Hiker Challenge: The Final Week

Hiker Challenge; the final week. Yes, it’s incredibly that Abby and I have gone through six whole weeks of competition. The final week we pushed as hard as we could.

Sunday-

Rail Trail Rt 55, Poughkeepsie, NY-

After church because Abby wanted Jesus before hiking, we hiked a mile on the rail trail. It was a nice hike and we met Special Boggs. Special Boggs is a dog not a rapper and has its own Instagram account as Special is the mascot for Bases Loaded Training Facility in Poughkeepsie, NY. We got back to the car just as it started to rain. We got lucky on this one and I got some super cute pictures of Abby.

Monday-

Poets Walk, Red Hook NY-

I like this place. Always have. It’s an easier trail. But, a great place for a home school lesson on various habitats.

There is meadow, woods, awesome views and great places to sit and relax. We had fun looking at all the flowers and exploring everything including a tunnel under a bridge.

There are usually a lot of people too and dogs. So you aren’t alone. Just watch out for cyclist.

Abby found a little boyfriend her age in the woods so I let them play together for a bit.

We did the loop around so we could see everything stopping at the Summer House and the big pavilion in the meadow.

We then retraced out steps to car and Abby hitched a ride on my back.

Tivoli Bay, Tivoli NY/Hike #2-

This is the same place that there is picture of me out there somewhere holding up my middle finger to the sign after getting lost a few years ago.

This is our third trip and each time we try a different area. However, that stupid GPS. Just google Cruger Mountain Road. I like this section the best. Well, I used to like this section best.

We parked the car and began down the service road. We hiked to the right and I believe the trail was marked blue. Abby stopped and made an awesome rock sculpture on side of trail. Who needs blocks and puzzles?

After awhile, we hiked on and big middle finger again, there are parking spots at the end of trail. It’s a dead end with another parking lot! We went down one trail that took us to the Hudson. It is a lovely view. Then we went back to main trail and went up yellow trail. Abby was on my back by this point.

The trail was very muddy and I kept sinking into this very thick heavy mud. It was mainly up hill with a couple wooden bridge crossings. I kept an eye on GPS and it was running parallel to the access road our car was on. However, at the top, the yellow trail takes a sharp turn to the left! We needed to go right.

Next part I don’t recommend unless you have a lot of training. I yelled, “we are bushwhacking!” It looked fairly even and open so I went for it. Abby was also safely on my back and I could see Baird College to me left. I would stab with my hiking pole ahead of myself and walk. Stab and walk. Just in case any rattlesnakes were in the brush. We dropped down into a river bed and back up other side. I saw an opening into a field and decided field walking would be safer. Tada, a trail.

I followed it for a bit before Abby asked to walk by some weird looking hut. We walked out to road keeping an eye on the GPS and crossed through a few walking paths before locating the road our car was parking on.

From there we just hiked down to car with the annoying sounds of a weed whacker . That ended that hike.

Tuesday-

Stissing Mountain, Pine Plains, NY-

Stissing Mountain. At first Google Maps wanted me to go to Stissing Mountain Rd. Sorry Google, this is wrong. I followed Hike the Hudson Valley and typed in 7 Lake Rd. Only issue is that coming from the west, the directions to find the trail head are reversed.

We finally found the parking lot and thank you to another hiker. He gave us awesome directions as I was about to trample through a very overgrown trail on wrong side of road.

You cross the street. We did so after playing with an adorable dog and two other people telling us they would see us at the top. I guess they haven’t hiked the speed of a 3.5 year old. So, then you start walking up hill. It is basically a river bed that this time of year (Spring), is flowing water and mud in multiple locations.

You not once get a break from the uphill. As the hiker said at the beginning, “ignore all side shoot trails.” We eventually came upon the cairn he so spoke of (big o’pile of rocks in center of trail). This is where it divides and decisions have to be made. The shorter route to the left, is far steeper. The right, meanders and switchbacks more. We went right.

We took a few snack breaks and a mosquito bit my butt as I gave my daughter peanuts on our snack break. Our new favorite trail food. Abby laughed at me. I made a deal with her that if she continued to summit, I would carry her all the way back to the car.

We took a couple short cut trails as I had a basic sense of where the fire tower had to be. So I didn’t completely follow that guys suggestion to follow the trail.

But, we got the fire tower and Abby began to climb. We got about half way up and I got super dizzy. Abby told me I was weeny and she would go back up with daddy.

At the bottom, we took another break before loading Abby into the pack. We made it only part way down and Abby wanted to give the very steep trail a try. I was nervous because there was a lot of loose rock and she didn’t want to use my pole or a stick for support. She wanted to do it all on her own. This is why I seriously want to invest in a helmet and harness for her. She’s a daredevil.

She did slip at one point and bounced like a cartoon hitting three rocks with just her butt and stopping. I was slipping too. It’s a crazy trail because it’s not a scramble. It’s just steep with the earth sliding under you.

We took a potty break and I put her toilet on a rock, It ended up flipping over and Abby did a somersault into the brush. I got her up covered in twigs and leaves. She looks at me sternly and says “I told you not to put my potty on that rock!”

