7 Mile Run on the Mohawk Hudson Bike Path
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Friday, September 24, 2010
Thursday, September 23, 2010
WELCOMING AUTUMN
8.2 Mile Run at Thacher Park
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Finally got out for a run this week... it seems appropriate that it was the first full day of autumn. Debated a variety of possible locations and finally settled on Thacher Park, which turned out to be a good choice - very few people on the trails, and once I was away from the roads, very little traffic noise (one of the main drawbacks to the Pine Bush, which has all sorts of busy roads right nearby.)
Since I suspected it would be dark before I finished I parked on Beaver Dam Road and started out by going most of the way up the old ski run. Along the way I had some nice views of trees that have started to change to their fall colors, lit by the sun hanging low over the horizon. From there I looped down through the Hop Field trails and over to the hill above the Maintenance buildings, where I took a trail I've never been on before (and there aren't many of those at Thacher!) out to the road. Looking at the trail map, there's another trail in that section that I haven't explored - I'll have to check that out on a future trip.
As I ran through the Overlook area and along the escarpment it became fairly clear that I was running out of daylight... but I still chose to run the around the rim of the Horseshoe and up to the Haile's Cave picnic area, since I knew the worst that would happen is I'd end up going up Paint Mine Road in the dark, which is no big deal. And it turned out to be well worth it, since at Haile's Cave I looked out over the valley and was treated to a great view of the yellow-orange moon rising over the Helderberg Escarpment from behind the clouds. Spent a while trying to get some decent photos before heading back through the picnic and parking areas to Paint Mine Road, which I did end up climbing in the dark. But that had it's pluses too - I got to listen to an owl hooting off in the woods.
Once I got back to the car, the lure of being out in the fields in the moonlight was too strong, so I headed back up the old ski run for a short distance... if I'd had more time and my headlamp I might have gone all the way up to Roemer's High Point, because it was a gorgeous night. Instead, I reluctantly headed back to the car to head for home and the work I had waiting for me for tomorrow's classes.
One of the things that really stood out during tonight's run is how dry everything is... very few of the streams had more than a trickle of water in them. I may regret saying this if I end up running wet race after wet race this fall... but we really could use some steady rain (or lots of snow this winter, which would be welcome for an additional reason!) to replenish the water table for next year.
JMH
8.2 Mile Run at Thacher Park
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Finally got out for a run this week... it seems appropriate that it was the first full day of autumn. Debated a variety of possible locations and finally settled on Thacher Park, which turned out to be a good choice - very few people on the trails, and once I was away from the roads, very little traffic noise (one of the main drawbacks to the Pine Bush, which has all sorts of busy roads right nearby.)
Since I suspected it would be dark before I finished I parked on Beaver Dam Road and started out by going most of the way up the old ski run. Along the way I had some nice views of trees that have started to change to their fall colors, lit by the sun hanging low over the horizon. From there I looped down through the Hop Field trails and over to the hill above the Maintenance buildings, where I took a trail I've never been on before (and there aren't many of those at Thacher!) out to the road. Looking at the trail map, there's another trail in that section that I haven't explored - I'll have to check that out on a future trip.
As I ran through the Overlook area and along the escarpment it became fairly clear that I was running out of daylight... but I still chose to run the around the rim of the Horseshoe and up to the Haile's Cave picnic area, since I knew the worst that would happen is I'd end up going up Paint Mine Road in the dark, which is no big deal. And it turned out to be well worth it, since at Haile's Cave I looked out over the valley and was treated to a great view of the yellow-orange moon rising over the Helderberg Escarpment from behind the clouds. Spent a while trying to get some decent photos before heading back through the picnic and parking areas to Paint Mine Road, which I did end up climbing in the dark. But that had it's pluses too - I got to listen to an owl hooting off in the woods.
Once I got back to the car, the lure of being out in the fields in the moonlight was too strong, so I headed back up the old ski run for a short distance... if I'd had more time and my headlamp I might have gone all the way up to Roemer's High Point, because it was a gorgeous night. Instead, I reluctantly headed back to the car to head for home and the work I had waiting for me for tomorrow's classes.
One of the things that really stood out during tonight's run is how dry everything is... very few of the streams had more than a trickle of water in them. I may regret saying this if I end up running wet race after wet race this fall... but we really could use some steady rain (or lots of snow this winter, which would be welcome for an additional reason!) to replenish the water table for next year.
