We went camping at the Cherry Plain State Park and drove up to the Grafton State Park. Everybody we met was enthusiastic and encouraging about the Hudson Trail and full of useful advice about the project. Much appreciation to Bob, Liz, Ranger Joe, and all the interns.
The photo shows the beauty of the area and is typical of the Rensselaer Plateau.
Cherry Plain State Park
The next photo shows a monument in Dutch Church, formerly called West Berlin.
Evangelical Lutheran Church marker
Bob took his grandson, a Cub Scout who lives in Florida, and other family, to Sunken Mine Road and to a side trail up Candlewood Hill for the 360 degree views. Here is Thor Gabriel putting up a marker.
Our group was small but lively and a good time was had by all. We saw many specimens of Natrix Sipedon (the Northern water snake) basking in the sun’s rays after a heavy rain: pictures of fauna and flora coming. Here is our photographer putting up a marker.
We will return to Sunken Mine Road with our new Voss markers. Please join us for the hike (about 2 miles round trip) and conversation about summer plans. We will have potables and depending on Jeanine’s mood, baked goods. Let us know you are coming and, if you are among the first ten, you will get a specially designed T-shirt.
Carol, Elizabeth and Bob went up the hill to Spitzenberg. Before the top of this mighty massif is reached, the Hudson Trail bends to the right. To the left is the steep ascent of the summit cone. At this magic spot, many things have taken place; to wit, there is the old sign, almost completely grown over.
Sign, circa 1937, erected by the CCC
The bunny shown below had writing on it suggesting a eulogy to a dirt biker. For us, it marked a happy day out hiking and trail blazing.
Where the Spitzenberg summit trail leaves the HT
On a spring break day in March, we tramped on the Old Croton Aqueduct Trail through the Lyndhurst estate, now a National Historic Landmark. Our spanking new markers were put to the test as the broad field provided few trees for the task.
Here is a picture of a statue in front of the main building.
Please comment if you can tell us who or what the statue represents.
West view. Notice the snowbells peeking up under the tree.
View from the south.
The return of the grackles to Mt. Kisco has prompted us to start plans for the Spring and Summer. As you may already know, we are replacing painted blazes in the NY State portions of the South Trek with our spanking new markers.
The South Trek is composed of 7 sections, each a day’s march. The status of each section is:
We have only begun measuring the route using our measuring wheel. You know, folks, this is quite an adventure. If you want to join us in any of these activities (wheeling, putting up markers, painting, walking, or writing the trail guide), please let us know.
The very cold weather did not keep Elizabeth and Bob from putting up the new, state-approved, markers on the Old Croton Aqueduct.
Elizabeth and HT marker at the Old Croton Aqueduct
As the weather gets more pleasant, please contact us to go out. We are starting work on the Stissing Trek: north of Beacon.
Jeanine and Headhood were working off a great turkey dinner cooked mainly by Aviva by painting telephone poles in Philipstown, NY. Additional thrills were ours as we painted our markers through the former downtown area of McKeel’s Corners. The buildings, all of them, were removed in the 1950s to make way for the widening of Routes 301 and 9 (aka Albany Post Road). The little white church shown in the video dates from the 1840s. North on Route 9, the two-room brick school house has been boarded up for years.
sample plastic HT marker from the Voss Signs, Inc.
Much campaign work, but now we are back at work on the Hudson Trail. In the meantime, Bob has put together a design for a trail marker with input from Jeanine, Elizabeth and Autumn and others. The order is in to Voss Signs.
We also explored and pushed the measuring wheel over a side trail called the Old Colaburgh Trail.
While waiting for final finishing up on the South Trek, we have started communications with Dutchess County Parks to begin marking the Stissing Trek.
