What You Missed
Spring 2025
Spring 2025
On Friday, May 2nd, I planned take Sheena for a walk away from Livingston Manor. I did not have anyone else to respond to ambulance calls but decided to take a chance and go anyway. The temperature continued to rise all morning but thunderstorms were forecast for the afternoon. I planned to hike the Parksville Rail Trail from Fox Mountain Road to Parksville out and back as fast as possible. I began to get ready at 12:00 PM with the temperature at 73 degrees with blue skies and huge puffy white clouds with some sun peeking through. The Parksville Rail Trail is under three miles out and back and I decide not to take a pack and hike as quickly as possible. Sheena has a wicked pull on her leash so I have transitioned to using a brand new GarmimSport PRO electronic collar which has many versatile settings and seems to do the job. This allows Sheena to roam and keeps me sane by not having to yank on her leash. As I was getting dressed, I remembered how much Sheila liked to hike this trail. It seems that Sheena likes hiking as she smells my clothes and then runs to sit by the door! I got dressed in my White Sierra long-sleeved crew top without a baselayer. I put on a pair of RailRiders hiking pants which are expensive but last a long time and have features like deep pockets and a generous cut which I really like. My toes were sore from several days of hiking so I decided to put on a pair of Zamberlain low-cut hiking shoes. They seemed wide enough and long enough but don't have much support. I like to wear my Mammut hoody which has plenty of zippers and pockets but it was just too warm. I meant to wear my OR Bugout gaiters to keep the bottom of my pants dry and to fight off the ticks that might be out but forgot them in my hurry. I grabbed a pair of Leki Makalu Lite poles I have been using for some time because they are light and lock without slipping. I would be hiking with Sheena off leash for most of the hike so the poles made sense. I put my gear in the back of the car and left Livingston Manor at 12:20 PM. I drove out Old Route 17 toward Parksville and turned left under the Quickway overpass onto Service Road. I drove toward Parksville and pulled into the parking area on the right side of the road just after Fox Mountain Rd. There were no cars parked in the lot when we arrived. The temperature was 74 degrees and the sun made it feel warmer. I got my poles and opened the back door to release Sheena. I made sure Sheena's electronic collar was turned on. When I let her jump out of the car, she immediately headed for the trail.
The first part of the trail was completely dry even though there had been somesame rain. Off her leash Sheena would run ahead of me a certain distance and then maintain that distance by waiting for me or increasing her pace. Once we were on the trail, we were sheltered from the sun but I was still warm. The trail was mostly dry with some soft and muddy spots. The trail runs parallel to the Little Beaverkill and the new section of State Route 17. It follows the route of the O&W railroad and is very flat. Sheena was setting a quick pace and I didn't mind as long as she would listen and wait for me when necessary. The water level in the stream was at the same level as on our last trip. We continued on the trail through some muddy patches until we came to the viewpoint just before the wooden walkways. This spot has a nice view down to the stream and the skies were blue with white clouds. We walked across the wooden walkways to the little bridge at the end. The area before the bridge was dry but just after the bridge was a large patch of mud from one side of the trail to the other. The culvert under the bridge was still blocked and the water forms the mud. No one seems concerned about solving this problem. We walked around the mud to continue the hike. We came to the landslide that had brought down several trees that had been cut and cleared. This area is now muddy but there were some stepping stones. As we walked, I could hear the increase in noise from the stream. When we reached the falls, I took a quick look and kept hiking.
We continued toward Parksville with Sheena in the lead pushing the pace. Within a few minutes, we were nearing the Parksville end of the trail and Sheena was eager to continue. The dogs near the end of the trail that had been barking last time seemed to be inside. Sheena led the way toward the gate at the end of the trail. We reached the sign at the Parksville end of the rail trail at 12:52 having taken 27 minutes to hike out. We immediately turned around and started back toward the car. At that point the dogs came out and started barking bur Sheena did not seem to care. Sheena and I continued to set a fast pace. Soon we were passing the falls and continued without stopping. I took a little time on the way back to train Sheena. I called her back to me and had her sit and stay. The stay part has gotten much better. As we approached the end of the trail, I let Sheena walk by me without a leash by giving her the "With" command. We were soon breaking out of the woods on the path to the parking area where there were still no cars. We arrived back at the car at 1:16 PM after hiking over 2 miles in 51 minutes making it one of our falsest times. The temperature had stayed at 74 degrees. Sheena seemed fresh and could have hiked out and back on the trail another time. I hope to try my theory on some longer hikes in the near future. We returned home and Sheena and I both had something to drink. There had been been one ambulance call while we were on the trail but at least it was not in our area.
On Wednesday, April 30th, I wanted to get out and do a longer hike as I had a crew covering ambulance calls. I thought about going to Balsam Lake Mountain as I had not hiked a mountain in some time. In the end I changed my mind as the drive to Balsam Lake Mountain was too long and I thought I might not be in shape to enjoy it. I knew Sheena didn't care as long as we were outside. I started to get ready at 10:15 AM with the temperature at 67 degrees and plenty of sun and blue skies. I thought we would hike to the Beaver Meadow Lean-to which would be better named the Beaver Pond Lean-to as the beavers have returned. They have built an impressive dam and there are at least two lodges. I knew I could extend the hike by going to the falls on Alder Creek downstream of the lake. Sheena was hovering around me as she can always detect when I am getting ready for a hike. I decided to wear my Mammut long-sleeved crew shirt without a baselayer. I wore my Railriders hiking pants which are expensive but last along time and have features like deep pockets and a generous cut which I really like. The pants have Velcro closures at the ankles. I thought about warmer pants but decided against it. I decided to put on my Keen Durand hiking boots which fit well. I added a new pair of Xstance insoles in an effort to find the best support and cushioning for my feet. These insoles have shock absorbing gel pads, TPU arch support, and memory foam cushioning all wrapped in a breathable fabric. The insoles have been hyped by their manufacturer and seemed to be living up to their claims. I grabbed a pair of Leki Makalu Lite poles I have been using for some time because they are light and lock without slipping. I did don my Mammut hoody which has lots of zippers to dump heat. This jacket has a hood but I decided to wear a light hat. I did put on my OR BugOut gaiters as I knew the trail might be wet and muddy from the recent rains. These gaiters also help to ward off ticks. I got my gear and Sheena in my car and left Livingston Manor at 10:35 AM and drove north and west on Old Route 17 toward Roscoe. Just outside of town I turned right on the Beaverkill Road and headed north. I continued on the Beaverkill Road through Lew Beach and Turnwood toward Alder Creek Road where I made a left. I continued to the end on the road where I turned right toward Alder Lake. I drove up the access road very slowly as there are some very rough spots. When I got to the parking area there were no cars in the parking lots. The temperature was 47 degrees. I was surprised at the temperature difference between home and trailhead. The sun felt warm but there was a breeze that offset that effect. The skies were bright and sunny with lots of blue and some puffy white clouds. I made sure Sheena's ecollar was turned on and then let her out of the car. She immediately began to run around to inspect a new place. I set my Garmin GPSMap 64st and we started out on the path toward the "lawn" at 11:00 AM.
We walked along the path which passes by the stone foundations which marks the last remnants of the Coykendall Mansion. The house had been built as a large hunting lodge and then was gifted to the Boy Scouts of America. When the state took over the property, the mansion fell into disrepair with campers tearing boards away to use for campfires. The state added a fence but it did not deter people so the house was eventually burned to the ground. As we walked down the right side of the lawn, I noticed that the grass was short as it had no grown up yet and the picnic tables that were present were easily accessible. The tables all had a crushed stone had beneath them and paths of the same material leading to them. This was an improvement over previous years and made the area more inviting. I walked toward the dam and the "beach" where I normally take pictures. I took out my camera and snapped some shots of the lake and the hills around it. The sun was bright and was making it difficult to get good shots. The sunlight bouncing off the lake was causing the ripples in the water to sparkle. While I was taking pictures, Sheena was running around the whole lawn chasing swallows. The birds would swoop low and she would run and jump to catch them. Sheena is only 9 months old and has a lot of energy. We walked over to the dam and I took a few shots of the spillway and a few downstream. We walked across the lawn toward the trail around the left side of the lake and started walking east along the trail on the north side of the lake. The trail was wet in many places with a few muddy spots. The brush and branches that had overgrown the trail were now dead and the walking was much easier but some still hung in the path. The small streams that cross the trail had quite a bit of water in them. Sheena was happy to be out and ran ahead and then returned to me or waited until I could catch up. There was a large tree down across the trail and I noted that it was felled by beavers. We walked a little farther and I stopped for a moment to take some pictures of Cradle Rock Ridge on the other side of the lake. As I was taking those shots some local geese stopped by making some noise. Sheena was interested and entered the water but the geese were too far out. I took some shots and then returned the camera to my pack.
We continued on the trail and we crossed the bridge on the trail near the head end of the lake. I could see the beaver dam that impounded some water from the inlet streams was still intact. I stopped to take pictures of the dam and the water behind it. The sun was at a difficult angle but I took some shots anyway. We continued on the trail toward the junction with the Millbrook Ridge Trail. At the point where a path leads to the left to some primitive campsite, a large tree was across the trail still lying on the ground. We were able to step over it but it was not easy. The trail conferences have been having trouble getting volunteers to do the work. At the trail junction, we turned left to head toward the lean-to on the Millbrook Ridge Trail. The trail was wet in some places and muddy in quite a few areas. Fortunately, the trail showed more use than I had expected and was relatively clear of blowdowns and branches. There were also some older and rotten trunks still on the trail I did find a few blowdowns that I had cut when I was the maintainer and there a few more that should be cut. We crossed some streams that run across the trail and were now flowing nicely. Alder Creek had quite a bit of water and we could here it as it ran downstream over the rocks. The sunlight was sparkling off the water and the lack of leaves on the trees allowed us to get some great views. I stopped to take a few shots and also took a picture of one of the man trillium that lined the trail. Some of the large, older blowdowns which had been across the trail had been cleared. The trail is pretty obvious and the blazes easy to see in most places. For the next 1.5 miles the trail climbed and then leveled off several times. The elevation gain is several hundred feet but the grade is never more than 12% and averages around 6%. There isn't too much to see along the way but this day was very pleasant because of the temperature and my mood.
The trail leveled off at the first beaver meadow and I decided to walk out to the edge of the meadow to take some pictures. The meadow was larger than I had thought and I reasoned it would make a nice comparison to the beaver pond near the lean-to. I returned to the trail and Sheena took the time to get a drink and splash in the water. At 2.2 miles we began the last climb and I found that the going was easier than I thought it would be. As we started the climb, we came across a few more blowdowns. Soon we arrived at the beaver pond. Where there had once been a beaver meadow, there was now a pond with a dam and a beaver lodge. The pond was lower than the last time I had visited but still occupied the entire meadow. As we came to the spot on the trail opposite the beaver dam, I walked off the trail to the right and found a good viewpoint. I took pictures of the pond and the dam. I also took some shots of the beaver lodge with the lean-to in the background. As I looked around I was overcome by the feeling of joy at seeing what God has created! I realized that the return trip would be much easier as it was almost all downhill. We walked along the shore of the pond to the lean-to where I put down my pack and got out my camera. It was 12:30 PM and it had taken us 1 hour and 30 minutes to get to the pond. We walked out to the edge of the pond and I took more pictures of the dam and the lodge. I got Sheena to sit on a rock and I took pictures. We walked back to the lean-to and I had her pose so I could take more pictures. It was then that I enticed that the lean-to had a new roof. All of the roof boards had been replaced and new shingles added. What disappointed me was that the workers had left the old tarp from the roof to blow off into the forest! I picked it up, folded it, and put it in the lean-to! The level of the pond was lower than I thought it should be and there was no evidence of new activity. I decided we would walk a little farther on the trail to the next beaver meadow. I suspected the beavers might have built another dam. We walked out to the main trail and tuned right. There were several very large trees blocking the trail as they had been for some time. The trail was also wet and muddy. We walked up hill and came to the area where there used to be another beaver meadow. There was now a large beaver pond with a dam and a lodge. There were several trees new felled by the beavers and a stockpile of material to repair the dam or build a new lodge. Beavers sometimes do this so they can better control the flow of water in their ponds. I took quite a few pictures before stowing the camera and started back to the car. The walk back was all downhill or flat so it did go quickly. It also helped that I was not taking any pictures! We were soon at the loop trail around Alder Lake. I had thought about turning left to hike around the pond that way but in the end we turned right to return the way we came.
