Hike On; The Next 100 Miles: Week 2

Here is to the start to week two as we do our hike challenge. To recap if you didn’t read the first blog post, you should go back and get caught up! I published a full short film too of week 1 on You-tube. That will give you a good idea of what we are up to now. click here

Monday-

Depot Hill Multi-Use Area-

Monday we went to Depot Hill Multi-Use Area. and parked across from some giant tower. We then followed the Blue Blaze Trail down to the Appalachian Trail. Then we turned right to head toward Georgia. We didn’t make it that far today. Just to the view point on Egbert Mountain. I keep calling it Eggbert Mountain. But, it should be called Buggy Mountain. Swarms even with bug spray. Abby girl sprayed my back and got a little over zealous and soaked my shirt with bug spray. Yep, still swarmed around me. But luckily they were more of an annoyance than anything.

This trail had a lot of ups and downs. Some small scrambles and a nice little black water pond from too much water that looked as if Swamp Thang should boogy on out of it. The view was good too. It was a fairly clear day which helped to see really far into the horizon.

We also made a stop at the Morgan Stuart Shelter just before the summit. Abby decided to sweep the lean-to and we signed the book. There was also a lovely picture of a penis with hairy balls on the shelter wall. Luckily, Abby just saw the weird cartoon guy next to it and I didn’t have to explain what was pointing at it.

We played many games along the trail including, “mine” which is where Abby holds onto one side of the stick and mom the other and we scream “mine” back and forth as we engage in tug of war. This is an Abby original game.

Abby also enjoyed standing by logs with holes and yelling, “wake up bugs.” I told her the bugs were in there taking a nap.

She spent maybe a quarter of a mile in the pack. Sadly, our pack is very uncomfortable for her at this point and hurts her legs. It’s duct taped and dinged up. We can’t afford a new one, so it’s this or hike on little one. When she was on my back, it was helpful because she’s a tiny monkey and picks bugs and crap off me that I can’t reach.

Overall, good hike. Just very buggy and I got a really random sunburn on the top of my left boob and my right shoulder. No clue how that happened. Also, don’t take a bath and wash your hair before going on a hike. Especially this time of year. The bugs were loving it. Oh and I got a new hiking stick and didn’t leave this one behind. Abby girl picked it out for me. It’s all twisted and weird like me. Onto next hike.

Tuesday-

Dover Stone Church-
Hike was quick one. We drove up to spot and were welcomed by a bunch of no trespassing, no parking signs around the parking lot. A tow sign too. Only the trail was open. So we parked down the Rd at the elementary school. There were no spots so I parked on end and prayed for no ticket. we then walked back to the trail head and began.

We hiked down the stairs, through the trees, passed the rushing water, over the bridge and to the spot with the trail maps. I really wanted to do loop. However, we didn’t have time as my tiny one slept in. Hiked to cave. She leaped over rocks with ninja like skills. The water was flowing hard and very noisy. We both have noise sensitivity issues. So after a couple minutes of screaming at each other over the roaring water, we retreated.

We headed up and explored the ponds. We tossed some sticks and dandelions into the pond and watched them float around. On way back, Abby spotted an animal first. I thought it was a ground hog. Abby thought it was something furry too. We were both very wrong. We flushed out a big, fat turkey. She was on my back at this point and encouraged me as I hiked up about 41 stone steps. Yes, I went full on Rain Man and counted them out loud … ever single set.

We went down to road and walked to car parked at elementary school. I was glad to see no ticket. So thumbs up as good spot to park the car.

Wednesday-

Ferncliff Forest, Rhinebeck, NY-

After dance today, we went up Ferncliff Forest in Rhinebeck. I was hesitant to go to this hiking spot because last time I was here with Abby, my GPS went nuts multiple times. Abby also said she saw ghosts. We both had a weird feeling last time we hiked this location. In fact, we wrote about it here and here is a video. But, here we were again.

This time around, was fairly uneventful. We played at the pond and I found a huge toad. Abby got stuck in the mud and her dance tights got nasty. She insisted on hiking in dance clothes and her Keens. 

After I got her changed, she wanted to head to the fire tower. She stick shopped on the way up and it was like a weird version of Goldie Locks. “This stick is too big, this stick is too small, this stick is just right.” She even found me one so we could gallop up the hill on our sticks.