JMH
Monday, September 20, 2010
A First for the Turtle
Monday, September 20, 2010
Quite literally. There were so many participants between all the races going on yesterday at Portage Lakes that they weren't able to post results immediately afterwards... but they've got them up today and -
I took 1st place in my division!
OK, time for the full disclosure... sometimes it doesn't matter if you're slow and fat if you pick your race carefully. Apparently Olympic Distance du isn't all that popular, because only 25 people actually competed (out of somewhere around 900 spread out over all the tris and dus yesterday)... and I came in 24th out of those 25. I also signed up for an age group - Over 40 Clydesdale 220+lbs - which I knew was unlikely to have many (if any!) other participants. So yes, I came in 1st out of a group of one fat old guy... though the results do show that had I signed up for my age group (45-49) I would have taken that too, since apparently I was the only guy in that group running and riding yesterday.
But you know what. I don't care. I drove for 9 hours round trip (17 from Albany) to compete yesterday and I busted my butt to finish the race. I rode fairly well (for me), made it through the run uninjured, and paced myself well enough that I didn't end up having to crawl the last couple of miles and even managed to break 3 1/2 hours. And in the process I got my first ever first place finish... I think I've earned the right to enjoy it for a bit, before I go on to get my butt kicked in the races coming up next weekend... and all the weekends after that too.
JMH
Monday, September 20, 2010
Quite literally. There were so many participants between all the races going on yesterday at Portage Lakes that they weren't able to post results immediately afterwards... but they've got them up today and -
I took 1st place in my division!
OK, time for the full disclosure... sometimes it doesn't matter if you're slow and fat if you pick your race carefully. Apparently Olympic Distance du isn't all that popular, because only 25 people actually competed (out of somewhere around 900 spread out over all the tris and dus yesterday)... and I came in 24th out of those 25. I also signed up for an age group - Over 40 Clydesdale 220+lbs - which I knew was unlikely to have many (if any!) other participants. So yes, I came in 1st out of a group of one fat old guy... though the results do show that had I signed up for my age group (45-49) I would have taken that too, since apparently I was the only guy in that group running and riding yesterday.
But you know what. I don't care. I drove for 9 hours round trip (17 from Albany) to compete yesterday and I busted my butt to finish the race. I rode fairly well (for me), made it through the run uninjured, and paced myself well enough that I didn't end up having to crawl the last couple of miles and even managed to break 3 1/2 hours. And in the process I got my first ever first place finish... I think I've earned the right to enjoy it for a bit, before I go on to get my butt kicked in the races coming up next weekend... and all the weekends after that too.
JMH
2.5 Mile Walk at Ann Lee Pond
Monday, September 20, 2010
It was such a nice evening (cool and sunny) that I was almost tempted to go for a run... but I was pretty sure I'd regret it for the rest of the week if I didn't take a rest day, so in the end I headed over to Ann Lee Pond to wander in the woods for a while.
No surprise, the water was even lower then the last time I was there... at most a couple of inches deep in the back of the pond, making the Crazy Bridge seem much higher. Apparently the local kids have been up to no good, since there were a number of places where the railings on the bridge had been damaged... stupid. I didn't see much wildlife, though I was pleased to see a heron on the shore - I've always wondered why I don't see them more often in the pond, especially now that I know they have a rookery back in the beaver ponds. Of course, he wasn't pleased to see me... there were a couple of times over the course of the evening that he flew to another spot squawking his displeasure.
After that I spent a while walking through the woods. I didn't see much point in going back to the beaver ponds, both because it was getting darker and because of how low the water is. I heard lots of woodpeckers and a few other birds I didn't recognize, as well as the usual jays and robins. Eventually I made my way back to the shore of the pond and checked out the ducks for a bit before heading over to the Shaker Historic Site.
There were people with the bulls, so I wandered down through the site and took a look at the old buildings. I couldn't see much but overall it looked pretty cool... I would definitely like to get back there at some point during the day and see more. I did manage to get some pretty neat pictures.
JMH
Monday, September 20, 2010
It was such a nice evening (cool and sunny) that I was almost tempted to go for a run... but I was pretty sure I'd regret it for the rest of the week if I didn't take a rest day, so in the end I headed over to Ann Lee Pond to wander in the woods for a while.
