hiking

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Summer Challenge: Canandaigua and Ganondagan

Published August 20, 2014 by Susan Woodward

I have to admit that I delayed writing about this hike, and as I go on, you shall see why. However, I am going to share the beauty of the day as well as the lessons I took with me in the aftermath.

First of all, I had spent the earlier part of the day in the Canandaigua Lake region making pickles at a friend’s house. It was an absolutely gorgeous day, so as I was meandering my way home the long way (I tend to avoid the thruway in favor of scenic explorations), I stopped by the lakeshore and then at the Ganandagan Historic site.

There is so much beauty in Upstate/Western New York with the shores of two Great Lakes, the Finger Lakes, and the numerous waterfalls (not to mention Niagara Falls) that I am grateful to have so many choices when I want to take my camera for a ride or a hike!

I love the texture of these trees as the draping branches dance on the wind.

Looking up, I saw large pine cones. The scent was wonderful.

While making pickles with friends earlier in the day, one of the ladies mentioned the Ganondagan Native American Historic Site, and I promised myself that I would get there one of these days soon. It seems that I was to get there sooner than expected because when I saw signs directing me to the area, my car took on a mind of its own and followed. Good Hyundai!

If you click on the following picture, you can learn more about this historic place in the Finger Lake region.

The beginning of the path seemed so inviting, like a type of portal to another realm. It has been said that fey folk inhabit the forests of Ganondagan, and I was hoping to witness some truth to the legend.

Does this not look like a place where woodland sprites would roam? It so happened that there was going to be a Quest For the Knotties, the sprites believed to inhabit the knots of the trees, that coming Saturday. As it turns out, I was not able to make it on that day, so I decided to have my own little Knottie Quest.

These places look spritely to me! I stepped off the path a few times in order to seek out these Knottie homes, but something I’d only hoped for and not actually expected happened when I returned to the path. Click on the following picture:

I happened to look off to my right when I was walking and noticed a single yellow leaf appearing to dangle in mid-air. I watched it dance in the breeze for a minute before going up to it and running my hand over it several times, thinking that it might be attached to a spider web or something.

And it kept dancing.

I shared the video (and it’s not great quality because it was on my phone) with friends, and so many tried to convince me that it was just attached to something and not a supernatural phenomenon. I am not buying that because I checked. No web strings. Nothing. Just a dancing leaf.

Others thought that it was just being carried by the breeze. Okay…but if you look at the video, there are many dried leaves on the ground, so why is only ONE moving like this?

I am certain that this was a visit from a woodland sprite. And based on the events that took place once I exited the woods (remember I said that there was some lesson that I took from this particular experience?), I believe that I was detained to watch for a reason.

When I finally did tear myself away and return to my car, I discovered that someone had smashed the driver’s side window in order to pop the trunk and steal my purse. Given that I was only in the woods a total of 40:51 (see the MapMyWalk link below…thank God I had my phone with me!), it is possible that the purse was stolen during the time that I was spent in fascination with the fey folk.

What if I had happened to return in the middle of the robbery? These folks were bold enough to do it in broad daylight in a place where there were multiple cars. But what if I had come across them face-to-face? Would I have been injured?

I am thankful that I did not have to find out. Because I had my phone, I was able to call 911 immediately, followed by a call to my bank to cancel my debit card. The stuff in my purse was all replaceable (except for the cash), and GEICO was able to help me set up an appointment to have my car fixed first thing in the morning. It made me appreciate that things are replaceable, but I am not.

I am thankful that the spirits of the woods detained me so that I remained safe, and now wiser for the experience.

I hiked with MapMyWalk! Distance: 1.16mi, time: 40:51, pace: 35:09min/mi, speed: 1.71mi/h.
http://mapmywalk.com/workout/694029543

Summer Challenge: Selkirk Shores State Park

Published August 8, 2014 by Susan Woodward

When I began to tell people about how much I was looking forward to getting away in a little cabin in the woods all by myself, a lot of people kept asking about whether or not I would be lonely all alone. Or they expressed concerns for my safety.

I really am okay with being on my own. It’s how I recharge my batteries.

And so today I plugged into Selkirk Shores.