We crossed the bridges and found an open view of Cradle Rock Ridge. We continued on the trail toward the parking area. We walked up the hill toward the ruins of the lodge and then toward the parking area. I decided I had just enough time to walk down to Alder Creek to visit the waterfalls and take some pictures. Sheena and I walked over to the path that led down to the spring and Alder Creek below the dam. I stopped when we came to the first small waterfall. I got out my camera and walked to the flat rocks along the streambed. I took some pictures of the rapids upstream and then walked a little farther downstream. I was able to get some shots of a small falls and one that is about 10 feet tall. I went back to my pack, stowed the camera and walked back up the bank to one of the woods roads. We walked downstream on the woods road until I found a path that I knew led down to the stream. We walked down the path to a viewpoint over the highest falls which drops about 20 feet. There was plenty of water flowing in the creek but the lighting was not the best. I took a number of pictures including some of a smaller falls below the main one. When I was done, I decided it was time to go back to the car. We walked back up the path to the woods road and continued up the steep bank to the next woods road and then to the road. followed it back to the path and the parking area. We were back at the car at 2:15 PM after hiking 5.0 miles in 3 hours and 15 minutes with 40 minutes of stopped time. The elevation gain was 730 feet. Our moving speed was 1.9 MPH but I had purposely slowed my pace to enjoy the day.
On Tuesday, April 29th I wanted to get out for a longer hike but knew I would have to make it shorter than I would like due to ambulance corps commitments. The number of ambulance calls decreased in April but we had two overnight calls which left me with four hours sleep. I returned home at 7:00 AM but had to meet an EMT student at the building at 8:30 AM. The student arrived at 8:00 AM and I gave her a tour and a talk until 10:00 AM. I decided that I needed a nap and knew that I had another member on call only until 2:00 PM. I put my head own on the ouch and almost immediately fell asleep. I started getting ready with the temperature at 82 degrees. I decided to hike the Parksville Rail Trail from Parksville toward Livingston Manor and perhaps visit some waterfalls along the way. I got dressed in my White Sierra light crew top with a short-sleeved baselayer. I wore my Railriders hiking pants which are expensive but last along time and have features like deep pockets and a generous cut which I really like. The pants have Velcro closures at the ankles. I decided to put on my Keen Durand hiking boots which I ordered a half size larger than the previous pair. These shoes fit well out of the box but get much tighter when I add a decent insole. Without the third party insole, by feet hurt from the lack of support. I added a new pair of Xstance insoles in an effort to find the best support and cushioning for my feet. These insoles have shock absorbing gel pads, TPU arch support, and memory foam cushioning all wrapped in a breathable fabric. The insoles have been hyped by their manufacturer and they really do seem to deliver. I decided to take my Leki Makalu Lite poles with external locks as the internal twist locks fail. I put on my OR Bugoff gaiters to combat the ticks which have been plentiful this year. At 2:10 PM I put my gear in the car and Sheena in the back seat. I headed out Old Route 17 across the Flats and then took Old Route 17 and Service Road to the point where they meet Fox Mountain Road. Just after this intersection is the western parking area for the rail trail. There were three other cars in the lot which is unusual. One of the cars immediately pulled out. I put Sheena on her leash for the short road walk to the beginning of the trail heading toward Livingston Manor. I also made sure that her ecollar was turned on. The ecollar has really helped train Sheena even though I seldom use it.
We started out at 2:20 PM with the temperature right at 84 degrees. A slight breeze was blowing but the skies were bright, blue, and sunny with some clouds. We walked on Service Road toward Fox Mountain Road and turned left on Fox Mountain Road and walked under the Quickway. We walked back to the intersection of Fox Mounatin Road and Benton Hollow Road and hopped the guard rail and immediately came to what was left of the trestle supports that carried the railroad tracks over the stream. I noticed what remained of a painting on the trestle. I had seen this painting before but had not realized it was a memorial to NASCAR driver Davey Allison #28 who drove the Texaco-Havoline Ford car. Allison died in a helicopter crash in 1993. We walked up the trail to left to the top of the trestle where I released Sheena from her leash. As we entered the shade of the trees, it immediately seemed a little cooler. The trail was well defined and stretched ahead for some distance. Like most rail trails it is very straight. Town of Liberty Supervisor Frank DeMayo had told me that this was state land and the town had an agreement from the state to use it. The hope is to connect the Parksville Rail Trail to all the sections that stretch as far as Livingston Manor. We started to walk along the trail and I noticed there was quite a bit of traffic on the Quickway and on Service Road! The land dropped off steeply to the Little Beaverkill on the right. The stream volume was high enough to form some white rapids. There were many rapids along the way which I did not remember from previous trips. On the left were some "cliffs" which were the result of the railroad cutting a path for the tracks. In some places there was water coming down off the ledges in small waterfalls. There were several blowdowns along the way since this part of the trail is not maintained. Some had been cut and some not. Sheena was ranging ahead but not as far as usual. She seemed a little spooked by the traffic noise. Not too far along the trail we came to a young man and woman off the side of the trail. Sheena started to run over to the woman but I called her back. The woman seemed disappointed but Sheena tends to jump on people as a means of greeting. He all said "Hello" as Sheena and I continued our hike along the well-defined trail. It was a pleasant walk but the insects were out in force which reminded me to make sure I had repellant in my pack. There were a few small blowdowns on the trail which could be removed with hand tools. I walked over or around these and removed some small branches on the trail as we walked. The trail was damp in me places and muddy in a few others. There are two places along the trail where there are piles of garbage. It is hard to determine why they are there. Both piles have tarps over them which seemed to indicate someone once valued the items. A VW bug was just over the bank on the right after the first pile of debris. We soon came to a gate on the trail which was odd since it is state land. No one seems to know why the gate is there or who placed it. We walked around the gate and continued on the trail. There was a path to the left just after the gate. It looked interesting but we stayed on the rail trail.
The rail trail in this area is grassy but the grass was mowed. Soon we came to a small pond on the right with a red building behind it. The building looked to be in good shape but the windows were all boarded up. There was a definite path between the pond on the right and the wetlands on the left of the trail. It looked like a beaver trail to me but I could not see any dam, lodge, or even any trees that the beavers had cut. I stopped to take a few pictures of the pond and the red building. After hiking about 1.3 miles, we came to a driveway on the left which leads to the Sonoma Falls property. I knew this was private land but two town supervisors had said it was probably alright to visit it. At one time there was a campground on the property. Some local business people bought the property and built a cider mill and market. They took the time to construct some hiking trails along the stream. I remember that the falls were very nice with at least five separate drops which increased in height the farther upstream one venturned. The business closed when not enough people would go out of their way to visit. I noticed that the roof on the main building was collapsing which made me sad. I had hoped someone would buy the property and restart a business there. We walked to the stream just behind the building and I got my first look at the falls. They had not changed much since the last time I was there. There was a falls right in front and one visible farther upstream. I started taking the first of what would be a large number of pictures. I perched on some rocks and got a nice shot of three sets of falls. I told Sheena to pose on a rock with the falls behind her and she did. I took a series of pictures as she stretched her neck in different directions. I also took some shots in the other direction to capture the blue skies and the buildings. We turned right and started up the trail. I stopped because I found a nice view of the lower falls. I took the time to take some more shots here. The sun was bright and it took some effort to get in the right position so that the bright sun did not spoil the pictures. We continued to walk along the stream bypassing the second falls formed by a dam which once impounded a pond. There are several areas where there is laid up stone which made me think there had been mills along the stream at some point. We walked back up to the trail and a little farther upstream to the third set of falls. We walked a path down to the pond to a spot where I could get some good shots by working my way down the bank. I took some wide angle shots and some that were zoomed in. The sun was still a problem but I did my best to prevent it from spoiling the pictures. We walked along the shore of the pond and stream until I found a better viewpoint near the base of the falls. I took some more shots from this viewpoint and the packed up and looked for a way to get up the bank. I wanted to get some shots of the upper falls so we walked up the steep path a short way.
I was able to take some shots of the upper falls from just passed a fence that once restrained people from getting too close to the edge. When I was done, I thought about walking down to the streambed but decided I would head upward. We walked up the steep hill toward the last falls with Sheena picking the route. A short walk brought us to a point where I could take shots of the last and highest falls which has three different section and is hard to get in one picture. I put my pack down and got out my camera and began taking pictures from several different viewpoints. At the top of the falls is a bridge across the stream with a pond beyond and a small falls. I took some pictures of the bridge and the stowed the camera and scoured the pack. We walked up to the bridge but decided to turn left on a woods road rather than visit the bridge. We continued to a sign at the trail junction. Instead of turning left to follow the trails back the way we had come, we continued straight ahead following yellow markers. The markers followed another woods road and were pretty clear until I looked ahead and could not see them anymore. Sheena was leading the way and flawlessly followed the path. At one point she started the wrong way but looked up, saw a sign and turned to stay on the correct route. This area was very wet and muddy in many different places but I decided to keep going. I followed Sheena who seemed to be able to find the trail. We came to a point where another woods road turned left and also where there were more yellow markers. The yellow markers continued for a short distance down the hill until the woods road ended at another woods road. We had the choice of going left or right at the bottom. I knew that turning left would take us back to the cider mill but I decided to turn right as I knew that trail led to the area just before the gate. When we reached the gate, we turned right and began a fast-paced walk back to the car with Sheena running ahead and coming back to me many times. Sheena is only 9 months old and loves to get out and follow her nose every chance she gets. Along the way we came to the tree that had been cut. I continued but Sheena stopped and would go no further! I couldn't tell whether it was the tree, the traffic noise, or something else she saw. I tried to encourage her but in the end I just kept walking. We were back at the car at 3:50 PM having hiked about 4 miles in 1 hour and 30 minutes with plenty of stopped time for photography. The ascent was 330 feet almost all of which was the climb to the waterfalls. I do hope the plans to connect the sections of the rail trails are successful! It seems my hope that someone would reopen Sonoma Falls is probably not going to happen.
On Thursday, April 24th, I planned take Sheena for a walk away from Livingston Manor. I did not have anyone else to respond to ambulance calls but decided to take a chance and go anyway. The temperature continued to rise all morning as I waited for Cindy to get home from church. I planned to hike the Parksville Rail Trail and though she might like to join us as likes flat hikes. When she arrived home at 12:30 PM, I asked her if she would like to tale a walk. She turned me down. I was disappointed but decided to take Sheena anyway. I began to get ready at 1:00 PM with the temperature at 77 degrees with blues skies and white clouds with plenty of sun. The Parksville Rail Trail is under three miles out and back but carrying a pack and keeping a quick pace helps increase the difficulty. The last time I took Sheena on this hike, I had the feeling that she could have done it again when we got back to the car. Sheena has a wicked pull on her leash so I have transitioned to using a brand new GarmimSport PRO electronic collar which has many versatile settings and seems to do the job. This allows Sheena to roam and keeps me sane by not having to yank on her leash. As I was getting dressed, I remembered how much Sheila liked to hike this trail. It seems that Sheena likes hiking as she smells my clothes and then runs to sit by the door! I got dressed in my White Sierra long-sleeved crew top without a baselayer. I put on a pair of RailRiders hiking pants which are expensive but last a long time and have features like deep pockets and a generous cut which I really like. My toes were sore from several days of hiking so I decided to put on a pair of Zamberlain low-cut hiking shoes. They seemed wide enough and long enough but don't have much support. I like to wear my Mammut hoody which has plenty of zippers and pockets but it was just too warm. I wore my OR Bugout gaiters to keep the bottom of my pants dry and to fight off the ticks that might be out. I took my Leki MicroVario poles as I would be hiking with Sheena off leash for most of the hike. I put my gear in the back of the car and left Livingston Manor at 1:20 PM. I drove out Old Route 17 toward Parksville and turned left under the Quickway overpass onto Service Road. I drove toward Parksville and pulled into the parking area on the right side of the road just after Fox Mountain Rd. There was one car parked in the lot when we arrived. I could see a woman with a dog coming toward the trailhead and waited until she got to the car before letting Sheena out of the car. The temperature was 78 degrees and the sun made it feel warmer. I put on my pack and got my poles. I opened the back door and made sure Sheena's electronic collar was turned on. I put Sheena on her leash to start the hike. When I let her jump out of the car, she waited for me rather than pulling on the leash.
