Outblog No. 28

Monday, April 21, 2003

Partridge Run: Sickle Hill Road Bike Ride, Photos. Brought my bike out to Sickle Hill Road, and rode up it, almost to the part where the hill really drops off, going into the Switzkill Valley. This was a nice 3-4 mile ride, with rolling hills easily seen on both sides.

It was also interesting to get a closer look at the houses/trailers along the road, and see how people really live out there. Nothing too surpising on that regards—a mix of old houses, trailers, and cabains with horses, dogs, and burn barrels in their backyards.

Also, briefly took a ride down part of Beaver Road, and took a few minute break. Grabbed a few photos, including some of 'no hunting: your within 500 ft of a structure' signs, for my door. ;)

Also grabbed some photos looking down the hill by the gulf, among others. Grabbed a photo of a barn off this road, and it came out nice, but I probably can't put it online, due to copyright/property issues. After all, I don't want people taking photos of my house, what right to have to photograph somebody's farm? P'Link

Thursday, April 24, 2003

Partridge Run: Truck Trail. Hiked Thatcher Park from Beaver Dam Road pull-off, down LP past brush pile (DEC was dumping some brush there), along white trail, to yellow trail (across little bridge), back up and around via. white trail (about a 1/2 mile loop).

Drove to Partridge Run. In the town of Berne, I see somebody had a holstein cow penned up in what looked like a vegtable garden—an interesting way to manure a garden, I guess. At any rate, drove to The Gulf. Hiked a ways down in it. Still some snow at the bottom of the gulf. Hiked back out, and out the west side. Looked at old fire area, with some partially burnt broken beer bottles. It's interesting how they got hot enough of a fire to burn them—that must have been a really hot fire.

Hike around the 'grey trail', realized it was essentially where the old Long Path once ran. The new diversion of the Long Path is far better, as it has that great view over the hill. Again, mulled through a another fire pit, to see if there was some interesting debre in it, this time I found some vinyl siding—I'm sure this that stunck to burn, and probably wasn't exactly the healthest to be down wind of.

I also hiked out along the clift's edge, where it over looks the upper part of the Switzkill valley, overlooking Route 3 and Tom & Judy's bright yellow house. It was a decent view, especially with the leaves off the trees still, but the fields starting to turn green, or a fresh brown, where they have been plowed. I forgot my camera. Also, tried hiking south along the ridge, to find where it hung over the valley where the stream runs along Partridge Run road—went about 500 ft, decided I didn't want to lose the trail, and turned back. P'Link