“Yet I experienced sometimes that the most sweet and tender, the most innocent and encouraging society may be found in any natural object, even for the poor misanthrope and most melancholy man. There can be no very black melancholy to him who lives in the midst of nature and has his senses still” (Thoreau, “Solitude”, Walden).

In spite of the weather reports claiming that we were going to be in for thunderstorms, the sky was filled with puffy clouds, and the sun beamed down on the waters of Lake Ontario. I hiked along the ridge high above the lake and listened to the waves rolling up against the shore.

While Thoreau’s energy seems to come to him from the Earth…as in the woods and the stillness of the pond…mine comes from moving water. His close relationship with the land allowed him to recognize where he was even in pitch dark.

“It is darker in the woods, even in common nights, than most suppose. I frequently had to look up at the opening between the trees above the path in order to learn my route, and, where there was no cart-path, to feel with my feet the faint track which I had worn, or steer my the known relation of particular trees which I felt with my hands, passing between two pines for instance, not more than eighteen inches apart, in the midst of the woods, invariably, in the darkest night” (Thoreau, “The Village”, Walden).

That is how in tune he was with the Earth, and he found that he was most revived there. Even his rejuvenation in Walden Pond is from much stiller water than what rejuvenates me. I like to seek out creeks,waterfalls, and large lake shores that give the illusion of being at the ocean. Having been brought up among the vast Great Lakes, it is easy to imagine that one is at the ocean, albeit without the salt. The sound of moving water sings to my soul a song more pleasant than any created by a musical instrument. Thoreau’s most treasured songs came to him from the winds in the trees and from the birds and animals in his woods.

I love those songs, too, but it is water that not only soothes, but energizes me.

I sat down to watch what seemed to me to be the front lines of an epic battle between the Water Warriors of the Creek and those of the Lake. Where the creek emptied into the lake, the rolling waves seemed to come in to push the creek water back from its invasion. The effect created quite a swirling of forces, battling to claim their place. The clashing of the two stirred up the sand and mud from the bottom, giving the waters an almost reddish hue like the blood spilled on a battlefield. The lake, of course, had the upper hand with its sheer size of reinforcements, and the winds blowing in off it brought in the stronger militia; however, the creek held its own against the mighty lake in the ongoing struggle.

I must admit, it was fun to watch.

I tore myself away from the water and turned toward the inland trails. Once I finally found the beginning of the trails, I was pleased to find that they were adequately marked so that I would not get lost. Then again, I had a Great Lake on one side, smaller Salmon Lake on another, a creek on the third, and then a road on the fourth. I really wasn’t in any danger of getting lost, but I liked the certainty of a marked trail. Sorry, Thoreau!

Once again, I was grateful for Deep Woods Off! I do not know how Thoreau managed with the bugs…he’s a stronger person than I am!

All bugs aside, it was a gorgeous walk. And despite the campground seeming to be almost full to capacity, very few ventured onto the trails. I only ran into one couple (several times) as they jogged the trails. Other than that, it was as if I was the only person for miles and miles. Squirrels skittered along the branches overhead, causing a slight shower of acorns at one point. Smiling, I brought home one of those raindrops to remind me of how happy I felt to simply be present at that moment.

A new trail was being cut by the parks department, and a logger must have come across a heart-shaped tree trunk because he left a slice of that trunk propped up against another tree. Seeing it made my own heart swell, as if it was a message from the Woodland Gods that I am loved. 🙂 I even came across two trees that appeared to be kissing!

This is the link that outlines my hike. I did a lot of stopping and starting the app as I paused to take pictures, rest, or simply sit and admire the scenery. However, it is useful to me to record which trails I have hiked.

I hiked with MapMyWalk! Distance: 3.95mi, time: 01:31:30, pace: 23:09min/mi, speed: 2.59mi/h.
http://mapmywalk.com/workout/674403985

The rains did come that day, but not until I was pulling my car alongside my cabin once again. Not the thunder and lightning that had been expected, but a gentle steady rain that also sang to my soul. I spent the evening with a quiet meal and a lovely Harry Dresden novel (I did bring something other than Walden with me…). I’d refreshed myself with the scents of peppermint and lavender in my shower, and luxuriated in the tingle it left on my skin as I read.

It was lovely.

