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Spur of the moment

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    • Spur of the moment

      Kinda sorta at the spur of the moment Kathy and I are going out for a couple of nights.
      We threw our packs together, asked our son, who lives with us right now, to feed the animals and we're going to head to a new place that Kathy saw on a map.
      Our plan is to spend tonight at the Taconic Hereford Multi-Use Area, tomorrow we'll explore Walkway Over The Hudson (an old railroad bridge renovated for pedestrian use), and we have no sure plan for tomorrow night or Saturday. We'll just follow our nose, as the expression goes.


      So what kind of things do you do at the spur of the moment or on short notice?

    • Well we had a great 3 day get away.
      Day 1 was at the Taconic Hereford multi-use area. 900 acres filled with hiking trails, mountain bike trails and snowmobile trails. We arrived about 1PM and were hiking about 15 minutes later. We had printed a map of the trails from the places web site, while it wasn't very accurate or detailed it was good enough to keep us from getting lost. The thing that struck me about the area was the amount of stone walls, stone cellars,and stone foundations as well as old woods roads. I'm guessing there was a town there at some point. We hiked until 6:30ish PM and set up camp with the sound of thunder in the sky. It never did rain and we had a peaceful night's sleep. The next morning we had a leisurely breakfast and made an hour walk back to the car on some of the old roads.

      On day 2, Friday, our plan was to go walk the Walkway Over The Hudson. It's an old railroad bridge that hasn't seen a train in forever and was renovated for pedestrian and bicycle use. But it's not just the bridge, the bridge connects a rail trail on each side of the river so there's plenty of walking to be had. We finished that just as some rain started and we made plans for the rest of the afternoon. We headed north on route 9 and drove to the home, and presidential library, of FDR. The tours were being postponed because of thunder and lightening so we spent a few hours walking the grounds and seeing the outside of the building. Next stop was the local Dunkin Donuts were we came up with an idea of where to spend the night. We weren't far from where the AT crosses Dennytown Road and there's a place for hikers to camp, so we did. We met a couple of northbound thru hikers and exchanged stories. Sometime early in the morning it started to rain but our Tarptent kept us dry. Once the rain stopped we slowly had breakfast and packed up heading for our 3rd and final walk of the weekend.

      Years ago, 2001 I think,we hiked the northern end of the Old Crotan Aqueduct Trail. It's a trail built on top of the very first aqueduct built to carry water into New York City from about 40 miles upstate. Since we were in the area this trip we decided to pick up where we left off then. After a drive to the city of Ossining we found the trail and figured out where we had gotten to all those years ago. We then headed south on foot and found ourselves walking right through the city of Ossining. Then the trail went through a nice wooded area and then became a road walk through a neighborhood overlooking the Hudson River. We didn't much care for the road walk and before long headed back to our car. I'd guess we added about 7 miles to our mileage on this trail. We did decide that we'll try to do more of it this fall. Then it was time to head for home and a nice hot shower.

      Our only sure plan for this 3 day get away was day 1. We had the idea for day 2 but let it play out however it happened and day 3 was right off the top of our head.
      It was really nice, no real agenda so no real pressure to make anything in particular happen. Just the way a vacation, even a short one, should be :)

    • once (in my 20s) while in Ft Lauderdale decided at about midnight to go see Sanabel and Captiva Islands. Had a shark knock my legs out from under me about 4am? or so. A few days later we drove down to Key West to drink on a whim. I was wilder than wild back then.
      "Dazed and Confused"
      Recycle, re-use, re-purpose
      Plant a tree
      Take a kid hiking
      Make a difference

    • NoAngel wrote:

      once (in my 20s) while in Ft Lauderdale decided at about midnight to go see Sanabel and Captiva Islands. Had a shark knock my legs out from under me about 4am? or so. A few days later we drove down to Key West to drink on a whim. I was wilder than wild back then.
      There's two times in life you're free to do what you want, when you're young and when you're old. I like the answer someone on Whiteblaze gave when asked what the average age of a thru hiker was.......40..............half are 20 and half are 60.
      I may grow old but I'll never grow up.

    • LIhikers wrote:

      Well we had a great 3 day get away.
      Day 1 was at the Taconic Hereford multi-use area. 900 acres filled with hiking trails, mountain bike trails and snowmobile trails. We arrived about 1PM and were hiking about 15 minutes later. We had printed a map of the trails from the places web site, while it wasn't very accurate or detailed it was good enough to keep us from getting lost. The thing that struck me about the area was the amount of stone walls, stone cellars,and stone foundations as well as old woods roads. I'm guessing there was a town there at some point. We hiked until 6:30ish PM and set up camp with the sound of thunder in the sky. It never did rain and we had a peaceful night's sleep. The next morning we had a leisurely breakfast and made an hour walk back to the car on some of the old roads.

      On day 2, Friday, our plan was to go walk the Walkway Over The Hudson. It's an old railroad bridge that hasn't seen a train in forever and was renovated for pedestrian and bicycle use. But it's not just the bridge, the bridge connects a rail trail on each side of the river so there's plenty of walking to be had. We finished that just as some rain started and we made plans for the rest of the afternoon. We headed north on route 9 and drove to the home, and presidential library, of FDR. The tours were being postponed because of thunder and lightening so we spent a few hours walking the grounds and seeing the outside of the building. Next stop was the local Dunkin Donuts were we came up with an idea of where to spend the night. We weren't far from where the AT crosses Dennytown Road and there's a place for hikers to camp, so we did. We met a couple of northbound thru hikers and exchanged stories. Sometime early in the morning it started to rain but our Tarptent kept us dry. Once the rain stopped we slowly had breakfast and packed up heading for our 3rd and final walk of the weekend.

