A Day of Memories and Memory Making

I took my sisters on an adventure this weekend. We returned to a place of wonder and childhood memories...

Rachel was a baby the first time we camped at Robert H. Treman State Park just outside of Ithaca, NY. We would return when she was a year old, and again a year or so later. Dad always camped in the upper campground at the top of the gorge. It was less crowded and he liked that. His favorite spot wasn't always available, but if it was we camped in the corner site just up the hill from the old mill where the bathrooms were located. Today there is no camping allowed in the top of the park. It is just a picnic ground and I think most of it goes unused and inaccessible to the public. We didn't go to camp though, we went to hike the gorge.

It was a beautiful day full of memories. So many first experiences I remember from this place. Wonderful memories of my mother showing me creatures in the creek; minnows, water striders, and dragonflies. Perhaps I am drawn here to heal...

She taught me how to skip rocks in the creek, and shared a love wading up or down the stream on the flat sheets of slate that line the creek bed.

I learned that Daddy-Long-Legs don't bite and it is okay if they crawl over my leg or along my arm.

We were told never to go into the Gorge Trail alone, but were allowed ample free time to play together in the creek at the top. I didn't take much thought for the rock retaining wall when I was six, but it is what makes this spot on the creek recognizable all these years later. Seeing those cut stones brings back a sense of comfort. This is where I sat on a rock while Dad helped me tie my shoes fifty years ago.


On Saturday we followed the signs that said "due to Covid-19" we should hike down the Gorge Trail, and back up the Rim Trail, a 4 1/2 mile hike. In all our camping trips there as a child, I'd never hiked the Rim Trail, so that was a new experience in a well loved and familiar park.

It was a beautiful day and I am forever grateful to my sisters for going along and making me smile. (Yes, my legs are feeling the burn. I don't know how many steps are in the "Great Staircase" but my phone tells me I climbed 65 floors on Saturday. LOL!)

Into the Woods

Weekends without plans are counterproductive. Yesterday I connected with my sister Priscilla, who had mentioned needing a walk in the woods, and we made a plan to go hiking. She planned the destination and I drove the getaway car.

Although we met early, we didn't go far from home. In the town of Victor, NY, a short drive from Priscilla's house, is a place called Ganondagan State Historic Site. The Iroquois people once lived here, before the white man came. Ganondagan is their way of preserving a bit of their history. It is a beautiful place full of learning.

We took our shoes off to sit and listen, eyes closed, bare feet against the forest floor. Did you know it's hard to sit still? Priscilla, never being one to traipse about barefoot, put her shoes and socks back on before continuing down the trail. I, on the other hand, soaked in the different sensations of the changing path beneath my soles.

At the end of the "Earth is Our Mother Trail" (or the blue trail), we found Great Brook, a shallow creek with steps of waterfalls. If you think I kept my bare feet out of the water, you would be wrong. The woods and water take me back to being ten. I'm not as sure footed as I was as a child, but I don't like to hold that inner child deep inside if I can let her out to play.

It was a very nice morning. We both enjoyed ourselves very much.

Lost in the Woods

It was too nice an afternoon to stay home and watch television, so off we went in search of an adventure. We found it at the south end of Irondequoit Bay when we went for a walk on the trails of Lucien Morin Park.

We tried to follow the White Trail but it gets a little crazy in there and doesn't take a well established route. We got "lost" but not hopelessly lost.

We stopped at the water's edge where Irondequoit Creek meanders through the swamp. I thought of my dad and his boyhood adventures by boat and then his days of hunting in the Ellison Park wilderness. The Cabinet Maker, unaware of my thoughts, watched a guy fishing while seated atop what looked like a surfboard. I asked him to stand on one foot so I could take his picture, but he declined my request.

I carried my camera as we walked, slowed down to take a photo here and there, and then resumed my chase of the Cabinet Maker as he made his way through the woods. I was reminded of Hansel and Gretel and suddenly wished I had a bag full of shiny white pebbles to drop along the trail should the man chance to abandon me altogether. Then I remembered the cell phone in my pocket. I was fairly certain a rescue team could find my location should the occasion arise.

And here I shall leave you to enjoy the photos I collected along the way. Just imagine me huffing and puffing up the hills all the while wondering where we were and which direction would take us back to civilization.

Limekiln Falls

Rather than going home too early on Thursday, James let me stay long enough to eat some lunch and go on a hike with the family. Dave looked up places to hike and off we went to Limekiln Lake Campground. No one was at the pay booth when we went in, which was good because we had three vehicles and it was eight dollars a pop. Partway in we stopped at a bathroom facility where the guy who wasn't manning the booth stopped to chat. He let us go free and even pointed us in the direction of the nature trail, informing us that there were no longer any falls. Something to do with the beaver dam.

We walked across the fish dam bridge and hiked off into the woods where Josh suddenly had the urge to relieve himself in the wilderness way behind a big tree.

Hannah had stayed back at camp with Austin and Michele and so our group consisted of 7 adults and 5 children. The two little ones were lucky enough to get piggy back rides a good portion of the way which made traveling easier on all of us, especially Bethany who otherwise has to keep track of Jakie. While Grandpa carried Aubrey, Jake got a ride on Uncle Dave's shoulders, and I took pictures of the procession.

