New York: The Hudson River Valley

As you probably know Bill and I volunteer for the Florida State Parks.  Now, this 'job' has many perks including meeting fantastic people.  So, when fellow volunteers Al and Phyllis invited us to visit...

Al & Phyllis - at Lake George

... we had no idea they lived on the banks of the Hudson River or adjacent to the Adirondack Mountains with a state forest, Pack Forest, directly across the road.

Watching the river from Al & Phyllis' home

Al and Phyllis along with some neighbors have converted old river summer camps into a permanent residence.  These camps date from the early 1900s when many families spent the summer along the river as an escape from the hot cities.

Marg late afternoon on the river

Camps typically did not have a bathroom or heat... it was a rough summer camp... my how our expectations have changed over the years.

The 'Line' or path along the river
Connecting camps and social gatherings

Now we visited around Independence Day which is a big gathering time at the 'camps' along the river. So one afternoon we were treated to a neighborhood gathering.

House Party on the River
Held in an updated camp

What a treat to visit Al & Phyllis with afternoons spent along the river,

Bill and Phyllis enjoying the Hudson River
late afternoon

... feeding the chipmunks, passing time with neighbors,

Bill taming another chippie

and sleeping beneath a forest of pines and fir.

Pines along the river
Planted by Al's grandfather in the 1920s
reclaiming pasture land

They have a blessed life in this little bit of heaven.  Now this Floridian can't imagine the camp being heaven in the dead of winter but they assure us it is wonderful.

Blossoms in the stairs leading to the river

To be truthful, these days they do spend a few months each winter volunteering at Stephen Foster Cultural Center State Park where Al blacksmiths and Phyllis demonstrates various fiber crafts from crochet to weaving.

Bill on the banks of the Hudson

New York: Exploring the Lake George

As we journeyed north to visit friends (Al and Phyllis), we found ourselves near the famous Lake George.  And, having heard so much about the area of course we had to visit Lake George and the surrounding parks.  

The famed Lake George

The lake has long been a retreat for local residents starting long age with the native Americans the last being the Mohawk; however, it was first 'discovered' by white man in 1642, a French explorer.  Then in 1755 the Brittish renamed it to "Lake George".

The Green Mountains in Vermont across
Lake George as viewed from Prospect Mountain

Even on cloudy days this 32 mile long, 3 mile wide lake is amazing.  With a depth of 200 ft there is a sparkle and color that is hard to describe.  

Al, Bill, Phyllis
a cool rainy day at Lake George

With our local guides, Al and Phyllis, we visited Prospect Mountain for a fantastic view of the lake.  To reach the apex of the mountain for a view you can hike a three mile trail from the base or drive part way up and complete the journey by tour bus or on foot.  

Bill and  Phyllis atop Prospect Mountain

Following our hosts' recommendations, we enjoyed an informative tour up the mountain on the bus and a breath-taking descent by foot.  

This is a true tourist area and rightly so as folks come here to visit, relax, be entertained,and  enjoy the beauty of the lake.  So the area features boat tours, hotels, hikes, cafes, a zoo and more.  Of all, I highly recommend a stroll along the lake and a visit to Prospect Mountain as a way to experience the area, learn some of the history, and view the lake from above.

New York: Moreau Lake State Park

What a jewel in the New York Park System!  Moreau Lake State Park was on the way and seemed to be a convenient stop.  Well, it is more than convenient, it is a delight!

Moreau Lake from the Picnic Area

Exiting the roadway you enter a forested drive uphill to the park headquarters.  After registering for a campsite we followed a curving road up and down and up again to the campground passing the lake along the way.  

Compare...
White and Black Birch

There are several sets of camping areas and we were on the hill rather than down by the lake.  However, there are lakes everywhere.  After setting up on this cloudy cool day it was time for a walk to the view Moreau Lake in person.  The trails are quite interesting with many climbs, descents, and curves.  They pass through the woods and open to small lakes and streams.  

Lovely trails... over the hills, up the mountains,
and through the woods

After a short walk we encountered a beaver lodge that appeared to be empty at the moment.  This was a smallish lodge awaiting a fresh coat of wood.

Beaver Lodge

With a plethora of trees in the forest, the beavers must be happy.  It was relatively easy to find gnawed trees along the ponds.

Beaver lodge building materials

The trails are multi-use for hike, cross-country ski, and snowshoe access.  I guess you could bicycle these trails but not me!  The trails that rim the ponds are narrow while others twist through the wooded forest.  However, many trails are wide tree-lined paths that have steep inclines and descents which are probably great ski trails.

The limbs on the White Pine are fascinating

This is a migratory bird flyway and as you might expect, birds like humans migrate up and down the east coast.  We viewed and heard several owls, non-migratory, along with a beautiful red-tailed hawk, Cooper's hawk, ducks, coots, and geese.