No surprise, the water was even lower then the last time I was there... at most a couple of inches deep in the back of the pond, making the Crazy Bridge seem much higher. Apparently the local kids have been up to no good, since there were a number of places where the railings on the bridge had been damaged... stupid. I didn't see much wildlife, though I was pleased to see a heron on the shore - I've always wondered why I don't see them more often in the pond, especially now that I know they have a rookery back in the beaver ponds. Of course, he wasn't pleased to see me... there were a couple of times over the course of the evening that he flew to another spot squawking his displeasure.
After that I spent a while walking through the woods. I didn't see much point in going back to the beaver ponds, both because it was getting darker and because of how low the water is. I heard lots of woodpeckers and a few other birds I didn't recognize, as well as the usual jays and robins. Eventually I made my way back to the shore of the pond and checked out the ducks for a bit before heading over to the Shaker Historic Site.
There were people with the bulls, so I wandered down through the site and took a look at the old buildings. I couldn't see much but overall it looked pretty cool... I would definitely like to get back there at some point during the day and see more. I did manage to get some pretty neat pictures.
JMH
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Saturday, September 18, 2010
1.2 Mile Walk at Tinker Nature Park
Saturday, September 18, 2010
We definitely didn't want to spend a beautiful afternoon indoors, so after lunch Ann and I headed over to Tinker Park for a short walk. When we got there we were surprised to see the parking lot filled and cars parked out along the road, and lots of people around the nature center... it wasn't until we were able to check the events posted on the message board that we found out that today was the annual Honey Harvest Festival. For a few moments I was at a loss for where we could go instead, then I remembered the 2nd parking lot over near the pond. That was mostly empty, and not too many people were over that way.
Lots of geese near the pond... from the sounds they made mostly youngsters , though they're now visibly tough to tell apart from the adults. Spotted a few fish in the pond but the real find was a variety of types of frogs in the wetlands along the boardwalk... we saw at least four different kinds, and heard plenty of splashing that indicated there were more around.
Things were winding down over at the Nature Center. We went inside and checked out the displays, then headed back out on the trails. One of the deer had come out under the big oak tree; after spending a while watching her munch leaves and acorns we headed back into the woods, where we saw plenty of squirrels and chipmunks. We also saw four more deer just before we got back to the pond.
Some of the geese had moved out onto the water, and while we were there several more groups came flying in, which elicted a lot of noise from the ones already there... for a little while we wondered of we were going to see a goose-fight. But eventually they calmed down, and we headed back home to have some dinner before it was time for me to hit the long road (4 hours) to Akron, OH, where I would be spending the night before heading to the duathlon at Portage Lakes State Park tomorrow morning.
JMH
Saturday, September 18, 2010
We definitely didn't want to spend a beautiful afternoon indoors, so after lunch Ann and I headed over to Tinker Park for a short walk. When we got there we were surprised to see the parking lot filled and cars parked out along the road, and lots of people around the nature center... it wasn't until we were able to check the events posted on the message board that we found out that today was the annual Honey Harvest Festival. For a few moments I was at a loss for where we could go instead, then I remembered the 2nd parking lot over near the pond. That was mostly empty, and not too many people were over that way.
Lots of geese near the pond... from the sounds they made mostly youngsters , though they're now visibly tough to tell apart from the adults. Spotted a few fish in the pond but the real find was a variety of types of frogs in the wetlands along the boardwalk... we saw at least four different kinds, and heard plenty of splashing that indicated there were more around.
Things were winding down over at the Nature Center. We went inside and checked out the displays, then headed back out on the trails. One of the deer had come out under the big oak tree; after spending a while watching her munch leaves and acorns we headed back into the woods, where we saw plenty of squirrels and chipmunks. We also saw four more deer just before we got back to the pond.
Some of the geese had moved out onto the water, and while we were there several more groups came flying in, which elicted a lot of noise from the ones already there... for a little while we wondered of we were going to see a goose-fight. But eventually they calmed down, and we headed back home to have some dinner before it was time for me to hit the long road (4 hours) to Akron, OH, where I would be spending the night before heading to the duathlon at Portage Lakes State Park tomorrow morning.
