18.6 Mile Ride Along the Mohawk Hudson Bike Path
Friday, May 8, 2009
The first thing that struck me during tonight's ride was how green everything has gotten since I was last on the bike path a couple of weeks ago. It's a nice change from all the grey and brown, even if it does make it a lot harder to see the wildlife.
It's also nice to have the river back to its summer levels, now that the canal has re-opened for the 2009 season.
One minus - many of the waterfowl that were migrating through a month ago have moved on... but I guess we'll see them again in the fall. Happily, the eagles don't seem to have moved on - I saw one out on the river half a mile or so above the Lock 7 dam, and managed to get some good photos of him before a stupid powerboat came through and scared him off. Looks like a juvenile a couple of years old... his white feathers are starting to come in...
At the top of the old landfill I had a nice view of two swallows in/on a birdhouse alongside the path... they were pretty active around Lock 7 as well. Plenty of geese in view, and I saw a couple of big fish jump at different points. Unfortunately it was getting dark when I saw a heron hunting across the water, so none of my photos really came out... but he was a lot of fun to see, first stalking a fish or frog, then blasting into the water to get it (a bit unusual, typically they just dart their heads forward) and swallowing it down followed by several sips of water and a major shimmy, presumably to shake the water off his feathers.
While I was riding a storm blew through, cooling things down a bit - fortunately nothing more than light sprinkles of rain for me, though there was lightning off in the distance and some pretty strong wind for a bit.
JMH
Wednesday, May 06, 2009
Tuesday, May 05, 2009
8.2 Mile Run Along the Streets of Albany
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Took me a while to get my backside out the door but I'm glad I did... Albany's not the greatest place to run, but it was still better than sitting around here getting fatter and lazier... all in all it turned out to be a pretty nice evening, despite the threat of showers.
JMH
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Took me a while to get my backside out the door but I'm glad I did... Albany's not the greatest place to run, but it was still better than sitting around here getting fatter and lazier... all in all it turned out to be a pretty nice evening, despite the threat of showers.
JMH
Sunday, May 03, 2009
A Brief Visit to Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge
Sunday, May 3, 2009
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Montezuma NWR site
Friends of the Montzuma Wetlands Complex site
Since I was in the immediate area anyways I decided I might as well visit some of the portions of the Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge that were easy to access (ie. I didn't want to take the wildlife drive, since that's typically time consuming.) What I saw told me that Ann and I were fortunate we stopped a couple of weeks ago... the water level has dropped in a number of spots, and there were far fewer waterfowl visible in the places I checked. Given the profusion of wildlife we saw during our last visit, I can only conclude that we timed it just right...
Stopped briefly to snap some photos of an osprey on one of the nests along Rt 5/20, and verified that the nesting platform we saw in the North Spring Pool appears to be the one that's visible on New York Wild's osprey-cam. Watched a few ducks in the Mays Point Pool and stopped at the visitor's center where I watched the swallows zooming all over the place - their maneuverability is incredible!
JMH
Sunday, May 3, 2009
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Montezuma NWR site
Friends of the Montzuma Wetlands Complex site
Since I was in the immediate area anyways I decided I might as well visit some of the portions of the Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge that were easy to access (ie. I didn't want to take the wildlife drive, since that's typically time consuming.) What I saw told me that Ann and I were fortunate we stopped a couple of weeks ago... the water level has dropped in a number of spots, and there were far fewer waterfowl visible in the places I checked. Given the profusion of wildlife we saw during our last visit, I can only conclude that we timed it just right...
Stopped briefly to snap some photos of an osprey on one of the nests along Rt 5/20, and verified that the nesting platform we saw in the North Spring Pool appears to be the one that's visible on New York Wild's osprey-cam. Watched a few ducks in the Mays Point Pool and stopped at the visitor's center where I watched the swallows zooming all over the place - their maneuverability is incredible!
JMH
NO EAGLES BUT - EAGLETS!