Moreau Lake with a nice beach for swims

At the lake we toured the nature center and spoke with the park ranger about the birds and beavers.  The lake was too cold for me to enjoy a swim so we admired the bathers, beach, and beautiful scene before returning to the campground.

Had to capture a few of the flowers
that grace the trails

The campground is heavily wooded, dark, and on this day quiet.  It was the first of the week so the weekend crowds had returned to their normal lives leaving only a few vacationers to enjoy the solitude of the woods with calls of crickets and owls.

Neighboring tents barely visible from our campsite

As is usual, our cats like to walk.  We hiked several trails under the moonlight before retiring for the evening.  However, early AM is another favorite walk time and for Billy 5:30 is pretty early but he too enjoys the early morning cat walk.

Early morning walk...
Yes 5:30 AM

New York: Altamont and the Wishing Tree

Last year I was impressed with the beauty and quiet of Alamont, NY and the return trip proved it was not a fleeting romance.  The area is enchanting and the community simply down-home.  

Brilliant flowers decorate the local homes

We returned again this year as volunteers for the Old Songs Festival, June 24-30.  Before the festival started I wanted to take a stroll through the village.

The next generation of Old Songs Festival fans

Wandering out of the fair grounds and into town I passed many lovely, well groomed homes with vibrant gardens and lush lawns.  Guess the harsh winters have a positive effect on the area.

Flowers seem to burst from every lawn

The downtown area covers three to four blocks with a few restaurants, convenience store/gas station, a feed/garden store, small market, and several arts studios.  Of course there is a library, post office, police station, and several churches.  The area is agricultural thus the feed/garden store appears to have the largest foot print.

Church sitting atop a small hill

After making a small purchase at the feed store and stopping at the market for coffee I headed back towards the Old Songs Festival area, the Altamont Fair Grounds.  Suddenly a tree with many price tags caught my attention.

What are those small tags?

Wondering the purpose of the tree I entered the yard to read the sign hanging from a branch.  It was a Wishing Tree.

Legend

Of course I had several thoughts on my mind so it was easy to add a wish to the tree and let this concern be carried to the universe on the winds.  I simply took a tag and pen from the basket, completed my wish, and hung the tag on a branch with loving thoughts.

Basket with tags and pens to add
a wish to the tree.

Perhaps if there were more wishing trees in our communities we would be a healthier society...

Old Songs Festival: Volunteering again...

We are rarely far between volunteer assignments and this summer is no exception... next stop Altamont NY and the Old Songs Festival, June 26-28th, 2015.  Now, avid readers you may recall we volunteered in 2014 for this festival and had a grand time.  You can refresh your memory by reading that post.

Andrew & Noah Band
Ken Whiteley & the Beulah Band
Sunday AM small session called Sing & Swing

This year we worked on the Grounds Crew and were available for set-up, tear-down, and trash patrol (Saturday early evening).  Set-up is similar for most events... arrive 1-10 days early and start pitching tents, moving chairs and tables, posting signs, cleaning the facilities, and other odd tasks.  Old Songs is no different.  We arrived early Thursday morning before the festival and started moving tables and chairs.  From there the tasks varied by the building that needed attention.

Setup on Thursday

Thursday was a bit damp and cool but not a rain out. You can tell a gully washer because your shoes are sopping after a few minutes... but more on that later.  One benefit of this festival is our friends Phil and Brenda are regulars at the festival so we can spend time with them.  

Marg - Bill - Phil

Phil is a food vendor operating Phil's Grill.  Brenda is his lovely bride who happens to be a travelling physician that manages to be free for many of Phil's events.

Friday night at the concert

Friday arrived as a beautiful sunny day.  Officially we were not working Friday but that didn't stop us from assisting with odd jobs.  However, I took time to a stroll into town for needed supplies.

Friday night concert
Bright and DRY

The afternoon was filled with workshops (fiddle & singing) followed by a concert and contra dance.  This is the first of several late evenings, the dance bands and callers were excellent so we just had to dance until 1:00 AM.  Then it was time to walk the cats, roughly a half-hour, and finally to bed around 2 AM.

Late Saturday afternoon

Saturday was not the same, it started sunny but the predicted rain arrived on schedule with the drizzle starting at 2 PM.  By the time we went on grounds duty at 4 PM the wind was in full assault.  Officially we were to collect garbage and tidy the bathhouses.  (Check!)  And unofficially we rescued rain flys and tents that were being upended by the wind.  (Check!)

Sunday morning
It poured most of Saturday... late afternoon through Sunday noon

Because of the rain, the concert moved indoors to the dance hall which was not a problem because the dances were suspended during the evening concert anyway.  It was a good concert and intimate as everyone crowded onto the dance floor.

Saturday night rain
Festival goer & Bing Futch

After the concert, the blue tarps came off the dance floor and once again we danced until way after 1:00 AM.  Yes the girls (cats) wanted to walk so out we went with them on leash to trample down the hill and through the mud.  Cats normally don't like getting wet but it didn't stop them this night... we walked about 1/2 mile through knee high (human knee high) grass and often splashed through puddles and newly born streams.  

