SUNSET OVER THE PINE BUSH
1.2 Mile Walk in the Albany Pine Bush
Friday, July 31, 2009
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
A RAINY EVENING IN THE WOODS
9.6 Mile Run in the Albany Pine Bush
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Summer has swooped in with a vengeance... after weeks of unseasonably cool weather we have normal temperatures and high humidity - ugh. It feels all the worse for not being acclimated, which is why I bailed on my plans to go to MA this morning and run in one of the state parks.
Instead, I headed over to the Pine Bush after it had started raining this evening... the rain was fairly light (though it did get pretty heavy a couple of times) and wonderfully cooling and refreshing as I ran. In other words, it was a heck of a lot of fun running through the woods in the rain. I even hit a couple of trails that I rarely travel. And the rain meant I had the area to myself - while there was a car at the trailhead, I didn't see anyone else the entire time I was there.
Looks like they've finally finished with the tree removal work over in the Great Dune area... what a mess. When I was a teenager I spent a lot of time wandering the trails and old doubletracks in the woods behind my parents' house. Apparently I was a trailrunner in the making even then! One time when I came home from college I headed down there and discovered that the landowner had bulldozed a bunch of roads to do some logging... I absolutely hated what had been done to the woods and the trails, and it took several years until the area grew back sufficiently to cover the scars left behind. What I saw tonight reminded me of that... paths ruined by the heavy equipment and areas that used to be shaded woods now open scars with only a few trees left standing. I really miss the woods I spent 6-7 years running and riding through after moving to Albany... I know from the other areas that have undergone "habitat restoration" that regrowth will occur in in a few years it will be consistently green, but it will never be the same as it was.
JMH
9.6 Mile Run in the Albany Pine Bush
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Summer has swooped in with a vengeance... after weeks of unseasonably cool weather we have normal temperatures and high humidity - ugh. It feels all the worse for not being acclimated, which is why I bailed on my plans to go to MA this morning and run in one of the state parks.
Instead, I headed over to the Pine Bush after it had started raining this evening... the rain was fairly light (though it did get pretty heavy a couple of times) and wonderfully cooling and refreshing as I ran. In other words, it was a heck of a lot of fun running through the woods in the rain. I even hit a couple of trails that I rarely travel. And the rain meant I had the area to myself - while there was a car at the trailhead, I didn't see anyone else the entire time I was there.
Looks like they've finally finished with the tree removal work over in the Great Dune area... what a mess. When I was a teenager I spent a lot of time wandering the trails and old doubletracks in the woods behind my parents' house. Apparently I was a trailrunner in the making even then! One time when I came home from college I headed down there and discovered that the landowner had bulldozed a bunch of roads to do some logging... I absolutely hated what had been done to the woods and the trails, and it took several years until the area grew back sufficiently to cover the scars left behind. What I saw tonight reminded me of that... paths ruined by the heavy equipment and areas that used to be shaded woods now open scars with only a few trees left standing. I really miss the woods I spent 6-7 years running and riding through after moving to Albany... I know from the other areas that have undergone "habitat restoration" that regrowth will occur in in a few years it will be consistently green, but it will never be the same as it was.
JMH
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
16.2 Mile Ride on the Mohawk Hudson Bike Path
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
A fairly uneventful ride tonight on the bike path west of Schenectady... not much wildlife in evidence along the old Erie Canal, and the tracks at Scrafford Lane were blocked by a train so I would have had to risk riding a substantial distance along route 5S to get to the short section of path west of Rotterdam Junction.
I had a pleasant surprise when I rode from the end of the path at SCCC over to Gateway Landing Park... not only were there numerous geese and ducks in the small inlet next to the park, but there was a heron hunting in the shallows and three egrets up in a tree on the far shore. It was getting on the darker side by then, so it was tough to get decent pictures of them, but I did my best.
JMH
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
A fairly uneventful ride tonight on the bike path west of Schenectady... not much wildlife in evidence along the old Erie Canal, and the tracks at Scrafford Lane were blocked by a train so I would have had to risk riding a substantial distance along route 5S to get to the short section of path west of Rotterdam Junction.
I had a pleasant surprise when I rode from the end of the path at SCCC over to Gateway Landing Park... not only were there numerous geese and ducks in the small inlet next to the park, but there was a heron hunting in the shallows and three egrets up in a tree on the far shore. It was getting on the darker side by then, so it was tough to get decent pictures of them, but I did my best.
JMH
Monday, July 27, 2009
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Hurray! The Jordan Alpine Classic Returns!
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
The Jordan Alpine Classic Run is an 8.5 mile race that starts and finishes at the festival grounds of the Jordan Fall Festival. Between the start and the finish are 8.5 miles of fun -hills, trails, hills, mud, hills, a wicked stream crossing, hills, cornfields, hills, country roads... the race description from the old application contained the following description:
I ran it back in 2005 and had an absolute blast. Missed it in 2006 (the Year of the Crashed Turtle) and then it disappeared from the festival schedule in 2007 and 2008... but this year it's back! Saturday, September 19th is the day to be in Jordan, NY!
Unfortunately... Ann and I are going to a wedding that day. But maybe, just maybe, I'll luck out and it will be late enough in the day for me to do the race before getting ready for the wedding (I know, not likely, but I can always hope!)
Now let's just keep our fingers crossed that the Jordan Alpine Classic is back to stay!
(As a cool aside - one of the photos on the race web-page is one I took during the 2005 race!)
JMH
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
The Jordan Alpine Classic Run is an 8.5 mile race that starts and finishes at the festival grounds of the Jordan Fall Festival. Between the start and the finish are 8.5 miles of fun -hills, trails, hills, mud, hills, a wicked stream crossing, hills, cornfields, hills, country roads... the race description from the old application contained the following description:
If you want a real challenge in the fall and don't mind getting muddy and wet, run the Alpine Classic at the Jordan Fall Festival.It's an endurance test. After the traditional cannon start, runners climb over steep hills, maneuver through woods and fields, and wade across a stream.They even climb a 12-foot vertical bank using a 1-inch thick rope. Mid-way in the race, the course goes down a very steep path, similar to an expert ski trail. It is recommended by some you don't run this part, but rather just sit down and slide. The race ends at the Jordan Fall Festival grounds near the original Erie Canal towpath.