1.5 Mile Walk at Cayuga-Seneca Canal Lock 1
Sunday, May 3, 2009
While Ann was at the Braddock Bay Birds of Prey days last weekend, she heard several folks talk about an eagle nest near Lock 1 at Montezuma. A bit of on-line research led to these photos (which unfortunately didn't give much description as to the location of the nest) and Cayuga-Seneca Canal Lock 1, just a bit southeast of Montezuma NWR at the northern tip of Cayuga Lake. Armed with a map from Rich & Sue Freeman's Take a Paddle - Finger Lakes, I decided to stop at Lock CS-1 on the way home and see if I could locate the nest.
The lock was easy to find, parking less so - apparently everyone and his brother (and sister) goes there to fish on a warm sunny spring day. The nest was also easy to spot - atop an electrical tower across the water, near a dam which I assume controls water levels in the lake and canal.
A head was peaking up over the edge of the nest, but it was too small and too brown to be an adult eagle, so it must have been one of the eaglets. I hung around for a while taking pictures and hoping one of the adults would show up, but no luck. After helping a kid free his fishing line from some branches, I decided to go for a short walk along a rough trail overlooking the river and see what I could see... which turned out to be not too much.
When I got back to the lock, there were two eaglets visible, but still no adults... I hung around for a bit longer, then decided to call it a day and headed back to the car for a brief visit to Montezuma (I was right there, after all) before getting back on the Thruway for Albany.
JMH
1.5 Mile Walk at Cayuga-Seneca Canal Lock 1
Sunday, May 3, 2009
While Ann was at the Braddock Bay Birds of Prey days last weekend, she heard several folks talk about an eagle nest near Lock 1 at Montezuma. A bit of on-line research led to these photos (which unfortunately didn't give much description as to the location of the nest) and Cayuga-Seneca Canal Lock 1, just a bit southeast of Montezuma NWR at the northern tip of Cayuga Lake. Armed with a map from Rich & Sue Freeman's Take a Paddle - Finger Lakes, I decided to stop at Lock CS-1 on the way home and see if I could locate the nest.
The lock was easy to find, parking less so - apparently everyone and his brother (and sister) goes there to fish on a warm sunny spring day. The nest was also easy to spot - atop an electrical tower across the water, near a dam which I assume controls water levels in the lake and canal.
A head was peaking up over the edge of the nest, but it was too small and too brown to be an adult eagle, so it must have been one of the eaglets. I hung around for a while taking pictures and hoping one of the adults would show up, but no luck. After helping a kid free his fishing line from some branches, I decided to go for a short walk along a rough trail overlooking the river and see what I could see... which turned out to be not too much.
When I got back to the lock, there were two eaglets visible, but still no adults... I hung around for a bit longer, then decided to call it a day and headed back to the car for a brief visit to Montezuma (I was right there, after all) before getting back on the Thruway for Albany.
JMH
LONG DISTANCE 2009 - Race #5
Medved Madness 15mi Trail Race
Sunday, May 3, 2009
The Short Version: PR! PR! PR! And on a course which is apparently the longest one yet and the closest to 15 miles. I ran a good race (for me) on a beautiful spring day and didn't come in last. What I did do was cross the finish in 3 hr 3 min... 17 minutes faster than in 2007, and a whopping 43 minutes faster than last year. (In the interest of full disclosure... the very dry spring we've been having left the mud a mere shadow of its former self... sections that were previously pretty gloppy were merely sticky, and sections that were previously ankle deep soupy muck under a layer of water were merely gloppy. That certainly contributed to my faster pace... but I'm still very pleased with how well I did. Now I just have to be ready to run 20 miles in three weeks and 26.4 miles in 5 weeks... and 31 miles in 2 months...)
