Outblog No. 56

Monday, January 5, 2004

Partridge Run: White Birch Pond. Drove out to Partridge Run, going an out of the way route: Up Sickle Hill Road. Wanted to see the destruction to the shack/house that burnt and was on the news the other day—I hate to admit it, but it didn't look all that much different, besides the melted/burnt vinyl siding—see that probably produced enough dioxin to out do the next effects of all the other burn barrels on the street for the year—but that's another story.

Parked at the parking lot at the intersection of Sickle Hill and Ravine Road. Hiked South, almost parrell to the road (sort of bushwacking), until decided to follow road to avoid area of small game hunter. Decided to go around White Birch Pond. Saw a person ice fishing out there—not for me though, there was open water at both ends of the lake (of course probably this because it runs all year around, but I still can't imagine the ice is that deep in the center of the lake). Walked around the pond. Noticed some more old NYSDEC debris around, including a couple of old trash burn barrels the DEC used have along the lakes (now they just dumped them in the woods to let them rot away, because the first is less politically correct then the unpolitically correct later—I'm surpised then didn't haul them off, so they could be preserved forever at Rapp Road).

Saw some more of that old fence along through the area, along with other sections along through there. None of the old house is left, but lots of brush, and the alike can be found around. Started around the lake, by the inlet of the stream, but decided it is too deep to cross, so turned back. Started to snow. The snow shower turned into a heavy squal, it got to the point where I couldn't see 5 feet ahead of me, and my foot tracks from earlier were filling up. But I didn't really care, I had a compass.

It was cold and windy. But I finally reached my car, and headed home. P'Link