A short drive from one of the most urban cities in the world the landscape is pastoral and sylvan; covered with footprints of our history.
When I left Seattle in 1980 to attend Graduate School in Milwaukee my plan was to move to the east coast after I finished. I grew up in Chicago, explored seven years in the PNW, and wanted to experience all the nature and history of New England and New York. Alas, love had other priorities. Amy, my Seattle girlfriend then, joined me my second year at school. When I finished in 1983 we returned to Seattle instead of going east. However, we did highlight more "blue highways" and states on my dog-eared Rand McNally road atlas.
But the desire remained. There is so much out there (here) that was older, and different, from the West. More than 3-day business trips or week long visits can provide. Part of my plan during this four month "sabbatical", was to take excursions from the city to these refuges of nature and history.
My first trip was to the Adirondacks. This park in upstate NY is larger than Yellowstone and Yosemite combined. I planned to go when Robin was away on business so our time together would be focused in the City. The good news was I'd still have a companion. This past January when my good friend Mark and I took a trek to Patagonia we met Bill Lawler. A retired IT salesman and former ballet dancer with a laconic public personality that becomes voluble with friends. The three of us hit it off. (See first blog for photo of Bill with Mark and me in Patagonia). Bill is from the west coast, but now lives in NYC where he shepherding his gifted son Diego to become a fashion designer. (That's a longer story, but at 16 Diego is attending Parsons college here in NYC and interning with Brandon Maxwell - renown stylist for Lady Gaga and recent fashion designer for the stars).
On September 21st, the autumnal equinox, I rented a car on the Upper West Side to minimize driving in Manhattan. In a few short blocks we were on the H. Hudson parkway to the George Washington Bridge and crossed into New Jersey. There we drove four and a half hours due north along the Hudson River, back into NY, past Albany, and into upstate New York wilderness. We stayed at a classic Adirondack lodge called Ampersand Resort on Saranac Lake. It was a scene out of "On Golden Pond". The nearest town of substance is Lake Placid, of the 1980 Winter Olympics, about fifteen minutes away. We arrived in the off-season and things were shutting down. We were the only guests at the resort, and restaurants closed early. The fall weather was clear, cool and crisp; and the leaves on the trees had just a breath of color condensing on them.
The Adirondacks are part of the Canadian Shield, the basement rock of North America about 3.5 billion years old - about the age of Earth. Once sporting peaks over 10,000' and higher (some say higher than the Alps or Himalayas), glaciation and erosion has worn them down like old dogs teeth. Now the park contains only rounded hills, the highest not reaching 6,000'.
For my second adventure into nature, I literally made a last minute decision to visit long time friends in Maine. When I found out Robin was going to be tied up for multiple days/evenings in a conference here in NYC I emailed David and Sandy to see if they were free - that evening! Fortunately Sandy was online at the time and enthusiastically said yes. Half hour later I was on the train to Newark for a flight to Portland, Maine where they picked me up.
I've known David and Sandy since the mid 70s when they lived in Seattle. They now live on Arrowsic Island just off Bath, Maine, about 45 minutes from the airport. When they left Seattle they bought 90 acres on this island with a 1736 salt box house - in original condition. They are the second owner occupants from the original builder's family! When I visited them in 1979 I helped David survey a foundation for a new mortise and tenon barn for their flock of sheep. Ever since then I've always enjoyed my visits to this beautiful and historical place.
Besides our social activities back then, David and I were active climbers. One particular climb turned into an adventure in 1977. We planned to climb two peaks, with an intervening ridge traverse, at Snoqualmie pass, all in one day. While we were successful, we needed every last minute of twilight to complete our final rappel off the mountain. We hiked out with headlamps in the dark on the longest day of the year. The girls back home, being nervous about the late time, had called mountain rescue. MSR advised the only thing they could do at that hour was to see if the car was still in the lot. We had just left after 11:00 pm - there were no cell phones then to advise we were fine.