Summer Challenge: Sterling Nature Center

Published August 6, 2014 by Susan Woodward

“I left the woods for as good a reason as I went there. Perhaps it seemed to me that I had several more lives to live and could not spare any more time for that one” (Thoreau, “Conclusion”, Walden).

On my fifth day, it was time to pack up and leave the little cabin in the woods.

“The woods are lovely, dark and deep,

But I have promises to keep,

And miles to go before I sleep,

And miles to go before I sleep.”

(Robert Frost, from “Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening”)

I knew that I had responsibilities awaiting me at home and that as much as I was loving my mini Walden Experiment, it was also time for me to return. At least I did not leave with a heavy heart because a line I’d heard somewhere kept running through my mind: “Do not cry because it’s over; smile because it happened.” And so I am smiling.

I took the long way home meandering along Lake Ontario (well, as best as the roads and shoreline would allow… the shore has SO many inlets to it that keeping the lake in view on my right was impossible), and I made one last stop to take a little hike before I had to get home and prepare for an appointment that evening.

For many years, I have driven to Sterling, NY to go to the Renaissance Festival. Every time I drove there, I’d noticed the signs for Sterling Nature Center, but I had never stopped by. Today I did.

I am sooo glad I stopped! The wooded path took me directly to the lake shore so that she could sing to me a “so long” song till we would meet again.

While strolling along the beach, I was surprised at the bluffs that appeared around a bend. At first I thought I must be at Chimney Bluffs, and I had to do a mental calculation of how far along the 104 I had driven for that to be true. Turns out that these are different bluffs, but just as magnificent.

I sat down to rest and to just listen to the shore-song, all the while thinking about how much I loved the sound and feeling of the breeze. Breathing deeply, I looked out on the water that was dotted here and there with sailboats, and looked up to watch the gulls circle lazily back and forth, almost in rhythm with the boats. I was again filled with gratitude at being able to just be here at this moment. I really did have to pull myself away because I knew that I had “promises to keep.”

As I stood up from the large rock I’d been perched upon, I happened to look down at the rocks that were immediately next to me…and I saw it. It was my final gift for this sojourn- a heart shaped rock that had been worn and shaped by the lake herself.

Just before I turned away from the shore to take the path through the woods to return to my car, I noticed the trunk of an old tree still clinging to the edge of the lake. That is how I felt about my heart; even though the rest of me had to leave this place, my heart belongs to the song of moving water. Whether it is a creek, a waterfall, or the lapping waves of the oceans and lake shores into which I have been privileged enough to dip my toes, that call of the water sings to my soul.

“I learned this, at least, by my experiment: that if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours” (Thoreau, “Conclusion,” Walden).

I hiked with MapMyWalk! Distance: 1.28mi, time: 45:45, pace: 35:41min/mi, speed: 1.68mi/h.
http://mapmywalk.com/workout/678847473

Summer Challenge: Mexico Point Park

Published August 5, 2014 by Susan Woodward

“I walk out into a nature such as the old prophets and poets, Menu, Moses, Homer, Chaucer, walked in. You may name it America, but it is not America; neither Americus Vespueius, nor Columbus, nor the rest were the discoverers of it. There is a truer amount of it in mythology than in any history of America, so called, that I have seen” (Thoreau, Walking).

There is an interesting fact about New York State. Did you know that while driving along the Thruway and the myriad expressways ending in “90”, you will come across exits for places like Troy, Ithaca (ask my students about those two and the New York Odyssey project we do!), Liverpool, Greece, Rome, or even Mexico, just to name a few? It’s as if I need a passport at the thruway exits…and how fun it would be to get my passport stamped at each place. It’s like going around the world without crossing a state line. I do have to say, though, that Las Vegas has us beat with being able to ride a Venetian gondola, nibble on fromage by the Eiffel Tower, and check out the missing chunk on the Sphinx’s nose all along one strip, but that will be another trip!

Today, I went to Mexico. No, not the country, the town in New York. Ironically, there is a hamlet WITHIN the town called Texas! Fortunately, I had no trouble with border crossings.

No matter where we go nor what a place is called by those who inhabit it, the place is ultimately Earth. No black lines can be seen from a plane or form space that divies up this planet, yet much violence and hatred is spewed over these imaginary lines. As inhabitants of this planet, we should be more united in our experience here than we are. This makes me think of Man’s dominion referred to in “To a Mouse,” the Robert Burns poem that I use when beginning to read Of Mice and Men with my students:

Wee, sleeket, cowran, tim’rous beastie,

O, what a panic’s in thy breastie!