JMH
Friday, September 17, 2010
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Rough Week...
Thursday, September 16, 2010
First full week back to school always wears me out, and this year is no different. Monday I barely summoned up the energy to go for a walk, Tuesday I planned to go out for a ride and ended up conking out when I got home instead, and tonight it was pouring when I got home... so rather than go for a cold wet ride I ended up falling asleep for a couple of hours. I'll be very glad when my body finally adjusts to being at work every day and sleeping on a regular schedule (my summer sleep schedule is anything but that...) Next week I definitely need to push myself to get back to my "outdoors every day" schedule.
On the plus side... I'm definitely not going into this weekend's races overtrained...
JMH
Thursday, September 16, 2010
First full week back to school always wears me out, and this year is no different. Monday I barely summoned up the energy to go for a walk, Tuesday I planned to go out for a ride and ended up conking out when I got home instead, and tonight it was pouring when I got home... so rather than go for a cold wet ride I ended up falling asleep for a couple of hours. I'll be very glad when my body finally adjusts to being at work every day and sleeping on a regular schedule (my summer sleep schedule is anything but that...) Next week I definitely need to push myself to get back to my "outdoors every day" schedule.
On the plus side... I'm definitely not going into this weekend's races overtrained...
JMH
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
7.8 Mile Run in the Albany Pine Bush
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
No question fall is on the way... I set out for tonight's run with both short and long-sleeved shirts and in the end only opted for the short sleeves because I remember too many occasions in the past where I spent an entire run where I was chilly at the start and spent the rest of the time overheating. Actually, I enjoy the cooler temperatures, but the ever-decreasing hours of daylight are a bummer... I spent the last mile or more of tonight's run with a view that was slightly better than the photos below, simply because my eyes are more sensitive to dim light than my camera.
Haven't run in the Pine Bush much this summer, partially because there are lots of other places enjoy running, partially because soon the Pine Bush will be one of the few places I can run trails after work (in the dark, with a headlamp) and partially because I didn't run nearly as much this summer as I should have. So it was nice to be there again, even with all the changes that have occured due to "habitat restoration." Even nicer was the fact that I arrived at the Madison Avenue Pinelands trailhead and it wasn't crowded!
During the first few miles I heard a lot of "tap, tap, tap" and after a bit figured out that the noise was woodpeckers. I was a bit surprised by how many I saw, but that may have been a positive outcome of the "habitat restoration" - there are plenty of stands of dead trees, especially in spots where lots of black locusts have been girdled, dead trees are good homes for bugs, and those are a primary source of food for woodpeckers. I saw primarily downy woodpeckers but I think I also heard some pileated woodpeckers calling off in the distance.
I was a bit concerned at first - my legs were feeling pretty tired and a bit sore from last weekend's races in Kinderhook and Pittsfield, despite the fact that overall they felt much better than they had after the Catharine Valley and Oak Tree half marathons. But they seemed to loosen up a bit as I ran, and later in the run I even opted to take the power line trail, which in some spots features killer hills (which I hiked up, of course!) The sand was probably the biggest challenge... right now things are very dry and all the trail usage has really churned up the sandy sections, which was pretty tough going at times.
JMH
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
No question fall is on the way... I set out for tonight's run with both short and long-sleeved shirts and in the end only opted for the short sleeves because I remember too many occasions in the past where I spent an entire run where I was chilly at the start and spent the rest of the time overheating. Actually, I enjoy the cooler temperatures, but the ever-decreasing hours of daylight are a bummer... I spent the last mile or more of tonight's run with a view that was slightly better than the photos below, simply because my eyes are more sensitive to dim light than my camera.
Haven't run in the Pine Bush much this summer, partially because there are lots of other places enjoy running, partially because soon the Pine Bush will be one of the few places I can run trails after work (in the dark, with a headlamp) and partially because I didn't run nearly as much this summer as I should have. So it was nice to be there again, even with all the changes that have occured due to "habitat restoration." Even nicer was the fact that I arrived at the Madison Avenue Pinelands trailhead and it wasn't crowded!
During the first few miles I heard a lot of "tap, tap, tap" and after a bit figured out that the noise was woodpeckers. I was a bit surprised by how many I saw, but that may have been a positive outcome of the "habitat restoration" - there are plenty of stands of dead trees, especially in spots where lots of black locusts have been girdled, dead trees are good homes for bugs, and those are a primary source of food for woodpeckers. I saw primarily downy woodpeckers but I think I also heard some pileated woodpeckers calling off in the distance.
