished the race... the crazy part of the day began... the part that had several folks asking me "you're not really going to sweep the course after running it, are you?" and Farmer Ed telling me "you may end up deciding this was the dumbest thing you've ever done" (with a big smile on his face, of course!)
I moved my car up to the parking area where the trail crosses the road, changed into dry clothes, and grabbed some food to refuel and a ton of gear (my new Go Lite hydration back with a 2 L bladder of water, three water bottles with Nuun, half a dozen Power Bars, a rain jacket, headlamp, and hiking pole, two copies of the Greylock trail map, and my camera) and after chatting with a few friends let RD Ed S. know I was heading out on the course. Got a few suggestions from folks more knowledgeable than I am about possible bailout routes... and then I headed back up the mountain.
OK, time for total honesty... the first 3 miles back to the summit absolutely postively sucked. I was hot and tired and crawling along at a snail's pace, stopping ever couple of hundred feet to pull down pink course ribbons and occasionally cardstock signs. Trudge uphill, pull down ribbons, repeat for about 1 hr 45 min. Ugh. The only plus was my hiking stick, which made the climb a little bit easier than it had been the first time around.
The summit was a welcome sight, especially when I saw that the volunteers had cleared all the ribbons up there! It was initially clouded over (ie. almost zero visibility) then it cleared up briefly, and then we were back in the clouds. While it was clear I had a nice view down into Greylock Glen - didn't look like anyone was still there (no surprise, it was almost two hours since the last runner had come finished.) And I wasn't hot anymore - instead I needed to pull out my rain jacket to keep warm! I spent a few minutes there taking pictures and deciding what to do next. The trails between the summit and the CCC Dynamite Trail down toward Jones Nose were some of the toughest, most technical parts of the course, and I knew they would take me a long time (at least an hour, possibly more) and not only wear me out but also demolish any chance of getting off the mountain before dark. So I made a tough decision and decided to leave that stretch for someone else to clear, and headed down the road to the Dynamite trailhead.
Of course, running (very slowly) down the side of the road was a challenge in and of itself... in some spots the shoulder was nonexistent, visibility was not the greatest, and there were cars driving up the road... I was very glad my rain jacket is bright hi-vis yellow. I was on the road for quite a while - it's easier going than the Overlook and Hopper trails, but I don't know that it saved me much distance, just time and energy... in any case I was very happy to finally see the CCC Dynamite trailhead. I was also happy to see the two bottles of water from the race still there - it gave me a chance to refill my water bottles and mix some fresh Nuun.
Oddly enough, the trails from there and down Jones Nose were slow going but actually started to be a bit enjoyable. After all, I was out in a beautiful stretch of woods on a cool misty day... it was a bit like what I imagine hiking through a rainforest in the Pacific Northwest must be like... up to and including the point where it started raining. OK, that wasn't the most fun I've every had, but I had on rain jacket and it wasn't like I was particularly dry in any case... and I lucked out and it eased off by the time I hit the steep downhill. There were even some clear patches of sky way off in the distance as I crossed the clear section of Jones Nose... the view was postively awesome.
Took another break at the Old Adams Road trailhead to refill the water bottles and munch on some pretzels that had been left for the runners... then I did some more running down the first stretch of the old road. That felt pretty good, even with the pauses to pull down ribbons. Of course, all too quickly I hit the bottom and then it was time for more uphill hiking... bleah. I have to admit, I developed a strong loathing for Old Adams Rd today, and I'm looking forward to not being on it again until snowshoeing season. It's a bed of rocks and mud, lots of it was underwater, and it goes one for-freakin'-ever. I know I was only on it for 3 - 3.5 miles... but I'm convinced there's some sort of wierd dimensional anomaly and it's actually 8 miles long. The waterfalls in the later bits helped, but I just found that a long monotonous slog... though at least I was able to run some bits after I crested the hill. I have to say I was very happy to see the turnoff down onto the Gould trail... though at that point it was getting dark enough that seeing anything was becoming a challenge.
As I followed the trail down into the ravine I was a bit bummed to see that there were still ribbons up along the final stretch shared by both the long and short courses... I'd been hoping once I reached that spot I could just concentrate on getting back to the car (that came a bit later... apparently they'd started clearing the short course and just hadn't finished.) Made it down to the parking area off West Mountain Rd and spent a few minutes admiring the view of Greylock in the dusk... I hadn't realized that the monument at the top was lit up all night long. Then I kept on down the trail, and eventually hit the point where the ribbons were gone... it was nice to not have to pull any more down, but that did make it a bit more difficult to follow the course in the dark, even with my headlamp on! But I managed, and finally crossed the bridge over the brook and then climbed up to yet another cool sight - a field of tiny stars blinking on and off in the darkness (what can I say, I think fireflies are incredibly cool... just wish I could figure out how to get a picture of some!)