Thou need na start awa sae hasty,

Wi’ bickerin brattle!

I wad be laith to rin an’ chase thee

Wi’ murd’ring pattle!

I’m truly sorry Man’s dominion

Has broken Nature’s social union,

An’ justifies that ill opinion,

Which makes thee startle,

At me, thy poor, earth-born companion,

An’ fellow-mortal!

I doubt na, whyles, but thou may thieve;

What then? poor beastie, thou maun live!

A daimen-icker in a thrave

’S a sma’ request:

I’ll get a blessin wi’ the lave,

An’ never miss ’t!

Thy wee-bit housie, too, in ruin!

It’s silly wa’s the win’s are strewin!

An’ naething, now, to big a new ane,

O’ foggage green!

An’ bleak December’s winds ensuin,

Baith snell an’ keen!

Thou saw the fields laid bare an’ waste,

An’ weary Winter comin fast,

An’ cozie here, beneath the blast,

Thou thought to dwell,

Till crash! the cruel coulter past

Out thro’ thy cell.

That wee-bit heap o’ leaves an’ stibble

Has cost thee monie a weary nibble!

Now thou’s turn’d out, for a’ thy trouble,

But house or hald,

To thole the Winter’s sleety dribble,

An’ cranreuch cauld!

But Mousie, thou art no thy-lane,

In proving foresight may be vain:

The best laid schemes o’ Mice an’ Men

Gang aft agley,

An’ lea’e us nought but grief an’ pain,

For promis’d joy!

Still, thou art blest, compar’d wi’ me!

The present only toucheth thee:

But Och! I backward cast my e’e,

On prospects drear!

An’ forward tho’ I canna see,

I guess an’ fear!

And so on to the beauty of the Earth…

I must say, this was a beautiful park. There was the ruins of what looked like an old church, but which turned out to be what once was an inn. Oddly, it’s called Casey’s Cottage…at least that is what the sign says.

Another interesting thing was the plethora of carved statues all around the perimeter of the park proper.

These are just a few of the many statues around the park. They depict famous people (like the Native American and the boxer, both of whose names I forgot to write down) or set the tone for a specific aspect of the park (hospitality, swimming, and fishing).

When I first came across this building, it looked like an old church because of the shape of the stained glass windows. According to the website, it’s an old inn. I loved the style of the door here…

and check out the ornamentation around the windows. It looks like draped valences! I also do not remember if it is Casey’s Cottage or Cabin, so I shall refer to both…I have a 50% chance that one of them is correct!

I saw this and immediately felt like I was in the presence of the powerful Woodland Basilisk, distant American immigrant cousin to Harry Potter’s foe in the Chamber of Secrets.

This lovely was growing out of the sand among a bunch of rocks… and the color stood out.

I shall have to do some research on Ancestry.com to find out whether or not Silas Towne is related to the Medina, NY Townes. If so, then I have a relative who was a Revolutionary War hero!

I hiked with MapMyWalk! Distance: 1.18mi, time: 56:03, pace: 47:25min/mi, speed: 1.27mi/h.
http://mapmywalk.com/workout/677102767

Mexico Point Park was just the first stop today….

Summer Challenge: Seneca Park Zoo Cascade

Published July 17, 2014 by Susan Woodward

“My vicinity affords many good walks; and though for so many years I have walked almost every day, and sometimes for several days together, I have not yet exhausted them” (Henry David Thoreau, Walking).

Part of my summer challenge of “building my own damn house” has been to find local places of beauty to appreciate. I cannot tell you how surprised I was to find what seemed like an out-of-the-way hiking path smack dab in the middle of the city of Rochester! I knew that the Zoo was in the city, but the amount of land and hiking trails within Seneca Park was a shock.

The AllTrails app on my phone has been great for finding nuggets of treasure that I didn’t know were there so that I may better appreciate my own “house” or Upstate New York.

Last summer my challenge took me out of state and to both oceans. This summer I am concentrating on things closer to home. As Thoreau stated that there are many places to walk in our own vicinity, I am looking around Upstate NY for places to do my walking.