I was a bit concerned at first - my legs were feeling pretty tired and a bit sore from last weekend's races in Kinderhook and Pittsfield, despite the fact that overall they felt much better than they had after the Catharine Valley and Oak Tree half marathons. But they seemed to loosen up a bit as I ran, and later in the run I even opted to take the power line trail, which in some spots features killer hills (which I hiked up, of course!) The sand was probably the biggest challenge... right now things are very dry and all the trail usage has really churned up the sandy sections, which was pretty tough going at times.
JMH
Sunday, September 12, 2010
2.7 Mile Walk at Canoe Meadows Nature Sanctuary
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Canoe Meadows trail map (PDF)
Canoe Meadows is a 264 acre Mass Audubon wildlife sanctuary close to the center of Pittsfield. Back when I worked in Great Barrington I drove past the entrance several times a month, since Pittsfield was the nearest place to do any major shopping (as well as home to the supplier for the monthly comic book habit I had back then) but it's only in the last two years that I've actually visited the site, partly because there are many interesting places to visit in western MA and I have only limited time to visit them... the fact that there's a $3 fee may also play a role.
more to come...
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Canoe Meadows trail map (PDF)
Canoe Meadows is a 264 acre Mass Audubon wildlife sanctuary close to the center of Pittsfield. Back when I worked in Great Barrington I drove past the entrance several times a month, since Pittsfield was the nearest place to do any major shopping (as well as home to the supplier for the monthly comic book habit I had back then) but it's only in the last two years that I've actually visited the site, partly because there are many interesting places to visit in western MA and I have only limited time to visit them... the fact that there's a $3 fee may also play a role.
more to come...
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Thursday, September 09, 2010
Wednesday, September 08, 2010
Another Shot at a Longer Du
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
... and in Ohio to boot... though this time in Akron, which is quite a bit closer to Rochester. Still a lot of driving that weekend, but 8-9 hours less than the round trip to Heuston Woods back in August.
So Sept. 18 I'll be heading to Akron for the Portage Lakes Olympic Distance Duathlon. And afterwards I'll make a rather long drive back to Albany so I can be at work Monday morning. Wahoo...
Thinking about it, while this will be the longest du I've ever done, it's actually not that much longer than the Rochester Autumn Classic F1, which I've done 5 times now... just an additional 3 miles of running and 5 miles of riding. Hmm... looks like I'll have to move up to a Half Iron du (!) if I ever want to go significantly longer... and I'm definitely not going to be ready for that challenge anytime soon.
JMH
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
... and in Ohio to boot... though this time in Akron, which is quite a bit closer to Rochester. Still a lot of driving that weekend, but 8-9 hours less than the round trip to Heuston Woods back in August.
So Sept. 18 I'll be heading to Akron for the Portage Lakes Olympic Distance Duathlon. And afterwards I'll make a rather long drive back to Albany so I can be at work Monday morning. Wahoo...
Thinking about it, while this will be the longest du I've ever done, it's actually not that much longer than the Rochester Autumn Classic F1, which I've done 5 times now... just an additional 3 miles of running and 5 miles of riding. Hmm... looks like I'll have to move up to a Half Iron du (!) if I ever want to go significantly longer... and I'm definitely not going to be ready for that challenge anytime soon.
JMH
Tuesday, September 07, 2010
19.5 Mile Ride on the Mohawk Hudson Bike Path
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
For whatever reason (maybe a reaction to a day of pre-back-to-school meetings?) this evening it just felt good hammering out some miles on the bike. I kept up a pretty good pace from the Lions Park over to a ways past the Colonie Mohawk River Park, and even skipped a trip down to the riverfront there because I knew I'd get sidetracked.
Though I did make up for it somewhat when I rode out to Lock 7... first I spent a while watching the dozens of gulls perched on the edge of the Lock 7 dam...
... and then I noticed an egret out in the "bay" next to the upstream entrance to the lock, so I walked out on the concrete pier and spent a while watching him and taking pictures.