Hiking along the edge of the field was a good feeling - I knew I was almost there! One last bit through the woods, and then, finally, back to the car, something like 6 1/4 hours after I started. And it definitely felt good to be done, and able to change into dry clothes again, and head off to find some real food to eat.
So in the end, it was kind of fun, in a bizarre sort of way... I gained a new appreciation for how much work it takes to mark the course, because I know I worked pretty hard to take it down, and I'd guess putting the ribbons up is even harder. Don't know that I'd want to do it again - if I did, I'd want to get a ride to the summit and just sweep the latter ten miles, and let someone else to the trail up (actually, for someone with decent knees, clearing that as a descent might be easier than hiking up.) I've been fortunate to get out and play at a lot of races over the past 12 years - I'm glad I was able to help in some small way with this one, and get in one last long trek before the Finger Lakes 50k in two weeks. If the weather's anything decent (not god-awful hot and humid, and not pouring rain) I now have no doubt that I can finish that course - it's just a matter of how long it will take me.
And at least when I run the 2nd loop there I won't have to pull down the course markers!
JMH
Saturday, June 20, 2009
14.8 Mile Ride Along the Mohawk Hudson Bike Path
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Another grey, cloudy afternoon... but those can be some of the best times for a ride, since the threat of poor weather usually keeps the number of folks on the bike path down.
Lots of critters today, from the grackles and mockingbirds at the Niskayuna Lions Park parking lot to rabbits and cedar waxwings along the path, and a couple of herons out on the river. On my way back from the ride east, it started to rain lightly, and I found myself tempted to do another out-and-back to the base of the old Nisky landfill. But wiser thoughts (of the Greylock Half Marathon tomorrow, mostly!) prevailed and I stopped at the park. While I was there looking out at the river a wood duck and her ducklings paddled in toward shore, before heading off out of sight around the bend.
JMH
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Another grey, cloudy afternoon... but those can be some of the best times for a ride, since the threat of poor weather usually keeps the number of folks on the bike path down.
Lots of critters today, from the grackles and mockingbirds at the Niskayuna Lions Park parking lot to rabbits and cedar waxwings along the path, and a couple of herons out on the river. On my way back from the ride east, it started to rain lightly, and I found myself tempted to do another out-and-back to the base of the old Nisky landfill. But wiser thoughts (of the Greylock Half Marathon tomorrow, mostly!) prevailed and I stopped at the park. While I was there looking out at the river a wood duck and her ducklings paddled in toward shore, before heading off out of sight around the bend.
JMH
Friday, June 19, 2009
5.8 Mile Run in the Albany Pine Bush
Friday, June 19, 2009
Tough run today, in part possibly because my legs are still a bit tired from Wednesday's trek around Grafton and Pittstown, but also because it was surprisingly warm and humid today - and with all the cool weather we've had this spring and early summer I'm just not acclimated.
Popped my knee slightly teaching karate last night but it seems to be recovering nicely... should hold up to Sunday's 13.5 mile race up and over Mt Greylock just fine (of course, covering the course a second time to pick up all the markers may do me in... but I really want to get in one more long run before July 4th, and that will definitely fit the bill.
JMH
Friday, June 19, 2009
Tough run today, in part possibly because my legs are still a bit tired from Wednesday's trek around Grafton and Pittstown, but also because it was surprisingly warm and humid today - and with all the cool weather we've had this spring and early summer I'm just not acclimated.
Popped my knee slightly teaching karate last night but it seems to be recovering nicely... should hold up to Sunday's 13.5 mile race up and over Mt Greylock just fine (of course, covering the course a second time to pick up all the markers may do me in... but I really want to get in one more long run before July 4th, and that will definitely fit the bill.
JMH
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Campmor ROCKS!
Thursday, June 18, 2009
I know I've said it before, but it bears repeating - Campmor is an outdoor supply company that is definitely worth doing business with! Admittedly their selection of products is at times eclectic... but their prices are typically a bit lower than the more famous retailers like REI and EMS (and some of their sale prices are fantastic!) Where Campmor really shines in my book is customer service... I can't think of any other retailer where I can place an order after hours on a Tuesday night and have my order on my porch Thursday evening... using reasonably priced standard shipping. Incredible!
JMH
Thursday, June 18, 2009
I know I've said it before, but it bears repeating - Campmor is an outdoor supply company that is definitely worth doing business with! Admittedly their selection of products is at times eclectic... but their prices are typically a bit lower than the more famous retailers like REI and EMS (and some of their sale prices are fantastic!) Where Campmor really shines in my book is customer service... I can't think of any other retailer where I can place an order after hours on a Tuesday night and have my order on my porch Thursday evening... using reasonably priced standard shipping. Incredible!
JMH
Rainy Summer Days
Thursday, June 18, 2009
There's something about a cool rainy day in th summer that just makes me want to lie in bed listening to the rain falling while I read a book or two. I thought once or twice about going out for a short run or an easy ride, but in the end decided to stay dry instead...
