13.3 Mile Ride on the Erie Canalway Trail (Camillus)
Sunday, September 5, 2010
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
Friday, September 03, 2010
7 Mile Run in the Pine Bush
Friday, September 3, 2010
Another day where it took considerable effort to overcome inertia and get my butt out the door... I'll be glad when the cooler weather arrives this weekend.
Initially headed over to the Madison Avenue Pinelands trailhead (aka "the water tower") but was put off by the crowd I saw heading in as I drove up... didn't feel like sharing the trails with that many people this evening. So instead I ended up at the Discovery Center and happily saw one other person while I was out slogging through the woods and meadows... though I did spot several deer and a heron and heard lots of birds. The chickadees seem to be especially prone to chattering away as I run through the pines... I'm beginning to think word is out and they're all actually laughing at me in chickadee.
A tough seven miles... hopefully my legs will feel stronger than they did tonight during Sunday's Oak Tree Half Marathon... I'll be using how I feel during and after my races over the next week or two to figure out if I want to attempt the Niagara Falls International Marathon at the end of October, or stick to "shorter" events this fall...
JMH
Friday, September 3, 2010
Another day where it took considerable effort to overcome inertia and get my butt out the door... I'll be glad when the cooler weather arrives this weekend.
Initially headed over to the Madison Avenue Pinelands trailhead (aka "the water tower") but was put off by the crowd I saw heading in as I drove up... didn't feel like sharing the trails with that many people this evening. So instead I ended up at the Discovery Center and happily saw one other person while I was out slogging through the woods and meadows... though I did spot several deer and a heron and heard lots of birds. The chickadees seem to be especially prone to chattering away as I run through the pines... I'm beginning to think word is out and they're all actually laughing at me in chickadee.
A tough seven miles... hopefully my legs will feel stronger than they did tonight during Sunday's Oak Tree Half Marathon... I'll be using how I feel during and after my races over the next week or two to figure out if I want to attempt the Niagara Falls International Marathon at the end of October, or stick to "shorter" events this fall...
JMH
Thursday, September 02, 2010
2.1 Mile Walk in the Pine Bush
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Should have gotten out on my bike today but this was one of those days where it was a real struggle to get my backside out the door... I finally managed to get over to the Pine Bush for a short walk at dusk. The hot humid weather meant I ended up pretty damp even though all I did was walk. Not much to see, critter-wise... some nice views of the setting sun. And for some reason a helicopter flew back and forth several times at fairly high speed... that was unusual.
JMH
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Should have gotten out on my bike today but this was one of those days where it was a real struggle to get my backside out the door... I finally managed to get over to the Pine Bush for a short walk at dusk. The hot humid weather meant I ended up pretty damp even though all I did was walk. Not much to see, critter-wise... some nice views of the setting sun. And for some reason a helicopter flew back and forth several times at fairly high speed... that was unusual.
JMH
Wednesday, September 01, 2010
Monday, August 30, 2010
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Friday, August 27, 2010
Tough Decision...
Friday, August 27, 2010
Everything was looking good for this weekend's Hueston Woods Du in Ohio... the weather looks to be excellent (especially compared to last Sunday!) and both the bike and I seem ready to finish respectably (for me, anyway.)
Unfortunately, as the day progressed and I thought about it more and more... I decided not to go. I really want to do the race, for a bunch of reasons - it would be the longest du I've ever tackled, it's in a place I've never been, and it looks like the field for the Olympic Distance is fairly small. But the thought of spending 17+ hours driving this weekend, when I could be doing something fun with Ann on the last weekend before work starts back up (I don't count Labor Day weekend, since she always goes camping then) - in the end, that just seemed like too much.
Maybe next year I can schedule things differently and actually make it an extended trip to Ohio and visit a bunch of parks while I'm there... but this year I think it's going to have to be another DNS.
Sigh.
On the bright side... we'll have an entire weekend with what's supposed to be fantastic weather to get outside and do some fun stuff. Could be a whole lot worse...!
Friday, August 27, 2010
Everything was looking good for this weekend's Hueston Woods Du in Ohio... the weather looks to be excellent (especially compared to last Sunday!) and both the bike and I seem ready to finish respectably (for me, anyway.)
Unfortunately, as the day progressed and I thought about it more and more... I decided not to go. I really want to do the race, for a bunch of reasons - it would be the longest du I've ever tackled, it's in a place I've never been, and it looks like the field for the Olympic Distance is fairly small. But the thought of spending 17+ hours driving this weekend, when I could be doing something fun with Ann on the last weekend before work starts back up (I don't count Labor Day weekend, since she always goes camping then) - in the end, that just seemed like too much.
Maybe next year I can schedule things differently and actually make it an extended trip to Ohio and visit a bunch of parks while I'm there... but this year I think it's going to have to be another DNS.
Sigh.
On the bright side... we'll have an entire weekend with what's supposed to be fantastic weather to get outside and do some fun stuff. Could be a whole lot worse...!
Thursday, August 26, 2010
12 Mile Ride on the Mohawk Hudson Bike Path
Thursday, August 26, 2010
I had intended to go out for a longer ride this afternoon, but it was chilly and windy and I was tired, so in the end I called it a day a bit earlier than planned. Along the way I did get to see quite an assortment of birds along the river... it seemed like there were blue herons everywhere, and I spotted a couple of green herons down on the mat of water chestnuts near the old train station. I also spotted several egrets out on the river and had a great view of two hanging out at the top of a dead tree just off the bike path. I was also pleasantly surprised that the eagle was in his usual spot, but a bit earlier in the day than I typically see him... that let me get clearer pictures this time around.
I do need to start keeping one of my cycling jackets in the car... today it would have been a definite plus, and fall is just around the corner...
Thursday, August 26, 2010
I had intended to go out for a longer ride this afternoon, but it was chilly and windy and I was tired, so in the end I called it a day a bit earlier than planned. Along the way I did get to see quite an assortment of birds along the river... it seemed like there were blue herons everywhere, and I spotted a couple of green herons down on the mat of water chestnuts near the old train station. I also spotted several egrets out on the river and had a great view of two hanging out at the top of a dead tree just off the bike path. I was also pleasantly surprised that the eagle was in his usual spot, but a bit earlier in the day than I typically see him... that let me get clearer pictures this time around.
I do need to start keeping one of my cycling jackets in the car... today it would have been a definite plus, and fall is just around the corner...
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