As I was walking back to my back I realized there was also a heron out there... and startled a second heron that was near the shoreline as well. Unfortunately at that point it was getting too dark for me to get any decent shots of him flying off.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
For whatever reason (maybe a reaction to a day of pre-back-to-school meetings?) this evening it just felt good hammering out some miles on the bike. I kept up a pretty good pace from the Lions Park over to a ways past the Colonie Mohawk River Park, and even skipped a trip down to the riverfront there because I knew I'd get sidetracked.
Though I did make up for it somewhat when I rode out to Lock 7... first I spent a while watching the dozens of gulls perched on the edge of the Lock 7 dam...
... and then I noticed an egret out in the "bay" next to the upstream entrance to the lock, so I walked out on the concrete pier and spent a while watching him and taking pictures.
As I was walking back to my back I realized there was also a heron out there... and startled a second heron that was near the shoreline as well. Unfortunately at that point it was getting too dark for me to get any decent shots of him flying off.
Back at the Lions Park I was pleased to see a bat fluttering around... now if only I could have gotten him to eat the bugs that were biting me as I was trying to load my bike on the car and get ready to head home!
JMH
Monday, September 06, 2010
2.2 Mile Walk at Five Rivers EEC
Monday, September 6, 2010
After walking through the gardens by the nature center (where I spotted frogs in the water garden and quite a few different birds at the feeders) I headed down to the Heron Pond and spent a while watching the heron catch his dinner.
While I was doing that I could hear a group of ducks making quite a racket; when I walked out onto the bridge I was able to watch them splashing around in the water like little maniacs. My guess is they have new feathers coming in and were trying to relieve the itching.
Saw quite a few squirrels tonight, all scurrying around looking for food. It's that time of year...
I was surprised to spot fish off one of the observation decks... someone may have been feeding them, because they went after a leaf that fell in the water fairly voraciously. This whiskered fellow (perhaps a bullhead?) was especially active.
Frogs, frogs, and more frogs... it's always comical walking near the ponds because every step or two one of the smaller frogs squawks and leaps into the water. The bigger ones seem to have figured out that it's not worth the waste of energy, or else they're more confident in their ability to get away, since they often remain right where they are.
Spent a while watching the swallows swoop and soar around the research ponds... it's incredible how maneuverable they are. As I was walking back toward the parking lots I even spotted a ladybug on some of the goldenrod.
Rustling in the bushes told me someone was out and about, and I wondered if I was going to see the racoons again... but in this case it was two deer. One with a greyish-brown coat, and one with the more brilliant reddish-brown coat. As is often the case with the deer at Five Rivers, they were fairly unconcerned about my being there and just went on with munching their dinner (or perhaps breakfast, if they were snoozing during the day.)
JMH
Monday, September 6, 2010
After walking through the gardens by the nature center (where I spotted frogs in the water garden and quite a few different birds at the feeders) I headed down to the Heron Pond and spent a while watching the heron catch his dinner.
While I was doing that I could hear a group of ducks making quite a racket; when I walked out onto the bridge I was able to watch them splashing around in the water like little maniacs. My guess is they have new feathers coming in and were trying to relieve the itching.
Saw quite a few squirrels tonight, all scurrying around looking for food. It's that time of year...
I was surprised to spot fish off one of the observation decks... someone may have been feeding them, because they went after a leaf that fell in the water fairly voraciously. This whiskered fellow (perhaps a bullhead?) was especially active.
Frogs, frogs, and more frogs... it's always comical walking near the ponds because every step or two one of the smaller frogs squawks and leaps into the water. The bigger ones seem to have figured out that it's not worth the waste of energy, or else they're more confident in their ability to get away, since they often remain right where they are.
Spent a while watching the swallows swoop and soar around the research ponds... it's incredible how maneuverable they are. As I was walking back toward the parking lots I even spotted a ladybug on some of the goldenrod.
Rustling in the bushes told me someone was out and about, and I wondered if I was going to see the racoons again... but in this case it was two deer. One with a greyish-brown coat, and one with the more brilliant reddish-brown coat. As is often the case with the deer at Five Rivers, they were fairly unconcerned about my being there and just went on with munching their dinner (or perhaps breakfast, if they were snoozing during the day.)
JMH
Sunday, September 05, 2010
Turtle Rescue?