... which means I have some time to do a little writing!
JMH
Thursday, June 18, 2009
There's something about a cool rainy day in th summer that just makes me want to lie in bed listening to the rain falling while I read a book or two. I thought once or twice about going out for a short run or an easy ride, but in the end decided to stay dry instead...
... which means I have some time to do a little writing!
JMH
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
15 Mile Run at Grafton Lakes State Park & Pittstown State Forest
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
I had a tough time getting out the door today and despite having planned to head east to Grafton for a couple of days... I almost stayed closer to home. But in the end a desire for a change of scenery combined with wanting to test a new pack I just got (a Go-Lite Rush hydration pack) won out and I found myself at the Mill Pond parking area at Grafton Lakes State Park a little after 4 PM, ready for an extended trek through the park and over to Pittstown State Forest and back.
The basic route of my trek was the same as last August - an 8+ mile loop starting at Grafton Lakes, then following an ancient road (the Kautz Hollow trail) down off the Rensellaer plateau to Pittstown State Forest and looping back up onto the plateau and to the park via another ancient road (the Old Ward Hollow trail.) I found the route in a mountain biking article by Gary Thomann in Adirondack Sports & Fitness a few years back. When I ran it last year I added a bit of the Spruce Bog trail to bypass a section of Long Pond Rd and also ran the trail around Shaver Pond to extend the distance a bit. I definitely found it a challenging place to run - the Kautz Hollow trail drops about 800 feet of elevation of 2.5 miles, and then the Old Ward Hollow trail gains all of that back over about 2 miles. Not to mention a plethora of rocks and roots - definitely technical terrain in a lot of spots.
I decided to mix things up a bit and ran around Shaver Pond first this time... that's a really fun trail to run, mostly non-technical and the pond is in view almost the entire time. Then I headed along the Long Pond trail on the northern shore of Long Pond. That was much tougher going - rocks, rocks, and more rocks, very technical and slow going, since I didn't see any need to risk wrenching an ankle or knee or falling and slamming into all those rocks.
Briefly headed the wrong way after the canoe launch, then headed back along the old road to what is now known as the Kautz Hollow trail, I think. It would be driveable using a 4WD truck with lots of undercarriage clearance, though it's steep and twisty enough that I wouldn't want to drive down it. Along the way I briefly spotted some kind of grouse off in the woods, and had several red squirrels that seemed a bit perplexed at what I was doing out there. Other than the road/trail and an old junked truck, there really isn't much to indicate any signs of so-called civilization, though there are lots of old stone walls that show the area was once cleared and settled.
After about 2 miles I came out on a road and unfortunately took a wrong turn which left me running about 3/4 of a mile downhill... and then of course hiking back up that same hill to get back on course. Should have trusted my feelings when it first seemed like I was going the wrong way (mainly because there were too many houses around.) Anyway, eventually I was back on track and making my way along the much less populated State Fire Lane through Pittstown State Forest. Along the way I kept my eyes out for the Pittstown trailheads - they're listed in my ECOS Natural Areas of Rensselaer County guidebook and I've heard numerous references to them from the local mountain bikers - but didn't see any until just before the turn that would take me back to Grafton Lakes. And of course at that turn, onto old Ward Hollow Road - the fun began. Because Ward Hollow Rd is an eroded bed of mud and rocks that climbs pretty much non-stop for about a mile and a half. In other words, an uphill hike.
As I trudged up the hill I saw plenty of evidence of work to clear the trail, as well as many signs of ATVs - don't know if the latter were for the work parties or "recreational" riders. The stream running alongside the path makes it all very scenic in spots, with lots of little waterfalls, a welcome distraction from the uphill slog. Eventually I reached something resembling the "top", and then it was decision-time: which way to go? In the end I decided to do something different and took off down the RPI trail, which according to my maps would intersect with the Kautz Hollow trail eventually and allow me to follow Long Pond Rd back to the car.
It was getting darker and darker as I made my way along the RPI trail... a lot of it was fairly level and I was able to run, though I was going slower and slower thanks to the decreasing visibility and my increasing tiredness. I also found myself wondering what kids of research RPI does in that stretch of woods... it was probably not the bet plan to have watched all three Jurassic Park movies over the past few days, since every sounds in the darkening woods made me think about scientists cloning viscious predators in secret...
Eventually I found myself back at the parking area for the Long Pond canoe launch. I paused the pull on my jacket, more for visibility though it was also getting a bit chilly, and then I hiked up the road to the point where it headed downhill. It sould have been easy going, running mostly downhill on a hard-packed dirt road, but that mile and a half seemed to take forever. I was awfully pleased to see the turn that I knew would take me the last half mile back to the Mill Pond parking lot and my car. And then it was just a matter of changing into some dry clothes and hopefully finding some solid food to eat on the way home - I really should have packed a sub for after the run.
