Here is a news story.... The Palisades Parkway was closed for a few hours....
http://www.lohud.com/story/news/loca...shes/21952803/
home safe, i hope everyone got home safe, or getting home safe, i was getting a little concerned about the fog, but that broke up as i was coming down pyngyp mt. all else, nothing less then to be expected. good umbrella, micro spike, gain gear weather. had a great time meeting up and getting to know everyone, coach Lou you might have a busy week ahead of you, the cheese cake was much welcomed. i here the roads were terrible to drive along much of the northeast so hope all is well for everyone getting home
@ GG - You home now?
Home and had a good time. Enjoyed meeting everyone
Great meeting you 2 guyz! It was crazy in my office today!...................Bill and I walked maybe 30 minutes in the sleet......how did you make out?
Well- back in Chicago. I dropped Laz off at West Point. Inspired by Coach Lou, invigorated by hiking with Malto and feeling patriotic after viewing the NYC skyline he wanted to go there immediately after our hike to enlist. (or his wife was there, not sure). Rough ride out for sure I didn't get to Rochester until about 9:00, the car and truck wrecks every fifty miles were enough warning to keep the speeds down.
Well my memory ain't quite on the level of Lou's but I do tend to tell the truth a bit better so here's my recollection of events-
Big Hill was a chilly camp with a warm fire and good company. Based upon beard freeze and the need to go to ground I'd call it zero with little or no embellishment, especially after hearing Lou's parking lot report of 10 degrees.
That would make Laz the recipient of the Shug Shiver lowest successful hang award for the weekend by a fair margin.
Another Kevin appeared to be in the lead for best wildlife encounter but after hearing Malto's turkey scramble story I'd have to say that AK gets the award for taking the time to smell the raccoons while Malto wins the funniest wildlife encounter.
Having received a brief tour on the way up and the way down I clearly obtained the most tours of the ORAK mansion and soaked up the most AK history along the way.
I did enjoy a spectacular sunrise all to my lonesome at Big Hill Shelter as Laz was finishing his movie and Kevin had some sleep to catch up on that the raccoon made off with. Malto's first ascent up Big Hill didn't go that well so he choose to redo it real quick while the rest of us were lazing at the shelter. When we reached the parking lot Kevin collected his award for biggest snotsicle and went home to recuperate from the illness he developed so he could obtain this prestigious honor.
Laz, Malto, and yours truly had a fine hike up from Bear Mountain Inn. The frequent taking on and off of microspikes by my companions gave this flatlander a little time to suck wind and continue to appear as if I was keeping pace. My Yaktrak traction devices continued to prove their less than stellar reputation by managing to completely fail roughly 1 mile from the shelter. But we had a truly beautiful day despite the park employee's vigorous use of the misting equipment to glaze the trail. Though I have some hearing loss complicated by crunching snow from what I could tell we had a pleasant and lively conversation to match the scenery.
Upon reaching the shelter we got to meet up with Coach Lou, Scotty, NYBbreakfast, Moose, GG, and a few other future WB's. Moose and NYB joined me in some Irish Breakfast as introductions were made and we settled in for a fine evening.
Overload wins the best cheesecake award, with honorable mentions to Lou for hauling it up. Expert packaging as well- I was always curious how one transports cheesecake and that mystery is now solved.
Best Looking Skirt Award went to me as predicted but with unforeseen complications. Moose was at first intrigued by my ability to so fashionably wear women's clothing and she inquired about various things that may end up inside one's skirt. Unfortunately it appears that seeing a gentleman so expertly attired eventually soured her sensibilities and stomach leading to an eventual exit from the shelter and a slippery hike out as temps fell into the 20's.
Though down one Moose we managed to rally and have a fine evening chatting around the poorly working fireplace and fine views from West Mountain which does a fine southern bald impression in its own right. Icy hikes of varied success or hazard seemed to lead everyone back to their cars (or brunches) safely.
Other Items of Note:
Assuming he pursued his plans- GG wins the Outdoorsman award as he planned to head back out Sunday evening to spend another night as his hall pass had not yet expired.
Coach Lou clearly had the best hat collection, but his trekking poles were the wrong color.
Malto definitely won the tallest hiker award, although to be fair he was near Laz for most of the hike so my sense of scale may be off.
I am Scotty had the best beer along.
I may have earned the highest whiskey to pack weight ratio (11%) by default.
Lou had the most pep in his step and wins the Conservation Award for his fine trail work.
Although GG had a handsomely shorn salt and pepper beard, and I my own colorful mess, clearly best mustachio goes to NY Breakfast for his fine pushbroom handlebar, although he suffered a bit of wax failure in the cold, I could see the potential was there for something truly impressive.
Although I was far behind early in the evening after a 3:30 cheesecake emergency it appears that I rallied to win (lose) the log sawing competition at the shelter, although I must admit I slept through the competition and such reports must be considered hearsay at best.
