8.4 Mile Run in the Albany Pine Bush
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Friday, March 30, 2012
I'm In!
Friday, March 30, 2012
Just got word that a spot has opened up for the Muddy Sneaker 20k in a couple of weeks - looks like I'll be slogging up and down the hills at Hi Tor again this year! Definitely welcome news, as much as I would have enjoyed doing the Hook Mountain Half Marathon if I hadn't made it off the Muddy Sneaker wait list...
JMH
Friday, March 30, 2012
Just got word that a spot has opened up for the Muddy Sneaker 20k in a couple of weeks - looks like I'll be slogging up and down the hills at Hi Tor again this year! Definitely welcome news, as much as I would have enjoyed doing the Hook Mountain Half Marathon if I hadn't made it off the Muddy Sneaker wait list...
JMH
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Monday, March 26, 2012
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Saturday, March 24, 2012
SAD NEWS (A YEAR LATE)
Erle Montaigue 1949-2011
Saturday, March 24, 2012
I've stayed mostly out of the martial arts loop since I resigned from my former school back in late 2009, or I might have found this out sooner. This afternoon I decided to check up on the latest news for Erle Montaigue and the World Taiji Boxing Association and discovered that he died from a heart attack back in late January 2011.
(photo courtesy of Tai Chi World)
I never had the opportunity to meet or study with Erle, everything I knew about him was from his books and the reams of information on his website. He was a controversial figure in the neijia (Chinese internal) arts, but no one can dispute that he had an incredible impact through his teaching, whether in person or through books and videos/DVDs. While it was obvious he needed to make a living from his efforts, he also shared a wealth of information free of charge. It always seemed clear that he was a teacher and martial artist first and a businessman second.
photo courtesy of Steel City Sound)
My thoughts go out to the Montaigue family as they continue to deal with their loss. Erle enriched the martial arts world with his presence and his willingness to learn and share, and we are all diminished with his passing.
JMH
Erle Montaigue 1949-2011
Saturday, March 24, 2012
I've stayed mostly out of the martial arts loop since I resigned from my former school back in late 2009, or I might have found this out sooner. This afternoon I decided to check up on the latest news for Erle Montaigue and the World Taiji Boxing Association and discovered that he died from a heart attack back in late January 2011.
(photo courtesy of Tai Chi World)
I never had the opportunity to meet or study with Erle, everything I knew about him was from his books and the reams of information on his website. He was a controversial figure in the neijia (Chinese internal) arts, but no one can dispute that he had an incredible impact through his teaching, whether in person or through books and videos/DVDs. While it was obvious he needed to make a living from his efforts, he also shared a wealth of information free of charge. It always seemed clear that he was a teacher and martial artist first and a businessman second.
photo courtesy of Steel City Sound)
My thoughts go out to the Montaigue family as they continue to deal with their loss. Erle enriched the martial arts world with his presence and his willingness to learn and share, and we are all diminished with his passing.
JMH
LAZY DAY
Saturday, March 24, 2012
I had been planning to go run the Rockin' the Ledges 12mi trail run near Carbondale, PA, today... but the combination of the 6.5 hour round trip and a forecast of rain showers made me reconsider. Though in the end maybe I should have gone - spent the day hanging around at home instead of getting outside. One of those days where I just didn't feel much motivation to get my backside in gear for anything.
JMH
Saturday, March 24, 2012
I had been planning to go run the Rockin' the Ledges 12mi trail run near Carbondale, PA, today... but the combination of the 6.5 hour round trip and a forecast of rain showers made me reconsider. Though in the end maybe I should have gone - spent the day hanging around at home instead of getting outside. One of those days where I just didn't feel much motivation to get my backside in gear for anything.
JMH
Friday, March 23, 2012
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Monday, March 19, 2012
MUD, MUD, MUD
5.3 Mile Run at Black Creek Park
Monday, March 19, 2012
Short run at Black Creek, due to a late start and needing to pick Ann up at work. Lots of mud - no surprise there, at times Black Creek is muddy in the middle of the summer. At least splashing through the mud and water was a lot warmer today than it was back in December...
One of my reasons for choosing Black Creek (besides the fact that it's a very short drive) was the heron rookery that's visible from the trail through the hardwood swamp. Ann and I have seen a few herons so we've been wondering if they're back in numbers yet. Today I saw lots of nests - but no herons. So I guess the ones we've been seeing either braved the winter chill or migrated early.
