Charcoal Burners Trail

Bridgie was going out with her book club for lunch, so I decided to take another walk with the dog. I finished my chores and should have been out the door at 10 am, but I needed to free up some space on my phone. This turned into a small nightmare and I didn't get on the road till noon. Bad Omen!

I had passed this trailhead many times but never hiked this corner of Clarence Fahnestock State Park. The first 2.1 miles was a nice easy walk an took me past mountain laurel and bucolic Jordan Pond.

My Route

Jordan Pond

My problems started after I passed the Therapeutic Equestrian Center.

 The trail was following open fields and the markers abruptly stopped. I followed the road down hill towards another farm, but it was obvious that the trail must have taken a sharp left. Bailey and I took a drink and pondered the situation. At this point I realized that my phone was out of memory! This is the last photo I took.

I found a marker on the dirt road to Bailey's left.

Now things got interesting. The trail took me through fields and open forest and continued downhill. I knew where I was from the electronic mapping program. I realized that I had no option to bail out of the hike and must continue forward. One section of the trail parralelled a lovely rock strewn stream where Bailey splashed a bit.

I came to a private road and knew I would be late to pick up T. I called her and discussed the situation. I passed another long lake when disaster hit. I was looking over my shoulder at the lake when my boot caught a rock. I did a windmill run that must have looked hysterical! I just missed the dog when I finally hit the ground in a lump. Ouch. Knee hurt and I still had almost 3 miles to go.

Both of us were running out of steam, but we finally hit the red trail that we started on. We passed one more pond and arrived at the car.....exhausted. It started to drizzle as I drove home. (7.6 miles)

Today my knee is really aching. I've been icing it all day.....time for a hiking break.

Taconic Hereford 909

We were dropping off clothing for Lefty at work in Millbrook, so Irish and I decided to take a walk in the area. The Taconic Hereford Multiple Use Area is directly adjacent to the Taconic between Route 55 and 44. Given it close proximity to our house, its odd that we visit infrequently. It's referred to as the 909 by the Fats in the Cats Mountain Bike Club that helps care for the trails. (There are 909 Acres in the preserve.)

We parked at the Tyrrell Road trailhead and did a 3.3 mile loop. (The light blue track, the red pin is our start and finish location.) I'm trying out a new mapping program called Maprika.

 

The trails are a combination of wood roads and single track. There is some evidence of ATV activity on the roads, but the single track trails were quite beautiful. One area of the trail looks to have had major storm damage. The small saplings growing up created a tunnel of green.

Tree Tunnel

It's always great walking with my buddy Bailey! There are some huge trees along the main dirt road that leads out to the Taconic Parkway.

Dad and his Bailey

We remembered taking the kids to this chimney on a Fall hike many years ago. Unfortunately vandals with spray paint have defaced the ruins. I plan on coming back with a broom and clean up the piles of broken glass in the fireplace. Bummer!!

Chimney 

Family Portraits

We gave my parents a family photoshoot for a Christmas present.  It was difficult getting a time when everyone was available to get together, but we finally arranged it for a beautiful Sunday afternoon. We met the photographer at the Samuel Morse Estate in Poughkeepsie. Now we have a ton of images to sort through, but these are two of my favorites.

The Whole Clan

Wow, I have two great looking kids!!

Therese and Manny

Food Truck Festival

A while back I read an article on "food trucks" in Hudson Valley Magazine. Apparently they provide a cornucopia of fast and often unusual fare. In particular I was interested in trying Flammkuchen. What the heck is Flammkuchen you ask? Wikipedia describes it as a "tarte flambee" (accent on the first e.) It's basically a thin crust pizza that originates in the Alsace region of France and the adjoining areas of Germany.

For some reason I remembered the article and looked on-line for the Black Forest Flammkuchen Food Truck. It must have been some kind of Karma because they were at the Hyde Park Truck Festival that Day! Bridget called our old Neighbors and asked if they would like to join us on a culinary expedition.

Now imagine fromage blanc, Berkshire bacon lardon, thinly sliced onions and scallions on a thin wood fired crust.....heaven!!!

Thumbs up on a traditional flammkuchen.