I ran it back in 2005 and had an absolute blast. Missed it in 2006 (the Year of the Crashed Turtle) and then it disappeared from the festival schedule in 2007 and 2008... but this year it's back! Saturday, September 19th is the day to be in Jordan, NY!
Unfortunately... Ann and I are going to a wedding that day. But maybe, just maybe, I'll luck out and it will be late enough in the day for me to do the race before getting ready for the wedding (I know, not likely, but I can always hope!)
Now let's just keep our fingers crossed that the Jordan Alpine Classic is back to stay!
(As a cool aside - one of the photos on the race web-page is one I took during the 2005 race!)
JMH
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Just How Stupid Do They Think We Are?
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
All my travelling along the NYS Thruway means I frequently stop at the rest stops and get something to drink at whatever fast food joint is there... sometimes I even buy something to eat. And recently I've noticed an annoying trend which was emphasized for me today when I ordered a large drink at a Roy Rogers and was handed what is obviously a medium cup... namely, keeping all the prices the same but changing the sizes (so a small becomes the new medium, medium the new large, and large becomes extra large.)
I don't have a huge problem with places raising prices as their costs go up... that's the way the system works. But I find it highly offensive when they play stupid tricks like this to make us think nothing had changed, just assuming we either won't notice or won't care that what we're now getting for the same money and name is actually one size smaller than it used to be.
Kudos to the gal at the cash register who when I questioned the size and shook my head in disgust at her explanation simply handed me an "extra large" cup and refused to charge me the extra money for it (which I would have gladly paid.) And now I just have to remember to order an "extra large" drink when I'm looking for fluids to suck down during my travels.
JMH
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
All my travelling along the NYS Thruway means I frequently stop at the rest stops and get something to drink at whatever fast food joint is there... sometimes I even buy something to eat. And recently I've noticed an annoying trend which was emphasized for me today when I ordered a large drink at a Roy Rogers and was handed what is obviously a medium cup... namely, keeping all the prices the same but changing the sizes (so a small becomes the new medium, medium the new large, and large becomes extra large.)
I don't have a huge problem with places raising prices as their costs go up... that's the way the system works. But I find it highly offensive when they play stupid tricks like this to make us think nothing had changed, just assuming we either won't notice or won't care that what we're now getting for the same money and name is actually one size smaller than it used to be.
Kudos to the gal at the cash register who when I questioned the size and shook my head in disgust at her explanation simply handed me an "extra large" cup and refused to charge me the extra money for it (which I would have gladly paid.) And now I just have to remember to order an "extra large" drink when I'm looking for fluids to suck down during my travels.
JMH
Mmm... Bread...
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Some days it's good to be a rest stop sparrow with a chunk of bread...
Watching these guys, I can't help thinking of a group of velociraptors gathered around a fresh kill... I for one have no problem believing the dinosaurs evolved into these little guys and gals...
JMH
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Some days it's good to be a rest stop sparrow with a chunk of bread...
Watching these guys, I can't help thinking of a group of velociraptors gathered around a fresh kill... I for one have no problem believing the dinosaurs evolved into these little guys and gals...
JMH
Monday, July 20, 2009
16.2 Mile Ride on the Genesee Valley Greenway (& a Bit of the Lehigh Valley Trail)
Monday, July 20, 2009
Friends of the Genesee Valley Greenway site
While we were eating dinner I decided to stay until tomorrow morning - just didn't feel like makig a 4 hour drive tonight. So when Ann went off to her Monday night fire dept drill, I took my mountain bike over to the Genesee Valley Greenway to do a bit of riding. Since I was getting a late start (7 PM) and I know what I'm like (always wanting to stay out a little bit longer) I grabbed one of the lights I'd bought Ann for commuting to work when it's dark - that turned out to be a really good decision.
The Genesee Valley Greenway is an old railbed that runs alongside the remains of the Genesee Valley Canal. On the plus side, it's fairly straight and relatively level, which makes for fairly easy riding. On the minus side, that can get a bit boring at times, and the black cinder dust that makes up a good part of the trail surface gets all over everything. There are also ATV riders who use the trail illegally, so in some spots it's a good idea to keep your mind on the trail. I used to ride and run there a lot, but the last few years I haven't visited the trail as often, mainly because Ann and I have found a large variety of other places to visit. So many trails, so little time...
I parked at the Brookdale Preserve lot and road from Brook Road south, stopping occasionally to take pictures. The section of trail between Brook Road and Scottsville Road is the portion I've travelled the most often, so it was good to cross the road and ride some trail I'm not as familiar with. Buzzed through Canawaugus Park in Scottsville; as is typically the case in the summer, there were a bunch of kids hanging out on the old railroad bridge over Oatka Creek. It's a shame they don't have anything better to do with their time.
I had originally planned to turn back after 45 minutes, but I was getting close enough to the old railroad bridge across the Genesee River (also the intersection with the Lehigh Valley Trail) that I decided to keep going. Of course, once I reached the bridge I just had to ride a short ways up the Lehigh Valley Trail before heading back...
I concentrated mainly on riding on the way back, since it was getting dark, though I did stop a couple of times to get photos of the sunset. Just past Canawaugus Park it was getting hard to see the trail, so I turned on the light and used it for the rest of the ride. I don't know that I'd want to ride anything challenging with it, but it was perfect for riding the double-track rail trail. The light let me keep up a pretty good clip - I suspect I'll be feeling that tomorrow, after all the riding I've done in the past couple of days. Passed two people out walking dogs in the last half mile, and was glad for the light since it let me see them far enough ahead of time that I could slow down.
I may have to do some more night riding this summer... that was a lot of fun!
JMH
Monday, July 20, 2009
Friends of the Genesee Valley Greenway site
While we were eating dinner I decided to stay until tomorrow morning - just didn't feel like makig a 4 hour drive tonight. So when Ann went off to her Monday night fire dept drill, I took my mountain bike over to the Genesee Valley Greenway to do a bit of riding. Since I was getting a late start (7 PM) and I know what I'm like (always wanting to stay out a little bit longer) I grabbed one of the lights I'd bought Ann for commuting to work when it's dark - that turned out to be a really good decision.
