the Way of the Turtle

17.1 Mile Ride on the Mohawk Hudson Bike Path
Sunday, November 11, 2012

I had thought I would go for a walk at Five Rivers first, but when I got there the parking lot was packed and overflowing... and the thought of having to put up with that many people just did not appeal. So I headed over to the Lions Park in Niskayuna (which was also packed - guess folks appreciate a warm Sunday afternoon in November) and got on the bike an hour earlier than I planned.

Rode all the way to partway up GE's hill - then stopped to take pictures of a flock of geese grazing on the lawn, decided I'd had enough of hills, and headed back. Stopped just past the Niska Isle bridge on the way back to watch a heron hunting and some ducks dabbling. Just before the small parking area east of the Lions Park, I spotted a small raptor in the trees near the river. Stopped to take a picture and of course it flew off, followed a short while later by a red-tailed hawk that shrieked at me before heading for a different perch. Watching jumpy birds while wearing flourescent yellow just isn't a good plan.

Went all the way to the top of the hill past the water treatment plant - there was a deer crossing the grass as I pulled up, and on the way back I spotted a bat fluttering around and later on what I think might have been an owl - the brief glimpse I had as it flew across the path suggested a very rounded head. I considered doing a few more miles but decided to call it an evening - I'll have plenty of chances to ride in the dark over the coming weeks.

Foot ached on and off, but nothing too bad. My left knee hollered at me a couple of times - not sure what that was about, unless it's trying to warn me that favoring my right foot is stressing out my left side.

JMH