The first part of the trail was completely dry even though there had been same rain overnight. Off her leash Sheena would run ahead of me a certain distance and then maintain that distance by waiting for me or increasing her pace. Once we were on the trail, we were sheltered from the sun but I was still hot. The trail was mostly dry with some soft and muddy in some spots. The trail runs parallel to the Little Beaverkill and the new section of State Route 17. It follows the route of the O&W railroad and is very flat. Sheena was setting a quick pace and I didn't mind as long as she would listen and wait for me when necessary. The water level in the stream was at the same level as on our last trip. The trail had a few small branches that had broke off in the winds that blew for several days. I worked to remove them as best I could. We did not run into any larger branches or trees down across the trail. I looked up and saw a woman walking toward us and took hold of Sheena's collar and walked to the side of the trail. The woman and I exchanged greeting as she passed. We continued on the trail through some muddy patched until we came to the viewpoint just before the wooden walkways. This spot has a nice view down to the stream and the skies were blue with white clouds. I decided to stop for pictures so I put down my pack and OT out the camera. I took a variety of shots another had Sheena pose for some pictures. I put the camera away and shouldered the pack as we walked across the wooden walkways. The area before the bridge was dry but just after the bridge was a large patch of mud from one side of the trail to the other. The culvert under the bridge was still blocked and the water forms the mud. No one seems concerned about solving this problem. We walked around the mud to continue the hike. We came to the landslide that had brought down several trees that had been cut and cleared. This area is now muddy but there were some stepping stones. As we walked, I could hear the increase in noise from the stream. When we reached the falls, I inspected them and found the water was at a pretty high volume and I decided to go down the path to the streambed and take some pictures. I directed Sheena down the path and she ran down to the stream. I did not run but carefully picked my way down. I put down my pack and retrieved my camera. I took shot of the entire falls and the rapids below it. I tried different angles and zooms as well as some different camera settings. I took some shots downstream also. I got Sheena to sit on some rocks and took pictures of here with the falls as a backdrop.
When I was done, I returned the camera to my pack and picked my way back to the trail. I put the pack down and got out the camera again to take some photos from above the falls. It is the same falls but the varying angles make it look different. I also got down low and snapped some shots of the rapids above the falls. When I was done, we continued on the trail toward the Parksville trailhead and this time I did stop upstream of the falls. I walked down a path and got some photos downstream toward the falls. I also took some shot of the rapids just a short distance upstream. When I had finished, we pushed on toward the other end of the trail. We continued toward Parksville with Sheena in the lead pushing the pace. Within a few minutes, we were nearing the Parksville end of the trail and Sheena was eager to continue. The dogs near the end of the trail that had been absent during cold weather were now out in full force. I turned around to see Sheena running the other direction. I decided to tag the end of the trail and then catch up with her. As soon as I reached the sign at the Parksville end of the rail trail, I immediately turned around and started back toward the car. I soon caught up with Sheena who continued to set a fast pace. Soon we were passing the falls and continued without stopping. We set a fast pace until In such a way a woman with two young girls headed our way. I took Sheena by the collar and we moved off the trail. The girl in the lead made some kind of noise that startled Sheena but I was able to keep a hold on her collar. The three walkers hurried by and Sheena and I continued back to the car. I took a little time on the way back to train Sheena. I called her back to me and had her sit and stay. The stay part has gotten much better. As we approached the end of the trail, I called Sheena and put her on her leash. We were soon breaking out of the woods on the path to the parking area. We arrived back at the car at 2:45 PM after hiking over 2 miles in 1 hour and 15 minutes including the time to stop to take pictures. The temperature had risen to 81 degrees! Sheena seemed fresh and could have hiked out and back on the trail another time. I hope to try my theory on some longer hikes in the near future. We returned home and Sheena and I both had something to drink. There had been no other ambulance calls while we were on the trail which made me feel good.
On Wednesday, April 23rd I was considering whether or not to hike even though the weather was beautiful. Sheena and I had done over 6 miles the day before and parts of my body could feel each of the those miles! I did some work around the house and tat the ambulance building. When I returned home at 2:20 POM the temperature was 71 degrees with bright sun, blue skies, and a slight breeze. Sheena was begging to go on a hike so I decided to take her. I was once again limited to Round Top as I was the only EMT on call for the ambulance corps. I knew I would have to carry my phone just in case a call came in. The last three times I have hiked on Round Top we finished our hike without being interrupted by a call. I got dressed in my light White Sierra long-sleeved crew top without a baselayer. I put on a pair of RailRiders hiking pants which are expensive but last a long time and have features like deep pockets and a generous cut which I really like. I hoped that these pants would be warm enough once we got moving. I decided to put on my old Keen Durand hiking boots which still fit well. I added a pair of Protalus insoles in an effort to find the best support and cushioning for my feet. The weather dictated that I did not need a jacket but I put on my Mammut hoody which has plenty of zippers to dump heat. I really just wanted a pocket to carry my phone! I knew that a hat and gloves were out of the question. I wore my OR Bugout gaiters to fight off the ticks that might be out. I took my Leki MicroVario poles as I would be hiking with Sheena off leash for most of the hike. I put the ecollar on Sheena and turned it on. I decided not to put a harness on Sheena since she would only be on the leash to get to the trail and back. At 3:05 PM I put Sheena on her leash and walked out the door to start the hike. We headed down the driveway and toward the street. Sheena has gotten used to walking on her leash to the end of the drive. She also has become accustomed to waiting for cars to pass by and then crossing when I say "OK". This time she looked both ways and then looked at me and I said "OK" because there were no cars. She readily crossed the street and wanted to head across the field by the church. We walked behind the church and started up the hill on the paved road. Sheena gave me help up the hill by pulling on her leash. Sheena had no problem walking up the hill except for the fact that she likes to stop and sniff very frequently. The hill is short but gets the circulation pumping and is the steepest and longest climb on the "trail." We did not stop on the way to the top of the hill and set a fast pace. Sheena has grown bigger than we thought she would and her pull on the leash is signficant. At the top we paused briefly to look around before Sheena turned left and entered the forest trail. I immediately let Sheena off her leash and she started on the trail. She has been good about picking a certain distance on the trail and staying that far ahead of me. She does take some side trips to follow animal trails but comes back to the main trail.
We started on the trail with Sheena setting a good pace. The trail had no water or mud and was only slightly damp in places. At the first trail junction, Sheena turned right on the woods road which is the more gentle approach to the trail system. At the end of the woods road, we turned left and started up the trail to the junction with the blue trail. I decided I wanted to do a figure so we turned left on the yellow trail which was the path Sheena had chosen. We walked along the base of Round Top. Sheena was running ahead and waiting or running back to me as fast as she could. At the next junction with the blue trail, we turned right and headed up the trail toward the summit. When we came to the switchback, Sheena turned right and we walked out into the forest. We followed the trail as it turned almost 180 degrees and headed back to the main trail. We turned right and started up over the summit passing by the white crossover trail. After passing over the summit, we started down the other side. Sheena kept running ahead but only just so far before waiting for me. I found that if she did not respond to my voice she did to the beeper in the ecollar. We bypassed the white crossover trail and continued down to the junction with the yellow trail. We trend right and again walked along the base of Round Top. This time we turned left and continued downhill on the yellow trail. We descended a small hill and passed by the "Sitting Rock" without Sheena giving it a second look. We followed the yellow trail down to the viewpoint and turned left to follow the trail as it turned left. I followed Sheena as she rushed down the steep hill to the first trail junction. Sheena made a slight turn onto the woods road as I stood for a moment at the junction, When I made a move to start up the hill again, Sheena immediately ran ahead of me up the hill.
We continued straight up the hill with Sheena leading the way on the trail with a few off trail excursions. Sheena was full of energy even though we had just completed a figure 8 but she only wanted to concentrate on hiking. We progressed up the hill with me following behind. At the upper lookout we followed the yellow trail as it turned right. When we reached the "Sitting Rock", Sheena jumped up on it, looked around, and continued on the trail. We continued on the yellow trail up a small hill. There were quite a few small branches on the trail and some leaning in from the side. I made a mental note to bring a saw next time. When we reached the junction with the blue trail to the summit, we turned right to walk the yellow trail along the base of Round Top on our quest for another figure 8. We continued to the junction with the blue trail. We turned left and started up the blue trail toward the summit. I was beginning to notice that my legs were tired. We walked up the trail bypassing the white crossover trail. We continued over the summit of Round Top and started down the other side. It was a pleasure hiking without Sheena on a leash as it gave me the freedom to use my poles. We again bypassed the white crossover trail on the left but almost immediately turned left on the switchback. Once again it was out to the turned in the woods and then back to tha main trail. We turned left and walked downhill to the junction with the yellow trail. When we reached the junction with the yellow trail, we turned left and walked along the yellow trail at the base of Round Top. As we came around a turn Sheena altered and I saw a younger man hiking toward us. Sheena ran toward him but I called her and she reluctantly returned. Sheena rolled over on her back as I tried to attach her leash. The hiker passed us and said "Hello" and "Good dog" both of which I appreciated. We continued on the trail to the junction with the blue trail and turned right to stay on the yellow trail. At the end of the trail, we turned right on the woods road and walked downhill toward the first trail junction. As I was walking, I took a closer look at the rock ledges to the right of the trail. I noticed one rather large alcove that seemed carved out of the Rick. There were several other "caves" formed from splits in the rock with a another rock as the roof. I decided this was not the day to explore but thought I might return some other time. At the first junction, we turned left to head out to the trailhead. As we turned, I saw the young male hiker coming down the trail from the lookout. I gave Sheena the "With" command and she fell in behind me. We continued straight out to the trailhead where we turned right. I put Sheena on here leash as the other hiker passed by us. We walked down the hill behind the church. We walked out the parking lot to the road and turned right on Rock Avenue and then left into the driveway. We were back at the house by 4:15 PM. We had hiked an hour and 10 minutes covering over 2 miles.
On Tuesday, April 22nd I had arranged to have two corps members cover calls for the day so that I could take a longer hike with my new dog Sheena. As luck would have it one member was delayed and I covered two morning calls with the other. This was after going on a call from 2:00 AM to 4:00 AM! At noon I decided it was time to get hiking since it was such a beautiful day. The forecast was for a beautiful day with no rain in sight so I thought we might go to Frick Pond to hike the big loop around Hodge and Frick Ponds. I began to get ready to hike as we had plenty of time to complete my original plan. The temperature was in the high 60's at noon with plenty of sun and the conditions seemed perfect for a hike. As I began to get ready, Sheena was ready to go and stayed close to me to make sure she was going along. I got dressed in my White Sierra long-sleeved crew top. I put on a pair of RailRiders hiking pants which are expensive but last along time and have features like deep pockets and a generous cut which I really like. The pants have Velcro closures at the ankles which I hoped would mean I did not need gaiters. I decided to put on my Keen Durand hiking boots which I ordered a half size larger than the previous pair. These shoes fit well out of the box but get much tighter when I add a decent insole. Without the third party insole, my feet hurt from the lack of support. I added a new pair of Xstance insoles in an effort to find the best support and cushioning for my feet. These insoles have shock absorbing gel pads, TPU arch support, and memory foam cushioning all wrapped in a breathable fabric. The insoles have been hyped by their manufacturer and they really do seem to deliver. I decided to take my Leki MicroVario poles with external locks as the internal twist locks sometimes fail. I did put on my OR BugOut gaiters to combat the ticks that I knew would be out there. I also made sure I had water and some bars as I had not yet eaten anything. I also checked that I had my camera and GPS. I left my phone home as I did not want to be bothered. I put my pack and poles in the car and Sheena in the back seat. I headed out the DeBruce Road at 12:30 PM. After six miles I turned left on Mongaup Road. Where the road split I stayed left on Beech Mountain Road and drove to the parking lots. There were no cars in either parking lot as I pulled in to park. My plan was to walk up the Flynn Trail to the junction with the Big Rock Trail and then continue on the Flynn Trail to Hodge Pond. From Hodge Pond we would follow the Flynn Trail to the end at Junkyard Junction. Here we would pick up the Quick Lake Trail and follow it back to the car. I had bought a new ecollar for Sheena and fitted it to her. I was anxious to see it in action but knew I probably would not need it as she obeys quite well for a 9 month old puppy! I did put her on her leash but planned to release her as soon as we were a little curter along the Flynn Trail. I set my GPS unit before we crossed the road and picked up the Flynn Trail. I was surprised that the dog from the cabin did not come out to greet us!
