Tag: M8

Reading Time: 16 minutes A good day for a fall hike. I passed by a small pool of water reflecting the trees and their foliage. Beyond the pool a pond ringed by trees with all the colors of fall. I continued on down switchbacks to NY 70 before reaching my first turn-around. Back up the switchbacks, around the pond and pool and then down the long dirt road of England Hill Road. At NY 70 again, I headed into Swain and then through the town to an old railroad bed which made hiking easy. After leaving the railroad bed a little more road walk before climbing another hill. As I climbed I came to the first of three stiles. I passed through several cow pastures on my way over the hill before finally arriving at my turn around on Slader Creek Road.  My hike concluded with a nearly two mile climb back up England Hill Road.

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.