JMH
5.3 Mile Run at Black Creek Park
Monday, March 19, 2012
Short run at Black Creek, due to a late start and needing to pick Ann up at work. Lots of mud - no surprise there, at times Black Creek is muddy in the middle of the summer. At least splashing through the mud and water was a lot warmer today than it was back in December...
One of my reasons for choosing Black Creek (besides the fact that it's a very short drive) was the heron rookery that's visible from the trail through the hardwood swamp. Ann and I have seen a few herons so we've been wondering if they're back in numbers yet. Today I saw lots of nests - but no herons. So I guess the ones we've been seeing either braved the winter chill or migrated early.
JMH
A LONE SAW-WHET OWL...
1 Mile Walk at the Owl Woods
Monday, March 19, 2012
Dropped Ann off at work, then headed up to Braddock Bay and the Owl Woods to see if any owls came in last night. I was a bit surprised at how many people were there - four other while I was there, and two more pulled up as I was leaving. I sometimes wonder if the success of Braddock Bay Raptor Research in drawing attention to the owls that pause there while migrating will ultimately lead to the owls going somewhere else, as more and more people tromp through the woods looking for them. Then again, the saw-whets always seem remarkably unperturbed by people being just a few feet away.
I didn't spend a lot of time, just walked to main loop and the side trail just past the entrance where we've seen owls before. One saw-whet in view... I stopped long enough to take a couple of photos, but didn't linger because I had a pair of people not far behind me and didn't want a crowd lingering around the little guy.
Back at the parking lot I spent a few minutes watching a crow perched on a nearby road sign... guess he and his pals had found something dead to eat, because he spent a while working on a piece of something that looked a bit bloody.
JMH
1 Mile Walk at the Owl Woods
Monday, March 19, 2012
Dropped Ann off at work, then headed up to Braddock Bay and the Owl Woods to see if any owls came in last night. I was a bit surprised at how many people were there - four other while I was there, and two more pulled up as I was leaving. I sometimes wonder if the success of Braddock Bay Raptor Research in drawing attention to the owls that pause there while migrating will ultimately lead to the owls going somewhere else, as more and more people tromp through the woods looking for them. Then again, the saw-whets always seem remarkably unperturbed by people being just a few feet away.
I didn't spend a lot of time, just walked to main loop and the side trail just past the entrance where we've seen owls before. One saw-whet in view... I stopped long enough to take a couple of photos, but didn't linger because I had a pair of people not far behind me and didn't want a crowd lingering around the little guy.
Back at the parking lot I spent a few minutes watching a crow perched on a nearby road sign... guess he and his pals had found something dead to eat, because he spent a while working on a piece of something that looked a bit bloody.
JMH
Sunday, March 18, 2012
Saturday, March 17, 2012
TURTLES & FROGS
0.5 Mile Walk at Greece Canal Park
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Ann and I grabbed some sandwiches and salad and headed toward the lake to enjoy a gorgeous day. Our first stop was the Greece Canal Park, where four years ago we saw dozen of woodpeckers at the end of March... no such luck this time around, though we did see quite a few fish, a lot of frogs, and several turtles enjoying the warm sunshine. The peepers and wood frogs were also singing up a storm - quite the show for the middle of March!
JMH
0.5 Mile Walk at Greece Canal Park
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Ann and I grabbed some sandwiches and salad and headed toward the lake to enjoy a gorgeous day. Our first stop was the Greece Canal Park, where four years ago we saw dozen of woodpeckers at the end of March... no such luck this time around, though we did see quite a few fish, a lot of frogs, and several turtles enjoying the warm sunshine. The peepers and wood frogs were also singing up a storm - quite the show for the middle of March!
JMH
Friday, March 16, 2012
CHILLY & GREY
12.5 Mile Ride on the Mohawk Hudson Bike Path
Friday, March 16, 2012
Seemed like it took forever to get ready to head west, and in the end I decided it made more sense to ride than run, so I stopped at the Rotterdam Kiwanis Park and headed east on the bike path. Not much to see on the Old Erie Canal - a few geese, muskrat, and a pair of common mergansers. I would have liked to continue on past Scrafford Lane to the path on the west side of Rotterdam Junction, but it was getting late enough and dusk enough that I didn't feel like riding on route 5S - instead, I headed back east.