The Genesee Valley Greenway is an old railbed that runs alongside the remains of the Genesee Valley Canal. On the plus side, it's fairly straight and relatively level, which makes for fairly easy riding. On the minus side, that can get a bit boring at times, and the black cinder dust that makes up a good part of the trail surface gets all over everything. There are also ATV riders who use the trail illegally, so in some spots it's a good idea to keep your mind on the trail. I used to ride and run there a lot, but the last few years I haven't visited the trail as often, mainly because Ann and I have found a large variety of other places to visit. So many trails, so little time...
I parked at the Brookdale Preserve lot and road from Brook Road south, stopping occasionally to take pictures. The section of trail between Brook Road and Scottsville Road is the portion I've travelled the most often, so it was good to cross the road and ride some trail I'm not as familiar with. Buzzed through Canawaugus Park in Scottsville; as is typically the case in the summer, there were a bunch of kids hanging out on the old railroad bridge over Oatka Creek. It's a shame they don't have anything better to do with their time.
I had originally planned to turn back after 45 minutes, but I was getting close enough to the old railroad bridge across the Genesee River (also the intersection with the Lehigh Valley Trail) that I decided to keep going. Of course, once I reached the bridge I just had to ride a short ways up the Lehigh Valley Trail before heading back...
I concentrated mainly on riding on the way back, since it was getting dark, though I did stop a couple of times to get photos of the sunset. Just past Canawaugus Park it was getting hard to see the trail, so I turned on the light and used it for the rest of the ride. I don't know that I'd want to ride anything challenging with it, but it was perfect for riding the double-track rail trail. The light let me keep up a pretty good clip - I suspect I'll be feeling that tomorrow, after all the riding I've done in the past couple of days. Passed two people out walking dogs in the last half mile, and was glad for the light since it let me see them far enough ahead of time that I could slow down.
I may have to do some more night riding this summer... that was a lot of fun!
JMH
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Thursday, July 16, 2009
A Visit to Cohoes Falls
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Ordinarily I wouldn't be that interested in stopping at Cohoes Falls in the summer - between the water diverted to the Barge Canal and to a canal for the nearby power plant, there's typically almost no flow over the falls this time of year. But as I was driving to Waterford I caught a glimpse of them and saw a surprising amount of water, so I decided to stop before heading home.
When I parked at the entrance to tiny Cohoes Falls Park, part of the reason for the atypical water flow became clear: work is being done at the power plant and the canal there is dry. The rain we've had over the past few weeks has also probably contributed. In any case, the view from the park was a good one as always, though it certainly would be sweet if they could get rid of the power lines crossing the river (that's not likely to happen, now is it?)
From there I walked up the road to Fallsview Park, a relatively new area open to the public. Last year a bridge was built over the power station canal to allow access to a new park overlooking the falls. The view is fantastic - no power lines in the way! The new park was made possible in part by the efforts of Brookfield Renewable, the company that runs the hydroelectric station, and seems to me to be a great public relations project for them. There's even a staircase that goes down to the edge of the river - unfortunately, that was closed today due to the high water levels.
While I was checking out the new park and the great view of the falls, some fairly dark clouds moved in, making me wonder if I'd be getting soaked on my way back to the car. Fortunately, the rain held off and I had time to pop across the street to check out the remains of an old Erie Canal lock (the canal ran through Cohoes prior to the early 1900's when it was enlarged and aligned with the Mohawk River in Albany area - now Cohoes Falls is bypassed by a flight of locks to the east in Waterford.) I was interested to see that the lock has previously been set up as a small park - there were two funky-looking benches and a partially uncovered paving-stone path on the hillside above it.
After that it was time to head home, so I could get in a shower and something to eat before heading over to teach class.
JMH
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Ordinarily I wouldn't be that interested in stopping at Cohoes Falls in the summer - between the water diverted to the Barge Canal and to a canal for the nearby power plant, there's typically almost no flow over the falls this time of year. But as I was driving to Waterford I caught a glimpse of them and saw a surprising amount of water, so I decided to stop before heading home.
When I parked at the entrance to tiny Cohoes Falls Park, part of the reason for the atypical water flow became clear: work is being done at the power plant and the canal there is dry. The rain we've had over the past few weeks has also probably contributed. In any case, the view from the park was a good one as always, though it certainly would be sweet if they could get rid of the power lines crossing the river (that's not likely to happen, now is it?)
From there I walked up the road to Fallsview Park, a relatively new area open to the public. Last year a bridge was built over the power station canal to allow access to a new park overlooking the falls. The view is fantastic - no power lines in the way! The new park was made possible in part by the efforts of Brookfield Renewable, the company that runs the hydroelectric station, and seems to me to be a great public relations project for them. There's even a staircase that goes down to the edge of the river - unfortunately, that was closed today due to the high water levels.
While I was checking out the new park and the great view of the falls, some fairly dark clouds moved in, making me wonder if I'd be getting soaked on my way back to the car. Fortunately, the rain held off and I had time to pop across the street to check out the remains of an old Erie Canal lock (the canal ran through Cohoes prior to the early 1900's when it was enlarged and aligned with the Mohawk River in Albany area - now Cohoes Falls is bypassed by a flight of locks to the east in Waterford.) I was interested to see that the lock has previously been set up as a small park - there were two funky-looking benches and a partially uncovered paving-stone path on the hillside above it.
After that it was time to head home, so I could get in a shower and something to eat before heading over to teach class.
JMH
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
CYCLING THE ERIE CANAL 2009
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
As I was riding along the bike path this evening I noticed that the Cycling the Erie Canal markers had been freshly repainted, which reminded me that the 2009 tour should be happening right around now... and sure enough, when I checked the website, it turned out to be taking place this week!
Cycling the Erie Canal is an 8 day bicycle tour from Buffalo to Albany organized by Parks & Trails New York. Riders average about 50 miles a day, much of it along the Canalway Trail, with a variety of stops at historic sites. The tour started in Buffalo last Sunday; they should be passing through the Albany area this weekend (finishing up at the Corning Preserve on Sunday.)