As we walked the trail toward the woods road, Sheena was helping me along by pulling on her leash. I was glad I had put on her harness so that she did not choke herself. At the end of the trail through the woods, we turned right on the woods road that was once the extension of Beech Mountain Road. The trail was damp in spots but was in good condition. The Catskill Trail Crew had come through in the fall and removed many blowdowns. They did a good jib but will need to come again soon to remove newer blowdowns. It is a long climb toward the junction with the Big Rock Trail but it seemed to me we were moving very quickly and I was feeling full of energy. I stopped to take some picture of the trail and the rocks and ledges on the right side. Sheena waited until I was done an then ran up the bank a short distance before coming back. I noticed that Sheena was staying closer to me than on some hikes. She was ranging about 30 feet ahead and then coming back to me and going about 10 feet behind. I also noticed she was very interested in the chipmunks and squirrels along the trail as well as the occasional bird. Sheena is a Feist which is a southern hunting dog. At about 1.2 miles we came to the point where I sometimes turn off the trail to visit an interesting clearing. I decided to bypass this area as I wanted to keep moving and complete the big loop. We continued on the main trail toward the trail junction passing several blowdowns that had been cleared and several new ones that needed clearing. Our walk to the Big Rock Junction went quickly and we arrived after hiking 1.7 miles. We continued straight ahead on the Flynn Trail encountering some branches on the trail. We passed the gate that separates the state land from land owned by the Beaverkill Land Trust. The Trust allows hiking and responsible use of the trails and land. At the next trail junction, we stayed to the left to follow the Flynn Trail down to Hodge Pond. As we walked out to the field at the outlet end of Hodge Pond and into the sun, I noticed the apparent increase in temperature. We walked down the rest of the Flynn Trail and came to the outlet of Hodge Pond. The level of the pond was higher than I had ever seen it and the outlet area was flooded! The flooding spread over the Flynn Trail and into parts of the clearing at the outlet end of the pond. The beavers had been at work and had blocked the culvert at the outlet end of the pond and built a dam. I wondered if we could negotiate a path through the mess or if we would have to take the jeep trail around the other end of the pond. We walked over to the shore and I took a few pictures. The sky was blue but there were no puffy white clouds to increase the contrast with the rest of the sky. All of the trees around the pond had some buds but were devoid of leaves. Sheena got a drink and waded through some water but showed no sire to swim. After a few minutes, we walked back to the Flynn Trail and I took some pictures of the work the beavers had done before we carefully picked our way through the flooded ground. We followed the Flynn Trail along the west side of the pond.
The trail was wet and muddy in places but these were mostly easy to avoid. At the next trail junction we stayed to the left to take the Flynn Trail up the hill rather than the jeep road around the back of the Hodge Pond. Sheena easily jump over a tree across the trail while I struggled to clear it. The trail up to the gate was relatively dry. The large blowdown that had blocked the trail had been cut and moved off the trail. The rest of the trail was wet and muddy most of the way to Junkyard Junction. We went slowly as we tried to find the best way through the water and the mud. It was 2:30 PM and we had hiked 3.4 miles which is a little more than halfway through the hike in1 hour and 40 minutes. We turned left to start the hike back and a faster pace as we were going downhill. The trail conditions were relatively good with only a little water and mud. The Catskill Trail Crew had cleared some very annoying blowdowns but a few more trees were down here and there. The trail initially rolls some but eventually descends toward Iron Wheel Junction. We turned right at Iron Wheel Junction after hiking 5 miles. We stopped for a few moments and I took a few shots of the wheels that give the junction its name including a few with Sheena. The turn allowed us to stay on the Quick Lake Trail heading for Frick Pond. The trail conditions included both water and mud but we were getting used to this and it was not as bad as I have seen it! Eventually, we came to and crossed the small stream through the woods with no difficulty USG the stepping stones someone had added. I decided not to stop to take pictures as I was tired and wanted to press on. We walked through the spruce tunnel which was almost dry and out the other side. There were a few blowdowns and some were flat on the ground but others would need to be cut before the summer season. After leaving the shelter of the trees, the trail was wet and muddy in most places but in much better shape than usual. We passed by the junction with the Big Rock Trail on the left and were soon at the bridge over the Frick Pond outlet. I dropped my pack and got out the camera. I have taken hundreds of pictures form the bridge but can't resist stopping to take a few more. The water level was high and there was a good volume flowing in the outlet stream. After I took some picture, we walked up the hill from Frick Pond to Gravestone Junction. The memorial stone was still in place and had not been moved. We continued straight ahead on the Quick Lake Trail. The trail was wet for almost the entire way back to the car with a few muddy places. We passed by the register and walked the woods road back to the parking area. The parking areas were both empty. We were back at the car at 4:05 PM having hiked 6.4 miles in 3 hours and 18 minutes with a vertical gain of 880 feet. The temperature was till 64 degrees and it had been a glorious hike. Sheena immediately curled up in the back seat. It was the first time I felt she was dome for the day!
On Saturday, April 19th my son-in-law Brad was at the house for the Easter weekend. We did a couple of morning ambulance calls and ate lunch. Brad and the family decided to go down to the school playground. I decided to take Sheena for a hike. I was once again limited to Round Top as Brad and I wer on call for the ambulance corps. At 1:00 PM the temperature was 79 degrees on the back porch with no breeze and an overcast sky with a forecast for some showers. I knew I would have to carry my phone just in case a call came in. The last two times I have hiked on Round Top we finished our hike without being interrupted by a call. I got dressed in my light White Sierra long-sleeved crew top without a baselayer. I put on a pair of RailRiders hiking pants which are expensive but last a long time and have features like deep pockets and a generous cut which I really like. I hoped that these pants would be warm enough once we got moving. I decided to put on my Keen Durand hiking boots which fit well. I added a new pair of Xstance insoles in an effort to find the best support and cushioning for my feet. These insoles have shock absorbing gel pads, TPU arch support, and memory foam cushioning all wrapped in a breathable fabric. The insoles have been hyped by their manufacturer and seemed to be living up to their claims. The weather dictated that I did not need a jacket but I put on my Mammut hoody which has plenty of zippers to dump heat. I really just wanted a pocket to carry my phone! I knew that a hat and gloves were out of the question. I wore my OR Bugout gaiters to fight off the ticks that might be out. I took my Leki MicroVario poles as I would be hiking with Sheena off leash for most of the hike. I put the ecollar on Sheena and turned it on. I decided not to put a harness on Sheena Since she would only be on the leash to get to the trail and back. At 1:30 PM I put Sheena on her leash and walked out the door to start the hike. We headed down the driveway and toward the street. Sheena has gotten used to walking on her leash to the end of the drive. She also has become accustomed to waiting for cars to pass by and then crossing when I say "OK". This time she looked both ways and then looked at me and I said "OK" because there were no cars. She readily crossed the street and wanted to head across the field by the church. We walked behind the church and started up the hill on the paved road. Sheena gave me help up the hill by pulling on her leash. Sheena had no problem walking up the hill except for the fact that she likes to stop and sniff very frequently. The hill is short but gets the circulation pumping and is the steepest and longest climb on the "trail." We did not stop on the way to the top of the hill and set a fast pace. Sheena has grown bigger than we thought she would and her pull on the leash is signficant. At the top we paused briefly to look around before Sheena turned left and entered the frost trail. I immediately let Sheena off her leash and she started on the trail. She has been good about picking a certain distance on the trail and staying that far ahead of me. She does take some side trips to follow animal trails but comes back to the main trail.
We started on the trail with Sheena setting a good pace. The trail had no water or mud and was only slightly damp in places. At the first trail junction, Sheena turned right on the woods road which is the more gentle approach to the trail system. At the end of the woods road, we turned left and started up the trail to the junction with the blue trail. I decided I wanted to do a big loop so we continued straight ahead on the blue trail. This was a little confusing to Sheena as she had already turned left but she soon caught up with me. We continued up the trail bypassing the white crossover trail. I really appreciated being able to use the poles to help propel me up the hill. Once at the summit, we continued down the other side again bypassing the white crossover trail. We did turn left on the switchback and ran into a small trunk leaning across the trail. It would require a saw to remove so we worked our way passed it. We made the turn out in the woods and headed back to the main trail. We turned left and walked down to the junction with the yellow trail. Since we were doing a big loop, we went straight heading for the viewpoint over town. We walked down a small hill and arrived at the "Sitting Rock". Sheena jumped up on the rock, looked around, and then got off to continued on the trail. As we approached the lookout, Sheena alerted and I saw a group of people at the viewpoint. Sheena wanted to sprint ahead to greet them but came when I called. I put her on her leash and we continued on the yellow trail as it turned left. The group of one young man and three young women wanted to pet Sheena and I allowed them. Sheena loves people but likes to jump up a little. The group asked some questions about the trails which I answered. We continued on our way is separate directions. I let Sheena off her leash and we started down the steep hill to the first trail junction. We immediately turned around and headed back up the hill.
We continued straight up the hill with Sheena leading the way on the trail with a few off trail excursions. Sheena was full of energy even though we had just completed a big loop but she only wanted to concentrate on hiking. We progressed up the hill with me following behind. At the upper lookout we followed the yellow trail as it turned right. When we reached the "sitting rock", Sheena just continued on the trail. We continued on the yellow trail up a small hill. There were quite a few small branches on the trail and some leaning in from the side. I made a mental note to bring a saw next time. When we reached the junction with the blue trail to the summit, we continued straight ahead. I decided we would do another big loop so we continued straight up the hill. Sheena turned right on the switchback and I followed as we walked out into the woods. We made the nearly 180 degree turn and headed back to the main trail. At the main trail we turned right and walked toward the summit bypassing the white crossover trail. We continued over the summit of Round Top and started down the other side. It was a pleasure hiking without Sheena on a leash as it gave me the freedom to use my poles. When we reached the junction with the yellow trail, we continued straight ahead on the trail to the woods road. We turned right on the woods road and walked downhill toward the first trail junction. As I was walking, I took a closer look at the rock ledges to the right of the trail. I noticed one rather larger alcove that seemed carved out of the Rick. There were several other "caves" formed from splits in the rock with a another rock as the roof. I decided this was not the day to explore but thought I might return some other time. At the first junction, we turned left to head out to the trailhead. I gave Sheena the "With" command and she fell in behind me. We continued straight out to the trailhead where we turned right. I put Sheena on here leash and we walked down the hill behind the church. We walked out the parking lot to the road and turned right on Rock Avenue and then left into the driveway. We were back at the house by 2:35 PM. We had hiked an hour and 5 minutes covering over 2 miles.
On Thursday, April 17th I wanted to get out for a hike but was limited to Round Top as I was on call for the ambulance corps. I slept in as I had a call in the middle of the night. When I got up, I took care of some things around the house. By 12:30 PM the temperature was 55 degrees on the back porch with no breeze and a mix of sun and clouds. I knew I would have to carry my phone just in case a call came in. Lately, we have just gotten started on a hike and I have had to go back to the house to respond but I was hoping this would not happen this day. I got dressed in my Mammut long-sleeved crew top without a baselayer. I put on a pair of RailRiders hiking pants which are expensive but last a long time and have features like deep pockets and a generous cut which I really like. I hoped that these pants would be warm enough once we got moving. I decided to put on my Keen Durand hiking boots which fit well. I added a new pair of Xstance insoles in an effort to find the best support and cushioning for my feet. These insoles have shock absorbing gel pads, TPU arch support, and memory foam cushioning all wrapped in a breathable fabric. The insoles have been hyped by their manufacturer and seemed to be living up to their claims. I put on my Mammut hoody which has plenty of zippers to dump heat but blocks the wind. I put on a light hat but did not bother with gloves. I wore my OR Bugout gaiters to fight off the ticks that might be out. I took my Leki MicroVario poles and decided to take the poles as I would be hiking with Sheena off leash for most of the hike. I put the ecollar on Sheena and turned it on. I put a harness on Sheena which prevents her from choking herself and allows me to control her pull on the leash. At 12:55 PM I put Sheena on her leash and walked out the door to start the hike. We headed down the driveway and toward the street. Sheena has gotten used to walking on her leash to the end of the drive. She also has become accustomed to waiting for cars to pass by and then crossing when I say "OK". This time she looked both ways and then looked at me and I said "OK" because there were no cars. She readily crossed the street and wanted to head across the field by the church. We walked behind the church and started up the hill on the paved road. Sheena gave me help up the hill by pulling on her leash. Sheena had no problem walking up the hill except for the fact that she likes to stop and sniff very frequently. The hill is short but gets the circulation pumping and is the steepest and longest climb on the "trail." We did not stop on the way to the top of the hill and set a fast pace. Sheena has grown bigger than we thought she would and her pull on the leash is signficant. At the top we paused briefly to look around before Sheena turned left and entered the frost trail. I immediately let Sheena off her leash and she started on the trail. She has been good about picking a certain distance on the trail and staying that far ahead of me. She does take some side trips to follow animal trails but comes back to the main trail. My phone rang and it was a corps member who had a special request. She asked me if I could visit a community member who was having severe joint pain and see if I thought he should go to the ER. We agreed to meet at 3:00 PM to visit.