We enjoyed a "buffalo chicken" and a "teriyaki" meatball at Enjoy-A-Ball.  Both were surprisingly good, a real departure from traditional meatballs and red sauce.

The Ruffians enjoying a couple of balls.

I can't remember the name of the barbecue truck, but the brisket was like butter. The ribs were insane!!

Barbecue!!

After the girls purchased some delicacies from "Awesome Country" we decided to wash everything down with some quality suds at the Hyde Park Brewing Company. In the last couple of years small brew pubs have been springing up all over New York and especially the Hudson Valley. The Hyde Park Brewing Company was one of the first to set up shop and we've had many stops there.

Dan and I sucked down several "Rough Rider Red Ales", while the girls enjoyed the summer Hefeweizen with a slice of orange. What a perfect way to end to our food experience.

July 4th at Princeton Battlefield

We had an unusual guest for the annual 4th of July Celebration at the Princeton Battlefield. Joe Rohde, a Disney Imagineer, was on hand to make this sketch of the gun crew doing a demonstration for the public. I was acting as a matross and am pictured carrying the musket and cheese box canteen.

Joe Rohde also posted a shot of us on Instagram.  I'm the matross in whites firing a musket.

Besides the cannon and musket drill we talk to the public about the life of a typical continental soldier. My display had the typical equipment and personal effects carried during the Revolution. Steve is busy mending his westkit, while I talk to a young lad.

After a long ride home I found my daughter and her friends having a party on the patio. Most of them jumped at the chance to fire my Brown Bess. I guess their AP American History teacher did a pretty good job!

T showing how it is done!

Wappinger's Greenway

It was such a beautiful Summer day we decided to forgo yard work and take a hike. The girls didn't want to do anything too strenuous, so we decided to try the Wappinger's Greenway. I've recently explored parts of this trail as a possible Boy Scout hike. The first couple of miles follows Wappingers Creek as it heads towards the falls.

We originally wanted to hike a loop trip through Bowdoin Park, but T lost her sunglasses and we backtracked to find them. They were on the trail where we had to duck under a small tree.

Girls Taking a Break

I knew I must have missed the trail junction to our car when we reached the pre-civil war Reese Cemetary. Bridget and T were not amused at my mistake.

Reese Cemetary

Fortunately the South facing Hudson River View made up for the extra quarter mile of hiking. (Note the loop at the end of the map.)

Hudson River View

I think the visit to the Village Creamery made for a perfect ending to our little adventure. Yum!!

Village Creamery, Wappinger's Falls

Summer Baseball Season

Mom D was in town to see friends and her doctor. We went to Hopewell Junction to cheer on Manny's team the Putnam Athletics. Manny wasn't playing today, but we know many of his teammates from previous years of travel baseball. There is nothing like a cool summer night and baseball!

Manny's Fan Club

Mill Norrie State Park Hike

It's time to get into hiking shape so I took one of my favorite "easy" hikes. Mills Norrie State Park has a small trail network that takes you along the Hudson River. It's a special property because the railroad runs inland leaving a natural shoreline. I chose to take the blue (inland) trail first and return on the white (river) trail.

The Route

The highlight of the property is the Victorian era Mills mansion with it's lawn stretching out to the river.

Mill's Mansion

The park has many outbuildings that are in a state of decay. On this partly cloudy day, they seemed very eerie indeed. To add to the gloomy quality of the run down buildings was this monument to the memory of Gordon Lewis Norrie. Norrie was a Princeton Polo and Hockey champion when he met his death in a late night auto accident near Asbury Park New Jersey.

What happened in that merry all night party that brought almost instant death to Norrie, the Princeton Polo Star, and nearly killed Multi-millionaire Ryan's Young Granddaughter.

Gordon Lewis Norrie Memorial

A lot of work has been done in the park since my last hike here. I was especially impressed to see that the Environmental Center at the south end of the park had been painted and the boardwalk around the building restored.

View from Environmental Center

The white trail had also received a facelift. Erosion control, stone steps and benches had been installed in many locations. The trail had been relocated to go around the old pump house, but I took a peak inside to see the remaining machinery.