I've always thought it sounds like a lot of fun, though the cost is a bit steep for me and 8 days is a long time. Still, it reminds me that I would like to ride across the state someday, maybe from Albany to Rochester... of course, once I ride it, then I'll have to figure out a way to run it...
JMH
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
As I was riding along the bike path this evening I noticed that the Cycling the Erie Canal markers had been freshly repainted, which reminded me that the 2009 tour should be happening right around now... and sure enough, when I checked the website, it turned out to be taking place this week!
Cycling the Erie Canal is an 8 day bicycle tour from Buffalo to Albany organized by Parks & Trails New York. Riders average about 50 miles a day, much of it along the Canalway Trail, with a variety of stops at historic sites. The tour started in Buffalo last Sunday; they should be passing through the Albany area this weekend (finishing up at the Corning Preserve on Sunday.)
I've always thought it sounds like a lot of fun, though the cost is a bit steep for me and 8 days is a long time. Still, it reminds me that I would like to ride across the state someday, maybe from Albany to Rochester... of course, once I ride it, then I'll have to figure out a way to run it...
JMH
20.3 Mile Ride on the Mohawk Hudson Bike Path & in Colonie Mohawk River Park
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Been feeling a bit bummed recently for no apparent reason, so it was easy to give in to lazy slugdom over the last couple of days. But today I managed to get off my backside and out on the bike for a while. Nothing spectacular - I rode the bike path over to Colonie Mohawk River Park, then headed down into the park to to the boat launch. I'd been planning to head east a bit further but the path was closed at the park - if I had to guess I'd say that all the rain we've been having probably washed part of the path out.
After a brief encounter with a moron and her snarling growling unleashed dog, I spent a few minutes taking pictures along the river, then headed back west. Rode all the way to the base of the old Niskayuna landfill before heading back to the car.
The river was surprisingly low so I spent a little while down at the Lions Park boat launch checking out the Mohawk... while I was there a beaver came swimming out from a little ways downstream, which was a pleasant surprise. Almost made up for the mosquitoes doing their best to make a meal of the parts of me that I hadn't sprayed with bug repellent.
I'm getting used to riding the Dawes again... perhaps I stand a chance of being able to maintain my racing pace for 12 miles at the Presque Isle Du after all...
JMH
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Been feeling a bit bummed recently for no apparent reason, so it was easy to give in to lazy slugdom over the last couple of days. But today I managed to get off my backside and out on the bike for a while. Nothing spectacular - I rode the bike path over to Colonie Mohawk River Park, then headed down into the park to to the boat launch. I'd been planning to head east a bit further but the path was closed at the park - if I had to guess I'd say that all the rain we've been having probably washed part of the path out.
After a brief encounter with a moron and her snarling growling unleashed dog, I spent a few minutes taking pictures along the river, then headed back west. Rode all the way to the base of the old Niskayuna landfill before heading back to the car.
The river was surprisingly low so I spent a little while down at the Lions Park boat launch checking out the Mohawk... while I was there a beaver came swimming out from a little ways downstream, which was a pleasant surprise. Almost made up for the mosquitoes doing their best to make a meal of the parts of me that I hadn't sprayed with bug repellent.
I'm getting used to riding the Dawes again... perhaps I stand a chance of being able to maintain my racing pace for 12 miles at the Presque Isle Du after all...
JMH
Sunday, July 12, 2009
14.5 Mile Ride Along the Mohawk Hudson Bike Path
Sunday, July 12, 2009
After Ann left, by the time I got off my backside and out to ride my bike there were a lot more clouds in the sky than there had been earlier in the day... but I still decided to head over to the bike path west of Schenectady, since I haven't been there for a while.
Initially it was windy riding, though that eased up once the sun started to go down. I rode out to the end of the path at Scrafford Lane - there was a train parked on the tracks, plus it was getting dusky enough that I probably wouldn't have risked the stretch of road to the bike path extension even if the crossing had been clear. Along the way I startled a heron several times; the bigger surprise was the red-winged blackbirds harrying him whenever he flew. I also spent a few minutes watching a wood duck and her brood of ducklings.
On the way back to Lock 8 a grey fox dashed across the path and into the bushes - I'm not positive, but I suspect he had just run across the highway connector ramps, so I'm glad he made it safely and I got to see him, however briefly. At the time I thought he was just a color variation of the usual foxes I've seen, but I've since checked and learned that grey foxes and red foxes are two different genuses, and that grey foxes are one of two canids that are able to climb trees. Pretty darn cool... wish he'd been moving slower so maybe I could have gotten a photo.
I rode all the way down to SCCC and was treated to the sight of a colorful sunset over the Mohawk River, as well as some very determined fishermen out in their small boat. It was getting dark by the time I got back to the car... a definite reminder that the days are getting shorter again, darn it. At least they're still long enough for me to enjoy being outdoors well into the evenings...
JMH
Sunday, July 12, 2009
After Ann left, by the time I got off my backside and out to ride my bike there were a lot more clouds in the sky than there had been earlier in the day... but I still decided to head over to the bike path west of Schenectady, since I haven't been there for a while.
Initially it was windy riding, though that eased up once the sun started to go down. I rode out to the end of the path at Scrafford Lane - there was a train parked on the tracks, plus it was getting dusky enough that I probably wouldn't have risked the stretch of road to the bike path extension even if the crossing had been clear. Along the way I startled a heron several times; the bigger surprise was the red-winged blackbirds harrying him whenever he flew. I also spent a few minutes watching a wood duck and her brood of ducklings.
On the way back to Lock 8 a grey fox dashed across the path and into the bushes - I'm not positive, but I suspect he had just run across the highway connector ramps, so I'm glad he made it safely and I got to see him, however briefly. At the time I thought he was just a color variation of the usual foxes I've seen, but I've since checked and learned that grey foxes and red foxes are two different genuses, and that grey foxes are one of two canids that are able to climb trees. Pretty darn cool... wish he'd been moving slower so maybe I could have gotten a photo.