We started on the trail with Sheena setting a good pace. The trail had no water or mud and was only slightly damp in places. At the first trail junction, we continued straight up the hill with Sheena leading the way on the trail with a few off grail excursions. Sheena was full of energy and wanted to play but I encouraged her to concentrate on hiking. We progressed up the hill with me following behind. At the upper lookout we followed the yellow trail as it turned right. When we reached the "sitting rock", Sheena ignored it and continued to walk along the trail. We continued on the yellow trail up a small hill. There were quite a few small branches on the trail and some leaning in from the side. I made a mental note to bring a saw next time. When we reached the junction with the blue trail to the summit, we continued straight ahead. I decided we would do some loops rather than figure 8s so we continued straight up the hill bypassing the switchback and the white crossover trail. We continued over the summit of Round Top and started down the other side. It was a pleasure hiking without Sheena on a leash as it gave me the freedom to use my poles. When we reached the junction with the yellow trail, we continued straight ahead on the trail to the woods road. We turned right on the woods road and walked downhill to the first trail junction. We immediately turned around and started back up the woods road. I always am amazed by the cliff and rock ledges that run parallel to the woods road. There are even some "caves" where rock layers form a roof for crevices in the rocks below. At the end of the woods road, we turned left and started up the trail to the junction with the blue trail. I decided I wanted to do a small loop so we turned left at the junction and walked the yellow trail along the base of Round Top. Sheena started her zoomies by ranging far ahead, turning around, and then coming back at me at full speed. We were soon at the second junction with the blue trail. We turned left and started down the yellow trail toward the lookout. I had all the vents open on my Mammut hoody but I was still sweating. At the viewpoint we turned left on the yellow trail and started down the steep hill to the first trail junction. At the first junction, we continued straight ahead and walked out to the trailhead where we turned right. I put Sheena on here leash and we walked down the hill behind the church. We walked out the parking lot to the road and turned right on Rock Avenue and then left into the driveway. We were back at the house by 1:55 PM. We had hiked an hour covering around 2 miles.
On Tuesday, April 15th I planned to get out for a hike on Round Top with Sheena. She is a Feist-Cur cross which are actual types of dogs used on farms and for hunting in the south. She was estimated to weigh no more than 30 pounds but is already 49 pounds at 9 months. It was an unusual night as there were no ambulance calls and I got some sleep. I started to get ready to hike at 12:30 PM with the temperature at 50 degrees on the back porch. I got dressed in my Mammut long-sleeved crew top without a baselayer thinking about the last time I wore another layer and came back drenched in sweat. I put on a pair of RailRiders hiking pants which are expensive but last a long time and have features like deep pockets and a generous cut which I really like. I decided to put on my Keen Durand hiking boots which fit well. I added a new pair of Xstance insoles in an effort to find the best support and cushioning for my feet. These insoles have shock absorbing gel pads, TPU arch support, and memory foam cushioning all wrapped in a breathable fabric. The insoles have been hyped by their manufacturer and seemed to be living up to their claims. I did put on my Mammut hoody as I felt that the pitzips would allow me to dump enough heat if I was too warm. I put on a light hat but did not bother with gloves. I wore my OR Bugout gaiters to fight off the ticks that might be out. I took my Leki MicroVario poles and decided to take the poles as I would be hiking with Sheena off leash for most of the hike. I put the ecollar on Sheena and turned it on. I put a harness on Sheena which prevents her from choking herself and allows me to control her pull on the leash. At 1:00 PM I put Sheena on her leash and we walked out the door to start the hike. I had put a harness on Sheena which prevented her from choking herself and added to her effective pull on the trails. We headed down the driveway and toward the street. Sheena has gotten used to walking on her leash to the end of the drive but sometimes gets nervous as we get near the road. This time she look both ways and then looked at me and I said "OK" because there were no cars. She readily crossed the street and headed across the field by the church straining against her harness. We walked to the back of the church and began the ascent of the steepest hill behind the church. Sheena had no problem walking up the hill except for the fact that she likes to stop and sniff very frequently. The hill is short but gets the circulation pumping and is the steepest and longest climb on the "trail." We did not stop on the way to the top of the hill and set a fast pace. Sheena is getting bigger every day and her pull on the leash is signficant. At the top we paused for a minute so I could look around at the hills that surround the hamlet of Livingston Manor. I also needed to catch my breath. The skies were a flat blue without any clouds. Sheena was eager to enter the woods on the trail and hopped right up the steps. The trail was dry with a lot of leaves.
We started on the trail with Sheena setting a good pace. Sheena was ranging ahead of me and taking some time to explore off the trail. At the first trail junction, we continued straight up the hill with Sheena leading the way. When we reached the top of the hill, we followed the yellow trail as it turned right. We walked uphill through the field of ferns that was completely brown and beaten down by the winter's snow that had all melted. When we reached the "sitting rock", Sheena ignored it and continued to walk along the trail. We continued on the yellow trail up a small hill to the junction with the blue trail to the summit. I decided we would do a figure 8 so we turned right on the yellow trail. We followed the yellow trail along the base of Round Top with Sheena running ahead, waiting for me, and then running back. I did my best to keep up with her. At the next junction with the blue trail, we turned left and headed up toward the summit. Sheena showed no sign of slowing down as she ran up and down the trail. We passed over the highest point on the trail on public land and started down the other side. We passed by the white crossover trail but almost immediately turned left on the switchback in the blue trail. Sheena is getting very good at making the correct turns on the figure 8 pattern that we use. We walked out into the woods and turned almost 180 degrees to head back to the main blue trail. There was one large branch hanging into the trail and I knew I would have to bring a saw next time to clear it. I practiced giving Sheena commands so she will get used to obeying them. "With" makes her walk next to me near my heels. "Not too far" tells hers to wait for me until I am closer. "Come" makes her return to me and sit until I release her. On the main blue trail we turned left walked down to the junction with the yellow trail. We again walked on the yellow trail along the base of Round Top. At the next junction with the blue trail we turned right and headed down the yellow trail. Where the trail meets the woods road, we turned right and continued downhill to the first trail junction. Sheena was in the lead for most of the hike and always seems to get the turns correct. The electronic collar has been working very well. Sheena had a lot of energy left so I decided to turn around and get in another figure 8.
We turned around and walked up the woods road with Sheena pushing the pace. At the end of the woods road we turned left on the yellow trail and headed up to the first junction with the blue trail. We turned left on the yellow trail at the junction and walked along the base of Round Top to the next junction with the blue trail. Since Sheena was still interested in hiking, we turned right and headed up the blue trail toward the summit. I wanted to get in two full figure 8's so we turned right on the switchback and headed out into the woods. We made the nearly 180 degree turn and headed back to the main blue trail. We turned right and then right again on the white crossover trail. This trail showed the least use of all the trail. The white markings were fading and there were quite a few branches across the trail. At the junction with the blue trail, we turned right and headed down the other side of the hill. Sheena again wanted to race down the hill and I let her go as she was off leash. At the next junction with the yellow trail, we turned right and again walked along the base of Round Top. At the next trail junction, we turned left and headed toward the lookout. We continued downhill on the yellow trail and Sheena again bypassed the "Sitting Rocks". We walked on the yellow trail down to the viewpoint and continued to follow the trail as it turned left. Sheena still had tons of energy left and it was hard to stop her from trying to do zoomies and run off the trail into the woods. We started to descend the trail which was covered in a heavy layer of dead leaves. Sheena showed she still had a lot of energy left as she continued to run ahead and then double back. I decided to let her have her fun until we got to the first trail junction. We walked straight out to the trailhead where I out her back on the leash. We turned right to walk down the cemetery hill to the church parking lot. We walked through the parking lot to Rock Avenue. We walked across the road after we looked both ways. We were back at the house by 2:10 PM and I was surprised how quickly we had made the trip. We hiked for 1 hour and 10 minutes for over 2 miles of hiking. Sheena drank a lot of water and then laid down by me for a nap.
On Thursday, April 10th, I planned take Sheena for a longer walk away from Livingston Manor as I had a crew on duty for the ambulance from 0800 to 1400. As so often happens, we had an early morning call at 0400 that interrupted the sleep that I really needed! By the time I came home I was not really tired enough to go back to bed. I did some chores around the house including taking the garbage to the transfer station. When I returned, Cindy had gone to her women's Bible study and I thought I might take a nap. I went to sleep as soon as I laid down and woke up at 1145. I decided to take a shorter hike because both Sheena and I needed to get out! The forecast was for rain starting around 1400 but I knew I had to be back at that time anyway as that was the extent of my ambulance coverage. At noon, the temperature was up to 47 degrees and the skies were clear with sun and white clouds. I decided to go to the Parksville Rail Trail and hike Fox Mountain Road to Parksville and back. The Parksville Rail Trail is under three miles out and back but carrying a pack and keeping a quick pace helps increase the difficulty. The last time I took Sheena on this hike, I had the feeling that she could have done it again when we got back to the car. Sheena has a wicked pull on her leash so I have transitioned to using an electronic collar which seems to do the job. This allows Sheena to roam and keeps me sane by not having to yank on her leash. As I was getting dressed, I remembered how much Sheila liked to hike this trail. It seems that Sheena likes hiking as she smells my clothes and then runs to sit by the door! I got dressed in my Mammut long-sleeved crew top with a long-sleeved baselayer. I put on a pair of RailRiders hiking pants which are expensive but last a long time and have features like deep pockets and a generous cut which I really like. I decided to put on my Keen Durand hiking boots which fit well. I added a new pair of Xstance insoles in an effort to find the best support and cushioning for my feet. These insoles have shock absorbing gel pads, TPU arch support, and memory foam cushioning all wrapped in a breathable fabric. The insoles have been hyped by their manufacturer and seemed to be living up to their claims. I put on my Mammut hoody which has plenty of zippers to dump heat but blocks the wind. I wore my OR Bugout gaiters to keep the bottom of my pants dry and to fight off the ticks that might be out. I made sure I put on a warm hat and took a pair of gloves with me. I found my Leki MicroVario poles and decided to take the poles as I would be hiking with Sheena off leash for most of the hike. I put my gear in the back of the car and left Livingston Manor at 1225. I drove out Old Route 17 toward Parksville and turned left under the Quickway overpass onto Service Road. I drove toward Parksville and pulled into the parking area on the right side of the road just after Fox Mountain Rd. There were no cars parked in the lot when we arrived. I left my phone in the car so I could enjoy the hike. The temperature was still 47 degrees but the sun made it feel a little warmer while the breeze had the opposite effect. I put on my pack and got my poles. I opened the back door and made sure Sheena's electronic collar was turned on. When I let her jump out of the car, she immediately took off at top speed up the trail. It was 1235 as I started out on the trail after Sheena.
The first part of the trail was completely thawed with no ice or snow because of the warm temperatures we had been experiencing and direct sunlight. Off her leash Sheena would run ahead of me a certain distance and then maintain that distance by waiting for me or increasing her pace. Once we were on the trail, we were sheltered from the sun and the breeze by the trees. The trail was soft and muddy in some spots with a small amount of standing water. The trail runs parallel to the Little Beaverkill and the new section of State Route 17. It follows the route of the O&W railroad and is very flat. Sheena was setting a quick pace and I didn't mind as long as she would listen and wait for me when necessary. There were no leaves on the tress so I could see down to the stream. The water level in the stream was at the same level as on our last trip. The trail had a few small branches that had broke off in the winds that blew for several days. I worked to remove them as best I could. We did not run into any larger branches or trees down across the trail. The area just before the wooden walkways had a view down to the stream but it was much the same as on the last trip and I had decided not to stop for pictures on the way out. We walked across the wooden walkways which was free from snow and ice. The area by the bridge was clear with just a small amount of ice just after the bridge. The culvert under the bridge was still blocked but the water had found a way to get under the bridge anyway which prevented overflow onto the bridge. No one seems concerned about solving this problem. We walked passed the landslide that had brought down several trees that had been cut and cleared. This area is now muddy but there were some stepping stones. I noticed my boots were getting a little wet but my feet were dry and not cold. As we walked, I could hear the increase in noise from the stream. When we reached the falls, I inspected them and found the water was at a pretty high volume but there was no ice. I decided to bypass taking pictures as the view was much the same as on our last trip.