Another app that I like on my phone is MapMyWalk. With it, I can track the places I visit, and it will provide me with more information than I ever thought I could know about my hike! It also allows me to send a post right to my blog:

I hiked with MapMyWalk! Distance: 3.00mi, time: 01:09:47, pace: 23:17min/mi, speed: 2.58mi/h.
http://mapmywalk.com/workout/650877871

A Boardwalk out to the Genesee River

Those white things on the ground are broken sea shells…and they were all over this part of the trail. It is quite a distance up from the river, as you can see through the trees, and I wondered how they all got up here. Perhaps seagulls had their own version of a clam bake!

I am thankful that I happened to be looking down at the point I came by this Fairy’s house.

The Genesee River

The Genesee River at the base of the falls.

Summer Challenge: Build Your Own Damn House!

Published July 13, 2014 by Susan Woodward

At the beginning of summer, Rev. Kaaren told us a story about toast. And coffee. And coconuts. And she challenged us to “build your own damn house!”

The story of Giulietta Carrelli, a woman who found comfort in cinnamon toast, energy/speed/communication in coffee, and survival in coconuts can be found if you click on the picture. It is the story involving a restaurant that offers only those items. And if you get the whole shebang, that order is called “Build Your Own Damn House.” Please do read the article to get the full impact of Giulietta’s story.

I remember my mom making us cinnamon toast when I was a kid. I had forgotten all about the treat until Kaaren brought the memory to the forefront with this tale. I remembered how Mom would butter the hot toast and while it was still warm, sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture over the melted butter, and how it would almost caramelize just before taking the tiniest bites so as to savor its flavor and make the toast last. I can’t believe I’d forgotten how I had made that for my own children, but then stopped for some reason. Memories of cinnamon toast brought back sensations of satisfaction and comfort from my childhood, and I wanted to live them again. Many times I forget about the simple things that made me feel so good when I was younger. The busyness of adult life has a tendency to not leave much room for childhood simplicities.

While thinking about (and making) cinnamon toast for myself at home, I thought about other simple things that my Mom made when I was a kid and that I’d thought of as “comfort food”: shells and butter with garlic salt, tuna and egg salad sandwiches (yes, mixed), cucumbers and sour cream, jello with milk poured over it… these are memories that go beyond filling a stomach with inexpensive ingredients. I can taste and smell every one of them, and I vowed that I was going to allow these simple pleasures back into my life, these forgotten memories.

I can see how Giulietta Carrelli got the idea of offering cinnamon toast as a way of awakening simple, comfort-laden memories, and why so many people flock to her establishment to get a dose of this for themselves.

Included on the menu is a good cup of coffee. It warms the insides as well as offering an energetic kick. While the toast brings on nostalgia, the coffee gives energy to act on those activities that nurture me. The toast reminds me of the comfort of simple foods, and the coffee fuels me to partake in simple activities to rejuvenate my spirit. To Carrelli, coffee also symbolizes communication. How often when we decide to meet up with someone, it tends to be over coffee? When guests come to our home, isn’t it true that we most often offer coffee as a beverage? It make sense to see coffee as a symbol of communication.

Coconut is also on her menu as a symbol of survival. Since I started doing walking/running races, I have heard the praises of coconut water for hydration (along with the mighty chia). I even heard stories of how soldiers injured in the South Pacific during WWII had been kept alive through IV’s connected to green coconuts when IV fluid packs were not available. While coconut does not stir nostalgic memories in me, I certainly can relate to survival. Looking back, I see many times in my life when things were terribly difficult and how I managed to survive them. These remind me of how strong I have become over the years, and how the life I enjoy today is because of the struggles of yesterday. That alone makes me feel a sense of gratitude to be able to enjoy the simple pleasures that make life worth living…what I survived for.

Those things together…comfort, speed, communication, and survival…are all I need to build my own damn house, my own spiritual temple within.

How perfectly wonderful for a summer challenge, especially after ending a rather stress-filled school year. After being told that I would be teaching two new preps next year (English 10 and 11), I had been fretting about spending the entire rejuvenation time writing lesson plans. However, when gathering ideas for English 11, I went to the Transcendentalists to open the school year. I selected Ralph Waldo Emerson’s “Self Reliance” to kick things off, followed by excerpts from Henry David Thoreau’s Walden. Beginning my summer reading with these pieces fit perfectly into the challenge offered by Rev. Kaaren…how to build my own damn house.