I rode all the way down to SCCC and was treated to the sight of a colorful sunset over the Mohawk River, as well as some very determined fishermen out in their small boat. It was getting dark by the time I got back to the car... a definite reminder that the days are getting shorter again, darn it. At least they're still long enough for me to enjoy being outdoors well into the evenings...
JMH
3.2 Mile Walk at Five Rivers EEC
Sunday, July 12, 2009
We wanted to take advantage of the gorgeous weather to spend some time outdoors before Ann had to head home, and Five Rivers is almost always good for both beautiful scenery and all sorts of critters. Today definitely didn't disappoint...
We started out going down to the Beaver Pond and walked out on the bridge. Ann spotted the first snapping turtle, a medium-sized one floating in the plants covering the surface of the water near shore. While we watched, another medium-sized turtle came swimming up... and two large ones as well! And then a smaller one came up out of the water onto the shore near the far side of the bridge... I've seen two snappers there at one time before, but never five. Given the way they headed for the bridge when we showed up and the lack of concern they showed about our being their - I suspect someone feeds them from the bridge on a regular basis. There were also a few small painted turtles sunning themselves, but the snapping turtles were definitely the main attraction.
We walked around the pond, then crossed the road and walked along the Heron Pond - no herons in evidence, but we did spot a few more turtles. We briefly considered walking along the stream but Ann wanted to get rid of her jacket and get something to drink, so we headed back to the car instead. On the way we passed someone whom I'm pretty sure was Ward Stone, NYS Wildlife Pathologist for the DEC and a local champion for living things and the environment. His weekly radio program In Our Backyard on WAMC is always great listening.
From there we headed through the old orchard and out to the various ponds in the fields. At the sunfish pond we watched a bunch of large toadpoles sunning themselves; several were almost completely grown into frogs, with only the broad tail giving them away. Along the paths we spotted several deer, a fairly bold rabbit that let me get pretty darn close before darting into the bushes, and a flock of geese with mostly-grown goslings relaxing near one of the picnic pavilions.
And along the way there were more birds and butterflies than I could keep track of...
Unfortunately by then it was time to head back home - lunch was calling and Ann had a long drive ahead of her.
JMH
Sunday, July 12, 2009
We wanted to take advantage of the gorgeous weather to spend some time outdoors before Ann had to head home, and Five Rivers is almost always good for both beautiful scenery and all sorts of critters. Today definitely didn't disappoint...
We started out going down to the Beaver Pond and walked out on the bridge. Ann spotted the first snapping turtle, a medium-sized one floating in the plants covering the surface of the water near shore. While we watched, another medium-sized turtle came swimming up... and two large ones as well! And then a smaller one came up out of the water onto the shore near the far side of the bridge... I've seen two snappers there at one time before, but never five. Given the way they headed for the bridge when we showed up and the lack of concern they showed about our being their - I suspect someone feeds them from the bridge on a regular basis. There were also a few small painted turtles sunning themselves, but the snapping turtles were definitely the main attraction.
We walked around the pond, then crossed the road and walked along the Heron Pond - no herons in evidence, but we did spot a few more turtles. We briefly considered walking along the stream but Ann wanted to get rid of her jacket and get something to drink, so we headed back to the car instead. On the way we passed someone whom I'm pretty sure was Ward Stone, NYS Wildlife Pathologist for the DEC and a local champion for living things and the environment. His weekly radio program In Our Backyard on WAMC is always great listening.
From there we headed through the old orchard and out to the various ponds in the fields. At the sunfish pond we watched a bunch of large toadpoles sunning themselves; several were almost completely grown into frogs, with only the broad tail giving them away. Along the paths we spotted several deer, a fairly bold rabbit that let me get pretty darn close before darting into the bushes, and a flock of geese with mostly-grown goslings relaxing near one of the picnic pavilions.
And along the way there were more birds and butterflies than I could keep track of...
Unfortunately by then it was time to head back home - lunch was calling and Ann had a long drive ahead of her.
JMH
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Another Weekend of Missing Races
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Though this time it's as much a matter of timing and circumstances as it is my sore knee... I probably could have handled running the Moonlight in Vermont 4 miler tonight (albeit substantially slower than I ran it last year) but between getting back from our trip to the Berkshires after 9 PM, the rain and thunderstorms blowing through the area, and wanting to spend some quality time with Ann tomorrow before she heads back to Rochester - it just didn't make sense to make the two hour round trip to Pownal.
The other one I had been hoping to do this year was the Forest Frolic 15K out in Virgil... I've been wanting to get back there since I ran it in 2007, and this year I briefly entertained the plan of running at midnight in Pownal, then making the drive out to Virgil, sleeping in the car for three hours for so, and running the trail race before continuing on to Rochester. That plan fell by the wayside when Ann said she'd be coming down this weekend both to get a chance to teach karate and spend some time with me... and somehow I didn't think she'd appreciate the suggestion that we leave for Rochester at 4:30 AM so I could stop and run a race along the way...
Next weekend's Bear Creek 21k trail race in PA is still up in the air... while I'm pretty sure I'll be able to run, I'm not so sure I'll be able to handle 13 miles of trails... I'm hoping to get out some early this week and assess both the state of my knee and my endurance.
JMH
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Though this time it's as much a matter of timing and circumstances as it is my sore knee... I probably could have handled running the Moonlight in Vermont 4 miler tonight (albeit substantially slower than I ran it last year) but between getting back from our trip to the Berkshires after 9 PM, the rain and thunderstorms blowing through the area, and wanting to spend some quality time with Ann tomorrow before she heads back to Rochester - it just didn't make sense to make the two hour round trip to Pownal.
The other one I had been hoping to do this year was the Forest Frolic 15K out in Virgil... I've been wanting to get back there since I ran it in 2007, and this year I briefly entertained the plan of running at midnight in Pownal, then making the drive out to Virgil, sleeping in the car for three hours for so, and running the trail race before continuing on to Rochester. That plan fell by the wayside when Ann said she'd be coming down this weekend both to get a chance to teach karate and spend some time with me... and somehow I didn't think she'd appreciate the suggestion that we leave for Rochester at 4:30 AM so I could stop and run a race along the way...