We continued on the trail toward the Parksville trailhead and this time I did not stop upstream of the falls but pushed on toward the other end of the trail. We continued toward Parksville with Sheena in the lead pushing the pace. Within a few minutes, we were nearing the Parksville end of the trail and Sheena was eager to continue. There are usually some dogs along the trail that bark loudly. There is also frequently loud music playing but it was quiet this day. We continued our walk and soon reached the sign at the Parksville end of the rail trail at 1303. We immediately turned around and started back toward the car. This was one of the few times we had not seen any dogs at the houses along the trail. We set a fast pace and were soon passing the falls. We continued the hike without stopping for me to take pictures. We set a fast pace and did not stop on the way back. I took some time on the way back to train Sheena. I called her back to me and had her sit and stay. The stay part was difficult at first but after a few times she began to learn. As we approached the end of the trail, I called Sheena and put her on her leash. We were soon breaking out of the woods on the path to the parking area. We arrived back at the car at 1232 after hiking over 2 miles in just under 1 hour which was much faster than our last outing with pictures. The temperature was still 47 degrees. There had been no other ambulance calls while we were on the trail which made me feel good. Sheena seemed fresh and could have hike out and back on the trail another time. I hope to try my theory on some longer hikes in the near future. I had been warm enough even without insulated pants.
On Wednesday, April 2nd I wanted to get out for a hike. It had been some time since I hiked two days in a row and I thought this would be a good start for April. I also thought a walk with Sheena would help her work off some of her seemingly endless supply of energy. Hiking also relaxes me and relieves stress. The ambulance calls are still coming frequently and so I needed some time outside. The skies were sunny with only a few clouds and plenty of sun making it ideal for hiking. At 10:15 AM I started to get ready to hike with the temperature at 42 degrees. Sheena is a Feist-Cur cross which are actual types of dogs used on farms and for hunting in the south. I got dressed in my Mammut long-sleeved crew top with long-sleeved baselayer. I put on a pair of RailRiders hiking pants which are expensive but last a long time and have features like deep pockets and a generous cut which I really like. I decided to put on my Keen Durand hiking boots which fit well. I added a new pair of Xstance insoles in an effort to find the best support and cushioning for my feet. These insoles have shock absorbing gel pads, TPU arch support, and memory foam cushioning all wrapped in a breathable fabric. The insoles have been hyped by their manufacturer and seemed to be living up to their claims. I put on my Mammut hoody which has plenty of zippers to dump heat but blocks the wind. I put on a light hat and gloves as it was a little chilly. I wore my OR Crocodile gaiters to keep the bottom of my pants dry and to add another layer to my lower legs. It was cool but I thought the ticks might be out which was another reason to wear gaiters. I found my Leki MicroVario poles and decided to take the poles as I would be hiking with Sheena off leash for most of the hike. I put Sheena's harness on her and also put on an electronic training. The electronic collar allows me to hike with Sheena off her leash. We walked out the backdoor with Sheena on her leash to start the hike. The harness prevents Sheena from choking herself but I still have to control her pull on the leash. We headed down the driveway and toward the street at 10:30 AM. Sheena has gotten used to walking on her leash to the end of the drive. She also has become accustomed to waiting for cars to pass by and then crossing when I say "OK". This time she looked both ways and then looked at me and I said "OK" because there were no cars. She readily crossed the street and headed across the field by the church. We walked to the back of the church and began the ascent of the steepest hill behind the church. Sheena had no problem walking up the hill except for the fact that she likes to stop and sniff very frequently. The hill is short but gets the circulation pumping and is the steepest and longest climb on the "trail." We did stop twice on the way to the top of the hill as Sheena set a fast pace. Sheena is getting bigger every day and her pull on the leash is signficant. At the top we did not bother to pause as Sheena hopped up the steps to start out on the trail. My plan was to walk two figure 8's depending on how the electronic collar worked out.
We started on the trail but I immediately asked Sheena to sit as I activated and checked the collar. Everything seemed in order so I told her "Up trail" and away she went. Sheena did not immediately take off but stayed on the trail just ahead of me. When she got too far ahead I told her "Not too far" and she came back toward me. I tried the "With" command to get her to walk next to me and she did so without a problem. It was certainly more pleasant walking this way than with Sheena pulling on the leash and me yanking to keep her in check. At the first trail junction, Sheena turned right and I followed her as she started up the woods road. I had been hiking straight up the hill to the lookout for the last few hikes and thought this might be a nice change. When the woods road ended, we turned left and started up the trail to the junction with the blue trail. Sheena turned left at the junction as she apparently knew the turns for a figure 8. We walked along the flat trail at the base of Round Top. Sheena was ranging ahead and then zooming back toward me on her own or when I called. When we came to the next junction with the blue trail to the summit, Sheena turned left but I went right. It took a minute but she quickly caught up and we both headed up toward the summit. At the switchback in the blue trail, Sheena turned right and we walked out to where the trail made an almost 180 degree turn to bring us back to the main blue trail. We turned right and started for the summit bypassing the white crossover trail. As we passed over the summit, Sheena picked up a scent and followed it off trail. I called her but she was intent on following the track. I used the beeps and vibration to get her attention and then called her back to me. We started down the other side of the hill again bypassing the white crossover trail. At the bottom of the hill, we turned right to again pass along the trail at the base of Round Top. When we reached the trail junction this time, we turned left and started downhill toward the lookout. We descended the short but steep little hill and came to the "Sitting Rock". Sheena jumped up on the rocks to look around before jumping down and continuing on the trail. Soon we were at the viewpoint. Sheena walked to the edge of the upper lookout to look around while I followed the trail as it turned left and headed down to the first trail junction. Sheena came roaring down the hill after me.
To start the next figure 8, we turned around and headed back up the hill to the viewpoint. This time we followed the yellow trail as it turned right and headed up toward the junction with the blue trail. We passed by the "Sitting Rocks" and climbed the small hill. At the junction with the blue trail we turned right and walked along the yellow rail at the base of Round Top. At the next junction, we turned left on the blue trail and started toward the summit. I was dragging a little by this point but Sheena was still full of energy. She was ahead of me and turned left on the white crossover trail just to explore a little. I continued on the blue trail to the summit and Sheena soon caught up. We walked across the highest point of Round Top of public land and then started down the other side. The weather was really very pleasant even though it was a little cool. We bypassed the white crossover trail and turned left on the switchback. We turned 180 degrees and headed back to the main trail where we turned left and walked down to the junction with the yellow trail. Here we turned left and again walked the yellow trail along the base of Round Top. Sheena showed what she had left by running ahead and then coming back at top speed. When we reached the junction with the yellow trail we turned right and walked down the trail to the woods road. A right on the woods road had us heading downhill toward the first trail junction. I am always impressed by the cliffs and ledges along this section of the trail. At the first trail junction we turned left and walked out to the trailhead. I put Sheena back on her leash and found she still was not tired as she pulled me down the hill to the church parking lot. We crossed the church parking lot to the street. After a few cars passed, we crossed the road and walked to the driveway. We were back at the house by 11:50 AM. We had hiked for 1 hour and 10 minutes covering about 2 miles.
On Tuesday, April 1st, I wanted to take Sheena for a walk but when I woke up it was 31 degrees with the wind blowing and some precipitation in the air. I waited around for a while getting some things done around the house. The lazy part of me made excuses that it was cold, the wind was blowing and there might be ambulance calls. The better part of me said that it wasn't that cold, there were places to walk sheltered by trees and there was already a crew on to cover call! At 9:30 AM, the temperature was up to 37 degrees, the skies were clearing, and the wind had died down. I knew I had to get out for my own mental and physical health and to exercise Sheena. I decided to go to the Parksville Rail Trail at hike Fox Mountain Road to Parksville and back. The Parksville Rail Trail is under three miles out and back but carrying a pack and keeping a quick pace helps increase the difficulty. The last time I took Sheena on this hike, I had the feeling that she could have done it again when we got back to the car. I decided on this route because it is flat and sheltered from the wind. Sheena has a wicked pull on her leash so I have transitioned to using an electronic collar which seems to do the job. This allows Sheena to roam and keeps me sane by not having to yank on her leash. As I was getting dressed, I remembered how much Sheila liked to hike this trail. It seems that Sheena likes hiking as she smells my clothes and then runs to sit by the door! I got dressed in my Mammut long-sleeved crew top with a long-sleeved baselayer. I put on a pair of Eddie Bauer insulated hiking pants which I thought I might need at least at the beginning of the hike. I remember these pants not fighting well but when I put them on they seemed to be a good fit. I decided to put on my Keen Durand hiking boots which fit well. I added a new pair of Xstance insoles in an effort to find the best support and cushioning for my feet. These insoles have shock absorbing gel pads, TPU arch support, and memory foam cushioning all wrapped in a breathable fabric. The insoles have been hyped by their manufacturer and seemed to be living up to their claims. I put on my Mammut hoody which has plenty of zippers to dump heat but blocks the wind. I wore my OR Crocodile gaiters to keep the bottom of my pants dry and to add another layer to my lower legs. It was cool but I thought the ticks might be out which was another reason to wear gaiters. I made sure I put on a warm hat and took a pair of gloves with me. I found my Leki MicroVario poles and decided to take the poles as I would be hiking with Sheena off leash for most of the hike. I put my gear in the back of the car and left Livingston Manor at 9:45 AM. I drove out Old Route 17 toward Parksville and pulled into the parking area on the right side of the road just after Fox Mountain Rd. There were no cars parked in the lot when we arrived. I left my phone in the car so I could enjoy the hike. When I stepped out of the car I could feel a sustained wind of 20 mph. The temperature was still 37 degrees but the wind-chill made it feel colder. We started out on the trail at 9:58 AM under overcast skies. I had put Sheena's harness on her which allows her to pull without choking herself. I had also put on the electronic collar and use mostly the beep and vibrate options to give her suggestions. Once I let her out of the car she headed directly for the trail.
The first part of the trail was partly frozen but was beginning to melt because of the warm temperatures we had been experiencing. Off her leash Sheena would walk ahead of me a certain distance and then maintain that distance by waiting for me or increasing her pace. Once we were on the trail and sheltered from the breeze by the trees it felt a little warmer and the trail was soft and muddy in many spots as it was saturated with water. Most of the trail was in the shelter of the trees which kept the wind away. Several times the wind changed direction and came roaring down the trail letting me know how cold it would be if we were exposed. The trail runs parallel to the Little Beaverkill and the new section of State Route 17. It follows the route of the O&W railroad and is very flat. Sheena was setting a quick pace and I didn't mind as long as she would listen and wait for me when necessary The water level in the stream was at a higher level than on our last trip but I could not hear it because of the large volume of traffic on Route 17. The trail had a few small branches that had broke off in the winds that blew for several days in a row last week. I worked to remove them as best I could. We did not run into any larger branches or trees down across the trail which I thought was a possibility with the winds that had been blowing lately. The area just before the wooden walkways showed some interesting views even though the skies were overcast. I decided to stop for pictures. I put my pack down and told Sheena to "stay" which she did. I had Sheena pose for a couple of shots. I took some pictures at different zooms and then put the camera away. We walked across the wooden walkways which was free from snow and ice. The area by the bridge still had a thick layer of ice but it was smaller and easy to walk around. The culvert under the bridge become blocked and the water overflows and pours over the bridge. No one seems concerned about solving this problem. We walked passed the landslide that had brought down several trees that had been cut and cleared. This area is now muddy but there were some stepping stones. I noticed my boots were getting a little wet but my feet were dry and not cold. As we walked, we could not hear the usual increase in the noise from the stream which I attributed to the traffic on the roads. When we reached the falls, I inspected them and found the water was at a pretty high volume but there was no ice. It was 10:25 AM so we had made the falls in 27 minutes. I really wanted to get down to the streambed to take some pictures of the falls head-on. The path down to the streambed was completely clear so Sheena and I headed down. When we reached the bottom, I put down my pack and got out my camera. I took some shots downstream and heard some splashing behind me. Sheena was wading in the fast flowing water! I am still surprised she like to be in the water when it is so cold. I turned around and took pictures of the falls from various zooms. I was able to get Sheena to pose on a rock and stay there long enough to take some shots. I put the camera back in the pack and headed up the path with Sheena right behind. I walked over to the edge of the ground above the falls and took pictures. I walked upstream and took some picture of the falls and the stream above the falls.
