The Outblog blog, No. 54 for the week starting December 21, 2003.
Sking off Peasily Road, Hiking Along Partridge Run Road
Cole Hill Snowmobile Trail, Partridge Run Overlook
Boondocks is about farms, rural life, and power toys.
Energy looks at high energy prices and our future.
Enviroman looks at man and the environment.
Hayseeds looks at politics and life in our nation.
Individual looks at myself and how I'm changing
Transit looks at the changing ways we get around.
Truck gives you stories and trips in my Ford Ranger.
Parked along Peasly Road. Skied out about a mile South in field, then skied back to car. Followed snowmobile trail to long path. Nice clear blue sky, against white snow. Nice and warm.
Drove to end of Partridge Run. Hiked along Partridge Run for a bit, enjoying all the colors that were around as the sun set. It was really nice out.
Hiked out Route 411 to Silver Creek Road from house. Nice clear day out. I see that one of the houses along 411 has done a lot of work on their barn, and now they have horses. Hiked up Silver Creek road. Kind of a different on foot then on bike—some how the hill seemed fundamentally different (not steeper per se, asmuch as just the first part was longer and the second shorter).
Hiked across Route 32 and out Route 404. More horses along the road. Not too windy or cold like my parents predicted it would be, mainly because the trees and geography blocked the wind. Hiked past the 'famous' barn that was featured in the painting at the Bethlehem library. Hiked to the top of the hill overlooking the Catskills, the Resivour, and the parts near the Town Hall. More horses along side the road—I'm starting to think the 500 horses that live in Albany actually live mostly in Dormansville. ;)
Hiked out to the Basic Resivoir. Windy there. Hiked back. The hike took about an 1 1/2, and it was about 6 miles long—nice hike, and I really liked the fact that almost the whole way back was downhill. Probably will repeat in the future, as it's good exercise, and I don't have to go anywhere to do it. I guess not changing my socks before going, left me with one blister -- oh, well.
First off, sking along 'u'-shaped snowmobile trail running to the East of Route 2. Nice warm day, again. Trail a bit icy. Clear out. Noticed how sun is so far south, that most of the time you are in the shade this time of year. Went out to the part where it dips down, and then steeply climbs. Noticed some trash left around in woods -- a bag of trash, and farther down the trail, a shot up computer monitor. Went back, hiked up road, and did the other part of the loop, to the steep downhill.
On that part of the trip, I noticed the shot up road construction sign/target was gone. Saw some squrrels, heard some snowmobiles -- but not on the trail, but at the nearby farm. Trail a bit icy, especially on the downhills. Found some interesting places to camp out in area. Returned back to car, went to meeting with boss.
Drove to Partridge Run. Started up Partridge Run Road to park at pull-off, decided too risky to leave car there (afraid of getting stuck). As there was another hiker on the road, and I desired to save some time, I decided to bushwack/hike up from Gifford Hollow Road (which I was parked on), heading North-West through thick brush and sometimes thick snow -- I found following streams the best, until I found the property line of Partridge Run, and followed that up the hill. Headed North along property line, heading slightly west at the same time. After about maybe 500 ft, I stumbled upon Long Path. Part of the way followed a hunter's path.
The views this time of year where quite good, as it was pretty darn clear out without the branches blocking the view. Good view of Northen Switzkill Valley, decent view of South Berne (which is hard to see in the summer because the branches block the view). Hiked up towards Gravel Pit, then down road to Truck Trail.
From Truck Trail, I could see the Catskills through the trees -- not magnisificant, but still kind of cool. Like usual, walking down Truck Trail, could see Phesant Valley Farm including silos, barns, and pasture. I'm confused -- a Phesant Valley Farm on Gifford Hollow Road? I just don't understand. While Hiking down hill, passed a snowmobiler, and got to enjoy the wonderful snowmobile smell for a couple of seconds -- although when I got farther down I could enjoy the aroma of chain saws (and the noise) from a state logging job off of Truck Trail. The state has been continuing on their extensive logging jobs lately -- then again, the results have paid off in many areas, but it takes time.
Hiking down Partridge Run road to my car, stumbled upon a set of carcasses. The one on top was a badger, or another relative of the ferit family -- pretty rare to actually see one, except this one was dead, attacked by some animal -- a mountain lion ?! The DEC will deny this until the cows come home. This part of the trail was pretty icy, due to all the logging equipment traffic (and other people and their pickup trucks, who enjoy Truck Trail/Partridge Run road year round).