The Long Version: coming soon
2009 Event Totals
Run 63.6 mi, 14 hr 58 min
Bike 6.2 mi, 39 min
Snowshoe 54.6 mi, 13 hr 05 min
XC Ski 3.3 mi, 1 hr 2 min
states visited: CT, MA, ME, NH, NY, RI, VT
Medved Madness 15mi Trail Race
Sunday, May 3, 2009
The Short Version: PR! PR! PR! And on a course which is apparently the longest one yet and the closest to 15 miles. I ran a good race (for me) on a beautiful spring day and didn't come in last. What I did do was cross the finish in 3 hr 3 min... 17 minutes faster than in 2007, and a whopping 43 minutes faster than last year. (In the interest of full disclosure... the very dry spring we've been having left the mud a mere shadow of its former self... sections that were previously pretty gloppy were merely sticky, and sections that were previously ankle deep soupy muck under a layer of water were merely gloppy. That certainly contributed to my faster pace... but I'm still very pleased with how well I did. Now I just have to be ready to run 20 miles in three weeks and 26.4 miles in 5 weeks... and 31 miles in 2 months...)
The Long Version: coming soon
2009 Event Totals
Run 63.6 mi, 14 hr 58 min
Bike 6.2 mi, 39 min
Snowshoe 54.6 mi, 13 hr 05 min
XC Ski 3.3 mi, 1 hr 2 min
states visited: CT, MA, ME, NH, NY, RI, VT
Saturday, May 02, 2009
May Morning
Saturday, May 2, 2009
For some reason I always end up thinking of this song on a warm sunny spring morning...
I'm alive again on a May morning
Going to wipe the slate clean
Follow my dreams
All the yearning buds are here again
With the the promise of a new life to come
Spring is here again
The sun is melting over the hills
All our roads are waiting
To be revealed
For this in history has brought us to here
Now it's all there for the taking
The day is what you see
The light's returning, the work is in hand
All the cynics have vanished
From where we stand
All the chances wasted are drawing me near
And all around there's new life rising
From the winter fields
I'm alive... I'm alive... I'm alive, again
I'm alive... I'm alive... I'm alive, again
Runrig, from the CD In Search of Angels (1999)
For those who wonder what this sounds like - two versions of May Morning on Youtube. The first is from a concert in 2003 and the 2nd a selection of pictures of from Scotland with the original track from In Search of Angels. I like 'em both! Though the 2nd is what I "hear" when I think of the song, since it was the first version I heard.
JMH
Saturday, May 2, 2009
For some reason I always end up thinking of this song on a warm sunny spring morning...
I'm alive again on a May morning
Going to wipe the slate clean
Follow my dreams
All the yearning buds are here again
With the the promise of a new life to come
Spring is here again
The sun is melting over the hills
All our roads are waiting
To be revealed
For this in history has brought us to here
Now it's all there for the taking
The day is what you see
The light's returning, the work is in hand
All the cynics have vanished
From where we stand
All the chances wasted are drawing me near
And all around there's new life rising
From the winter fields
I'm alive... I'm alive... I'm alive, again
I'm alive... I'm alive... I'm alive, again
Runrig, from the CD In Search of Angels (1999)
For those who wonder what this sounds like - two versions of May Morning on Youtube. The first is from a concert in 2003 and the 2nd a selection of pictures of from Scotland with the original track from In Search of Angels. I like 'em both! Though the 2nd is what I "hear" when I think of the song, since it was the first version I heard.
JMH
Friday, May 01, 2009
R.I.P Canon Powershot A570IS
Friday, May 1, 2009
I had originally thought I'd take my older camera, a Canon Powershot 570IS, with me on tonight's run, since there was a slight chance we might see some showers later on... but when I checked it before putting it in my gear bag, it was dead. Tried new batteries, but it remained dead. No great surprise, really... I bought my new camera because this one was acting up, and last weekend it got very hot when I transferred the pictures from Muddy Moose to the computer... I suspect something finally gave up the ghost inside it and burned out/melted down.
It served admirably for the 20 months I had it... while that seems like a very short time for a camera, I took somewhere between 40 & 50 thousand pictures with it and put it through conditions that probably should have killed it long before now. I'll definitely miss it - it was nice having a beat up camera I could take on messy runs and not worry about it - and I may look for a realtively inexpensive camera to replace it, so I can save the new one for actvities where I can be more careful with it.
