11/16/13 Dutchess Rail Trail - Gold's Gym entrance

     What a great day for our final walk!!  It was sunny, slightly cool when we started and then warmed up...just beautiful.  And there were 15 of us to enjoy this last walking day.  The majority of the group walked about four miles, some more and some a little less.

     After the walk, the lunch group decided to eat at the bakery at a nearby mall where we'd enjoyed brunch last year.  This involved ten people in five different cars.  When we arrived at the mall, the bakery was closed citing the owners had opened a new tapas restaurant, Tomas, at the mall next door.  Somehow we all managed to get there to enjoy a pleasant and decent lunch.

     The leaves were mostly gone and there wasn't much to take pictures of so there are only a few, not very exciting ones.

the new bridge

view from the bridge

and the other side

a little bit of trail side water

and some more

there were a lot of these "flowers" along the way

the trail

remains of an overpass

we crossed a small stream

another trail view

we took a group pic with 4 missing [2 still walking & 2 in restroom]-this one with me

and this one with Pat

     

11/9/13 Winding Hills Park

        It was overcast and 37 degrees when I left home and it stayed chilly for the walk.  How nice it was to have a short drive to the walk for a change. 

        There were 10 of us.  The map provided by the park is a little difficult to interpret but after passing the end of the lake,  there are three trails all leading left toward the dam. Only one actually goes there.  We had intended to walk all the way around the lake; and that involved taking the third trail.  We thought we were on it but it turned out that we had taken trail two which ends about half way to the dam.

        There was a big hill that we thought might lead us to Trail 3.  John and Dave scaled it...it was not easy...very steep and the leaves made it slippery.  With the leafy covered ground, they couldn't identify a trail even if it was there.  So we all turned around and walked back along the lake  on trail one.  When we got back to the station, 7 of us walked to a small pond nearby and, from there, 6 went on up a nearby hill.

        Six of us enjoyed lunch in the very nice back room at Copperfield's in Montgomery.

at the beginning of the trail

lots of leaves on the trail hiding rocks and roots

the rock on the downed tree tradition continues

the view across the lake

there were many fungi covered trees

another lake view

nice spot to sit and think

this is the hill Dave & John climbed...tricky going up and trickier coming down

the lake views continue

large wasp nest

interesting tree stump in the lake

more fungi

smaller downed tree earned a smaller rock...thanks to John

this still-standing tree was covered with fungi

and a close up...they were kind of spongy to the touch [Pat and I checked them out]

tree artwork

view at the end of the lake

leaf filled brook

this is the small pond

more of the pond

and the rest of the pond

six were off into the woods by the pond

       

11/2/2013 Pawling Nature Reserve

     It's always a little interesting getting there.  It's kind of hidden away and there is a Quaker Hill Rd, North Quaker Hill Rd and Quaker Lake Road.  To make it more interesting my directions said North Quaker Lake Road [the map was correct though,,it's North Quaker Hill Rd.].  I'm really trying to get the directions to walks accurate and appreciate any help offered from others.  Nine of us managed to get there.

     The day was damp-chilly with lots of clouds and spotty sun.  A sign announced that we should be careful since it's hunting season [Shaupeneak also warned us last week].   Nicely, a box at the entrance to the trail provided orange vest.  Some of us chose to wear them and we returned them at the conclusion of the walk.  We walked briefly on the yellow, went to the red, then to the white [Appalachian] and back to the yellow. 

     There is a lot of up hill involved for the first half of the walk and we spend a little bit of time on the Appalachian Trail.  But it's a nice trail and a pleasant walk in the woods...good for the cardio for sure.

     I hate to admit it but, while I enjoy the walk,  my favorite part of the walk is dining at McKinney & Doyle in Pawling after.  Five of us enjoyed an excellent lunch there.  It's our favorite place to eat.

tiny purple flowers at beginning of trail

we cross the bridge and head uphill

view in one direction from the bridge

we've walked up a portion of the hill and looked down on the creek

we cross a bridge bordered by two fallen trees

interesting stump

I'm trying to show how high we've already come but it's not very easy to see just how far down the view goes...and we've got a lot more to uphill to go

as we walked higher the leaves became more colorful

a little closer

and much closer

moss and ferns

more moss and ferns

some pretty leaves

and more

more trees

and again

the trail is really pretty

a large part of the Appalachian Trail has boards which aren't that easy to walk on

John says this is a mushroom spoor

trail-side foliage

leaf collage on the boardwalk

more nice scenery

a downed tree and checking the map

I think it was at Norrie Point where we discovered that people had put rocks on downed trees to indicate that they were there.  So, naturally, we've continued the tradition.  WE WERE HERE!!!

moss surrounding a tree

an interesting stump produced two more interesting pix [or so I say]

partridge berries below

and some fungi on the stump

It was a really nice walk

more pretty tree views

the trees at the bottom of the hill the leaves were less interesting

close up composition

more fungi

back to the bridge

and another brook view

pretty trees view from the parking area