July 5, 2014 Esopus Meadows Preserve

      We lucked out again with another beautiful day!  The temperature was in the 70s with sun, blue sky and a slight breeze....perfect for walking.  This was an unfamiliar walk to me and I think to the rest of the group. 
      Thanks to the efforts of Scenic Hudson, the trails were well marked [although there was a portion of the white trail that veered off to the right as we walked back uphill to yellow that was marked but not on the trail map...we think it led to the blue trail along the river].  After last week's confusion with the poor trail marking at Roosevelt, this was a pleasure.
     At one time farmers brought their cattle to feast on plants growing in the shallow offshore tidal flat.  It's now a breeding/nursery area for fish.
      We wandered up and down and up hills for a total of almost two miles. The blue trail loops around and, faced with a big uphill to reach the riverside portion, half of our group chose the interior portion and half us trekked up a hill to enjoy a nice walk along the river.  It wasn't an easy walk but I and I think most of us enjoyed it.  However, it is not destined to become a club favorite.
       Five of us enjoyed brunch at the Marlboro Diner and rated the meal an 8.

Day lilies at the trail entrance.

I think this is the Klyne Esopus Kill on its way to the nearby river.

We're on our way.

We've already worked our way uphill. It was only the beginning!

It was pretty in the woods.

An ugly fungus.

Stone walls abounded.

Another hill to climb.

A bit of a swampy area here.

Keep on climbing.

More fungi.

This wall required a helping hand.

There were quite a few of these bridges.

A mossy area.

We took the white trail down to the river and rested while enjoying the view before the trek back uphill.

Fungi again.

The grounds of the Mills Mansion across the river.

Some fun on the river.

Looking down river.

We've made our way back uphill...the river is beyond trees.

Unknown building across river with blue heron in foreground

A closer view of the heron

There's not a lot of open water in this area.

We watched this machine apparently trying to clear the water from the exceedingly invasive water chestnuts.

Lighthouse closeup.

Upriver view.

     

June 28 2014 Roosevelt Estate

      We had sun and blue sky.  It was in the low 80's when we started but we spent most of the walk in the woods so it wasn't too bad.  There was an occasional breeze.  My car indicated the temp as 88 later in the day.  We numbered 11.
       I've never pretended to be a hike leader and have fortunately been able to rely on our more experienced members to guide us on the appropriate trail.  Today, though, we had no one who was certain of our usual route. Dutchess County has mapped all, or almost all, the trails in the county and I was armed with their map of the Roosevelt Estate.  So we took off on the blue trail which the map showed as going directly to the river.  It did not.  We could see the river but the obvious trail turned left and didn't get to the river at all.  We decided later that we must ordinarily take the green trail which the map shows as looping around partially along the river.  [I just looked at my old pix from 2012 and we did follow the green trail...we'll do better next time.]  NOTE:  I started making notes on the maps for the last two walks so that maybe, eventually, I'll get it together.
       At one point the trail we were on met up with the yellow trail which looped back toward the estate.  At that point going back would have made the walk too short [at least for most of us] so we decided to continue on the trail.  The trails are not very well marked and the map was a bit confusing.  After walking for a while, and still not knowing for sure where we were [except that we were going south], we decided to retrace our steps and go back. Other than not liking being "lost and confused," I enjoyed the walk in the woods and think most of the group did too.
       Six of us enjoyed brunch at the Eveready in Hyde Park and rated it an 8.

there are several trail pictures...this is the beginning-once we descended the hill

the pond behind the dam [below]

spilling over the dam

blue heron in the tree...he flew away before I could get a better shot

we "forded" a small stream

tree "apartments"

heading back to the estate

a little closer view

cat tails

we headed to the garden...the roses were mostly gone

but there were other pretty flowers

we loved these cute little guys