On my way back to the car I heard the distinctive "peeent... peeent... peeent..." of a woodcock, so I stopped and spent a little while listening to him, especially once he started making his courtship flights. With the cloud cover I was even able to make him out circling far, far above me a couple of times. The video I shot was OK, but the almost constant traffic on 5S behind me is distracting and more than a bit annoying. Hopefully tomorrow night Ann and I will have better luck and a quieter location.
JMH
12.5 Mile Ride on the Mohawk Hudson Bike Path
Friday, March 16, 2012
Seemed like it took forever to get ready to head west, and in the end I decided it made more sense to ride than run, so I stopped at the Rotterdam Kiwanis Park and headed east on the bike path. Not much to see on the Old Erie Canal - a few geese, muskrat, and a pair of common mergansers. I would have liked to continue on past Scrafford Lane to the path on the west side of Rotterdam Junction, but it was getting late enough and dusk enough that I didn't feel like riding on route 5S - instead, I headed back east.
On my way back to the car I heard the distinctive "peeent... peeent... peeent..." of a woodcock, so I stopped and spent a little while listening to him, especially once he started making his courtship flights. With the cloud cover I was even able to make him out circling far, far above me a couple of times. The video I shot was OK, but the almost constant traffic on 5S behind me is distracting and more than a bit annoying. Hopefully tomorrow night Ann and I will have better luck and a quieter location.
JMH
Thursday, March 15, 2012
COLD & WET
12.5 Mile Ride in the Corning Preserve
Thursday, March 15, 2012
After a frustrating morning involving a variety of screw-ups while trying to get my all-season tires put back on the car and an early afternoon spent napping after finding myself dozing off during lunch - I headed out for a ride. I'd been planning to ride the path west of Schenectady, but given the dark clouds off to the west I decided to go down to the Corning Preserve instead. Unfortunately, the rain arrived before I got there... but I couldn't see wasting the trip, so I pulled on a jacket and set off into the rain for my ride.
I'm not crazy about riding in the rain in the summer, but at least then it can be a nice break from the heat. Today was just cold and uncomfortable, and since I wasn't wearing a rain jacket I was soaked pretty quickly. I stuck it out for about an hour - toward the end the rain even died down. But it was still a real pleasure to finish up and head home to wash the mud off and warm up with a hot shower.
JMH
12.5 Mile Ride in the Corning Preserve
Thursday, March 15, 2012
After a frustrating morning involving a variety of screw-ups while trying to get my all-season tires put back on the car and an early afternoon spent napping after finding myself dozing off during lunch - I headed out for a ride. I'd been planning to ride the path west of Schenectady, but given the dark clouds off to the west I decided to go down to the Corning Preserve instead. Unfortunately, the rain arrived before I got there... but I couldn't see wasting the trip, so I pulled on a jacket and set off into the rain for my ride.
I'm not crazy about riding in the rain in the summer, but at least then it can be a nice break from the heat. Today was just cold and uncomfortable, and since I wasn't wearing a rain jacket I was soaked pretty quickly. I stuck it out for about an hour - toward the end the rain even died down. But it was still a real pleasure to finish up and head home to wash the mud off and warm up with a hot shower.
JMH
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Monday, March 12, 2012
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Saturday, March 10, 2012
HEADING SOUTH ALONG THE HUDSON
2.2 Mile Walk at the RamsHorn Livingston Preserve
Saturday, March 10, 2012
My last stop before heading to Connecticut was the RamsHorn Livingston Sanctuary, another Scenic Hudson property with an extensive system of trails - and a very cool observation tower. I ended up walking the trail around the perimeter of the sanctuary, and while I didn't see anything spectacular, this was probably one of the most productive stops of the afternoon - many red-winged blackbirds in the wetlands, and I'm pretty sure I heard both a blue heron and a grebe somewhere out of sight down the creek. I also spotted what looked like a very large nest in the woods - probably just a squirrel's nest, but possibly a much more interesting hawk or owl nest. I also got to hear the first stirrings (to me, at least) of spring peepers off in the wetlands. A bit early, calendar-wise, but not that surprising, given the warm weather we've had recently.