JMH
Friday, May 1, 2009
I had originally thought I'd take my older camera, a Canon Powershot 570IS, with me on tonight's run, since there was a slight chance we might see some showers later on... but when I checked it before putting it in my gear bag, it was dead. Tried new batteries, but it remained dead. No great surprise, really... I bought my new camera because this one was acting up, and last weekend it got very hot when I transferred the pictures from Muddy Moose to the computer... I suspect something finally gave up the ghost inside it and burned out/melted down.
It served admirably for the 20 months I had it... while that seems like a very short time for a camera, I took somewhere between 40 & 50 thousand pictures with it and put it through conditions that probably should have killed it long before now. I'll definitely miss it - it was nice having a beat up camera I could take on messy runs and not worry about it - and I may look for a realtively inexpensive camera to replace it, so I can save the new one for actvities where I can be more careful with it.
JMH
7.7 Mile Run at Five Rivers EEC
Friday, May 1, 2009
The hazard of running at Five Rivers is the abundance of wildlife... the first couple of miles I ran this evening were very much stop and go as I kept pausing to watch the wildlife (and take pictures!) I started with a pass through the orchard, where the trees were in full blossom and the bees were buzzing around feeding and pollinating. From there I looped down around the old Beaver Pond, where there was an abundance of distractions - geese and tiny goslings, turtles galore, and muskrats swimming around squeaking away at each other.
The route along the Vloman Kill was a bit less eventful, though I did see a large snapping turtle crawling through the stream and a few frogs further along. Up on the ridge I saw a real treat - a pileated woodpecker. Unfortunately, he only stayed long enough for me to snap one fairly fuzzy photo.
Spotted several deer in the fields as I made my way to and from the Wild Turkey trail, and more geese with goslings down by the sunfish pond. Spent a few minutes watching the little ones crowd together to huddle under mother goose's wing. Also heard a kingfisher but it was getting dark at that point, so all I saw was an occasional flash of blue as he flew off. Had a brief encounter with a rather testy goose defending his nesting mate as I made my past the various small ponds and around along the access road.
After a ways I headed back into the woods... it was still light enough for me to see any hazards on the trail, and in any case they were pretty clear on the way out. I love running at dusk... the air cools, everything gets quieter... except of course for the insects and animals calling. Made another loop around the beaver pond... a few more geese had come in, and the muskrats were still out and about, with just enough light for me to see them swimming.
Ended up back at the parking lot just as it was getting fully dark... it would have been nice to stay out a bit longer, but it was getting late and I hadn't brought my headlamp... and I do have a 15 mile race on Sunday morning...
JMH
Friday, May 1, 2009
The hazard of running at Five Rivers is the abundance of wildlife... the first couple of miles I ran this evening were very much stop and go as I kept pausing to watch the wildlife (and take pictures!) I started with a pass through the orchard, where the trees were in full blossom and the bees were buzzing around feeding and pollinating. From there I looped down around the old Beaver Pond, where there was an abundance of distractions - geese and tiny goslings, turtles galore, and muskrats swimming around squeaking away at each other.
The route along the Vloman Kill was a bit less eventful, though I did see a large snapping turtle crawling through the stream and a few frogs further along. Up on the ridge I saw a real treat - a pileated woodpecker. Unfortunately, he only stayed long enough for me to snap one fairly fuzzy photo.
Spotted several deer in the fields as I made my way to and from the Wild Turkey trail, and more geese with goslings down by the sunfish pond. Spent a few minutes watching the little ones crowd together to huddle under mother goose's wing. Also heard a kingfisher but it was getting dark at that point, so all I saw was an occasional flash of blue as he flew off. Had a brief encounter with a rather testy goose defending his nesting mate as I made my past the various small ponds and around along the access road.