Discretion is the better part of Valor Awards go to Teacher and others who stayed home and avoided likely disasters that would have been difficult to fix no matter how much whiskey I had along.
I believe I concur with my breakfast companions and the Bear Mountain Inn Sunday Brunch is likely the finest AYCE to be had on the trail.
Tipi Walter Award goes to the waiter at the Inn- who made many fascinating claims as he served us and told us of his planned adventures.
Mother Nature wins best looking as always, it's been a dozen years for me since setting foot in that area, but it's truly a gem and I am infinitely jealous of all of you who live so close to such a fine park.
So, literally none of this happened, but figuratively speaking that's how this liar saw things.
Thanks to all for a pleasant trip!
Great to hear you are home Bill! It was alot of fun...as always!
My step daughter loves the back cover and can't wait 'till I'm done.
PM me your e-mail and I'll send you a few picsMLK15.jpg
Thanks for the beauty trip report JB, glad you were able to put faces together with old/new friends, and got home safe.
Socks- Definitely missed ya brother, next time fer sure.
Coach- PM sent.
When/if you get a chance to flip through- post your thoughts if you'd be so kind- a few WB reviewers would be a big help. http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/show...ht=i+am+a+liar
I'm not sure how much honor there is in to receiving the "participation" (or in this care the "non-participation") award, but hey, I'll take it! Please let's do this in a warmer time, and we'll be there! Would have loved to see/meet you all.
"Maybe life isn't about avoiding the bruises. Maybe it's about collecting the scars to prove we showed up for it."
I"ve not forgotten the promise to show Snacktime a ghost town! Sorry that the weather this time was so uncooperative - nay, downright dangerous. You made a good decision, staying home.Originally Posted by Teacher & Snacktime
I always know where I am. I'm right here.
It's not what you think, when guys have icicles in their moustaches. It's condensation!
Bill definitely had the best beard freeze going. There was quite an impressive display of icicles framing his face on Saturday. Mine was nowhere near on his scale. Of course, my face fur isn't as luxuriant, either!
I need to figure out how to keep from rolling over in my sleep and burying my face in my sleeping bag hood. Yes, I do try to keep the drawstring cinched around my face. It still comes off while I'm sleeping. I had a lot of condensation in the hood when I got home. The rest of the bag was nice and dry.
I always know where I am. I'm right here.
I still have to find Doodletown Rock Shelter. There was one young fella, with his friends, that had thrued. He knew Harriman real well and told me how to find it.
I found it Lou, it is nothing you would ever want to stay in. Dirt floor.
I want to see it, step in it, it has much history of people......long before the Dutch.
During last summer/ fall trail project, I spent much other time exploring and reading up on the Hudson Highlands Area and history.
Well, when the condensation accumulates under a single runny nostril.....
But yar, around 15ish, it's tough to handle the buildup on the bags. The buff I wear helps that some, but around zero like that night the buff itself tends to freeze after a bit and my whole beard ices up.
On the bag I used the second night- I have a short piece of stretch lycra binding sewn to the draft collar that I pull over my head. That keeps the center of the opening closer to my chin and tight under it as I toss and turn. In part though, that's a bit why I like the hoodless bags, I've always found my self with my face burrowed in where it don't belong.
Really- if anything- with a bit of ice up I seem to resemble a certain hiking boy who used to frequent these pages-
IMG_2333.JPG
You're in there more often than I am lately, so you'll probably find it on your own before I get down there next. It's not much to look at, just a triangular crack among gneiss erratic boulders. (Not too different from the passage at the Lemon Squeezer, but bigger).
If you want to shelter in Doodletown, the Moore family's garage is still standing. Walk west out of town on the 1777E trails to where the three 1777 trails join. The left fork is the 1777 (not E or W, the common section) and is also Pleasant Valley Rd. Follow the road south. In about 0.4 mile it crosses the bridle path, and in another 0.5 mile or so, it crosses The Timp Brook. Somewhere in there, there's the last historic placard that says that two more homesteads, and the Edison mine, lie beyond. As soon as you're over the brook, veer left up the slope. You'll come to a grassy clearing in about 800 feet. Beyond the foundations of the main house you'll find the garage pretty much intact. There's a fire ring in front of it.
Also be sure to check out the waterworks. (Cinderblock building is still standing, with lots of abandoned equipment. Kinda spooky.)
I always know where I am. I'm right here.
Oh, that is what I saw, the Moore Family garage. Stone sides, tin roof, dirt floor, big fire ring.
I really enjoyed hiking along the 1777 trail, thinking about the British on their way to Fort Clinton and Fort Montgomery.
MLK IV is in the works. Who's up for it?
I am a definite maybe. I hike every other weekend when my wife works. If she works that weekend I am there. If not, still might be there.
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