Sunday, September 5, 2010
I was walking back to the car and just happened to notice this little guy on the stone dust path... a baby snapping turtle, slightly larger than a quarter.
After determining that he was indeed alive, I thought about it for a few moments... on the one hand I probably shouldn't interfere with wildlife, but on the other... he was a heck of a long way from any reliable source of water and actually pretty lucky no one had stepped on him... it was only chance that I noticed him. So... decision made. I interfered.
And carried him over to the dock on the Seneca River/Cayuga-Seneca Canal, where I placed him on a sunny rock right at the edge of the water. Where he stayed for a few minutes until...
... he all but shot into the water (and perhaps thought "crap, that's cold!") and paddled around a bit while seeming to check out some floating bits as possible food.
Should I have left him where he was and let him survive or perish on his own, ie. let nature take it's proper course? Yup. After all it's not like he was in the road and going to be run over by a car or something, and he clearly got to where he was under his own power. But obviously I feel better about having done it this way... and walking back from the dock I got to see several butterflies that I wouldn't have seen otherwise. And who knows, maybe this little guy is destined to grow up to become Gamera and save the world... or at least be a friend to children everywhere.
(Gamera © Daiei/Kadokawa Shoten Pictures Inc.)
OK, probably not.
JMH
Sunday, September 5, 2010
I was walking back to the car and just happened to notice this little guy on the stone dust path... a baby snapping turtle, slightly larger than a quarter.
After determining that he was indeed alive, I thought about it for a few moments... on the one hand I probably shouldn't interfere with wildlife, but on the other... he was a heck of a long way from any reliable source of water and actually pretty lucky no one had stepped on him... it was only chance that I noticed him. So... decision made. I interfered.
And carried him over to the dock on the Seneca River/Cayuga-Seneca Canal, where I placed him on a sunny rock right at the edge of the water. Where he stayed for a few minutes until...
... he all but shot into the water (and perhaps thought "crap, that's cold!") and paddled around a bit while seeming to check out some floating bits as possible food.
Should I have left him where he was and let him survive or perish on his own, ie. let nature take it's proper course? Yup. After all it's not like he was in the road and going to be run over by a car or something, and he clearly got to where he was under his own power. But obviously I feel better about having done it this way... and walking back from the dock I got to see several butterflies that I wouldn't have seen otherwise. And who knows, maybe this little guy is destined to grow up to become Gamera and save the world... or at least be a friend to children everywhere.
(Gamera © Daiei/Kadokawa Shoten Pictures Inc.)
OK, probably not.
JMH
Saturday, September 04, 2010
1.3 Mile Walk on the Erie Canalway Trail (Utica)
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Inertia strikes again... though with today turning out as cold and windy as it did, it was probably for the best that I ended up going for a short chilly walk instead of a longer but even chillier ride...
Utica Harbor Lock, no longer in use... it originally provided access between the Barge Canal and Utica Harbor. It's unusual in that it's the only lock on the canal which wasn't used for navigation; it also has a unique design, with a canal-side one-piece door that raises and lowers, and a harbor-side two-piece door that swings open and closed.
Geese flying overhead. Given how chilly it was maybe they were contemplating migrating south...
The canal and Canalway Trail running under I790... and a rather threatening sky.
Imminent sunset bathes Utica Marsh in golden light... at least until the sun disappeared behind more clouds.
A green heron high overhead, trying to decide if I was enough of a threat to merit flying off.
Sunset over the canal, viewed from Utica Harbor Lock.
JMH
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Inertia strikes again... though with today turning out as cold and windy as it did, it was probably for the best that I ended up going for a short chilly walk instead of a longer but even chillier ride...
Utica Harbor Lock, no longer in use... it originally provided access between the Barge Canal and Utica Harbor. It's unusual in that it's the only lock on the canal which wasn't used for navigation; it also has a unique design, with a canal-side one-piece door that raises and lowers, and a harbor-side two-piece door that swings open and closed.
Geese flying overhead. Given how chilly it was maybe they were contemplating migrating south...
The canal and Canalway Trail running under I790... and a rather threatening sky.
Imminent sunset bathes Utica Marsh in golden light... at least until the sun disappeared behind more clouds.
A green heron high overhead, trying to decide if I was enough of a threat to merit flying off.
Sunset over the canal, viewed from Utica Harbor Lock.
JMH
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