After a ways I headed back into the woods... it was still light enough for me to see any hazards on the trail, and in any case they were pretty clear on the way out. I love running at dusk... the air cools, everything gets quieter... except of course for the insects and animals calling. Made another loop around the beaver pond... a few more geese had come in, and the muskrats were still out and about, with just enough light for me to see them swimming.
Ended up back at the parking lot just as it was getting fully dark... it would have been nice to stay out a bit longer, but it was getting late and I hadn't brought my headlamp... and I do have a 15 mile race on Sunday morning...
JMH
Thursday, April 30, 2009
2 Mile Walk in the Albany Pine Bush
Thursday, April 30, 2009
After getting my car's NYS annual NYS inspection I ended up with very little time before I needed to be at class... so I decided to go for a short walk rather than spend time gearing up for an equally short run. Stopped at the Pine Bush Karner Barrens (near the Discovery Center) since it was on the way to class and walked a couple of less-travelled paths through the woods. Trees and bushes are starting to green up, which is nice to see after months of brown and grey, and the ferns are starting to unfurl. The weather folks around here have been saying we've had a very dry spring so far, and I had lots of evidence of that... spots that are often flooded this time of year were either dry or just a bit muddy, and one of the ponds I passed has become more of a wetlands with a stream along one side.
Surprisingly little wildlife today... though I did see a couple of ducks back in the woods and caught a brief glimpse of some of the first ducklings of the season before mother duck hustled them way.
JMH
Thursday, April 30, 2009
After getting my car's NYS annual NYS inspection I ended up with very little time before I needed to be at class... so I decided to go for a short walk rather than spend time gearing up for an equally short run. Stopped at the Pine Bush Karner Barrens (near the Discovery Center) since it was on the way to class and walked a couple of less-travelled paths through the woods. Trees and bushes are starting to green up, which is nice to see after months of brown and grey, and the ferns are starting to unfurl. The weather folks around here have been saying we've had a very dry spring so far, and I had lots of evidence of that... spots that are often flooded this time of year were either dry or just a bit muddy, and one of the ponds I passed has become more of a wetlands with a stream along one side.
Surprisingly little wildlife today... though I did see a couple of ducks back in the woods and caught a brief glimpse of some of the first ducklings of the season before mother duck hustled them way.
JMH
Sunday, April 26, 2009
TURTLE ON THE ROAD, Part 4
Driving Across Southern NH and VT
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Other than being on the road for 4 1/2 hours, I enjoyed the drive back from Wolfeboro... the drive down to Concord reminded me of driving in the Adirondacks, though a bit more populated, and it's incredible how many lakes there are in the part of New Hampshire. Route 9 across southern NH and VT is very scenic, passing through mountains and along streams. Other than for a few short stretches, I didn't even get stuck behind any slow-moving traffic.
Unfortunately, the fast pace of driving makes it tough to stop and take pictures when I see something cool. And often there isn't a convenient spot to turn around and backtrack (or even a safe spot to shoot a picture from.)
Passing by Woodford State Park, I really wished I had more time to stop and explore the park a bit when it isn't covered by snow and ice. Amazingly, there were still patches of snow in the woods that were visible from the road... but maybe that's not as surprising as it might otherwise be, since temperatures through the southern Green Mountains were refreshingly cool after the record heat of the past few days.
JMH
Driving Across Southern NH and VT
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Other than being on the road for 4 1/2 hours, I enjoyed the drive back from Wolfeboro... the drive down to Concord reminded me of driving in the Adirondacks, though a bit more populated, and it's incredible how many lakes there are in the part of New Hampshire. Route 9 across southern NH and VT is very scenic, passing through mountains and along streams. Other than for a few short stretches, I didn't even get stuck behind any slow-moving traffic.
Unfortunately, the fast pace of driving makes it tough to stop and take pictures when I see something cool. And often there isn't a convenient spot to turn around and backtrack (or even a safe spot to shoot a picture from.)