Pump House

Overall this is a great hike with a combination of history, ruins and great Hudson Views. My GPS recorded 5.5 miles for the round trip, but I didn't start it until I reached the boat house below the Mill Mansion. I would add a couple tenths of a mile to the total. The elevation gain and decent is minimal. Mills Norrie State Park is a Dutchess County gem!

Northern View

Retirements, Biking and Birthdays

It's been a busy couple of days. Sharon's Retirement Party on the Hudson River was a blast. The weather was awesome. It was fun chatting and taking in the river views. We were treated to an amazing sunset as we came back into Poughkeepsie.

Afterwards we met the Anderson's for beer and nachos at the P.C.'s Paddock in LaGrange. We're making plans to take a family hike with them.

Hyde Park Train Station in background.

Amazing Sunset

The next morning I dragged my self out of bed to take Troop 41 on a 16 mile bike ride on the Dutchess Rail Trail. We arrived back at the Hopewell Junction Station just as the rain started to fall. I was too busy to take photos. We had a  mix of ability levels, but fun was had by all.

LWood Rox!

Sunday we helped celebrate Larry Wood's 60th birthday. Unfortunately the weather didn't cooperate. We still had a great time. It's hard to believe that Lars is 60! I'm making it my goal to help him get back in better physical shape. I really miss hiking with him.

The Start of Summer 2015

I'm Back!! I'm on my second cup of coffee and preparing to walk the dog. Let's see what adventures this summer will bring!

On line for today:

1. Make the bed
2. Food Shopping
3. Cutting the grass.
4. Pick some weeds
5. Bleach fabric for a knapsack project.
6. Dinner Cruise on Hudson River to help celebrate a colleague's retirement. 

I'm so happy it's Summer!!!

Twin Mountain Catskills

As part of our warm up for our hike up Mt. Mansfield, we decided to tackle Twin Mountain in the Catskills. Twin is purported to have one of the very best views in the region, and we were not disappointed. Six years ago I tried to climb Twin from the Western side, but a fall on some ice ended the hike. This time we climbed from the east, and after 3.1 miles and a lot of rocky ledges made it to the top!

View from East Summit

Therese snapping pics.

The Old Man on the East Summit

Herrick Trail

Knowing that we were going to tackle Mt. Mansfield, we decided to take a warm up hike near home. The Herrick Trail is a "blue" trail that leads into the AT. The highlight of the hike was the confluence of the Housatonic and Ten Mile Rivers. The Ned Anderson Bridge is named after the man who spearheaded the creation of the Appalachian Trail in Connecticut.

We enjoyed a simple lunch as Bailey splashed in the water. Wanting to cut my apple, I realized it was missing from my pocket (big hole). We prayed to St. Anthony and looked carefully for it on the 2.5 return trip. I placed my pack on the hood of the car and looked down to find it.Thank you St Anthony!

Dad and Bailey on the Bridge

Bridge eating lunch on the Ten Mile River

Mt. Mansfield

After dropping off at Plattsburg State we headed to the Green Mountains of Vermont to tackle Mt. Mansfield. I've been trying to knock off all the high points in the Northeast, so Mansfield was the next destination. We camped a small Vermont State campground called, appropriately, Underhill. The climb up the old CCC road and the Sunset Ridge Trail is 3.3 miles with an elevation gain of 2500 feet. What makes this trail so special, is the amount of time spent above treeline. The views start to open up after the first two miles and get better and better! Next up, Mt. Katahdin!

Bridgie and Manny on the Summit

Climbing the Sunset Ridge Trail

Therese's awesome Summit Photo

The Team with the West Chin in the background.

Denning Point

Last year we took a great hike to Verkeerder Falls at the Sam's Point preserve with John and Michele. It took almost a year, but we finally got together for another hike. We didn't have a lot of time for our hike, so we decided to go the Madam Brett Park and Denning Point in Fishkill.

Our short walk was steeped in history. There is evidence of Native American occupation of the point and it later played a part in our war for independance. Alexander Hamilton lived briefly on the Point. During his stay, he wrote down many of the ideas that would later help structure the USA's economic systems. Washington was know to have traveled by boat to Denny Point on his way to the Fishkill Supply Depot. The Point was home to farms and orchards, and finally gave up much of itself to the brick industry.