The first step was to actually make some cinnamon toast! I savored the taste and took the tiny bites like I’d done when I was little. I sipped a hot cup of good coffee in the process (my personal favorite is Ethiopian Harrar). To be truthful, I had to pause while writing this to go make some cinnamon toast and coffee. 🙂 But the first time I made the treat earlier this week, I munched on it while reading Walden to prepare some lesson plans. During my reading, I began to feel a bit restless to partake in the simple act of walking in Nature. After finishing my breakfast, I got out my hiking boots, grabbed a container of coconut water (I stocked up as part of the toast/coffee/coconut symbols), and shoved Thoreau’s book into my back pocket as I headed out to Durand Eastman Park.

The link below is to my Map My Walk ap that I use on my phone to keep track of my excursions.

I hiked with MapMyWalk! Distance: 2.78mi, time: 01:01:48, pace: 22:13min/mi, speed: 2.70mi/h.
http://mapmywalk.com/workout/642687573

The hike around Durand Lakes’ sister, Eastman Lake, reminded me of the visit to Walden Pond I’d made with my daughter, Robin, years ago. Those memories, like the cinnamon toast in my belly, reminded me of times filled with the simplicity of being in Nature. I smiled as I remembered the frog she caught on our walk around Walden Pond, and how she laughingly kissed it in the hope of it turning into her prince. Those memories were made even more special on this particular hike because I had just witnessed the birth of Robin and her husband Sean’s daughter earlier in the week.

After finishing my hike, I got my folding chair out of the trunk and found an appropriate spot along Durand Lake to read:

And so my challenge begins. I even booked a cabin in the woods for four nights in August! And, like Thoreau, I bartered for the price. I will be in a tiny, one room cabin, and in exchange for the fourth night, I shall do some copy-editing for the owner’s online advertisement!

I look forward to spending the summer finding more ways to Build MY Own Damn House!

Following My Bliss: Chimney Bluffs

Published August 12, 2013 by Susan Woodward

Again I woke up with a hankering for a hike! It was a gorgeous day, so I decided that soaking up some sun along Lake Ontario was just the ticket!

But first I had to get there.

I’d taken my kids to the Bluffs a long time ago, and I basically remember how to get there. I mean, it’s on the lake, so how can you miss it, right? Well, one cannot just drive long the coast of Lake Ontario. There are too many bays and inlets and not enough “straight” coastline roads. The key is to know when to go north off route 104.

According to the internet (which I checked before leaving because I’d not been able to find the place the last two times I went out there), I was supposed to go along 104 E until I came to County Road 254, then turn left and go to the Lake. That sounds easy, right? Ha! It would have been if there had been a SIGN that marked County Road 254!! I was nearly at Oswego before I had to pull out the old GPS to have it tell me to backtrack for a good half hour! And get this…the road is marked Route 414, not 254. The GPS called it 254. The internet called it 254. The folks who made the signs call it 414.

That is a real 315-er.

But at least I finally made it!

The sun was hot, so I decided to begin my trek along the coastline, and then make my way back along the top of the bluffs.

The water was much warmer than I expected. The lake is usually pretty cold, even at this time of year. It felt good to have the waves sloshing up over my feet as I walked along.

This was the view of the bluffs from where I entered the beach and began my hike. They seem a long way off…it was about a mile to get to them.

I saw a lot of interesting driftwood along the way.

Some spots was just a little TOO much driftwood for my taste. It made the going a little tougher.

I am finally getting closer to the bluffs…

Let me tell you, I am going to have to bronze these $5.00 water shoes I bought this summer! They have been on all my hikes, especially those involving creeks, lakes, and oceans! I have two more big treks before I go back to work and they have to last. I plan to hit Watkins Glen and San Diego in the next two weeks, so stay tuned!

Here are a few good shots of the bluffs from the beach:

The terrain certainly looks different from yesterday’s walk!

This is my attempt at being “artsy” before hauling myself up to the top of the bluffs to hike along the edge:

I shot this through a fallen tree (complete with me laying on the rocks to get the bluffs through the “window”). You can see the richness of the color of the rocks…all the reds and blues.