Best of all, I had a really nice walk to wrap up the day, before heading to my plush accomodations at the Danbury-Bethel Days Inn...
JMH
2.2 Mile Walk at the RamsHorn Livingston Preserve
Saturday, March 10, 2012
My last stop before heading to Connecticut was the RamsHorn Livingston Sanctuary, another Scenic Hudson property with an extensive system of trails - and a very cool observation tower. I ended up walking the trail around the perimeter of the sanctuary, and while I didn't see anything spectacular, this was probably one of the most productive stops of the afternoon - many red-winged blackbirds in the wetlands, and I'm pretty sure I heard both a blue heron and a grebe somewhere out of sight down the creek. I also spotted what looked like a very large nest in the woods - probably just a squirrel's nest, but possibly a much more interesting hawk or owl nest. I also got to hear the first stirrings (to me, at least) of spring peepers off in the wetlands. A bit early, calendar-wise, but not that surprising, given the warm weather we've had recently.
Best of all, I had a really nice walk to wrap up the day, before heading to my plush accomodations at the Danbury-Bethel Days Inn...
JMH
HEADING SOUTH ALONG THE HUDSON
A Brief Visit to the Athens Riverfront Park
Saturday, March 10, 2012
Stopped briefy at the Athen Riverfront Park. Saw a few gulls out on the water and had a nice view of the Hudson-Athens Lighthouse out on the river. The lighthouse is owned by the Hudson-Athens Lighthouse Preservation Society, which focuses on restoring and maintaining the lighthouse (which dates back to 1874.)
JMH
A Brief Visit to the Athens Riverfront Park
Saturday, March 10, 2012
Stopped briefy at the Athen Riverfront Park. Saw a few gulls out on the water and had a nice view of the Hudson-Athens Lighthouse out on the river. The lighthouse is owned by the Hudson-Athens Lighthouse Preservation Society, which focuses on restoring and maintaining the lighthouse (which dates back to 1874.)
JMH
HEADING SOUTH ALONG THE HUDSON
0.6 Mile Walk at Vosburgh Swamp Natural Area
Saturday, March 10, 2012
Just down the road from Four Mile Point is the Vosburgh Swamp Natural Area, a less developed Scenic Hudson property. I stopped there mostly because of a post from earlier this week on the 10000 Birds site, showing a screech owl peeking out of a nesting box. Found the nesting box, but the owl wasn't nearly as cooperative... all in all, another site where I didn't see much beyond some nice scenery.
But do check out the screech owl photo I linked to - as some of my students would say, "it's sooooooo cute."
JMH
0.6 Mile Walk at Vosburgh Swamp Natural Area
Saturday, March 10, 2012
Just down the road from Four Mile Point is the Vosburgh Swamp Natural Area, a less developed Scenic Hudson property. I stopped there mostly because of a post from earlier this week on the 10000 Birds site, showing a screech owl peeking out of a nesting box. Found the nesting box, but the owl wasn't nearly as cooperative... all in all, another site where I didn't see much beyond some nice scenery.
But do check out the screech owl photo I linked to - as some of my students would say, "it's sooooooo cute."
JMH
HEADING SOUTH ALONG THE HUDSON
0.5 Mile Walk at the Four Mile Point Preserve
Saturday, March 10, 2012
On my way south I had hoped to stop at Sickles Creek, where there's a hemlock grove that sometimes contains owls - but between not being entirely sure where it was and the pull-off next to the creek being a muddy mess, I decided to pass and kept on the Scenic Hudson's Four Mile Point Preserve in Coxsackie. Four Mile Point is a fairly small preserve, with a platform for viewing a small pond/wetlands, a short uphill walk to an overlook, and a downhill path to a picnic area with views up and down the river.
The pond didn't offer much to see, though I did hear birds calling off in the surrounding trees. The uphill hike was a bit more reqarding - a Coopers Hawk was perched on the railing around the overlook, though he didn't stick around long. Down along the river, I had some nice views of the water - but again no wildlife.