It was 10:38 AM so we had spent 13 minutes at the falls. We started on the trail toward the Parksville trailhead and this time I did not stop upstream of the falls but pushed on toward the other end of the trail. We continued toward Parksville with Sheena in the lead pushing the pace. Within a few minutes, we were nearing the Parksville end of the trail and Sheena was a little reluctant to continue. There are usually some dogs along the trail that bark loudly. There is often some loud music playing but it was quiet this day. We continued our walk and soon reached the sign at the Parksville end of the rail trail at 10:45 AM. We immediately turned around and started back toward the car. This was one of the few times we had not seen any dogs at the houses along the trail. We set a fast pace and were soon back at the falls at 10:51 AM. We continued the hike without stopping. We set a fast pace and did not stop. We were soon breaking out of the woods on the path to the parking area. A blast of wind hit me and I realized that it had not abated but that the trees had sheltered us. I thought about putting Sheena on her leash and walking up Fox Mountain Road to the other half of the trail. In the end, I decided against this because of the wind but was a little sorry I did. We arrived back at the car at 11:13 AM after hiking over 2 miles in 1 hour and 15 minutes which was the same time as our last outing without pictures. The temperature was still only 39 degrees not accounting for the wind. There had been no other ambulance calls while we were on the trail which made me feel good. Sheena seemed fresh and could have hike out and back on the trail another time. I hope to try my theory on some longer hikes in the near future. I did not notice that she was shivering or picking up her feet because of the cold. I had been warm enough but was glad I wore the insulated pants!
On Thursday, March 27th I had coverage for ambulance calls for the second time this week! I wanted to get out for a hike somewhere that I had not been in some time. I decided I wanted to take Sheena and go to the area around Trout Pond. This is an area I have hiked many times but I had not been there in some time. As usual I got some extra sleep in the morning and finally got up at 9:30 AM. It had snows a little overnight but most of it had melted as the temperature had risen to 39 degrees on the back porch with the sensor in the sunlight. I knew the temperature at the trailhead would be lower and there was also a slight breeze. Sheena is a Feist-Cur cross which are actual types of dogs used on farms and for hunting in the south. She loves to get out and hike. Even though she is only 8 months old she is very strong for a small dog. I got dressed in my Mammut long-sleeved crew top with a light baselayer. I put on a pair of Eddie Bauer insulated hiking pants which I thought I might need at least at the beginning of the hike. I remember these pants not fighting well but when I put them on they seemed to be a good fit. I decided to put on my Keen Durand hiking boots which fit well. I added a new pair of Xstance insoles in an effort to find the best support and cushioning for my feet. These insoles have shock absorbing gel pads, TPU arch support, and memory foam cushioning all wrapped in a breathable fabric. The insoles have been hyped by their manufacturer and seemed to be living up to their claims. I put on my Mammut hoody which has plenty of zippers to dump heat but blocks the wind. I put on a light hat and put a pair of light gloves in my pack. I found my Leki MicroVario poles which I had not used in some time. I decided to take the poles as I would be hiking with Sheena off leash for most of the hike. I did put on my OR BugOut gaiters as I thought the ticks might be out. I put the electronic training collar on Sheena and also put on her harness. I put my gear in the back of the car and left Livingston Manor at 10:15 AM. I drove north on the Quickway towards Roscoe and got off at exit 94 heading north on Route 206 towards Downsville. After crossing the Rockland Flats and passing the Roscoe Nursing Home, I turned left on Morton Hill Road and drove to the intersection with Russell Brook Road. There were no cars sitting in the "lot" at the intersection of the two roads. People see the open space and park there without thinking about the fact that the land is private. I did not want to have to walk back up Russell Brook Road at the end of the hike so I decided to drive down the road to park in the lower lot. Russell Brook Road is a seasonal maintenance road and it did not look like it had recently been maintained. I stopped at a small pulloff above the upper falls. I got my camera out of the pack and headed down the path to the lookout above the upper falls. The ground was frozen and there were small patches of ice but I got to the viewpoint without slipping. The water was flowing fast and at a high volume. I took epicures of the falls from different zooms and angles before working my way back up the path to the car. Sheena is never happy when I leave her alone but she was under control. I drove down to the lower parking lot and parked the car in the deserted lot. Russell Brook Falls is popular as a falls and a swimming area and people also like to camp at Trout Pond. It was a little early in the season and it was a weekday.
My intention was to visit the falls and then hike in a counterclockwise direction around Trout Pond and back to the parking area. I had brought my GPS unit even though we had done the hike before as I wanted to see how long and how fast we would go. We started our hike by turning on the electronic collar on Sheena and the remote in my pocket. When I let Sheena out of the car she started running around the parking area sniffing everything in sight. At 10:40 AM we started our hike by walking down the woods road toward the bridge across Russell Brook. The road was damp with the remains of the snow that fell overnight. The bridge over Russell Brook had a thin layer of snow. As we crossed the bridge, I could see that the brook was higher than I expected which was surprising as there had been a few recent rain storms. The Japanese knotweed was born a flattened out looking very dead. I knew it would be back this summer as it grows quickly and encroaches on the path. I turned right on the path that leads to the falls. The path was wide as there was no knotweed in the way. I walked to the spot where the path descends to the streambed. Sheena continued on up the path to the falls overlook but I walked down to the bottom. I was glad there were no people present. The falls were roaring but there was no overflow to the right which sometimes occurs when the water level is very high. There was a thick and wide slab of ice still present on the right side. I put down my pack and got out my camera and took some pictures of the falls at different angles and zooms. I also took shots of the stream. I remembered how Sheila would pose in front of the falls while I took pictures of her. The last time I was at the falls was last July when I p Sheila's ashes around the falls. I got Sheena to pose briefly by the falls and took a few shots. I returned to my pack and put away the camera. We walked back up to the path that runs out to the main trail. We turned right and continued on the main trail toward Trout Pond. The history of this area is very interesting. Russell Brook Falls had been the site of a dam that impounded water for a waterwheel in Butternut Grove. The wheel was still there a few years ago. The area near the register box was the "landing zone" for loggers who cleared the evergreen trees, not for tanning but, for the production of wood alcohol. The trees were transported on narrow gauge railway that ran parallel to Russell Brook. The railway met the mainline O&W near Butternut Grove where the logs were unloaded. There were several acid factories in the area that produced wood alcohol. There was also a factory on the lower part of Russell Brook that produced khaki dye for the uniforms of American troops during World War I. We followed the main trail passed the register box and up the trail toward Trout Pond. The trail was almost dry which was a contrast to many times when it has been wet and muddy. I did notice that several blowdowns had been cut and cleared from the trail using a chainsaw. These trails are maintained by the DEC and the frequency that they are maintained is spotty.
We continued on the trail uphill toward Trout Pond. I wasn't consciously pushing the pace but the walk seemed to go very quickly as we passed the path to the first primitive campsite on the left. I could hear the outlet stream from Trout Pond. Sheena was ahead of me on the trail with an occasional trip off trail. Giving her the command "Trail" brought here right back. When she is on the trail, she picks a certain distance ahead of me and maintains that distance by waiting for me or speeding up. I think she is doing well for an 8 month old puppy! Soon we were at the outlet end of the pond as I walked over to the shore, Sheena continued on the trail. When she realized I had made the turn she came roaring back. I put my pack down to get out my camera and while I was doing that I heard splashing. Sheena had waded out into the cold water! I called her back and she came but seemed unfazed. The skies were completely blue with no clouds and the sun was shining. The views were much the same as they have always been but that did not stop me from taking pictures. I made sure to get shots of the pond but also some of the beach and the very full spillway. Below the spillway water had frozen on some branches which made an interesting shot. The lack of clouds in the sky was disappointing as they contrast nicely with the blue sky. I did take a picture of a patch of snow left from the snow that drifted off the lake this winter. I remembered times when I was there with Sheila and she would swim to retrieve sticks or wade to cool off. I packed up and we returned to the main trail to walk the flat woods road toward the inlet end of the pond. This trail is always wet but on this day it was almost dry! Sheena kept walking over to the edge of the water looking like she might jump in again. The small stream just before the trail junction near the leanto was running freely but was easy to cross. When we came to the bridge, I stopped to take a few pictures of the pond from just before the bridge and from the bridge itself. The inlet stream was full of water and the sun was sparkling off the water. Sheena was doing zoomies around the trails and paths. We crossed the bridge and stayed to the right on the Mud Pond Trail which would take us over Cherry Ridge and form a loop back to the parking area. The trail was nearly dry but very rocky as we started to ascend the hill. My left leg was a little sore as this route is the most difficult I have done in some time. As we continued up the trail, I slowed a little as the grade increased. I had not been hiking any hills much over the winter and I felt it. We began to run into branches, small trees, and large trees across the trail. There were quite a few of them and some blocked the trail enough to force hikers to find new paths around them. These trails are maintained by the DEC so they are not cleared as often as those that are the responsibility of NYNJTC volunteers.
From the bridge at the inlet we climbed 430 feet over the next .75 miles. The trail headed west from the inlet until turning sharply south at around 2.3 miles. The highest point on the trail was at 2.2 miles after which most of the rest of the hike is downhill. I was not surprised that I was getting tired on the climb but I still felt great. As we started down the other side, the trail was still dry even in places where it is usually damp. There was no standing or running water which I have come to expect. The relatively dry conditions continued for the rest of the trip making the hike more enjoyable than some of the last outings here. We ascended a small hill to the stand of small birch trees and then descended the other side where there was some damp areas. At 3.7 miles we had descended 420 feet from Cherry Ridge to the snowmobile trail near Mud Pond. I could see that the trail was just damp so we stayed on the woods road. We ascended a small hill before starting downhill back toward the parking area. Usually this section has some running water across it and some running down the trail. Today there was only a little water in the small stream near the bottom of the hill. All told, we dropped another 380 feet over the next .7 miles back to the bridge just before the trail register. I crossed the bridge over the outlet stream which did have plenty of water. We continued on the trail to the first junction where we turned right. We crossed the bridge and walked up the trail to the parking area. We were back at the car at 1:25 PM and had hiked 4.5 miles in 2 hours and 45 minutes with an elevation gain of 870 feet. We had stopped almost 30 minutes for pictures. My moving speed was just under 2 mph but I was satisfied because of the rolling terrain. There were still no cars in the lot and we had met no other hikers on the trail.
On Tuesday, March 25th I had coverage for ambulance calls for the first time in a long time! I wanted to get out for a hike somewhere that I had not been in some time. I decided I wanted to take Sheena and go to the area around Frick Pond. This is an area I have hiked many times but I had not been there in some time. As usual I got some extra sleep in the morning and Finlay got up at 9:30 AM. The temperature had risen to 49 degrees on the back porch with the sensor in the sunlight. I knew the temperature at the trailhead would be lower and there was also a slight breeze. Sheena is a Feist-Cur cross which are actual types of dogs used on farms and for hunting in the south. I got dressed in my Mammut long-sleeved crew top with a light baselayer. I put on a pair of Eddie Bauer insulated hiking pants which I thought I might need at least at the beginning of the hike. I remember these pants not fighting well but when I put them on they seemed to be a good fit. I decided to put on my Keen Durand hiking boots which fit well. I added a new pair of Xstance insoles in an effort to find the best support and cushioning for my feet. These insoles have shock absorbing gel pads, TPU arch support, and memory foam cushioning all wrapped in a breathable fabric. The insoles have been hyped by their manufacturer and seemed to be living up to their claims. I put on my Mammut hoody which has plenty of zippers to dump heat but blocks the wind. I put on a light hat and put a pair of light gloves in my pack. I found my Leki MicroVario poles which I had not used in some time. I decided to take the poles as I would be hiking with Sheena off leash for most of the hike. I did put on my OR BugOut gaiters as I thought the ticks might be out. I put the electronic training collar on Sheena and also put on her harness. I put my gear in the back and Sheena in the backseat and headed out the DeBruce Road at 10:20 AM. Sheena seemed less apprehensive about the car ride and laid down in the back seat. After 6 miles, at Mongaup Pond Road, I turned left and continued to follow the road bearing left onto Beech Mountain Road at the fork. When we arrived at the trailhead, there were no cars parked in either lot. I pulled into the smaller lot with Sheena was acting as if she couldn't wait to get on the trail which I hoped was a good sign. I set my GPS, put in my pack, and grabbed my poles. I made sure I left my phone in the car as there is no service in the area. I turned on Sheena's electronic collar and let her out of the car. She immediately headed for the woods road toward Frick Pond. The temperature was 37 degrees and the skies were bright and sunny with a quite few puffy white clouds.