So - a successful if somewhat slow-moving excursion. The new pack worked great; it's a worthwhile addition to my ever-growing pile of gear, and one that I think will see a lot of use on longer hauls. And one of these days I definitely have to get to Grafton Lakes early enough that I don't finish up in the dark...
JMH
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
I had a tough time getting out the door today and despite having planned to head east to Grafton for a couple of days... I almost stayed closer to home. But in the end a desire for a change of scenery combined with wanting to test a new pack I just got (a Go-Lite Rush hydration pack) won out and I found myself at the Mill Pond parking area at Grafton Lakes State Park a little after 4 PM, ready for an extended trek through the park and over to Pittstown State Forest and back.
The basic route of my trek was the same as last August - an 8+ mile loop starting at Grafton Lakes, then following an ancient road (the Kautz Hollow trail) down off the Rensellaer plateau to Pittstown State Forest and looping back up onto the plateau and to the park via another ancient road (the Old Ward Hollow trail.) I found the route in a mountain biking article by Gary Thomann in Adirondack Sports & Fitness a few years back. When I ran it last year I added a bit of the Spruce Bog trail to bypass a section of Long Pond Rd and also ran the trail around Shaver Pond to extend the distance a bit. I definitely found it a challenging place to run - the Kautz Hollow trail drops about 800 feet of elevation of 2.5 miles, and then the Old Ward Hollow trail gains all of that back over about 2 miles. Not to mention a plethora of rocks and roots - definitely technical terrain in a lot of spots.
I decided to mix things up a bit and ran around Shaver Pond first this time... that's a really fun trail to run, mostly non-technical and the pond is in view almost the entire time. Then I headed along the Long Pond trail on the northern shore of Long Pond. That was much tougher going - rocks, rocks, and more rocks, very technical and slow going, since I didn't see any need to risk wrenching an ankle or knee or falling and slamming into all those rocks.
Briefly headed the wrong way after the canoe launch, then headed back along the old road to what is now known as the Kautz Hollow trail, I think. It would be driveable using a 4WD truck with lots of undercarriage clearance, though it's steep and twisty enough that I wouldn't want to drive down it. Along the way I briefly spotted some kind of grouse off in the woods, and had several red squirrels that seemed a bit perplexed at what I was doing out there. Other than the road/trail and an old junked truck, there really isn't much to indicate any signs of so-called civilization, though there are lots of old stone walls that show the area was once cleared and settled.
After about 2 miles I came out on a road and unfortunately took a wrong turn which left me running about 3/4 of a mile downhill... and then of course hiking back up that same hill to get back on course. Should have trusted my feelings when it first seemed like I was going the wrong way (mainly because there were too many houses around.) Anyway, eventually I was back on track and making my way along the much less populated State Fire Lane through Pittstown State Forest. Along the way I kept my eyes out for the Pittstown trailheads - they're listed in my ECOS Natural Areas of Rensselaer County guidebook and I've heard numerous references to them from the local mountain bikers - but didn't see any until just before the turn that would take me back to Grafton Lakes. And of course at that turn, onto old Ward Hollow Road - the fun began. Because Ward Hollow Rd is an eroded bed of mud and rocks that climbs pretty much non-stop for about a mile and a half. In other words, an uphill hike.
As I trudged up the hill I saw plenty of evidence of work to clear the trail, as well as many signs of ATVs - don't know if the latter were for the work parties or "recreational" riders. The stream running alongside the path makes it all very scenic in spots, with lots of little waterfalls, a welcome distraction from the uphill slog. Eventually I reached something resembling the "top", and then it was decision-time: which way to go? In the end I decided to do something different and took off down the RPI trail, which according to my maps would intersect with the Kautz Hollow trail eventually and allow me to follow Long Pond Rd back to the car.
It was getting darker and darker as I made my way along the RPI trail... a lot of it was fairly level and I was able to run, though I was going slower and slower thanks to the decreasing visibility and my increasing tiredness. I also found myself wondering what kids of research RPI does in that stretch of woods... it was probably not the bet plan to have watched all three Jurassic Park movies over the past few days, since every sounds in the darkening woods made me think about scientists cloning viscious predators in secret...
Eventually I found myself back at the parking area for the Long Pond canoe launch. I paused the pull on my jacket, more for visibility though it was also getting a bit chilly, and then I hiked up the road to the point where it headed downhill. It sould have been easy going, running mostly downhill on a hard-packed dirt road, but that mile and a half seemed to take forever. I was awfully pleased to see the turn that I knew would take me the last half mile back to the Mill Pond parking lot and my car. And then it was just a matter of changing into some dry clothes and hopefully finding some solid food to eat on the way home - I really should have packed a sub for after the run.