For my brief stay David arranged an impromptu hike on the only coastal mountains in Maine. The hike, about an hour north, was in a state park very similar to Tiger Mountain in Issaquah, WA relative to elevation gain, distance, and the network of trails from all sides of the summit. Like the spokes of a wheel, a slightly different trail down from the summit can lead to the other side of the park. It reinforced how on even a simple hike, if you are unfamiliar, things can get confused. After discovering our loop route was contouring in the wrong direction, and not wanting to go back up and over, we added a couple more miles to reach a road and then hitched a ride back to the car. This being fall it was twilight by the time we got back home. Sandy had to remind us that things haven't changed after almost 40 years. But she only called our cell this time.
My final trip before the snow flies I again relied on my friend Bill for companionship. This would be a day-trip to the Catskills, only a two and a half hour drive from the city. NYC's water supply comes from the Ashokan dam and reservoir in the Catskills. Those who watched Ken Burn's Civil War may remember the haunting waltz throughout the documentary: Ashokan Farewell. Click here to listen - it's worth it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDkQ4FeooLA
The Catskills and Adirondacks are similar in that they are soft, round, rolling hills knitted together by long fingers of lakes. Unlike the PNW, NY forests are primarily deciduous, which makes for such fabulous quilts of fall color draped across the landscape. In addition, these trails are rocky. In many ways more difficult hiking because of the constant checking of balance and potential to twist an ankle. We did this final day-hike in mid-November. The trees were bare and sparse. As we started on the trail, thin ice covered puddles of water, and wet leaves on the trail crackled underfoot from the overnight frost. Though crisp and clear, the air was noticeably cold in the shade all during the day. Back at the car by 3:30 the low glancing light told us winter is finally coming.
When I left Seattle in 1980 to attend Graduate School in Milwaukee my plan was to move to the east coast after I finished. I grew up in Chicago, explored seven years in the PNW, and wanted to experience all the nature and history of New England and New York. Alas, love had other priorities. Amy, my Seattle girlfriend then, joined me my second year at school. When I finished in 1983 we returned to Seattle instead of going east. However, we did highlight more "blue highways" and states on my dog-eared Rand McNally road atlas.
But the desire remained. There is so much out there (here) that was older, and different, from the West. More than 3-day business trips or week long visits can provide. Part of my plan during this four month "sabbatical", was to take excursions from the city to these refuges of nature and history.
New York and New England
NATUREMy first trip was to the Adirondacks. This park in upstate NY is larger than Yellowstone and Yosemite combined. I planned to go when Robin was away on business so our time together would be focused in the City. The good news was I'd still have a companion. This past January when my good friend Mark and I took a trek to Patagonia we met Bill Lawler. A retired IT salesman and former ballet dancer with a laconic public personality that becomes voluble with friends. The three of us hit it off. (See first blog for photo of Bill with Mark and me in Patagonia). Bill is from the west coast, but now lives in NYC where he shepherding his gifted son Diego to become a fashion designer. (That's a longer story, but at 16 Diego is attending Parsons college here in NYC and interning with Brandon Maxwell - renown stylist for Lady Gaga and recent fashion designer for the stars).
On September 21st, the autumnal equinox, I rented a car on the Upper West Side to minimize driving in Manhattan. In a few short blocks we were on the H. Hudson parkway to the George Washington Bridge and crossed into New Jersey. There we drove four and a half hours due north along the Hudson River, back into NY, past Albany, and into upstate New York wilderness. We stayed at a classic Adirondack lodge called Ampersand Resort on Saranac Lake. It was a scene out of "On Golden Pond". The nearest town of substance is Lake Placid, of the 1980 Winter Olympics, about fifteen minutes away. We arrived in the off-season and things were shutting down. We were the only guests at the resort, and restaurants closed early. The fall weather was clear, cool and crisp; and the leaves on the trees had just a breath of color condensing on them.