Next weekend's Bear Creek 21k trail race in PA is still up in the air... while I'm pretty sure I'll be able to run, I'm not so sure I'll be able to handle 13 miles of trails... I'm hoping to get out some early this week and assess both the state of my knee and my endurance.
JMH
12 Mile Ride on the Ashuwillticook Rail Trail
Saturday, July 11, 2009
I was pleasantly surprised when we reached the southern trailhead for the Ashuwillticook Rail Trail and not only wasn't it raining, but it didn't even look like rain was imminent. So we changed into riding clothes, unloaded the bikes, and headed off down the paved path. As I've found myself saying frequently during this rather damp summer - one plus to the less than ideal weather was the lack of crowds on the trail.
The first stretch runs through a series of wetlands and then wooded areas... not quite as scenic on a grey cloudy day but still pretty nice. After a couple of miles it reaches the shoreline of the Cheshire Reservoir, which includes some spectacular views of the mountains to the west across the water. As we rode further we could see the tip of Greylock peeking over the shoulders of a couple of closer peaks.
There's a spillway near the spot where the trail crosses Route 8, presumably to keep the reservoir from flooding. We stopped for a short break and spotted some ducklings with a dilemma - three of them were down on the lower level of the spillway, with mom and two others up at the top. While the height difference wasn't too great (maybe 6-8 inches or so) with water flowing over the edge it didn't seem likely they'd be able to get back up top. But mom didn't seem to concerned (actually, at that point neither did the three youngsters) so we decided to check on them when we came back through and keep riding.
We went another mile or so beyond the road crossing before Ann decided it was time to turn around, in part because there were some fairly dark clouds putting in an appearance over the mountains and the next section of trail is nothing spectacular, just a nice ride through more wetlands. So we headed back, stopping again at the spillway to watch the ducks. The trio seemed a lot more interested in getting back up top, but as they moved around it also seemed pretty unlikely they'd manage to do so, unless they worked themselves back to one spot where the water was blocked from flowing over the edge. I shot more than a few photos of them and even a short video clip before we decided they'd either figure it out or the entire clan would end up in the stream below the spillway.
The first drops of rain hit about three miles from the parking lot... nothing much, but enough to get me to stop and pull on my jacket. Good thing too because a little while later it started raining harder and harder, until we we road the last two miles in a pretty substantial and very chilly downpour. If nothing else it gave us incentive to move as quick as we could back to the car to dry off and change into clothes that weren't soaking wet...
JMH
Saturday, July 11, 2009
I was pleasantly surprised when we reached the southern trailhead for the Ashuwillticook Rail Trail and not only wasn't it raining, but it didn't even look like rain was imminent. So we changed into riding clothes, unloaded the bikes, and headed off down the paved path. As I've found myself saying frequently during this rather damp summer - one plus to the less than ideal weather was the lack of crowds on the trail.
The first stretch runs through a series of wetlands and then wooded areas... not quite as scenic on a grey cloudy day but still pretty nice. After a couple of miles it reaches the shoreline of the Cheshire Reservoir, which includes some spectacular views of the mountains to the west across the water. As we rode further we could see the tip of Greylock peeking over the shoulders of a couple of closer peaks.
There's a spillway near the spot where the trail crosses Route 8, presumably to keep the reservoir from flooding. We stopped for a short break and spotted some ducklings with a dilemma - three of them were down on the lower level of the spillway, with mom and two others up at the top. While the height difference wasn't too great (maybe 6-8 inches or so) with water flowing over the edge it didn't seem likely they'd be able to get back up top. But mom didn't seem to concerned (actually, at that point neither did the three youngsters) so we decided to check on them when we came back through and keep riding.
We went another mile or so beyond the road crossing before Ann decided it was time to turn around, in part because there were some fairly dark clouds putting in an appearance over the mountains and the next section of trail is nothing spectacular, just a nice ride through more wetlands. So we headed back, stopping again at the spillway to watch the ducks. The trio seemed a lot more interested in getting back up top, but as they moved around it also seemed pretty unlikely they'd manage to do so, unless they worked themselves back to one spot where the water was blocked from flowing over the edge. I shot more than a few photos of them and even a short video clip before we decided they'd either figure it out or the entire clan would end up in the stream below the spillway.
The first drops of rain hit about three miles from the parking lot... nothing much, but enough to get me to stop and pull on my jacket. Good thing too because a little while later it started raining harder and harder, until we we road the last two miles in a pretty substantial and very chilly downpour. If nothing else it gave us incentive to move as quick as we could back to the car to dry off and change into clothes that weren't soaking wet...
JMH
GREYLOCK!
Walking Around the Greylock Summit & Jones Nose
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Mt Greylock State Reservation summer map (PDF)
After driving to both - much easier (though not quite as satisfying) than my two treks there back in June...
I'd wanted to take Ann to Greylock for several years now , but we'd never managed to get there (and for the past two years the road to the summit was closed, and it wasn't likely she'd be willing to hike to the top.) So one of my primary goals for this afternoon was to make it to both the Greylock Summit and the Jones Nose meadow.
I've never driven the roads up Greylock before - most of the time I've gotten to the top on foot, with one trip there on my bike (or rather, pushing my bike) as part of the 2005 Greylock Half Century Ride. We ended up driving up Notch Road from North Adams (giving me a preview of the course for the 2009 WMAC Greylock 8 mile road race on Labor Day... I'm still debating over whether or not I want to tackle that one...) I remember riding down Notch Rd in 2005 and wondering if I'd make it to the bottom alive - at that point not only was it an 8 mile descent, but the road was in pretty lousy shape to boot! Along the way we stopped at the pulloffs for several scenic viewpoints and eventually found ourselves at the summit.
It felt a bit strange to be at the top of Greylock and not pushing to move on, either on foot or on bicycle... we wandered around a bit taking in the view off to the east, then went up to the observation deck of the Veterans War Memorial Tower - a tight climb first up a narrow stone stairwell and then up a winding metal spiral staircase. Tight quarters all around. Ann didn't like the climb up (climbing bothers her knees) and between my knee and my dislike of heights, I was very happy to be back on the ground again. But the views out the windows of the Tower were great... I can only imagine what it must be like on a clear, sunny day.