We made it back down and hung a right retracing our steps back to car. Her shoe became a casualty because her foot fell into a small pool of water. So she insisted on hiking to car in socks and go mad because she had leaves stuck to her feet.

Funny fact about this hike, “let it go” aka Elsa from Frozen spent more time in the carrier strapped in than Abby did.

Wednesday-

Pinewoods Nature Trail, Hyde Park, NY-

We got out of car and followed the trail passed the playground and went into the woods. It’s a nice trail with plenty of offshoots to explore the river and climb the rocks. Abby was the hike leader for most of it and did the whole hike in her dance clothes.

We kept going through the woods until we were dumped in a field. We just kept walking until we ended up back at the parking lot and went and played on the playground.

Thursday-

Strigham Park, Lagrange, NY-

We got up scary early Thursday. So before music class, we headed over to Strigham Park. I have never been but was able to pull up a map of the trails online.

There is a nice paved track that goes around the tribute garden and loops around the lake. The only nasty thing is all the geese poop.

There was plenty of wildlife from a family of ducks to a fat bunny. It’s paved and flat so nice for anyone.

When we looped around to other side, we stopped and played at the playground for awhile before walking the rest of the way back to the car.

Friday-

Rudd Pond, Millerton NY-

This the spot that I wrote two blog posts about when we took one of Abby’s first camping trips. You can read about them here and here.

The first time I ever hiked in here, I entered from just beyond the camping spot. However, this time, we hiked all the way down the main road to the red end of trail markers. We then hiked into the woods following the red trail.

It was very, very overgrown. In the first 3/4ths of a mile, I pulled eight ticks from my legs and shoes. We took a couple breaks and just before the mile maker, I put her in the carrier for a bit.

You come to junction for the white trail. Go right if you want to continue your loop around. Go left to see a view and add just over a mile to your trip.

I made the decision to go to the left to see a view. After fighting biting things, poison ivy, ticks and other stuff, I wanted the view!

I have definitely see better views. But, it was a nice spot to take a break and have a snack before venturing onward.

Abby walked again and I taught her to look for bear rubbings on the tree and scat on the ground. I kept smelling a large animal, so I wanted us on alert. However, Abby told me a bear did not make the mark on the tree, a beaver did. Then looked at me and said, “chomp, chomp.”

We continued on and got back to where the red and white split off. Don’t follow the random red trail to right before that or the second red trail you came up on … Stay on the white and march to your right.

We ran into a guy with two small dogs and I warned him that near summit there might be a bear and said hi to the dog’s before we hiked on.

We played on some branches and eventually were following water. Our second stop at the water, Abby decided to skinny dip and dared me to, also. I decided to be boring and just took off my shoes and socks.

We followed the trail to the pond on your left. Pay attention because you don’t want to keep going around the lake. Take the trail to the right which, will most likely be overgrown too.

Eventually, we arrived at campground. Road walked back and instead of leaving right away, we went to the playground.

Side note, we saw lots of frogs on this hike. I believe I was frog peed on three times. Exciting and useless info. Your welcome.

Peach Hill Park, Poughkeepsie, NY AGAIN AGAIN AGAIN-Hike #2-

What can I say? We completed the exact same trail as we have done a million times before. Seriously, besides seeing a frog, this hike was totally uneventful.

Saturday-

Mills Mansion, Staatsburg, NY-

We weren’t going to do any hiking today because Abby had her first dance recital, but she really wanted to go. So, I picked somewhere easy but has nice spots to play next to Hudson River. The place is called Mills Mansion.

We parked in the lot and followed the road down. We took the first path at the bottom and went exploring before using the bathroom.

Then we got back on road, followed that and went past a wedding that was being setup and onto the trail.

We took the first cut off and dropped our stuff. We took off our shoes and socks and played in Hudson River. It was awesome because it was low tide. We got to see a snapping turtle at the far end of the beach.

The tide was coming back in, so we played a little more before putting Abby Monkey on my back and walking barefoot to the car.

It was an awesome final hike for the challenge and a beautiful day.

Week 6 Conclusion-

You can watch the week six highlight video here-

This was by far our best week all around from weather to hiking spots. We cleared almost seventeen miles and truly feel like we grew this week.

Housekeeping-

please remember to subscribe if you liked what you read and you can also follow us on many different social media platforms.  Also, a lot more awesome content on YouTube. All links should be on the bottom or side of page depending on what you are viewing on. Remember, to tune into Instagram this weekend when Abby answers a couple more questions for our viewers. You can view past weeks questions there too. Oh and one last thing, our sister blog is over at hvparent.com/adventures-of-abby-girl

Want us to come to you? Please send an email to discuss options or receive a media kit. We are also looking to start highlighting adventurous mamas again. Check it out on this page! https://adventuresofabbygirl.com/adventurous-mama-and-me-of-the-month/

I also currently am in a solo art show where I am showing a lot of work from our adventures- You can purchase prints online here. They will come to me first for matting. So I will need your info! Thank you. 

We will never Spam you because Spam even in food form isn’t cool.