Saranac Lake from Mt. Baker Summit
Afternoon hike on day of our arrival
Our "resort" is at far right on lake
Lake Placid at Sunset
Bill and Bill on Summit of Ampersand Mt.
Saranac Lake in background
Trail to Algonquin Peak
Second Highest in State
Bill L descending steep granite slabs off Algonquin Peak
Shoreline of Ampersand Resort and Saranac Lake
Motoring "On Golden Pond", Saranac Lake
Lodge at Ampersand Resort before hauling boats for season
From Summit of Algonquin
Note landslides from Hurricane Sandy exposing
Canadian Shield granite basement rock
For my second adventure into nature, I literally made a last minute decision to visit long time friends in Maine. When I found out Robin was going to be tied up for multiple days/evenings in a conference here in NYC I emailed David and Sandy to see if they were free - that evening! Fortunately Sandy was online at the time and enthusiastically said yes. Half hour later I was on the train to Newark for a flight to Portland, Maine where they picked me up.
I've known David and Sandy since the mid 70s when they lived in Seattle. They now live on Arrowsic Island just off Bath, Maine, about 45 minutes from the airport. When they left Seattle they bought 90 acres on this island with a 1736 salt box house - in original condition. They are the second owner occupants from the original builder's family! When I visited them in 1979 I helped David survey a foundation for a new mortise and tenon barn for their flock of sheep. Ever since then I've always enjoyed my visits to this beautiful and historical place.
1736 Salt-box house - from original entry road
Sandy walking their 90 acres
Cat and tombstone in family cemetery on site
For my brief stay David arranged an impromptu hike on the only coastal mountains in Maine. The hike, about an hour north, was in a state park very similar to Tiger Mountain in Issaquah, WA relative to elevation gain, distance, and the network of trails from all sides of the summit. Like the spokes of a wheel, a slightly different trail down from the summit can lead to the other side of the park. It reinforced how on even a simple hike, if you are unfamiliar, things can get confused. After discovering our loop route was contouring in the wrong direction, and not wanting to go back up and over, we added a couple more miles to reach a road and then hitched a ride back to the car. This being fall it was twilight by the time we got back home. Sandy had to remind us that things haven't changed after almost 40 years. But she only called our cell this time.
Bill(s) in Panorama on hike
(Note Bill is on Left and Right)
David at Summit - we conquer again!
Islands in Gulf of Maine, Atlantic Ocean
My final trip before the snow flies I again relied on my friend Bill for companionship. This would be a day-trip to the Catskills, only a two and a half hour drive from the city. NYC's water supply comes from the Ashokan dam and reservoir in the Catskills. Those who watched Ken Burn's Civil War may remember the haunting waltz throughout the documentary: Ashokan Farewell. Click here to listen - it's worth it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDkQ4FeooLA
The Catskills and Adirondacks are similar in that they are soft, round, rolling hills knitted together by long fingers of lakes. Unlike the PNW, NY forests are primarily deciduous, which makes for such fabulous quilts of fall color draped across the landscape. In addition, these trails are rocky. In many ways more difficult hiking because of the constant checking of balance and potential to twist an ankle. We did this final day-hike in mid-November. The trees were bare and sparse. As we started on the trail, thin ice covered puddles of water, and wet leaves on the trail crackled underfoot from the overnight frost. Though crisp and clear, the air was noticeably cold in the shade all during the day. Back at the car by 3:30 the low glancing light told us winter is finally coming.
Bill and rock escarpment
Last of the Mohicans on Giants Ledge
Frozen puddle at noon
Very rocky terrain. Hard to tell, but this trail is UP
Very nice -- and evocative of some beautiful areas. We almost went to the Adirondacks tacked onto our NY trip, but with heading to Shreveport less than two weeks later, we decided to put it off. Another place for a driving trip in the not too distant future, since the distant future is non-existent! Enjoyed the photos and details. Lucky to have friends with whom to enjoy these special natural areas. Amazing earth!
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