So - a successful if somewhat slow-moving excursion. The new pack worked great; it's a worthwhile addition to my ever-growing pile of gear, and one that I think will see a lot of use on longer hauls. And one of these days I definitely have to get to Grafton Lakes early enough that I don't finish up in the dark...
JMH
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Critters, Critters, Everywhere
7 Mile Run in the Albany Pine Bush
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Took me a while to decide where I wanted to run today... and then at the last minute I changed my mind and headed over to the Madison Ave Ext trailhead, only to disocver that there's still logging going on at the Great Dune. So I hopped back in the car and went with my original inclination - the Blueberry Hills and Kaikout Kill Barrens.
Weather today was perfect for running - warm but not hot, breezy, and sunny... if it stayed like this all summer long I'd be in heaven. I haven't run since last Thursday - my legs felt sufficiently beat up all last week that I decide a break was in order to give them some rest - and it seems to have worked, because they felt decent during today's run. It felt good to be out on the trails again, even if a huge portion of the Blueberry Hills are currently bare sand dunes from last fall's "habitat resotration."
Saw very few other people while I was there, but lots of critters... several turkey, lots of smaller birds (including a couple of blue jays and a very vocal titmouse), and a large flock of turkey vultures that periodically seemed to be landing and hanging out on the top of one of the sandy hilltops. There were a couple of wet spots (presumably leftovers from last night's storms) and the toads seemed to be having a grand time working on continuing the toad species... couldn't tell if they were some of the endangered Eastern Spadefoot toads or not, though the couple I saw up close seemed more likely to be Fowler's or American toads. I also saw two snakes - a small Brown snake and a wonderful example of an Eastern Hognosed snake.
Running along the trails through the Kaikout Kill Barrens reminded me that I probably won't be back there to run until later in the season... just as Vischer Ferry has loads of bugs that tend to keep me away in the summer, the trails here tend to get overgrown with brambles until they get cleared again, usually late in the summer or early in the fall. At one point I just ran through them and endured all the scratches on my legs for several days, but I like to think I've gotten smarter since then... and there are lots of other places I can go to run in the summertime.
JMH
7 Mile Run in the Albany Pine Bush
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Took me a while to decide where I wanted to run today... and then at the last minute I changed my mind and headed over to the Madison Ave Ext trailhead, only to disocver that there's still logging going on at the Great Dune. So I hopped back in the car and went with my original inclination - the Blueberry Hills and Kaikout Kill Barrens.
Weather today was perfect for running - warm but not hot, breezy, and sunny... if it stayed like this all summer long I'd be in heaven. I haven't run since last Thursday - my legs felt sufficiently beat up all last week that I decide a break was in order to give them some rest - and it seems to have worked, because they felt decent during today's run. It felt good to be out on the trails again, even if a huge portion of the Blueberry Hills are currently bare sand dunes from last fall's "habitat resotration."
Saw very few other people while I was there, but lots of critters... several turkey, lots of smaller birds (including a couple of blue jays and a very vocal titmouse), and a large flock of turkey vultures that periodically seemed to be landing and hanging out on the top of one of the sandy hilltops. There were a couple of wet spots (presumably leftovers from last night's storms) and the toads seemed to be having a grand time working on continuing the toad species... couldn't tell if they were some of the endangered Eastern Spadefoot toads or not, though the couple I saw up close seemed more likely to be Fowler's or American toads. I also saw two snakes - a small Brown snake and a wonderful example of an Eastern Hognosed snake.
Running along the trails through the Kaikout Kill Barrens reminded me that I probably won't be back there to run until later in the season... just as Vischer Ferry has loads of bugs that tend to keep me away in the summer, the trails here tend to get overgrown with brambles until they get cleared again, usually late in the summer or early in the fall. At one point I just ran through them and endured all the scratches on my legs for several days, but I like to think I've gotten smarter since then... and there are lots of other places I can go to run in the summertime.
JMH
Monday, June 15, 2009
Osprey, Eagles, and Snow Geese
Monday, June 15, 2009
Didn't have time for a bike ride on my way back to Albany today, but I did make my usual side trip to Lock CS-1 to check on the eaglets.
Heading down Rts 5/20 I noticed osprey up in the nests on the power lines, so I pulled over to the side of the road and took a bunch of pictures. Turns out they were feeding chicks - while I was there the mate flew in, and every once in a while a little head with a hungry beak would pop up over the edge of the nest.
Down at the lock, I was pleased to see that I had again gotten lucky and one of the adult bald eagles was nearby. The eaglets have gotten big - one spent the whole time I was there hopping from the nest to the platform and back. I suspect they'll be flying soon.
A pair of herons flew by while I was watching the eagles, but this nothing like my visit two weeks ago when there were herons all over the place. I also had two red-winged blackbirds hollering at me... I suspect I was near their nest without realizing it.
When I walked back to my car I was surprised to see a flock of white geese wandering across the parking area to munch on the grass... snow geese! Spent a while watching and photographing them... they were a pleasant surprise.