From there we drove down Rockwell Rd to the parking lot for Jones Nose and Old Adams Rd and walked a ways up into the Jones Nose meadow. Not as scenic as when I was there a few weeks ago, but still one heck of a beautiful area. Off to the northwest we could see a ski area - I suspect the Mount Greylock Ski Club trails.
We briefly contemplated going to the Glen and walking some of the trails there or even heading over to Savoy to try and see Tannery Falls (I'm not sure what condition the roads through Savoy Mountain State Forest are in...) but in the end simply said our farewells to the mountain and headed down toward Pittsfield to do a little riding before the storms hit.
JMH
Walking Around the Greylock Summit & Jones Nose
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Mt Greylock State Reservation summer map (PDF)
After driving to both - much easier (though not quite as satisfying) than my two treks there back in June...
I'd wanted to take Ann to Greylock for several years now , but we'd never managed to get there (and for the past two years the road to the summit was closed, and it wasn't likely she'd be willing to hike to the top.) So one of my primary goals for this afternoon was to make it to both the Greylock Summit and the Jones Nose meadow.
I've never driven the roads up Greylock before - most of the time I've gotten to the top on foot, with one trip there on my bike (or rather, pushing my bike) as part of the 2005 Greylock Half Century Ride. We ended up driving up Notch Road from North Adams (giving me a preview of the course for the 2009 WMAC Greylock 8 mile road race on Labor Day... I'm still debating over whether or not I want to tackle that one...) I remember riding down Notch Rd in 2005 and wondering if I'd make it to the bottom alive - at that point not only was it an 8 mile descent, but the road was in pretty lousy shape to boot! Along the way we stopped at the pulloffs for several scenic viewpoints and eventually found ourselves at the summit.
It felt a bit strange to be at the top of Greylock and not pushing to move on, either on foot or on bicycle... we wandered around a bit taking in the view off to the east, then went up to the observation deck of the Veterans War Memorial Tower - a tight climb first up a narrow stone stairwell and then up a winding metal spiral staircase. Tight quarters all around. Ann didn't like the climb up (climbing bothers her knees) and between my knee and my dislike of heights, I was very happy to be back on the ground again. But the views out the windows of the Tower were great... I can only imagine what it must be like on a clear, sunny day.
From there we drove down Rockwell Rd to the parking lot for Jones Nose and Old Adams Rd and walked a ways up into the Jones Nose meadow. Not as scenic as when I was there a few weeks ago, but still one heck of a beautiful area. Off to the northwest we could see a ski area - I suspect the Mount Greylock Ski Club trails.
We briefly contemplated going to the Glen and walking some of the trails there or even heading over to Savoy to try and see Tannery Falls (I'm not sure what condition the roads through Savoy Mountain State Forest are in...) but in the end simply said our farewells to the mountain and headed down toward Pittsfield to do a little riding before the storms hit.
JMH
Friday, July 10, 2009
What a Loon!
15 mile Ride at the Corning Preserve
Friday, July 10, 2009
Spent much of the day getting stuff ready for Ann coming into town... but once she called to let me know she was leaving Rochester I took some time to head down to the Corning Preserve for a bit of riding. Did an out-and-back between the two parking lots at something just under race pace (averaged about 13 mph) with no stops for photos or anything else. OK, that hurt... I haven't spent nearly enough time riding this year, and I've only been out on the Dawes twice now since I snapped a spoke last summer, so my legs were cramping and grumbling in all sorts of places. I think I'd best do a few more of those sessions before the Presque Isle Du at the end of July...
After that I did some easy riding down to the Albany Riverfront Park at the river end of the Hudson River Way bridge across 787. Stopped to snap a photo of a lone duck floating out on the river - and it turned out to be a loon! I certainly wasn't expecting to see one of those out of the Adirondacks! Then I did some easy riding out to just past the 2 mile mark in the Corning Preserve, with a harder push back to the parking lot (because it was getting late and I wanted to make sure I got back home before Ann got here.)
JMH
15 mile Ride at the Corning Preserve
Friday, July 10, 2009
Spent much of the day getting stuff ready for Ann coming into town... but once she called to let me know she was leaving Rochester I took some time to head down to the Corning Preserve for a bit of riding. Did an out-and-back between the two parking lots at something just under race pace (averaged about 13 mph) with no stops for photos or anything else. OK, that hurt... I haven't spent nearly enough time riding this year, and I've only been out on the Dawes twice now since I snapped a spoke last summer, so my legs were cramping and grumbling in all sorts of places. I think I'd best do a few more of those sessions before the Presque Isle Du at the end of July...
After that I did some easy riding down to the Albany Riverfront Park at the river end of the Hudson River Way bridge across 787. Stopped to snap a photo of a lone duck floating out on the river - and it turned out to be a loon! I certainly wasn't expecting to see one of those out of the Adirondacks! Then I did some easy riding out to just past the 2 mile mark in the Corning Preserve, with a harder push back to the parking lot (because it was getting late and I wanted to make sure I got back home before Ann got here.)
JMH
2.1 Mile Walk at Ann Lee Pond Nature Preserve
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Got my backside in gear too late to go for a ride, so on my way to class I stopped at Ann Lee Pond to do a quick walk... headed back to the beaver pond in hopes of seeing some of the furry builders, but no luck... just LOTS of mosquitoes and deer flies. I did startle a mallard with almost-grown youngsters and a wood duck with ducklings - guess they don't see a lot of people back there. There were also enough ripples in the water when I crossed the "crazy bridge" (maybe it was level once but it certainly isn't now!) that I'm guessing I startled a few fish too.
When I got back to the car I looked across the road into the orchard and saw something sitting up under the trees... turned out to be a woodchuck chowing down on an apple!
JMH
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Got my backside in gear too late to go for a ride, so on my way to class I stopped at Ann Lee Pond to do a quick walk... headed back to the beaver pond in hopes of seeing some of the furry builders, but no luck... just LOTS of mosquitoes and deer flies. I did startle a mallard with almost-grown youngsters and a wood duck with ducklings - guess they don't see a lot of people back there. There were also enough ripples in the water when I crossed the "crazy bridge" (maybe it was level once but it certainly isn't now!) that I'm guessing I startled a few fish too.