JMH
0.5 Mile Walk at the Four Mile Point Preserve
Saturday, March 10, 2012
On my way south I had hoped to stop at Sickles Creek, where there's a hemlock grove that sometimes contains owls - but between not being entirely sure where it was and the pull-off next to the creek being a muddy mess, I decided to pass and kept on the Scenic Hudson's Four Mile Point Preserve in Coxsackie. Four Mile Point is a fairly small preserve, with a platform for viewing a small pond/wetlands, a short uphill walk to an overlook, and a downhill path to a picnic area with views up and down the river.
The pond didn't offer much to see, though I did hear birds calling off in the surrounding trees. The uphill hike was a bit more reqarding - a Coopers Hawk was perched on the railing around the overlook, though he didn't stick around long. Down along the river, I had some nice views of the water - but again no wildlife.
JMH
HEADING SOUTH ALONG THE HUDSON
1 Mile Walk at the Hannacroix Creek Preserve
Saturday, March 10, 2011
Had a tough time summoning motivation to run today, so instead I decided to stop at several sites along the western shore of the Hudson River and see what I could see. It's a bit early for the usual migrating birds - but the unusually warm weather seems to have a few moving through the area early, so it was worth a look. (Special thanks go to the Hudson-Mohawk Bird Club and their excellent guide, Birding New York's Hudson-Mohawk Region, for suggesting an absolutely incredible number of places between Albany and Catskill to stop and look for birds.)
My first stop was at the Hannacroix Creek Preserve in Coeymans. Given that Schodack Island is across the river, there's always the possibility of spotting an eagle - in fact, the first time I stopped there, one took off from a tree right over my head. Guess I used up the eagle whammy, because all I saw today were a couple of gulls and the usual woodpeckers and chickadees. There weren't even any ducks in the tidal pool - of course, it was low tide, so there wasn't much water in the tidal pool, either.
I briefly considered hiking out to the waterfall, but I'd gotten a late start today and wanted to have time to walk the trails at the RamsHorn Livingston Sanctuary before dark... so once I got back to the parking lot it was time to keep heading south.
JMH
1 Mile Walk at the Hannacroix Creek Preserve
Saturday, March 10, 2011
Had a tough time summoning motivation to run today, so instead I decided to stop at several sites along the western shore of the Hudson River and see what I could see. It's a bit early for the usual migrating birds - but the unusually warm weather seems to have a few moving through the area early, so it was worth a look. (Special thanks go to the Hudson-Mohawk Bird Club and their excellent guide, Birding New York's Hudson-Mohawk Region, for suggesting an absolutely incredible number of places between Albany and Catskill to stop and look for birds.)
My first stop was at the Hannacroix Creek Preserve in Coeymans. Given that Schodack Island is across the river, there's always the possibility of spotting an eagle - in fact, the first time I stopped there, one took off from a tree right over my head. Guess I used up the eagle whammy, because all I saw today were a couple of gulls and the usual woodpeckers and chickadees. There weren't even any ducks in the tidal pool - of course, it was low tide, so there wasn't much water in the tidal pool, either.
I briefly considered hiking out to the waterfall, but I'd gotten a late start today and wanted to have time to walk the trails at the RamsHorn Livingston Sanctuary before dark... so once I got back to the parking lot it was time to keep heading south.
JMH
Friday, March 09, 2012
2.1 Mile Walk at Buckingham Lake
Friday, March 9, 2012
I had originally thought to go for a short run or a ride after work, but ended up dozong off on the couch instead - which might have been just as well, since at some point while I was dozing there was a brief snow squall.
Despite the cold weather yesterday and today, Buckingham Lake was clear of ice and the ducks were back in force, squawking away at each other. I spent a few minutes tossing them some cracked corn, then walked around the lake. Since I was wearing my mud boots, at the far end I followed one of the unofficial paths into the woods, thinking it would take me past the overflow pond to the next street. Instead, I found that it climbed a wooded hill to a spot with a nice view of the surrounding homes - a little bit of wild in the midst of the Albany suburbs.
The sky over the lake was very busy while I was there, with groups of ducks taking off and coming in to land. The ducks on the water were very vocal (much like the geese last night) - I wonder if that has something to do with the rapidly approaching breeding seasons.
JMH
Friday, March 9, 2012
I had originally thought to go for a short run or a ride after work, but ended up dozong off on the couch instead - which might have been just as well, since at some point while I was dozing there was a brief snow squall.