Unfortunately I was on a tight schedule, with a tutoring appointment waiting for me late in the afternoon, so in the end I packed up, waved good-bye to the eagles (possibly the last time I can be sure they'll actually be at the nest) and got on the road to finish the ride home.
JMH
Monday, June 15, 2009
Didn't have time for a bike ride on my way back to Albany today, but I did make my usual side trip to Lock CS-1 to check on the eaglets.
Heading down Rts 5/20 I noticed osprey up in the nests on the power lines, so I pulled over to the side of the road and took a bunch of pictures. Turns out they were feeding chicks - while I was there the mate flew in, and every once in a while a little head with a hungry beak would pop up over the edge of the nest.
Down at the lock, I was pleased to see that I had again gotten lucky and one of the adult bald eagles was nearby. The eaglets have gotten big - one spent the whole time I was there hopping from the nest to the platform and back. I suspect they'll be flying soon.
A pair of herons flew by while I was watching the eagles, but this nothing like my visit two weeks ago when there were herons all over the place. I also had two red-winged blackbirds hollering at me... I suspect I was near their nest without realizing it.
When I walked back to my car I was surprised to see a flock of white geese wandering across the parking area to munch on the grass... snow geese! Spent a while watching and photographing them... they were a pleasant surprise.
Unfortunately I was on a tight schedule, with a tutoring appointment waiting for me late in the afternoon, so in the end I packed up, waved good-bye to the eagles (possibly the last time I can be sure they'll actually be at the nest) and got on the road to finish the ride home.
JMH
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Monday, June 08, 2009
"There Are No Ordinary Moments"
11.5 Mile Ride at the Corning Preserve & Schuyler Flatts Cultural Park
Monday, June 8, 2009
Took the bike out for a short easy ride down at the Corning Preserve this evening... kept the gears fairly low to give my sore legs a break. One nice thing about riding there in the evening is the greater likelihood of seeing deer, rabbits, and so on... plus there are usually fewer people on the path.
Earlier in the day I watched the movie "Peaceful Warrior" , which is based on a book I read around 16 years ago, "The Way of the Peaceful Warrior" by Dan Millman. I remember finding a lot of worthwhile ideas in the book when I read it, though I have to admit it was so long ago that the specifics are pretty hazy. While I found the movie fairly enjoyable, I thought the "deep lessons" were pretty basic, which has me wondering - did they just take the simplest material for the movie, or have I come far enough in the last dozen years that concepts I once found intensely thought-provoking are now pretty obvious? I may have to re-read the book again to see what I think about it now...
As I was riding tonight I stopped periodically to take pictures (surprise, surprise) and found myself thinking about one of the lessons from the book and movie - the idea that "there are no ordinary moments", which I take to mean that every moment in our lives has the capacity to be unique and special, if only we recognize it. As is often the case, tonight I shot photos of a variety of subjects - robins, ducks, rabbits, deer, a heron - that I've taken hundreds of photos of before. Sometimes Ann shakes her head at the fact that I will stop to take yet another half dozen pictures of a squirrel or sparrow, when we see them just about every day... but I never get tired of taking pictures of them, and I think part of that is a recognition that each one is special in some way, and while a photo is an imperfect method of capturing that moment - it's the best method I've got, at least for a very visual person like me. In some ways I think it's my unspoken recognition of the "no ordinary moments" idea.
OK, enough deep thought... we'll see how the legs are feeling tomorrow, which will determine whether tomorrow or Wednesday is my first post-NIPMUCK run. All I know for sure is I need to get my legs back in gear before my last long run in preparation for the Finger Lakes 50k on July 4th.
JMH
11.5 Mile Ride at the Corning Preserve & Schuyler Flatts Cultural Park
Monday, June 8, 2009
Took the bike out for a short easy ride down at the Corning Preserve this evening... kept the gears fairly low to give my sore legs a break. One nice thing about riding there in the evening is the greater likelihood of seeing deer, rabbits, and so on... plus there are usually fewer people on the path.
Earlier in the day I watched the movie "Peaceful Warrior" , which is based on a book I read around 16 years ago, "The Way of the Peaceful Warrior" by Dan Millman. I remember finding a lot of worthwhile ideas in the book when I read it, though I have to admit it was so long ago that the specifics are pretty hazy. While I found the movie fairly enjoyable, I thought the "deep lessons" were pretty basic, which has me wondering - did they just take the simplest material for the movie, or have I come far enough in the last dozen years that concepts I once found intensely thought-provoking are now pretty obvious? I may have to re-read the book again to see what I think about it now...
