We have had encouraging meetings with the NYC DEP concerning routing the trail off Rte. 129 into the woods just north of the New Croton Dam. This would be approximately .7 miles. There is still work to go: a formal proposal to make, but we are encouraged.
the proposed off road adjustment
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.
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.
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.
We haven’t taken the summer off: we have been pretty busy doing indoor (meetings, letter writing and calling) and outdoor (blazing and scouting) work. On August 26, 2008, Bob, Elizabeth and Jeanine were part of a lively crowd joining Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Parks Commissioner Adrean Benepe at the ribbon cutting ceremony for the new High Bridge Access Trail in Manhattan.
The High Bridge was open for this event and we walked over the bridge to the Bronx side and walked back. It was a glorious day.
Just in case you need some help with the geography, the High Bridge spans the Harlem River from Manhattan on the west to [the] Bronx on east.
High Bridge and the Hudson Trail
The parks on both sides are beautiful and well-maintained. When the High Bridge restoration is complete, scheduled for 2012, we will move the Trail Head to Manhattan.
The South Trek marking is nearing completion. We celebrated this AND the crossing of the HT with the Appalachian Trail (AT) on National Trails Day, June 7th. This was a day of events going on all around the country and we were happy to be part of the festivities.
Here is a link to an album of photos taken by Norman:
http://picasaweb.google.com/ishablinsky/
HudsonTrailCrossingAppalachianTrailCeremonialHike07Jun08
Look under Pages (to the right) for another picture of the event.
While waiting for the official New York State robin’s egg blue trail disks, we have been scouting the Old Croton Aqueduct Trail and putting up protomarkers, especially at road crossing where improved signage is needed.
Jeanine was holding the paint, not in the middle of decorating vent #9.
We have met many fine folks out on the Trail, who thanked us for our efforts. This part of the trail is very walkable and it appears to be heavily used.
Protomarkers, aka 2×2s, are small blue splotches to be covered up with the official disks.
See one in the photo under an old NYS marker. Please let us know if you know how old the white NYS markers are.
Along the Old Croton Aqueduct section of the HT near Irvington, NY, on a day so gorgeous that the path was chock-a-block with people, our trail crew erected a few ski-blue proto markers at appropriate points.
The trail passes Columbia University Nevis research center. One of the buildings was built by the son of Alexander Hamilton. Another impressive sight on the walk is the Octagon House. This was built in the 1860s and currently is being restored by its owner. We were told about both these things by Ellen, a Friend of the Old Croton Aqueduct, who happened by.
We were blazing the Hudson Trail in Bell Hollow.
We have been given permission to put sky blue blazes on the Old Croton Aqueduct from the Bronx-Westchester border to the Croton Dam. We are working with people in the Bronx to obtain permission for the route from Highbridge to the border. The route is essentially the NYC Old Croton Aqueduct Trail.
The weather is turning nice and we need everyone’s help to complete markings of the South Trek to make our deadline of National Trail Day, June 7th, for events along the Hudson Trail, including crossing the Appalachian Trail at Sunken Mine Road.