Despite the cold weather yesterday and today, Buckingham Lake was clear of ice and the ducks were back in force, squawking away at each other. I spent a few minutes tossing them some cracked corn, then walked around the lake. Since I was wearing my mud boots, at the far end I followed one of the unofficial paths into the woods, thinking it would take me past the overflow pond to the next street. Instead, I found that it climbed a wooded hill to a spot with a nice view of the surrounding homes - a little bit of wild in the midst of the Albany suburbs.
The sky over the lake was very busy while I was there, with groups of ducks taking off and coming in to land. The ducks on the water were very vocal (much like the geese last night) - I wonder if that has something to do with the rapidly approaching breeding seasons.
JMH
Thursday, March 08, 2012
More Saw-Whets and a Long Eared Owl
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Another successful evening of owl-spotting at the Owl Woods for Ann, despite the threat of rain. She spotted two saw-whets (and apparently the remains of a third that ended up in the belly of some predator) and even more impressive - a long-eared owl. Cool!
Note that the "ears" from which the long-eared owl gets its name are actually feathered tufts, rather than ears.
JMH
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Another successful evening of owl-spotting at the Owl Woods for Ann, despite the threat of rain. She spotted two saw-whets (and apparently the remains of a third that ended up in the belly of some predator) and even more impressive - a long-eared owl. Cool!
Note that the "ears" from which the long-eared owl gets its name are actually feathered tufts, rather than ears.
JMH
Wednesday, March 07, 2012
The Saw Whet Owls Are Back!
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Today after work Ann headed up to Braddock Bay and got to see quite a few unusual birds on an unusually warm, sunny day (for early March.) But the highlight of her visit clearly was the discovery of several Northern Saw-Whet Owls at the Owl Woods. I had wondered if the unusually warm winter would result in some migrating through earlier than usual; apparently the answer is yes!
Braddock Bay Raptor Research holds owl prowls on Saturday mornings from March 17 through April 14. It's definitely worth attending one to get an idea of what to look for and where to look, though the trails can get a bit crowded. I'm planning to be out in Rochester for a while during the upcoming spring break; I'm looking forward to heading to the Owl Woods to hopefully see some owls some mornings after Ann goes to work.
JMH
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Today after work Ann headed up to Braddock Bay and got to see quite a few unusual birds on an unusually warm, sunny day (for early March.) But the highlight of her visit clearly was the discovery of several Northern Saw-Whet Owls at the Owl Woods. I had wondered if the unusually warm winter would result in some migrating through earlier than usual; apparently the answer is yes!
Braddock Bay Raptor Research holds owl prowls on Saturday mornings from March 17 through April 14. It's definitely worth attending one to get an idea of what to look for and where to look, though the trails can get a bit crowded. I'm planning to be out in Rochester for a while during the upcoming spring break; I'm looking forward to heading to the Owl Woods to hopefully see some owls some mornings after Ann goes to work.
JMH
A GOOD NIGHT FOR A RUN!
7.1 Mile Run on the Mohawk Hudson Bike Path
Wednesday, March 7, 2011
I was pretty tired after what so far has been a long-ish week, but there was no way I was passing up a chance to go for a run when the weather today had been in the high 50's. And in the end I was glad I forced myself to hit the bike path, because despite dragging my backside most of the time tonight was a great night for a run - warm (53 degrees when I finished, according to a sign along Troy-Schenectady road) with a pleasant breeze and a glorious full moon to light everything up in shades of silver.
The path was clear from the Lions Park over to Lock 7. Initially I had thought to turn around at Lock 7 but there was enough of a clear track through the remaining snow that continuing west wasn't a problem. Once I reached the base of the old landfill, I took the path all the way to the top and soaked in the view of the river lit by the full moon while enjoying the breeze. I was even inspired to go through 2 very basic katas very slowly (running shoes, which are designed to grip the ground, are not the best footwear for doing turns in kata!)
The geese on the river were very noisy tonight - not sure if they were worried about the slow fat guy plodding down the bike path or something else, but there was a lot of honking going on. I also heard a few ducks and what I think were several killdeer. But what I enjoyed most was running along the bike path on a warm, quiet night, with occasional patches of snow crunching under my feet and silver light from the full moon filtering through the trees. I wish I'd had more energy so I could have stayed out for a few more miles!
