Let it snow, let it snow, ...

Returning to Bleak House after a week in SJ & DC celebrating Turkey Bowl XXXLIII (my annual get-together with college buddies), I found 2" of old snow on the driveway and parking area.



Finally we're getting the snow base needed for snowshoeing. A dead 30' tall, 18" diameter tree behind the house had fallen toward the parking area and broke in two. The top part landed in the parking area close to where I sometime park. Phew

The Lake Placid area has about 12" of snow. Hunting season ends December 7th. Then I'll get back into the woods for snowshoeing. The Northfield-Lake Placid trail in a 130+ mile north-south lowland trail. I've hiked a small portion near Lake Placid. This should be the perfect easy winter hike. I've 3 sets of snowshoes and trekking poles, so there is equipment for visitors. There are also places in Lake Placid to rent equipment.
(see: http://highpeakscyclery.com/page.cfm?pageID=125)

For those interested in X Country Skiing check out Cascade Cross Country Ski Center:
http://www.cascadeski.com/index.html
I've visited the shop and everyone was very nice and friendly. When there is a full moon, they do all night sking with bonfires and drinks along the trails and music in the lodge.

Here are some wild turkey tracks I found behind the house. There must have a lot of them because there are a whole lot of tracks like this.

Be well my friends

Another Tragedy

A hunter was killed on Saturday, apparently by someone in his own hunting party, in Keene. This happened about 8 miles from my house. Here's a Press Republican story about it:
http://www.pressrepublican.com/0100_news/local_story_321215415.html
He had 2 small children.

I don't have any problems with hunting. I don't hunt but I do eat meat. I don't understand how you can discharge a weapon without being 100% certain, I mean ontological certainty, that what you're trying to KILL is what you intend to kill.

Even if no charges are filled, will he lose his hunting privileges? If it was an auto accident, wouldn't he?

The towns up here are very small. The population for the Town of Keene was estimated to be 1037 in July 2007. The Town of Keene is made up of 3 so called hamlets: Keene, Keene Valley, and St. Huberts. These hamlets are 1-3 miles apart. The hamlet of Keene has maybe 300 people. Two months ago another father of 2 young children died after a fall in the woods. So anything that happens effects them profoundly.

I'll be getting safety vests, the kind construction workers wear, for snowshoeing this year.

Be well.

Indian Summer

After 2 weeks of "Indian Summer", we had the coldest morning so far this fall today: 23F (-5C). Yesterday, Jay Mtn. was covered in snow and heavy frost. The sun rise behind it made the mountain glow in silver. It was simply beautiful. Lots of frost on my car this morning and a red sun rise over Jay.

The ground is freezing so snow we get now will be here till spring. They had another 2"-3" in Lake Placid earlier this week so we're getting a base for skiing and snow shoeing. Here's a web cam for Lake Placid: http://www.whiteface.com/newsite/onmtn/webcams.php

The final electrical inspection is sometime to day. Then I can get the certificate of occupancy and the loft will be done. It has a double bed already and I'm still deciding on other furniture.

Last night Denise and I had dinner at the AuSable Inn in Keene Valley. Wednesday night is Mexican night. It was our first time at this restaurant and we were pleasantly surprised. A really nice dinning room with knotty pine walls, a great stone fireplace, nice bar and very friendly service. The regular menu looked very interesting, especially the soups, tomato basil, baked potato with ham, and another I don't remember. We went for the Mexican, that's why we went there. It was good but not great. I'd have it again but I want to try the other menu sometime soon.

I'm going to be in South Jersey for a few days next week to catch up with people then off to Turkey Bowel XXXVIII. That's the yearly get-together with my college friends. The football game isn't much anymore but we do enjoy our yearly get together. I'm having Thanksgiving here with Deb and her sisters. Diane is flying in from Fort Worth with her boy friend for the holiday.

Here's a picture from Tom and Dorlores' visit. The AuSable Chasm is a gorge on the AuSable river (after the East and West branches meet) near Port Kent. I've never done the walk along the chasm but Denise has as well as the "white water" rafting. It's on my short list of thigs to do next summer. There's also horse backing riding.

That's all for now. Be well my friends!

Fall Weather

It's teacher convention time in New Jersey, so Deb is visiting for 4 days. We did a great hike up (and I do mean up, 2000' ) Pok-O-Moonshine Mtn. on Thursday. Here's the view of the Champlain Valley from the top. There is fire tower at the top with great views of the Adirondacks also. It's well worth the sweat getting to the top but beware, it's quite a climb. At spots you're scrambling up and over rocks.

The Champlain Valley from Poke-o-Moonshine.

Last week we had the first snow of the year. Only about 1 inch here but 8 inches in Lake Placid and over a foot at the top of Whiteface Mtn. Denise's friends, Tom and Dolores, were fortunate enough to be visiting just afterward. It was a beautiful time to be in the mountains. We did a hike in the snow to Owen Pond along route 86 near Lake Placid.

(l. to r.) Denise, Dolores and Tom on the way to Owen Pond

The loft is now ready for guests. I'm really pleased with how it came out. It's a nice big room - 12'6"x16'. There is plenty of space for guests to spread out. I'm looking forward to the first of, hopefully, many to try it out.

Be well - Dutch