Passing by Woodford State Park, I really wished I had more time to stop and explore the park a bit when it isn't covered by snow and ice. Amazingly, there were still patches of snow in the woods that were visible from the road... but maybe that's not as surprising as it might otherwise be, since temperatures through the southern Green Mountains were refreshingly cool after the record heat of the past few days.
JMH
TURTLE ON THE ROAD, Part 3
LONG DISTANCE 2009 - Race #4
Muddy Moose 14mi Trail Race
Sunday, April 26, 2009
The Short Version: Ugh! Between the heat, the mud, and the hills this race kicked my backside good and hard. I should have been able to do much better than I did, but instead I ended up draggin' my sorry butt across the finish in 3 hr 38 minutes... sad, sad, sad for a 14 mile race that was mostly on dirt roads and wide snowmobile tracks. (But did I mention the heat... and the mud? Both were brutal.) I suspect I'm going to have to go back someday and redeem myself.
The Long Version: coming soon
2009 Event Totals
Run 48.6 mi, 11 hr 55 min
Bike 6.2 mi, 39 min
Snowshoe 54.6 mi, 13 hr 05 min
XC Ski 3.3 mi, 1 hr 2 min
states visited: CT, MA, ME, NH, NY, RI, VT
LONG DISTANCE 2009 - Race #4
Muddy Moose 14mi Trail Race
Sunday, April 26, 2009
The Short Version: Ugh! Between the heat, the mud, and the hills this race kicked my backside good and hard. I should have been able to do much better than I did, but instead I ended up draggin' my sorry butt across the finish in 3 hr 38 minutes... sad, sad, sad for a 14 mile race that was mostly on dirt roads and wide snowmobile tracks. (But did I mention the heat... and the mud? Both were brutal.) I suspect I'm going to have to go back someday and redeem myself.
The Long Version: coming soon
2009 Event Totals
Run 48.6 mi, 11 hr 55 min
Bike 6.2 mi, 39 min
Snowshoe 54.6 mi, 13 hr 05 min
XC Ski 3.3 mi, 1 hr 2 min
states visited: CT, MA, ME, NH, NY, RI, VT
Saturday, April 25, 2009
TURTLE ON THE ROAD, Part 1
Jeez It's HOT!
Saturday, April 25, 2009
It felt more like July than April! Very tough keeping hydrated... especially since I foolishly didn't pack any water for the drive...
On the plus side, having driven over into eastern MA/southeastern NH half a dozen times in the past six months... I feel like I'm getting to know that part of New England a bit better. (Or at least the highway through that part...)
I had originally hoped to stop at Quabbin Reservoir on my way out... but I got off to a late start and wouldn't have been able to stop anywhere else if I had. So that's a visit that I'll have to do another time...
JMH
Jeez It's HOT!
Saturday, April 25, 2009
It felt more like July than April! Very tough keeping hydrated... especially since I foolishly didn't pack any water for the drive...
On the plus side, having driven over into eastern MA/southeastern NH half a dozen times in the past six months... I feel like I'm getting to know that part of New England a bit better. (Or at least the highway through that part...)
I had originally hoped to stop at Quabbin Reservoir on my way out... but I got off to a late start and wouldn't have been able to stop anywhere else if I had. So that's a visit that I'll have to do another time...
JMH
Friday, April 24, 2009
ANOTHER LIGHT WEEK...
Friday, April 24, 2009
... at least in terms of running. I had every intention of doing 6-10 miles this evening... but a tough week at work has left me beat, and in the end I opted for an earlier dinner instead. Guess it's a good thing I didn't end up going to the National Duathlon Festival in Virginia! (Maybe next year...)
Bit of a shame really, given that it's a gorgeously warm evening. Oh, well.
Hopefully this just means I'll be well-rested for Muddy Moose on Sunday... rather than the Moose stomping me into the mud...