JMH
7.1 Mile Run on the Mohawk Hudson Bike Path
Wednesday, March 7, 2011
I was pretty tired after what so far has been a long-ish week, but there was no way I was passing up a chance to go for a run when the weather today had been in the high 50's. And in the end I was glad I forced myself to hit the bike path, because despite dragging my backside most of the time tonight was a great night for a run - warm (53 degrees when I finished, according to a sign along Troy-Schenectady road) with a pleasant breeze and a glorious full moon to light everything up in shades of silver.
The path was clear from the Lions Park over to Lock 7. Initially I had thought to turn around at Lock 7 but there was enough of a clear track through the remaining snow that continuing west wasn't a problem. Once I reached the base of the old landfill, I took the path all the way to the top and soaked in the view of the river lit by the full moon while enjoying the breeze. I was even inspired to go through 2 very basic katas very slowly (running shoes, which are designed to grip the ground, are not the best footwear for doing turns in kata!)
The geese on the river were very noisy tonight - not sure if they were worried about the slow fat guy plodding down the bike path or something else, but there was a lot of honking going on. I also heard a few ducks and what I think were several killdeer. But what I enjoyed most was running along the bike path on a warm, quiet night, with occasional patches of snow crunching under my feet and silver light from the full moon filtering through the trees. I wish I'd had more energy so I could have stayed out for a few more miles!
JMH
Monday, March 05, 2012
BRRR...!!!
2 Mile Walk at Five Rivers EEC
Monday, March 5, 2012
Hard to believe, but tonight was colder than yesterday... I pulled on two pairs of gloves and my hands were still burning from the cold. Though once I was out for a while I didn't notice it as much - either the wind died down, my inner furnace kicked it up a notch, or I just started going numb.
Startled a group of deer near the parking lot and the start of the Wild Turkey trail - tried not to flush them, since I suspect they needed to conserve as much energy as possible for the very cold night ahead. I'm pretty sure it was the same group of adults and youngsters I've seen previously near the parking lot.
Heard lots of geese (and saw goose tracks frozen in the snow near one of the ponds, no doubt a remnant of the warmer weather Saturday) but only saw a few - of course, it didn't help that it was almost dark by the time I got down to the ponds. I was going to do a short loop - over the bridge and back to the car - but then I heard an owl hooting in the evergreens on the west side of the Beaver Pond, and I had to see if I could hear him better... no luck, when I went onto the boardwalk he shut up. Started calling again when I was over the bridge and heading up the hill to the parking lot, so I headed back again to try and catch his call on video... slight success, I got him from a distance, but once again he shut up as I got closer. Can't be positive, but I think it was a Great Horned Owl.
As I was walking up the hill over the beaver pond, something flew up into the air, fluttered around a bit, and then disppeared into the trees. My first thought was "What is a bat doing out now? Shoot, he's a goner." But with a bit more thought I'm not so sure it was a bat (actually, I'm hoping it wasn't) - maybe a bird instead? That would make more sense.
JMH
2 Mile Walk at Five Rivers EEC
Monday, March 5, 2012
Hard to believe, but tonight was colder than yesterday... I pulled on two pairs of gloves and my hands were still burning from the cold. Though once I was out for a while I didn't notice it as much - either the wind died down, my inner furnace kicked it up a notch, or I just started going numb.
Startled a group of deer near the parking lot and the start of the Wild Turkey trail - tried not to flush them, since I suspect they needed to conserve as much energy as possible for the very cold night ahead. I'm pretty sure it was the same group of adults and youngsters I've seen previously near the parking lot.
Heard lots of geese (and saw goose tracks frozen in the snow near one of the ponds, no doubt a remnant of the warmer weather Saturday) but only saw a few - of course, it didn't help that it was almost dark by the time I got down to the ponds. I was going to do a short loop - over the bridge and back to the car - but then I heard an owl hooting in the evergreens on the west side of the Beaver Pond, and I had to see if I could hear him better... no luck, when I went onto the boardwalk he shut up. Started calling again when I was over the bridge and heading up the hill to the parking lot, so I headed back again to try and catch his call on video... slight success, I got him from a distance, but once again he shut up as I got closer. Can't be positive, but I think it was a Great Horned Owl.