When I got back to the car I looked across the road into the orchard and saw something sitting up under the trees... turned out to be a woodchuck chowing down on an apple!
JMH
Wednesday, July 08, 2009
SORE KNEES, RAINBOWS... & ONE SLOW TURTLE
5 Mile Run in the Albany Pine Bush
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
After two weeks of no running it was time to see how my knee would hold up... so I did a very slow 5 miles over in the Blueberry Hills/Kaikout Kill Barrens sections of the Pine Bush this evening. The knee brace was annoying and no great surprise sometimes the knee hurt... actually, sometimes my either knee grumbled too, probably because I overwork my right leg to go easy on my left right now.
I hadn't planned to do the loop through the Kaikout Kill Barrens but when I got to the trailhead it looked like the trail had been cleared recently (the last time I ran it the brambles were doing their usual summer takeover)so I took a chance and was glad I did.
As I crossed the top of the tallest dune in Blueberry Hill West a lone cloud overhead started dropping some very light rain - actually quite refreshing, and I always find it amusing to run in the rain on a sunny day. Plus, as I made my way down the hill, the sun and light rain combined to create a gorgeous full rainbow behind me... needless to say I spent a while getting photos of it!
All in all it was a good evening to be out, and it felt good to be running again, even if it was pretty slow going... now I just have to see how the knee feels tomorrow to determine whether I get to keep running or go back to only walking and riding for a while longer.
JMH
5 Mile Run in the Albany Pine Bush
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
After two weeks of no running it was time to see how my knee would hold up... so I did a very slow 5 miles over in the Blueberry Hills/Kaikout Kill Barrens sections of the Pine Bush this evening. The knee brace was annoying and no great surprise sometimes the knee hurt... actually, sometimes my either knee grumbled too, probably because I overwork my right leg to go easy on my left right now.
I hadn't planned to do the loop through the Kaikout Kill Barrens but when I got to the trailhead it looked like the trail had been cleared recently (the last time I ran it the brambles were doing their usual summer takeover)so I took a chance and was glad I did.
As I crossed the top of the tallest dune in Blueberry Hill West a lone cloud overhead started dropping some very light rain - actually quite refreshing, and I always find it amusing to run in the rain on a sunny day. Plus, as I made my way down the hill, the sun and light rain combined to create a gorgeous full rainbow behind me... needless to say I spent a while getting photos of it!
All in all it was a good evening to be out, and it felt good to be running again, even if it was pretty slow going... now I just have to see how the knee feels tomorrow to determine whether I get to keep running or go back to only walking and riding for a while longer.
JMH
Tuesday, July 07, 2009
Monday, July 06, 2009
2.3 Mile Walk at Chittenango Falls State Park
Monday, July 6, 2009
Way back in December 2007 Ann and I visited Chittenango Falls while driving from Rochester to Albany and I said I wanted to get back during better weather when the trail down into the gorge would be open... it only took 18 months for me to actually do that...
I had originally thought to stop last week but got off to a late enough start that it didn't make sense, so I was glad I had time this week during my drive. We've had a lot of rain over the past few weeks, so the waterfall didn't disappoint - I suspect it's usually much quieter in early July. I spent a while wandering around the top, then tried taking the trail down the east side of the gorge, only to learn that it's closed due to unsafe conditions. So instead of a loop I hiked an out-and-back down the open trail on the west side... lots of steps and steep bits, but the view from the bottom was well worth it. Best of all - much of the time I had the view to myself, since there were only a few other visitors to the park on a Monday afternoon.
Back at the top I decided to get my money's worth and followed on of the trails off into the woods. It wound along the top of the gorge and up and down, at one point looking right down into Chittenango Creek and the road I'd followed to get to the park. Nothing too spectacular, just a quiet walk through the woods... when I reached just about the furthest point I could get from the parking lot, it started to rain. Lightly at first, so I tucked in under a tree and stayed fairly dry, but over the course of 5-10 minutes it rained harder and harder until finally I was getting pretty wet and decided I needed to keep moving to stay warm. So I headed back the way I'd come, getting more and more wet. Not too smart on my part - I knew that rain was a good possibility and should have gotten a jacket from the car before heading out on the trails.
Of course, the rain let up before I made it back to the car, and then the sun came out, making eveything steamy... but I decided to call it a day anyways, changed into dry clothes, and got back on the road for home.
JMH
Monday, July 6, 2009
Way back in December 2007 Ann and I visited Chittenango Falls while driving from Rochester to Albany and I said I wanted to get back during better weather when the trail down into the gorge would be open... it only took 18 months for me to actually do that...
I had originally thought to stop last week but got off to a late enough start that it didn't make sense, so I was glad I had time this week during my drive. We've had a lot of rain over the past few weeks, so the waterfall didn't disappoint - I suspect it's usually much quieter in early July. I spent a while wandering around the top, then tried taking the trail down the east side of the gorge, only to learn that it's closed due to unsafe conditions. So instead of a loop I hiked an out-and-back down the open trail on the west side... lots of steps and steep bits, but the view from the bottom was well worth it. Best of all - much of the time I had the view to myself, since there were only a few other visitors to the park on a Monday afternoon.
Back at the top I decided to get my money's worth and followed on of the trails off into the woods. It wound along the top of the gorge and up and down, at one point looking right down into Chittenango Creek and the road I'd followed to get to the park. Nothing too spectacular, just a quiet walk through the woods... when I reached just about the furthest point I could get from the parking lot, it started to rain. Lightly at first, so I tucked in under a tree and stayed fairly dry, but over the course of 5-10 minutes it rained harder and harder until finally I was getting pretty wet and decided I needed to keep moving to stay warm. So I headed back the way I'd come, getting more and more wet. Not too smart on my part - I knew that rain was a good possibility and should have gotten a jacket from the car before heading out on the trails.
Of course, the rain let up before I made it back to the car, and then the sun came out, making eveything steamy... but I decided to call it a day anyways, changed into dry clothes, and got back on the road for home.
JMH
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