Saturday night indoor concert over
Dancing next

Sunday morning was wet along with most of my shoes!  Not a problem, wool socks help keep the feet warm.  After breakfast, I headed to the workshop tents to catch a few sessions before meeting the clean-up crew.  

A damp Sunday morning
Singing and Swinging in the Rain

My favorite was the Sing and Swing hosted by the Andrew & Noah Band and the Ken Whiteley & the Beulah Band.  What a wonderful way to start the day.

Packing the trailer for next year
My job on Sunday night

Sunday afternoon/evening it was time to start the clean-up process.  My job started early afternoon working with Bob to organize and inventory the storage trailer.  This can be quite a task but Bob had a plan after tackling the trailer for 5 years.  We arrived to a mostly empty trailer and ended with a trailer with little room to spare.  Amazing, with a plan and organization how much fits.

Bob #2 and Bill during clean-up
This reversed setup except set-up was warmer!

New York: Exploring the Catskill Mountains

Finding we had an extra day in the Saugerties area, it was time to explore the Catskills.  True, one day is not enough but we did investigate several areas in the southeastern part of the park.  Let's call this the "12 forests in 6 hours" tour, you know the type many short hikes in interesting places.

Mountain Laurel still in bloom

Before our visit it was hard for me to grasp "the Catskill Park" because it is simply a collection of public lands intermixed with private holdings over seven counties (Delaware, Greene, Otsego, Sullivan, Ulster and Southern Albany).  That make it about 6,000-square miles in Southeastern New York State with 35 mountain peaks over 3,500 feet in elevation and six major river systems.

Stream in the Peekamoose

So the park 'structure' in mind we headed to an information booth for ideas about hikes.  There are many available, luckily a local resident happened to be visiting the self-service booth who was a wealth of information.  His favorite hikes were in the Peekamoose which he described so vividly and lovingly that we knew it was to be the central part of our day.

Ashokan Reservoir 

Off we went towards the Ashokan Reservoir for our first walk of the day.  Here you can walk across the dam and view both the upper reservoir and the lower lake which sparkled in the sunlight.  It is good that it sparkles as it is part of the water supply system for New York City.

 Ashokan Reservoir Lower Lake

After soaking in the beauty and quiet of the lake in the early morning, we headed towards the recommended Peekamoose area and trails.  From our informant's descriptions, the road and trails were easy to find.  The drive is delightful filled with streams, waterfalls, solitude, and beauty.

Winding through the Sundown Wild Forest

The stream built it's personal dam
probably during years of spring thaws

This is a truly delightful area and part of the Sundown Wild Forest an area managed by New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.

Primitive Camping Area Signs

Unfortunately the trash is not packed out!

We made several stops to hike in this area including a strenuous climb through the forest towards the peak, strolls along waterfalls and creeks, brisk walks through the camping areas and adjacent trails.

Several of these amazing butterflies
entertained us by the stream

Next stop Ellenville by way of the Randout Reservoir, another part of the New York City water system, and Randout Creek.  Now, why this is called a creek befuddles me because it is more of a river.  The Randout is actually a 63.3-mile-long tributary of the Hudson River which it joins around Kingston so we followed the creek for quite a distance.

A true creek leading to the Randout Creek

After a beautiful drive along narrow winding roads we stopped for lunch at Peters Market just outside Ellensville.  The market appeared to be our kind of place, wholesome and not too fancy.  Peters is family owned and in it's 44th year of operation.  We opted for soups and chili, both were freshly made and delightful.  The lunch quickly disappeared as we sat on their picnic tables gazing at the mountains.  

Berme Road Park with many trails

Then we were off to find another short hike... the Berme Road Ellenville Park was perfect.  You can choose from several multi-use trails that wind across the hills and up the side of the mountain.  These were challenging enough on foot that I would not be happy trying these on a bicycle.  As with most trails in this area, they are also marked for cross-country skiers.

Ferns loved this environment

Looping back towards Saugerties we crossed the Mohonk Preserve with more opportunities for hikes.  We selected a trail head near the crest and began to explore.  

Meadow at Mohonk Preserve

There were many paths that quickly narrowed to animal trails, perhaps due to a lack of use?  Without a trail map we limited our journey to the obvious.  This section appeared to have been a farm or small community before 1900.  Our conclusion came from the way the land was cleared and the remains of low stone walls.  Although there was no trace of a homestead, the arrangement of trees, flower and ferns, bare land, nearby creek, and low walls were definite clues.

More ferns in the mountains

Leaving the preserve we descended New Paltz, a quaint town that deserved a quick stroll.  Unplanned we found ourselves in Kingston rush hour traffic, taking the truck route gave us the back roads tour of the city on the Hudson River.  After that it was getting late in the day so we drove back to the campground along the Hudson River.

Stream in the Mohonk Preserve