Testing

Highland Forest County Park, Fabius, NY 5/9/09
Westwind Loop Trail 3.0 miles

Since acquiring all our new gear, we decided to test it on a nearby short hike before going out for “the real thing.” Highland Forest is a place we’ve always loved and returned to many times for various activities. There are miles and miles of trails for hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, and snowmobiling. For our test run, we took the Westwind Loop, which is about 3 miles long with some hilly sections. We encountered a garter snake shortly after getting started, and of course I had to take pictures of him. He was less than thrilled with our presence. We also saw a small toad later on, who wasn’t bothered by us at all.

Reset

Early Summer 2009

Summer is here, which means we can get back to the outdoors in relative comfort. We’ve been anxious to resume our camping and hiking adventures, and we’re going to approach it a little differently this year. Ken and I tend to go from one extreme to the other; adjustments are necessary, after all! We will set out over-prepared, as opposed to completely unprepared the way we were last summer on Blue Mountain. In reality, one probably can’t be too prepared when out on the trail, as anything can happen, and sometimes does.

Back For More: Bald Mountain

Bald Mountain, Adirondacks 8/22/08
Distance 1 mile (2 mi. round trip)
Elevation change 400 ft.

So, we’ve decided that we like this whole hiking thing, and we’re ready for more abuse. For now, though, we’ll be taking our abuse in smaller, more manageable doses. Bald Mountain is another rocky trail with plenty of roots, and beautiful along the way as well as at the top.

How It All Began: Blue Mountain

It all started with an innocent camping trip at the end of July 2008. We shared a large site on Lewey Lake in the Adirondacks with Adam & Jacqui. We’d been camping plenty before, but not yet in the Adirondacks, which would bring a whole new aspect to camping for us. First of all, they have Black Bears there, which means you must keep your food in your car when you’re not cooking or eating, and definitely overnight. This includes pots and pans, and anything else that has touched food. We followed the rules and saw no bears. That’s ok with me. We also rented canoes and got a closer view of some of the wildlife.