At the fire tower, I was so relieved that I was able to convince her to wait for Daddy. I’m very afraid of heights and didn’t have a change of underwear. No seriously, I will get paralyzed with fear.

We had a snack and decided to catch a different trail down. She got on my back shortly on way down. She was afraid of the mountain bicycles. One made her jump a mile in air on way to fire tower. She became very obsessed with following a particular mountain bike because supposedly it would lead us out and back to car. Not the case.

We ended up passing a lovely sign that said, now leaving ferncliff forest. I walked down for a bit because it said follow the circle trail back into forest. I never found it and ended up back tracking.

After drinking the last sip of water, I trudged on. Thanks Abby.

Eventually we found our way back to car and even passed two random gnomes on the side of trail. One had a sign that said “beer garden this way.” I wish. 

The orange trail and a couple others were not too clear. At one point, the orange trail went three directions. I was so hot, thirsty and sore I almost stepped on two snakes. But, luckily, thanks to GPS and the map I took a pic of on way in, I got back to car.

Burger Hill Rhinebeck, NY-

I wish there were burgers on this hill. We were driving by and I told Abby that this is our next location. Since she rode a good chunk of last hike on my back, she insisted on doing this trail too. I told her no carrier. She had to walk. I was so happy we stopped for drinks and pretzels.

We played freeze dance and Abby kept making herself fall in grass on way up. We also flushed out some awesome looking birds. 

At the summit, she jumped from rock to rock. Each rock has a guide to what mountain peaks are in the horizon. We then played a rousing game of hide and go seek before trail running down the backside.

Abby picked dandelions for Fre and Fre the hermit crabs. Then we stopped at pond where she intentionally stuck her foot in the pond scum.

After a short while, we were in car and on way back home. She asked to go on a third hike and I had to turn her down. Tomorrow is another day.

Thursday-

Peach Hill Park, Poughkeepsie, NY-

We pulled into our house and I just honestly wanted to go in and relax before driving her to pony school. Abby had other plans. She wanted to hike with Noodles.
So I picked a spot nearby called Peach hill Park
She didn’t use the pack at all and walked the dog most of way. The highlight of trip was her getting climb in the trees in the old apple orchard. 

Friday-

Winnakee Preserve, Hyde Park, NY-

There was a call for rain. But, Abby again was the cheerleader and wanted to get some of a hike in. We went to Winnakee Preserve, in Hyde Park NY.
We did the red loop which was just under a mile and we got attacked by bugs and played a big game of bear hunt. She also had me rescue all the red salamanders off the trail.

Towards the end, we got caught in a pretty good rain and Abby tried to convince me that was her bath.

We got back to the car and she asked to go on a second hike. Instead, we went to the grocery store.

Saturday-

Mary Moore Preserve, Sharon, CT-

I got my extra pack already for a bigger adventure. We leave shockingly early and head to Mary Moore Preserve in Sharon CT. I opened the door and Abby and car seat was covered in yogurt. After a quick change, we got out and situated.
We were greeted by cows and an electric fence.

It was very windy outside making it cold. We started climbing this big hill following the blazes. She was just not feeling it. We got into the woods and I had to put her on my back. It just was climbing and climbing and more climbing. We made it to the lookout and despite the wicked wind, the sky was so clear, we could see all the peaks off in the distance.
I wanted to hike on but she was just not happy. So we called it a day and headed back. Besides, both of my calves ceased up on way up and I really was having issues with them on uphill climbing.

I stopped at a sign to a random tree on way down. Never found the tree on the offshoot trail. So we went back on main trail and followed it back to car. FYI I googled this and I guess it is special type of Oak Tree. The land trust removed other trees that were crowding it. I honestly, only read the blurp on google.

We said goodbye to the cows and Abby was upset because they didn’t say goodbye back. Not five minutes down road and she was out cold. I was going to go for a second hike but she was catching flies. 

Last Thoughts and Video Link-

I didn’t think a hundred miles would be difficult to achieve in six weeks. However, I’m on around our 23rd mile. Between the weird weather and that now has us hiking in light rain and the challenges of being a mom, business owner and proud owner of a 3.5 year old; adds a whole other layer of challenge to this. Determined, we hike on into week 3. Video link

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