JMH
Friday, April 24, 2009
... at least in terms of running. I had every intention of doing 6-10 miles this evening... but a tough week at work has left me beat, and in the end I opted for an earlier dinner instead. Guess it's a good thing I didn't end up going to the National Duathlon Festival in Virginia! (Maybe next year...)
Bit of a shame really, given that it's a gorgeously warm evening. Oh, well.
Hopefully this just means I'll be well-rested for Muddy Moose on Sunday... rather than the Moose stomping me into the mud...
JMH
Thursday, April 23, 2009
ANOTHER EAGLE
12.2 Mile Ride at the Corning Preserve & Schuyler Flatts Cultural Park
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Spotted another bald eagle today during my ride along the Hudson River in the Corning Preserve... unfortunately, he had caught a tailwind and went soaring upriver very quickly, so I was only able to snap two quick photos of him.
Chilly day for a ride, mainly due to the very brisk wind (perhaps a precursor of this weekend's warm spell moving into the area.) Even so it was good to be out on my bike for a bit before I had to head back to work for one of the many end-of-the-year functions that occur in late April and throughout May. It was particularly gratifying to see buds on many of the trees - spring is definitely on its way!
When I arrived at the parking area under 787 I initially thought I might have to go elsewhere... the first section was blocked off and filled with various trucks, a couple of tents were set up nearby, and fairly obvious security folks were wandering around, with several news vans in evidence. But I managed to make my way around the obstruction and found a parking spot... didn't manage to find out what was up until today, when I checked the local news and learned that Albany is host to a film crew for the next week or so, filming scenes for a new Angelina Jolie movie called "Salt." Guess I won't be heading back to the Corning Preserve until that's over... should make things interesting for the annual St. John's/St. Ann's Spring Run-Off 5k/10k races down there on Saturday morning.
JMH
12.2 Mile Ride at the Corning Preserve & Schuyler Flatts Cultural Park
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Spotted another bald eagle today during my ride along the Hudson River in the Corning Preserve... unfortunately, he had caught a tailwind and went soaring upriver very quickly, so I was only able to snap two quick photos of him.
Chilly day for a ride, mainly due to the very brisk wind (perhaps a precursor of this weekend's warm spell moving into the area.) Even so it was good to be out on my bike for a bit before I had to head back to work for one of the many end-of-the-year functions that occur in late April and throughout May. It was particularly gratifying to see buds on many of the trees - spring is definitely on its way!
When I arrived at the parking area under 787 I initially thought I might have to go elsewhere... the first section was blocked off and filled with various trucks, a couple of tents were set up nearby, and fairly obvious security folks were wandering around, with several news vans in evidence. But I managed to make my way around the obstruction and found a parking spot... didn't manage to find out what was up until today, when I checked the local news and learned that Albany is host to a film crew for the next week or so, filming scenes for a new Angelina Jolie movie called "Salt." Guess I won't be heading back to the Corning Preserve until that's over... should make things interesting for the annual St. John's/St. Ann's Spring Run-Off 5k/10k races down there on Saturday morning.
JMH
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
7.7 Mile Run Along the Mohawk Hudson Bike Path
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
I had hoped to run more like 10-12 miles tonight... but it's been a rough week at work and my body argued otherwise, especially when I hit the hills near KAPL and GE in Niskayuna. So I settled for running to Blatnick Park and back.
Other than a few green-winged teals, wildlife was limited to the usual suspects... though it seems the wood ducks are multiplying, or else I'm just a lot more observant these days. It's good to have the herons back... actually, it's nice to hear lots of birds in general, after the somewhat bird-light winter months.
JMH
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
I had hoped to run more like 10-12 miles tonight... but it's been a rough week at work and my body argued otherwise, especially when I hit the hills near KAPL and GE in Niskayuna. So I settled for running to Blatnick Park and back.
Other than a few green-winged teals, wildlife was limited to the usual suspects... though it seems the wood ducks are multiplying, or else I'm just a lot more observant these days. It's good to have the herons back... actually, it's nice to hear lots of birds in general, after the somewhat bird-light winter months.
JMH
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