A Rather Soggy Week

 

The high peaks from Goodnow fire tower.

9/24/23

Goodnow Mountain Hike. This was a Plan B hike as rain to the east caused a venue change from Vermont's Mt Equinox to this mountain. It was a short hike but nice views from the firetower.

Lunch at the fire tower.

We stopped at Camp Santononi on the way back to add a few miles to our trip. I enjoyed visiting the Pruyn farm which supplied food for the great camp.

Wildflowers by Esther.

I really liked the pattern of chlorophyll being halted by the colder weather.

Just a little color starting in the trees.

9/26/23

Today the weather was fine but after I decided to do a 30 mile ride, I just didn't feel well for unspecific reasons and kept putting off going out. Finally at about 3 pm I decided to ride what ever distance I could manage. I started at the Rt 150 parking area and headed south thinking I'd turn back if I felt the least bit unwell. I ended up going out 14 miles to the Farm Store, had chicken salad for an early dinner, then headed back. I really wanted 30 miles, so I continued another mile past the car and back to get the 30 miles in.


Rainy weather leads to active water falls.

Lots of pumpkins!

9/28

After a visit to the dentist, another bike ride sounded good today. I really didn't want to drive far, so I went just across the river to start in Watervliet and head south past downtown Albany. It is not the most scenic ride, and the noise of the highway is not great but it was close to home. 

There were a couple of interesting animals crossing the path - a rat as I was in the seediest section under the highway, then not a mile later a flock of chickens. 

This was where the rat was crossing but too fast for a picture.

The U.S.S. Slater museum.

The famous U-Haul truck on high.

An urban deer gawking at me.

A not too ugly urban scene.

9/29/23

Buck Mountain again. I found out how hard it is to leave home in the pouring rain to go on a hike, but I persevered and went. The rain was supposed to stay south and east of our destination and that mostly held true. We could hear rain drops up in the trees as we hiked up, but the trail stayed dry as just a few bouts of drizzle fell during the hike. We started at 11 am, arrived at the top at 1:20 (3.3 miles, 2000 ft). We headed down at 1:50 and arrived back at the cars just before 4 pm.

I was able to fly the drone and take some photos of the gray day.


Having lunch on the summit.

We lucked out because 5 minutes later we were completely socked in with no view at all.

We ended this lovely day with dinner and a beer at Common Roots Brewery. 

Now it is Saturday and an apple picking gig to benefit The Rensselaer Plateau Alliance was postponed due to, not kidding, more rain.


2023 Biking Challenge (1000 miles and 2+ rides per month)

Jan: 1/8 - 18 miles; 1/29 -12 mi

Feb: 2/14/- 14 mi, 2/15 - 16 mi, 2/20 - 21 mi

March: 3/21 - 14 mi, 3/31 - 11.5 mi

April: 4/4 - 20 mi, 4/27 - 15 mi

May: 5/9 - 20 mi, 5/11 - 15.1 mi, 5/14 - 19 mi, 5/21 - 30.1 mi, 5/26 - 7 mi, 5/27 - 8 mi, 5/28 - 20 mi

June: 6/3 - 20.3 mi, 6/6 - 15 mi, 6/8 - 15 mi, 6/9 - 23 mi, 6/14 - 15 mi, 6/15 - 21 mi, 6/16 - 10 mi, 

6/22 - 10 mi

July: 7/8 - 30.25 mi,  7/17 - 11 mi, 7/20 - 20.25 mi, 7/22 - 30 mi, 7/26 - 18.1 mi, 7/28 - 10 mi

August: 8/2 - 16.5 mi, 8/5 - 33.8 mi, 8/9 - 7.7 mi, 8/12 - 6 mi, 8/13 - 13.7 mi, 

8/18 - 20.1 mi, 8/20 - 34 mi, 

September: 9/8 - 26 mi, 9/12 - 17.6 mi, 9/14 - 21 mi, 9/20 - 21.4 mi,  9/21 - 26.7 mi, 

9/22 - 14.5 mi, 9/25 - 30.4 mi, 9/28 - 24 mi

Total Distance: 824 miles

Comments

  1. MargaretOctober 1, 2023 at 8:45 PM

    Spectacular photos! That first one is frameable. I have a few photos of us in New York in a place that looked like your Buck Mountain ones. Of course, it wasn't the same place, just similar cliffs and water. :) I love dinner and a beer out. I really missed draft beer during the height of the pandemic.

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