Today it is a quiet preserve where bald eagles often nest. It's the perfect place for a nice relaxed walk (not hike!).

Dam

Boardwalk

Wildflowers

Michele and Bridge

Storm King Mountain from Denning Point

After our walk we parked on the East end of Main Street in Beacon. The "Hop" is small pub that sells a huge number of craft brews. I indulged myself in a very hoppy IPA called "A little Sumpin Extra". It was!!

The "Hop" has quite a selection of beers!

The owner of this restaurant has a interesting sense of humor!

Toothbrush Bike Tour

The Walkway over the Hudson has been a huge success and thousands of visitors have enjoyed it's towering views. The approaches to the bridge get less attention, but are a wonderful attraction in their own right. In my mind I have often envisioned a continuous cycle trip from our home, across the river and onto New Paltz and the Wallkill Valley Rail Trail.  With the last mile of the Dutchess rail trail completed, it was time to make the trip.

In my youth I made some long distance bike tours, and being young and broke, we always camped. This trip was both my birthday present and anniversary present. We would go in style. All we carried in our panniers was a change of clothes, toiletries and repair equipment. Our destination would be the recently restored 1850 House and Tavern in Rosendale. Our route would connect some of the best that Dutchess and Ulster has to offer.

The Dutchess Rail Trail follows the route of the old New Haven Railroad's Maybrook Line. The trail's last leg was completed last year, opening up a continuous linear off road bike ride. One of the highlights of the trail is the new bridge crossing over Wappingers Creek and Route 55 in Lagrange.

Route 55 Bridge

We tooled along at a modest ten miles an hour as we headed west toward the Hudson. The trail was well used by bikers, joggers and walkers, but we were amazed at the number of people enjoying the Walkway over the Hudson during the middle of the week.

When you reach the western shore the pavement continues, but you are now riding on the Hudson Valley Rail Trail. This 4 mile section was the first part of what is now becoming a regional rail network. The trail ends at Tony Williams park where we started our road riding. The shoulder on Rt. 299 into New Paltz is wide, but the 55 mile per hour traffic can be a bit intimidating after the relative quiet of the trail. The heavy traffic in downtown New Paltz had us walking our bicycles and enjoying the unique shops and interesting people. Our first destination however, was the The Gilded Otter brew pub. We have been enjoying the fine beer and food here since it's opening in 1998. A word of warning, riding with a belly full of pizza and beer will slow you down!

Caramelized Pear and Bacon Pizza

The Wallkill Valley Rail Trail  is directly adjacent to the Gilded Otter, and with our appetites satiated, we continued our journey northward. The track here is crushed stone and cinders and we rode in quiet solitude through a green tunnel. We crossed over the trails' namesake river on a wooden decked bridge and were soon rewarded by an amazing view of the "Gunks".

Wallkill River Bridge

"Gunk" View

The trail follows an old New York Central Railroad line that headed north from the Maybrook Yards into Kingston. Until recently the official route ended at the New Paltz border, but a recent acquisition has extended the ride north past Rosendale.

Rosendale Trestle

The huge 900 foot Trestle at Rosendale has been restored and is a miniature version of the Poughkeepsie Bridge. It overlooks the Rondout Creek and the eclectic village of Rosendale. Not sure how to get down off the trestle, we asked a young lady who was riding with her friends. She directed us to the Binnewater Road parking lot which took us downhill into town. Rosendale, is similar to New Paltz with a laid back and inviting atmosphere. We checked in to our room at the 1850 House where our hostess lead us to our room. The inn has been recently updated and the rooms have a pleasant minimalist style that is accentuated by large reproductions of old local postcards. The image in our room was of main street Rosendale in the twenties.

After a refreshing shower we headed downstairs to the tavern which was stocked with local beers. The young lady who gave us directions into town was on the waite staff, she had been getting some exercise before she had to get to work, a strange coincidence.

View from trestle.

1850 House

Dinner 

The Alternative Baker