As I was riding tonight I stopped periodically to take pictures (surprise, surprise) and found myself thinking about one of the lessons from the book and movie - the idea that "there are no ordinary moments", which I take to mean that every moment in our lives has the capacity to be unique and special, if only we recognize it. As is often the case, tonight I shot photos of a variety of subjects - robins, ducks, rabbits, deer, a heron - that I've taken hundreds of photos of before. Sometimes Ann shakes her head at the fact that I will stop to take yet another half dozen pictures of a squirrel or sparrow, when we see them just about every day... but I never get tired of taking pictures of them, and I think part of that is a recognition that each one is special in some way, and while a photo is an imperfect method of capturing that moment - it's the best method I've got, at least for a very visual person like me. In some ways I think it's my unspoken recognition of the "no ordinary moments" idea.
OK, enough deep thought... we'll see how the legs are feeling tomorrow, which will determine whether tomorrow or Wednesday is my first post-NIPMUCK run. All I know for sure is I need to get my legs back in gear before my last long run in preparation for the Finger Lakes 50k on July 4th.
JMH
Sunday, June 07, 2009
Saturday, June 06, 2009
Off to NIPMUCK!
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Heading down the day before, in case the neighbors decide to party tonight... nothing like a reasonably priced hotel room 10 minutes from the start of a trail race!
On the one hand I feel a bit apprehensive about tomorrow's marathon - I know I haven't done enough long (15+ mile) runs - and on the other hand, I don't - tomorrow will go however it's going to go, and there's nothing I can do about it now.
Perhaps the looming shadow of a 50k run a month from now is keeping NIPMUCK in better perspective than years past... after all, in many ways this year NIPMUCK is just a step along the way, rather than the major goal itself...
JMH
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Heading down the day before, in case the neighbors decide to party tonight... nothing like a reasonably priced hotel room 10 minutes from the start of a trail race!
On the one hand I feel a bit apprehensive about tomorrow's marathon - I know I haven't done enough long (15+ mile) runs - and on the other hand, I don't - tomorrow will go however it's going to go, and there's nothing I can do about it now.
Perhaps the looming shadow of a 50k run a month from now is keeping NIPMUCK in better perspective than years past... after all, in many ways this year NIPMUCK is just a step along the way, rather than the major goal itself...
JMH
Thursday, June 04, 2009
David Carradine Found Dead in Thailand
Thursday, June 4, 2009
With all the varying information/rumors/gossip that's flying around regarding David Carradine's death, I questioned if I should say anything here. The answer I arrived at should be obvious. Given that little factual info seems to be available at this time, I'm not going to say anything about the circumstances of his death at age 72 in Bangkok, Thailand. The internet news services I check on a regular basis have been buzzing with articles - anyone who wants to find out the latest info or rumors should have no trouble doing so without my assistance. Instead I'm going to focus on some of my memories associated with him.
Most of the articles I've seen have mentioned Carradine is best known for his starring role as Kwai Chang Caine, a renegade shaolin monk wandering the Old West searching for his half-brother, in the 1970's television series Kung Fu. To be fair, I suspect most of my students would say "huh?" to that reference and instead point to his part in Kill Bill. No great surprise, given my age - I remember him from the former (especially since I'm somewhat indifferent to the latter... what can I say, I'm not much of a Quentin Tarrantino fan.) I don't actually remember much of the original television broadcasts - we didn't watch much evening TV when I was a kid - but during the summer between my freshmen and sophomore years of college re-runs were on every weekenight at 6 PM and I watched it every chance I could. I'd only been training in martial arts for a little under two years at that point, and a television program that combined martial arts action with traditional eastern philosophy was right up my alley. After that I never seemed to find a station that showed it with any regularity, so I was thrilled when the entire series became available on DVD a few years back.
A while after spending summer evenings watching reruns, word came down that a TV movie was being made, and I remember a group of us in 1986 eagerly watching it on the dorm TV during the school year... and, I must admit, being a bit disappointed. There was too much mystical mumbo-jumbo for my taste, and the script seemed determined to cast him as the mentor rather than the seeker... it just didn't seem to fit. I have to admit, having since watched Kung Fu - The Movie several times on VHS, my disappointment has waned - it's flawed but still enjoyable - and I wish they'd bring it out on DVD.
And somewhere in there was Circle of Iron (aka The Silent Flute) which I saw first on HBO. And numerous movies like Chuck Norris' Lone Wolf McQuade. There's no question that Carradine kept pretty busy with acting, and it's no surprise that after he made his fame in Kung Fu many of the parts he was offered had some sort of martial arts or action aspect to them.
Of course, my next encounter with him as Caine was in the 1990's in Kung Fu - The Legend Continues. The first season was definitely the best (less mystical mumbo-jumbo) but I have to say I enjoyed the entire series, even though it can't be remotely considered great television. Over the course of four seasons Carradine began looking a lot older (I believe he stopped drinking partway through the series) and it was clear that many of the more intense action sequences were done by a poorly-disguised stunt double... but once again, that unique combination of martial arts action and eastern philosophy kept me hooked most of the time, especially with the storylines taking place during the present-day (mostly.) I was definitely sorry when it ran its course and would love to see it on DVD someday.