The woods road passed the trail register was wet with standing water but no ice or snow. Sheena was ranging ahead of me but returning every time I said "not to far" or simply called her to come.The breeze made the temperature seem cooler and I was glad I had worn the insulated pants. As I approached Gravestone Junction, I noticed that the trail had been cleared nice and wide by the Catskill Trail Crew. When I was doing the trail maintenance, I intentionally kept the trail a little narrow to discourage horses and ATVs. Since the members of the Catskill Trail Crew are not local they had cleared the trail wide enough for a pickup truck! I had not decided on our route but thought I might try a slightly new variation. I have hiked the trails in the area so many times that a new route seemed like a good idea. My plan was to hike to Frick Pond, walked around the pond clockwise to Times Square, turn left on the Loggers Loop. Hike the Loggers Loop to Iron wheel junction, turn left on the Quick Lake Trail, turn left on the Big Rock trail around the back of the pond to Times Square, turn right and hike the rest of the Loggers Loop back to Gravetsone Junction, and then turn left to walk the Quick Lake Trail back to the car. In print that description seems much longer than it really was! We turned left at Gravestone Junction and headed toward the pond. The trail was damp and muddy but easily negotiated. When we got to the bridge, I dropped my pack and got out the camera. I was surprised to see several piles of snow near the outlet and a large patch of ice at the other end of the bridge. I took pictures of the pond with a bright blue sky and puffy white clouds. I took a few shots of the snow and ice. I also got Sheena to pose briefly on the bridge so that I could get some pictures of her. I stowed the camera and shoulder pack as we continued around the pond. At the junction with the Big Rock Trail we turned right to follow it around the pond. There were several muddy spots which Sheena knew to avoid. We walked across the wooden walkways which continue to deteriorate. Their poor condition has been reported to the DEC many times but no action has been taken. I took a few shots before moving on. When we reached the two bridges across the inlet to the pond, I took off the pack and snapped some pictures of a small "waterfall" on the inlet stream. I also got shots of the wetlands at the head of the pond with some nice reflections in the water. I put away the camera and continued around the pond to the four-way intersection known as Times Square.
We turned left on the Loggers Loop and started up a long hill. There was some water and some erosion showing a large volume of water had run down the trail. Sheena was having great time running ahead following here nose. We crested the hill and found the seasonal pond on the right filled with water. The skies were more overcast now which made it feel cooler.I found a place to put down my pack and took out my camera. I found a place to stand to take some shot of the pond. I repositioned to take some more pictures before packing up to continue the hike. The rest of the Loggers Loop alternated between almost dry and very wet with big puddles and small ponds of water. Overall it was uphill as we continued toward Iron Wheel Junction. There were some impressive rock ledges to the right but otherwise the trail has no significant points of interest. We reached Iron Wheel Junction where the Loggers Loop meets the Quick Lake Trail. Continuing straight ahead at this point leads to Junkyard Junction where the Flynn Trail leads to Hodge Pond. The Quick Lake Trail continues on to Quick Lake where it ends. We turned left to follow the trail back towards Frick Pond. The trail was damp in some places and wet and muddy in others. There was evidence the trail crew had been through the area cutting some blowdowns that had been across the trail. We came to the stream in the forest which was not quite as high as I expected. Sheena decided to wade across which surprised me as I knew she could easily jump it. I used some stepping stones to cross. I took some pictures of the small falls upstream and some of the stream indicating its width. I put the camera away, shouldered the pack, and continued toward Frick Pond. As we came out of the woods, the sky was still overcast but the sun was peeking through. The trail was wet and slippery. At one point I took a step, slipped, and fell on my right hip. Sheena immediately cam running to help. I picked myself up and made sure I was not injured. We continued on the trail with me paying more attention to my foot placement.
At the junction with the Big Rock Trail we turned left and again walked the Big Rock Trail clockwise around Frick Pond. This time when we reached Times Square, we turned right and started out on the other section of the Loggers Loop. This section is mostly uphill and I could feel it. The trail was wet and muddy in places much like all the other trails. After hitting the highest point, we started downhill toward Gravestone Junction. As we neared the primitive campsites, we came across two trunks that had fallen across the trail blocking it. These trunks had fallen months ago and have yet to be cleared by the Catskill Trail Crew. This is another problem with not have local maintainers to clear the trail. I walked around the trunks but Sheena ducked under them. As we headed to Gravestone Junction, I noticed that the skies were again bright blue with plenty of sun. At the junction, we turned left on the Quick Lake Trail and headed back to the car. On the way back I noticed that the Lobdell Memorial marker had been cleared and was in great shape. The memorial near the junction is for a tragedy involving the Lobdell family. The father of this family was the caretaker for the Frick property and the family lived in a cabin along what is now the Quick Lake Trail. One night the cabin caught fire. The parents were able to get out but their two children were trapped inside and died in the flames. As we approached the trail register, L put Sheena on her leash in case the dog from the cabin hear the trailhead was loose. We reached the car at 1:20 PM after hiking 4.5 miles in 2 and a half hour. Our moving time was about 2 hours with stopped time of 30 minutes. Our overall speed was 1.75 mph but our moving rate was 2.3 mph. There was a pickup truck in the larger lot with a dog and their owner getting ready to leave.
On Thursday, March 20th I wanted to get out for our first spring hike as the temperatures were forecast to be in the mid 60's. I also thought a walk with Sheena would help her work off some of her seemingly endless supply of energy. The ambulance calls are still coming frequently and so I needed some time outside. I covered two morning calls and then was ready to hike. The skies were sunny with only a few clouds and plenty of sun making it ideal for hiking. At 2:15 PM I started to get ready to hike. Sheena is a Feist-Cur cross which are actual types of dogs used on farms and for hunting in the south. The temperature was 62 degrees and I knew several days of those temperatures had eliminated all the snow on the trails. I got dressed in my Mammut long-sleeved crew top without a baselayer. I put on a pair of RailRiders hiking pants which are expensive but last a long time and have features like deep pockets and a generous cut which I really like. I decided to put on my Keen Durand hiking boots which fit well. I added a new pair of Xstance insoles in an effort to find the best support and cushioning for my feet. These insoles have shock absorbing gel pads, TPU arch support, and memory foam cushioning all wrapped in a breathable fabric. The insoles have been hyped by their manufacturer and seemed to be living up to their claims. I put on my Mammut hoody which has plenty of zippers to dump heat but blocks the wind. I decided against a hat and gloves as it was just too warm. I also decided not to take any poles as the walk would be short and I would be holding Sheena's leash. I did put on my OR BugOut gaiters as I thought the ticks might be out. I put Sheena's harness on her and also put on an electronic training. I hoped that the electronic collar would allow me to hike with Sheena off her leash. We walked out the backdoor with Sheena on her leash to start the hike. The harness prevents Sheena from choking herself but I still have to control her pull on the leash. We headed down the driveway and toward the street at 2:20 PM. Sheena has gotten used to walking on her leash to the end of the drive. She also has become accustomed to waiting for cars to pass by and then crossing when I say "OK". This time she looked both ways and then looked at me and I said "OK" because there were no cars. She readily crossed the street and headed across the field by the church. We walked to the back of the church and began the ascent of the steepest hill behind the church. All of the snow was gone leaving a cover of wet leaves behind. Sheena had no problem walking up the hill except for the fact that she likes to stop and sniff very frequently. The hill is short but gets the circulation pumping and is the steepest and longest climb on the "trail." Not having poles made it more of a challenge for me. We did stop twice on the way to the top of the hill as Sheena set a fast pace. Sheena is getting bigger every day and her pull on the leash is signficant. At the top we did not bother to pause as Sheena hopped up the steps to start out on the trail. My plan was to walk two figure 8's depending on how the electronic collar worked out.
We started on the trail but I immediately asked Sheena to sit as I activated and checked the collar. Everything seemed in order so I told her "Up trail" and away she went. Sheena did not immediately take off but stayed on the trail just ahead of me. When she got too far ahead I told her "Not too far" and she came back toward me. I tried the "With" command to get her to walk next to me and she did so without a problem. It was certainly more pleasant walking this way than with Sheena pulling on the leash and me yanking to keep her in check. At the first trail junction, Sheena turned right and I followed her as she started up the woods road. I had been hiking straight up the hill to the lookout for the last few hikes and thought this might be a nice change. Along the woods road there were some branches on the trail from the recent winds and I took a moment to remove them. Sheena shies away from me every time I pick up a stick. I am not in the habit of hitting her with sticks and I finally figured out that she wants e to throw them so she can chase after them! When the woods road ended, we turned left and started up the trail to the junction with the blue trail. Sheena turned left at the junction as she apparently knew the turns for a figure 8. We walked along the flat trail at the base of Round Top. Sheena was ranging ahead and then zooming back toward me on her own or when I called. I used the beeps and vibration a couple of times on the collar. Sheena seems puzzled but learned that they meant I wanted her. When we came to the next junction with the blue trail to the summit, Sheena turned left but I went right. It took a minute but she quickly caught up and we both headed up toward the summit. At the switchback in the blue trail, Sheena turned right and we walked out to where the trail made an almost 180 degree turn to bring us back to the main blue trail. We turned right and started for the summit bypassing the white crossover trail. As we passed over the summit, Sheena picked up a scent and followed it off trail. I called her but she was intent on following the track. I had the collar set for 9/18 and decided I would test that setting. I pushed the button with no effect. I changed the setting to 12 with no effect. Finally, I set it to the maximum and pressed the button. I could see Sheena's muscles react but she hardly noticed it. This is one tough little dog! Eventually, she recognized that I was calling her a trotted over to me. We started down the other side of the hill again bypassing the white crossover trail. At the bottom of the hill, we turned right to again pass along the trail at the base of Round Top. When we reached the trail junction this time, we turned left and started downhill toward the lookout. We descended the short but steep little hill and came to the "Sitting Rock". Sheena jumped up on the rocks to look around before jumping down and continuing on the trail. Soon we were at the viewpoint. Sheena walked to the edge of the upper lookout to look around while I followed the trail as it turned left and headed down to the first trail junction. Sheena came roaring down the hill after me.
To start the next figure 8, we turned around and headed back up the hill to the viewpoint. This time we followed the yellow trail as it turned right and headed up toward the junction with the blue trail. We passed by the "sitting Rocks" and climbed the small hill. At the junction with the blue trail we turned right and walked along the yellow rail at the base of Round Top. At the next junction, we turned left on the blue trail and started toward the summit. I was dragging a little by this point but Sheena was still full of energy. She was ahead of me and turned left on the white crossover trail just to explore a little. I continued on the blue trail to the summit and Sheena soon caught up. We walked across the highest point of Round Top of public land and then started down the other side. The weather was really very Pleasanton seemed almost too warm after some of the frigid temperatures we had during the winter. We bypassed the white crossover trail and turned left on the switchback. We turned 180 degrees and headed back to the main trail where we turned left and walked down to the junction with the yellow trail. Here we turned left and again waked the yellow trail along the base of Round Top. Sheena showed what she had left by running ahead and then coming back at top speed. When we reached the junction with the yellow trail we turned right and walked down the trail to the woods road. A right on the woods road had us heading downhill toward the first trail junction. I am always impressed by the cliffs and ledges along this section of the trail. At the first trail junction we turned left and walked out to the trailhead. I put Sheena back on her leash and found she still was not tired as she pulled me down the hill to the church parking lot. We crossed the church parking lot to the street. After a few cars passed, we crossed the road and walked to the driveway. We were back at the house by 3:35 PM. We had hiked for 1 hour and 15 minutes covering about 2 miles.