We didn't see any wildlife with five rambunctious children scampering about, but the flora was just as interesting.

 About halfway around the loop we came to the old beaver dam which was broken down and covered with grass. Not far beyond was a bridge over the creek where we are fairly certain there once lived a horrible, mean troll who liked to eat Billy goats. Beyond the bridge the stream widened out into a small lake,

We trekked up a small incline, through what appeared to be virgin forest, and back to the beginning of the trail. It was a good outing and a satisfying end to our overnight camping  excursion. I still wasn't ready to go home and leave all our family there but there was little I could do with having to be at work the next morning.






We took home some great memories and a want to do this again next year with everyone present and no pressing work schedules.

 It was a great way to spend some time with (almost) all of our kids and grandchildren.

Out With the Man

No, I'm not tossing him out the door, we went out the door together. We took a hike and, rather than walking up the creek bed (like most people), I convinced him to take the trail up the "mountain". It wasn't really a mountain, but it could have been. It went straight up, giving us a good cardio workout, and then we peered ever so cautiously over the side of the cliff... Well, he did anyway. I stayed away from the edge. My legs felt like jelly from the climb and I opted not to take any chances.

 Me and he, with matching hats. Mine is hiding my reading glasses which are resting on top of my head.

We found a frog when we were down at the creek.

 Then we started up the road that went straight up the hill. Up and up and up.

James looking over the cliff. (He's braver than me.)

 And then we walked farther up the hill. 

 The view was amazing!

And then back down the road through the woods.

After all that climbing, we had ice cream cones for lunch. His was raspberry custard and mine was Irish cream.

Ah, Success!

I did it. I climbed the trail to the top of Mount Jo. I stood at the summit and gazed at even greater mountains. It was pretty awesome... (This will be a long post but it'll be done and I can move on to other things tomorrow.)

We started out Sunday afternoon by dropping kids off at Beaver Camp in Lowville, NY and then headed north, deeper into  the Adirondack Mountains. We stopped along the way to take a few pictures...

 (Stillwater Road) We drove for about 20 miles on two dirt roads in the backwoods. That makes for one dusty car!

 Shoes on a wire over Big Moose Rd. in Eagle Bay, NY

Our first and only bear sighting. I thought I was watching a big black dog cross the road. Why "bear" never entered my mind until Priscilla said, "Look! A bear!!!" I can not tell you. The best photo of him remains in my mind where he still looks like a big black dog sauntering across the highway.

The "Super Moon" over Long Lake on Sunday evening.

We stayed in Tupper Lake the first night. The room was clean, comfortable, and very musty smelling. The owner was nice and friendly, but we decided to pay for the single night, take our things along with us, and give ourselves the option to stay somewhere else the following evening.

We did a little bit of driving in circles, not unusual when you're unfamiliar with a particular area, had a good breakfast, and headed for Mount Jo which is a little beyond Lake Placid.

 Breakfast.

 Just starting out on our mountain hike.

 On the trail. We took the longer, easier way rather than going straight up. It was a good idea. 

 Froggy friend

 Stopping midway to rest and eat a snack.

 Continuing on. That is the trail, not a creek bed.

 The reward, a majestic view from the top of Mount Jo.

 More snacks. Priscilla is excited. :0)

A fellow hiker took our picture for us, and Priscilla took theirs. I'm pretty sure that farthest peak in the corner behind me is Mount Marcy.

After our hike we headed down to Lake Placid for some walking and browsing in the shops.

 Ski jumps from the 1980 Olympics.

 The view from a balcony where we stopped for some iced coffee. This is Mirror Lake. If I hadn't been so tired from our hike, I might have thought it a grand idea to rent a boat of some kind.

 Fancy hotel next door to the coffee shop. Can't even imagine what it must cost to stay there, but I loved all the activity going on.

Upon hearing we didn't have a room for the night, a woman from one of the Lake Placid shops recommended we look into a travel lodge down the road. (this is her store) Monday evening we checked into a beautiful room with a king sized bed and went to bed before the sun set.

The next morning we ate breakfast at the Country Bear Diner (no credit cards accepted) in Wilmington, NY and headed for Whiteface Mountain.

We needed to kill some time and get the coffee out of our systems so, on the recommendation of a staff member, we climbed the trail to Stag Brook Falls. 

 Beautiful! 

 At the waterfall.

Me and Priscilla

(This is my longest post ever. Are you still there?)

 We took the gondola ride up Whiteface Mountain rather than hiking, but when we got to the top we found we were not on Whiteface like we'd thought. We were instead welcomed to the summit of "Little Whiteface Mountain." The view was astounding in spite of our mistake. That is Lake Placid in the background.

 While on the summit, Priscilla's cell phone rang (We were off the grid for most of the trip.) and she found our old friend Allan on the other end of the line. He will be visiting from Minnesota this coming weekend, in town for his 50th high school reunion. 

 Priscilla on Little Whiteface.

 Whiteface Mountain. Our destination for the next trip.

 Sign at the summit.

On our way home we stopped for ice cream in Long Lake, NY and then later for coffee in a little town called Inlet. There was a nice little bookstore there that sold coffee and I bought a book of Adirondack stories called "Leaky Boots". It was a nice end to a fun, first annual sister trip. Well, I think think it should be an annual thing anyway.