Having read his autobiography Endless Highway and his semi-autobiographical/semi-intructional Spirit of Shaolin , I have to say - I don't know that I would have wanted to know him personally, because I've gotten the impression that at times he was a real jerk. (Then again, there are people who would probably say the same thing about me!) But there's no question that his work, especially the various Kung Fu series, has brought me a great deal of enjoyment over the years. And while I get the impression he was at best a mediocre martial artist - we owe him a huge debt for bringing kung fu specifically and martial arts in general before the TV viewing audience over 35 years ago, and in a very different and at times more thoughtful format than the Hong Kong revenge flicks that Bruce Lee made popular at around the same time.And in the end that's what I'd rather remember him for - his positive contributions to my own enjoyment of the often mindless television wasteland and to public perceptionof of kung fu and martial arts. And in those regards, he will definitely be missed.
My thoughts go out to his family and friends in this very difficult time.
JMH
Thursday, June 4, 2009
With all the varying information/rumors/gossip that's flying around regarding David Carradine's death, I questioned if I should say anything here. The answer I arrived at should be obvious. Given that little factual info seems to be available at this time, I'm not going to say anything about the circumstances of his death at age 72 in Bangkok, Thailand. The internet news services I check on a regular basis have been buzzing with articles - anyone who wants to find out the latest info or rumors should have no trouble doing so without my assistance. Instead I'm going to focus on some of my memories associated with him.
Most of the articles I've seen have mentioned Carradine is best known for his starring role as Kwai Chang Caine, a renegade shaolin monk wandering the Old West searching for his half-brother, in the 1970's television series Kung Fu. To be fair, I suspect most of my students would say "huh?" to that reference and instead point to his part in Kill Bill. No great surprise, given my age - I remember him from the former (especially since I'm somewhat indifferent to the latter... what can I say, I'm not much of a Quentin Tarrantino fan.) I don't actually remember much of the original television broadcasts - we didn't watch much evening TV when I was a kid - but during the summer between my freshmen and sophomore years of college re-runs were on every weekenight at 6 PM and I watched it every chance I could. I'd only been training in martial arts for a little under two years at that point, and a television program that combined martial arts action with traditional eastern philosophy was right up my alley. After that I never seemed to find a station that showed it with any regularity, so I was thrilled when the entire series became available on DVD a few years back.
A while after spending summer evenings watching reruns, word came down that a TV movie was being made, and I remember a group of us in 1986 eagerly watching it on the dorm TV during the school year... and, I must admit, being a bit disappointed. There was too much mystical mumbo-jumbo for my taste, and the script seemed determined to cast him as the mentor rather than the seeker... it just didn't seem to fit. I have to admit, having since watched Kung Fu - The Movie several times on VHS, my disappointment has waned - it's flawed but still enjoyable - and I wish they'd bring it out on DVD.
And somewhere in there was Circle of Iron (aka The Silent Flute) which I saw first on HBO. And numerous movies like Chuck Norris' Lone Wolf McQuade. There's no question that Carradine kept pretty busy with acting, and it's no surprise that after he made his fame in Kung Fu many of the parts he was offered had some sort of martial arts or action aspect to them.
Of course, my next encounter with him as Caine was in the 1990's in Kung Fu - The Legend Continues. The first season was definitely the best (less mystical mumbo-jumbo) but I have to say I enjoyed the entire series, even though it can't be remotely considered great television. Over the course of four seasons Carradine began looking a lot older (I believe he stopped drinking partway through the series) and it was clear that many of the more intense action sequences were done by a poorly-disguised stunt double... but once again, that unique combination of martial arts action and eastern philosophy kept me hooked most of the time, especially with the storylines taking place during the present-day (mostly.) I was definitely sorry when it ran its course and would love to see it on DVD someday.
Having read his autobiography Endless Highway and his semi-autobiographical/semi-intructional Spirit of Shaolin , I have to say - I don't know that I would have wanted to know him personally, because I've gotten the impression that at times he was a real jerk. (Then again, there are people who would probably say the same thing about me!) But there's no question that his work, especially the various Kung Fu series, has brought me a great deal of enjoyment over the years. And while I get the impression he was at best a mediocre martial artist - we owe him a huge debt for bringing kung fu specifically and martial arts in general before the TV viewing audience over 35 years ago, and in a very different and at times more thoughtful format than the Hong Kong revenge flicks that Bruce Lee made popular at around the same time.And in the end that's what I'd rather remember him for - his positive contributions to my own enjoyment of the often mindless television wasteland and to public perceptionof of kung fu and martial arts. And in those regards, he will definitely be missed.
My thoughts go out to his family and friends in this very difficult time.
JMH
Wednesday, June 03, 2009
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