As I was walking up the hill over the beaver pond, something flew up into the air, fluttered around a bit, and then disppeared into the trees. My first thought was "What is a bat doing out now? Shoot, he's a goner." But with a bit more thought I'm not so sure it was a bat (actually, I'm hoping it wasn't) - maybe a bird instead? That would make more sense.
JMH
Sunday, March 04, 2012
BRRR...
1 Mile Walk at Turning Point Park & on the Genesee Riverway Trail
A Short Drive Along the Ontario Lakefront
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Lazy day today, windy with snow flurries, but after lunch Ann and I headed over to Turning Point Park and took the Genessee Riverway Trail down to the boardwalk and out onto the river basin. Lots of gulls squawking on the river, as well as a pair of swans drifting around (one was fast asleep, head tucked under wing) and a heron hanging out on the far side of the turning basin. Not many folks out and about, but that was no great surprise, because it was pretty cold, with a fairly vicious, damp wind blasting down the river. We didn't even walk to the far end of the boardwalk, only about halfway.
After that we went to Ontario Beach Park and drove through the parking lots to see if the snowy owl was in sight. No luck, but we could see the waves hammering the beach - if it hadn't been so cold, it would have been a fun day to walk out on the pier. From there I decided to explore a bit, so we headed west on Beach Ave along the lakeshore, until we reached a point where the road was closed due to bridge construction. On the way back we spotted a sharp-shinned hawk in a tree alongside the road and a raft of long-tailed ducks (ie. the "barking ducks" we first saw at Ontario Beach back in March 2009) so it was definitely worth the time spent exploring.
JMH
1 Mile Walk at Turning Point Park & on the Genesee Riverway Trail
A Short Drive Along the Ontario Lakefront
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Lazy day today, windy with snow flurries, but after lunch Ann and I headed over to Turning Point Park and took the Genessee Riverway Trail down to the boardwalk and out onto the river basin. Lots of gulls squawking on the river, as well as a pair of swans drifting around (one was fast asleep, head tucked under wing) and a heron hanging out on the far side of the turning basin. Not many folks out and about, but that was no great surprise, because it was pretty cold, with a fairly vicious, damp wind blasting down the river. We didn't even walk to the far end of the boardwalk, only about halfway.
After that we went to Ontario Beach Park and drove through the parking lots to see if the snowy owl was in sight. No luck, but we could see the waves hammering the beach - if it hadn't been so cold, it would have been a fun day to walk out on the pier. From there I decided to explore a bit, so we headed west on Beach Ave along the lakeshore, until we reached a point where the road was closed due to bridge construction. On the way back we spotted a sharp-shinned hawk in a tree alongside the road and a raft of long-tailed ducks (ie. the "barking ducks" we first saw at Ontario Beach back in March 2009) so it was definitely worth the time spent exploring.
JMH
@#$%*&*!!ing Knee...
Sunday, March 4, 2012
For a little while now my right knee has been griping when I put pressure on it at the wrong angle or twist in certain ways - a twinge on the upper inside of the knee, right at about the same place I tore my left knee back in late June, 2009. This morning I managed to tweak it good somehow, because I spent much of the day unable to straighten my leg with someone jabbing a needle into the side of my knee.
On the plus side, it really only hurts when I try to straighten my leg. But on the minus side, it has me more than a bit worried, since the left knee kept me from running for quite a while... if this is the start of an injury similar to that, it will really derail my plans for the spring and early summer...
No point worrying about it, I guess... time will tell... and all I can do is treat it kindly and wait to see what happens.
JMH
Sunday, March 4, 2012
For a little while now my right knee has been griping when I put pressure on it at the wrong angle or twist in certain ways - a twinge on the upper inside of the knee, right at about the same place I tore my left knee back in late June, 2009. This morning I managed to tweak it good somehow, because I spent much of the day unable to straighten my leg with someone jabbing a needle into the side of my knee.
On the plus side, it really only hurts when I try to straighten my leg. But on the minus side, it has me more than a bit worried, since the left knee kept me from running for quite a while... if this is the start of an injury similar to that, it will really derail my plans for the spring and early summer...
No point worrying about it, I guess... time will tell... and all I can do is treat it kindly and wait to see what happens.
JMH
Saturday, March 03, 2012
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