Tag: M7

Reading Time: 13 minutes The “winter that would never end” finally broke and I was able to take my first hike of 2018.  I picked up where I left off last fall and continued heading west from Kennedy Road.  The trail took me around a farm and up a hill.  Over the next four miles I crossed 14 streams and gullies, some barely a dip in the trail, but others forced me to carefully pick my way down and scramble back up the other side. 

After navigating the streams and gullies I came to a long road-walk down Fox Hill Road.  From there I hiked along Keshequa Creek and then up Cheese Factory Road.  After a short hike through the woods I arrived at Smith Hill Road.  A red fox scooted across the road and a farm dog joined me for a short walk.  I passed another hiker out enjoying the nice weather just before reaching Short Tract Road and my turn-around.   

A quick lunch and I pressed on as fast as I could racing the sun.  I trudged up the long climb on the road-walk up Fox Hill Road.  After leaving the road I entered the stream and gully section of the trail and slipped and slid down the banks and scrambled back up the other side over and over.  Finally I came back down the hill behind the farm and turned onto Kennedy Road, only to be confronted by a train barreling down the tracks between me and my car.

Reading Time: 15 minutes After cancelling hikes in both May and June due to bad weather it was time to get back out. I planned out a longer hike than usual, around 24 miles. Beautiful deep blue skies arched over me on this long hike. I wound my way around fields of new corn and climbed up a ridge line to see an expansive view over the Genesee River Valley. Across the river I made my way down a pleasant path called the Genesee Valley Greenway. After leaving the greenway behind I climbed once again and made my way through a winding wooded trail. The trail opened out in a field and I made my way down the middle with another impressive and expansive view. A road-walk ahead was made somewhat better by the scenery. On my way back I stopped for lunch under a bridge with an artistic and uplifting graffiti. The last few miles of the return hike were hard, but the scenery and views had been worth it and I was rewarded by one last impressive view just before finishing.