Week 25 - Teatown, Ossining, NY

I am putting this in because its interesting, but really can't be classified as a hike.  As part of the Invasive Species Strike Force (volunteer team of NYNJ Trail Conference), I have been assigned a portion of the Teatown trails.  It was a short distance that I covered while carefully observing and trying to decipher which plants/trees/shrubs/vines were not native to our area, and considered invasive. Taking extra time to write down the details, and mark the coordinates on a GPS (pretty interesting)!! It was  unfortunately the only time spent trekking this week.  More and hopefully extra hikes to be done this week- stay tuned.

Week 23/24 Rockefeller Preserve, Hardscrabble, and more...

I cheated a little again, but made up for it... which means I made it up to myself! Due to unforeseen weather patterns, rain and more rain, I missed out on a hike for week 23. After much personal invisible and undetectable brooding, Friday of Week 24 finally arrived. I had a wonderful reunion with my colleague and friend Christine while dining and then hiking at Rockefeller. We took the route accessed at Webber St. in Sleepy Hollow. I BLEW it though, I didn't take any photos!!! Sorry Christine, I owe you another hike.  On Saturday, Adam and I took Cooper who finally fully recovered from his tick bite on a trek. Through the woods in the light drizzle we hiked the Hardscrabble trails in Mount Pleasant. If 2 days in a row sounds great, get this. On Sunday I attended a class about Invasive plants on hiking trails. Given by the NY NJ Trail Conference, the class is an introduction to what trees, bushes, and herbaceous plants are foreign and detrimental. The class was at Teatown and so is the trail which I am going to report the invasive population on. I am so very excited!!!! So I will be heading back there soon. Since the class, while on my daily walks with the dogs, I have a new perspective on the plants that dwell on the Aqueduct. These courses are offered in NY and NJ through the Trail Conference www.nynjtc.org/
See photos below from Hardscrabble and some invasives we observed at TeaTown.

Japanese Stilt Grass-Invasive

Oriental Bittersweet

Japanese Honeysuckle

MultiFlora Rose

beautiful house that we had class in

my lecture hall!

Week 22, Anthony's Nose, Peekskill

It was finally a day free of rain!!! Adam, Sam, and I travelled up to Peekskill by way of the Bear Mountain Bridge. Hiking Anthony's Nose, we followed a route suggested by a fellow hiker who travels there often with his canine friend. Our canine opted out, running and hiding when it was time to get in the car. We non-canines still enjoyed this particular direction, mainly because we were able to hike a portion of it on the Appalachian Trail (AT)-  my future endeavor!!!! We passed by a "camping site" for through hikers, which consisted of a small clearing near a flowing stream. We met some 'through hikers', which meant they were hiking the AT in portions, one had hiked 55 miles of it in 3 days. We veered away from the AT about half way to Anthony's Nose and came across a sign in book (photo), which I have read is available along the AT trail to keep track of passers through.  The hike was a total of 5 miles, all together (in/out).  Sam was tripping every few steps by the end of it (worrying me), but these were his words... "I am meant to live!!!" I utilized my Camel Back, water reservoir for the first time, it was nice to be hands free hydrated!! Anthony's Nose was off the blue trail, up a couple hundred feet on an unmarked trail. It provided us with spectacular Hudson River, Iona Island, and Bridge views. But my favorite part of the hike were the beautiful wild flowers along the way, the Rattle Snake that I almost stepped on, and meeting a couple of AT hikers!!

Sign in Book

SNAKE

Sam demanding a break

Peek a boo

Week 21 - Turkey Mountain, Yorktown

I ventured out on my own this week, after realizing that no dogs are permitted on Turkey Mountain.  More people than usual were out on a Friday Trek, Turkey Mountain is a hot spot! The journey up the mountain took my breath away for a moment, literally it was a steep incline and I was moving quickly.  Before I knew it though I was up to the top, and enjoying the near panoramic views. The hike is a great place to go for a decent all in one hike that doesn't take long. The total loop was just under 3 miles. Missed having my family with me though!!!! See photos>>>

WEEK 20 - Happy Mother's Day & Ward Pound Ridge

A return to a Hike means one of two things, its awesome or...my brother wants to Fly-Fish. In today's case, it was a lot of both. Paul joined me for a pre-mother's day lunch at mom's for a trek-fish excursion. We hiked the same route I did with the family 2 weeks ago, hiking in about a mile and then turned to head back out, we worried we would run late for lunch. I didn't realize at the time it would take Paul mucho tiempo to get his fishing uniform on, OMG ('becky look at her butt')!!! After that event, Paul finally did get to make his fishing line dance like a whirling dervish long enough to impress his big sis.  We ran oh two and a half hours late to mom and dad's. But the fun continued...see photos below. Una buona giornata!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cooper joined us!!

My Beautiful girls, in front of the trees that were saplings when I was their age.

I have a personal attachment to this tree!!!

My neice, beautiful with muddy shins!!!

Who do you think is taller?