      Years ago, 2001 I think,we hiked the northern end of the Old Crotan Aqueduct Trail. It's a trail built on top of the very first aqueduct built to carry water into New York City from about 40 miles upstate. Since we were in the area this trip we decided to pick up where we left off then. After a drive to the city of Ossining we found the trail and figured out where we had gotten to all those years ago. We then headed south on foot and found ourselves walking right through the city of Ossining. Then the trail went through a nice wooded area and then became a road walk through a neighborhood overlooking the Hudson River. We didn't much care for the road walk and before long headed back to our car. I'd guess we added about 7 miles to our mileage on this trail. We did decide that we'll try to do more of it this fall. Then it was time to head for home and a nice hot shower.

      Our only sure plan for this 3 day get away was day 1. We had the idea for day 2 but let it play out however it happened and day 3 was right off the top of our head.
      It was really nice, no real agenda so no real pressure to make anything in particular happen. Just the way a vacation, even a short one, should be :)
      That part of New York is filled with stone walls. In Brewster you could not walk 400 feet in the woods without crossing a stone wall.
      Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory.
      Dr. Seuss Cof123

    • You get a spur-of-the-moment trip to the woods. I get a spur-of-the-moment trip to China (again).
      Trudgin' along the AT since 2003. Completed Sections: Springer Mountain to Clingmans Dome and Max Patch NC to Gorham NH

      "The days I keep my gratitude higher than my expectations...those are pretty good days." Ray Wylie Hubbard

    • Last Friday, my day off from work, Kathy and I decided to try something new.
      We went down to Northport Harbor and rented a tandem kayak.
      While we have regular open canoe experience neither of us have ever been in a kayak before.
      We paddled around the entire harbor dodging power boats, a couple of sail boats, and a gaggle of rowing shells as we went.
      The boat itself was very stable but we never did get the synchronized paddling thing down.
      When we brought the kayak back to the rental place a couple of hours later I mentioned the paddling problem to the guy and his response was "that's why it's called the divorce boat".
      Next time we'll try 2 single person kayaks.
      All in all it was fun and a nice way to kill some time :)

    • Once tried to get a "running start" with my wife in a canoe. 8o
      She did not appreciate it, but her relatives that were watching got a good laugh out of it.

      Needless to say the same technique for starting a bobsled on ice does not transfer well to a canoe on water. :)
      The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
      Richard Ewell, CSA General

    • LIhikers wrote:

      ...When we brought the kayak back to the rental place a couple of hours later I mentioned the paddling problem to the guy and his response was "that's why it's called the divorce boat".
      Next time we'll try 2 single person kayaks.
      My wife and I have gotten the synchronized paddling thing pretty good in our tandem. The key is to let the front person lead.

      I've mentioned a few times that it would be nice to get a pair of solo kayaks. She thinks they are divorce boats because it shows that I don't want to be in the kayak with her. Go figure...
      Trudgin' along the AT since 2003. Completed Sections: Springer Mountain to Clingmans Dome and Max Patch NC to Gorham NH

      "The days I keep my gratitude higher than my expectations...those are pretty good days." Ray Wylie Hubbard

    • StalkingTortoise wrote:

      LIhikers wrote:

      ...When we brought the kayak back to the rental place a couple of hours later I mentioned the paddling problem to the guy and his response was "that's why it's called the divorce boat".
      Next time we'll try 2 single person kayaks.
      My wife and I have gotten the synchronized paddling thing pretty good in our tandem. The key is to let the front person lead.
      I've mentioned a few times that it would be nice to get a pair of solo kayaks. She thinks they are divorce boats because it shows that I don't want to be in the kayak with her. Go figure...
      It all started with "Divorse Barbie" she got half of Ken's stuff, surfboard, the beach bungalow, diving gear...and the dunebuggy!

    • uncle meat wrote:

      StalkingTortoise wrote:

      LIhikers wrote:

      ...When we brought the kayak back to the rental place a couple of hours later I mentioned the paddling problem to the guy and his response was "that's why it's called the divorce boat".
      Next time we'll try 2 single person kayaks.
      My wife and I have gotten the synchronized paddling thing pretty good in our tandem. The key is to let the front person lead.I've mentioned a few times that it would be nice to get a pair of solo kayaks. She thinks they are divorce boats because it shows that I don't want to be in the kayak with her. Go figure...
      It all started with "Divorse Barbie" she got half of Ken's stuff, surfboard, the beach bungalow, diving gear...and the dunebuggy!
      And of course she got to keep all of hers.
      The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
      Richard Ewell, CSA General

    • StalkingTortoise wrote:

      LIhikers wrote:

      ...When we brought the kayak back to the rental place a couple of hours later I mentioned the paddling problem to the guy and his response was "that's why it's called the divorce boat".
      Next time we'll try 2 single person kayaks.
      My wife and I have gotten the synchronized paddling thing pretty good in our tandem. The key is to let the front person lead.
      I've mentioned a few times that it would be nice to get a pair of solo kayaks. She thinks they are divorce boats because it shows that I don't want to be in the kayak with her. Go figure...
      Women, can't live with them, can't live with them.
      I may grow old but I'll never grow up.