And this was from along the top of the ridge.

I certainly have been enjoying Following My Bliss this summer…I wish it didn’t have to end in order to go back to work! But I have had the opportunity to recharge my batteries (and it’s not like I haven’t been working in the summer…I just didn’t write about that…). Along with continuing with my exercise routines, I have worked hard on my fitness. I feel MUCH stronger than I have in…well, since I can’t remember! No smoking, eating healthier, working out, and cardio via hiking! All that with some gorgeous scenery and awesome memories that I DID IT!

Yippee! 😀

Following My Bliss: Barnes Creek Falls

Published August 11, 2013 by Susan Woodward

I woke up this morning with the decision to go for a waterfall hike already made up in my mind. It wasn’t even like, “What shall I do today?”… it was already a given that I was going to seek a new waterfall somewhere! So I picked up my phone and went to my All Trails Hiking App and decided to hit Barnes Creek Falls near Canandaigua Lake.

When I first found the park, I wasn’t sure there’s even BE a waterfall based on the condition of the creek. It was merely a trickle and didn’t seem to be enough water to have come from a waterfall of any sort. I thought it was all dried up and would be nothing but a rock bed, and I nearly turned around to seek another place to hike. Considering I’d driven nearly an hour to get there, I decided to keep moving forward and hope for the best.

I am so glad that I did! Although it wasn’t a “raging” falls, there was enough water coming down to make it pretty and even refreshing to wade in the pool at the bottom.

What most caught my eye was the yellow rope that someone had attached to a tree to aid in climbing up the falls. Hmmm….did I dare to try it? In spite of what this picture looks like, it actually was a pretty steep ascent. I worried a bit about my elbow (tendonitis which has not yet healed), but I figured that since I’d bothered to drive out there, I was going to try anyway. There happened to be a family that had also followed the trickle to find the waterfall, so the Dad was there to dial 911 in the event I fell! He agreed to keep his cell phone handy till I was either safely at the top or had safely returned to the pool.

I was surprised to find that climbing with the rope didn’t hurt my arm; that was a good sign to keep going. Once I got past where the rope ended, I had to continue on the rock formations that kind of looked like steps…I whipped out my camera to snap a picture from where I was at the end of my rope (ha! ha!) to mark how high I’d climbed so far. I kept going up the “steps,” but I didn’t realize how steep they were until my water shoes started slipping on the rocks while I was climbing. I realized that I wasn’t going to be able to continue upwards (there was nothing to hold onto and I was leery about the lack of traction on my shoes).

That’s when I looked down.

Not a good move.

That’s when I froze for a bit. You can see from looking at the rocks how smooth they are, and even though I wasn’t going to fall from a height akin to Niagara Falls, those rocks could have done some serious damage if I wasn’t careful.

I just told myself that I’d managed to climb up there, so I could get down, too. I had to find my footholds carefully because the more nervous I got, the slipperier the rocks seemed to become. When I finally got back to the rope, I was so happy! It made me feel secure, and I cannot believe how much I was able to lean out away from the rock wall when I was climbing using that rope. I felt my aerial experiences helping me out at that time!! 🙂 Thanks, Will D’Ovidio!

This was my view once I finally got back to the safety of the pool!

As I exited from the creek bed and began my ascent up the hills nearby, this was a view of Canandaigua Lake. One of my goals is to visit the wineries throughout the Finger Lakes and do some sampling on a wine tour! That is bliss for another day!

I continued along the upper trails above the creek and falls… this is one of the lookout posts.

It was a gorgeous day for a hike, and I am so glad that I woke up with that in mind! 🙂

Following My Bliss: Nature Meditations Pt 2 (Corbett’s Glen Park)

Published July 26, 2013 by Susan Woodward

After leaving Tinker Park, I headed to Corbett’s Glen Park… this little gem that is actually alongside the 490 expressway! The cement wall blocks out the traffic sound, and as I walk along the creek, I swear I am more in Letchworth State Park than in Penfield!

Considering that it seems as if I was entering another realm, I decided to mythologize the experience (why not?).

Before actually getting to the nature trail, you have to walk through this tunnel. There is a GORGEOUS farm house on the other side just along the trail, and it’s like entering another world. I considered going through here as crossing the threshold. I had to step aside as the threshold guardians came through (in a truck…maintenance folks who had been cleaning up the trails).

This is the view once I have crossed the threshold and entered the new realm. Almost instantly the traffic noise from the nearby highway disappeared and all I really could hear was the waterfall. It added to the feeling that I’d left Rochester and found my way into a mystical place. Does the shape of this opening not look like a keyhole?

I turned toward the farm house to admire its beauty and envy its location, and then i turned toward the path along the creek. After walking in the direct sun through the labyrinth, hiking in the cool shade of the trees along the water was refreshing.

The creek had several lovely little waterfalls that were absolutely musical.

I made a point of sitting and listening to the music of each of these falls. Fortunately, there were very few people out that day, so I pretty much had the creek to myself when I wanted to sit.

At one point, I realized that I had stones in my shoes, so I decided to put my feet in the running water to cleanse them. While I was soaking my toes, I thought about the walk through the labyrinth, especially my meditation about the weeds. I also noticed bits of those weeds had stuck in my sandals. This was a perfect time to wash those last bits of things that no longer serve me away! The water was clear and cool, and even though I only put my feet in, my whole body felt refreshed!

Like the totem of the duck that I’d thought about from the labyrinth, I was also on the lookout for a totem from my walk. I sat with my feet in the water and asked any creatures who wanted to come to me to do so.

When I went back to my walk, I noticed a large dragonfly buzz past me. I asked if I could take his picture, and he very obligingly landed on a nearby leaf! He even let me take a few shots so as to get a decent one!

I asked him to open his wings, but I guess I was to be content with him simply taking a seat on the leaf for me. As a matter of fact, I found an entire group of dragonflies (I wonder what that’s called?) In any case, I’d never seen more that one at a time in my whole life, and here I was seeing more than half a dozen all in one place!

Of course, I had to look up his meaning!

Symbolisms of the Dragonfly

Maturity and a Depth of character
The dragonfly, in almost every part of the world symbolizes change and change in the perspective of self realization; and the kind of change that has its source in mental and emotional maturity and the understanding of the deeper meaning of life.

The traditional association of Dragonflies with water also gives rise to this meaning to this amazing insect. The Dragonfly’s scurrying flight across water represents an act of going beyond what’s on the surface and looking into the deeper implications and aspects of life.

Power and Poise
The dragonfly’s agile flight and its ability to move in all six directions exude a sense of power and poise – something that comes only with age and maturity.
The dragonfly can move at an amazing 45 miles an hour, hover like a helicopter fly backwards like a hummingbird, fly straight up, down and on either side. What is mind blowing is the fact that it can do this while flapping its wings a mere 30 times a minute while mosquitoes and houseflies need to flap their wings 600 and 1000 times a minute respectively.

The awe inspiring aspect is how the dragonfly accomplishes its objectives with utmost simplicity, effectiveness and well, if you look at proportions, with 20 times as much power in each of its wing strokes when compared to the other insects. The best part is that the dragonfly does it with elegance and grace that can be compared to a veteran ballet dancer. If this is not a brazen, lazy, overkill in terms of display of raw power, what is?

Defeat of Self Created Illusions
The dragonfly exhibits iridescence both on its wings as well as on its body. Iridescence is the property of an object to show itself in different colors depending on the angle and polarization of light falling on it.

This property is seen and believed as the end of one’s self created illusions and a clear vision into the realities of life. The magical property of iridescence is also associated with the discovery of one’s own abilities by unmasking the real self and removing the doubts one casts on his/her own sense of identity. This again indirectly means self discovery and removal of inhibitions.

Focus on living ‘IN’ the moment
The dragonfly normally lives most of its life as a nymph or an immature. It flies only for a fraction of its life and usually not more than a few months. This adult dragonfly does it all in these few months and leaves nothing to be desired. This style of life symbolizes and exemplifies the virtue of living IN the moment and living life to the fullest. By living in the moment you are aware of who you are, where you are, what you are doing, what you want, what you don’t and make informed choices on a moment-to-moment basis.

This ability lets you live your life without regrets like the great dragonfly.

The opening of one’s eyes
The eyes of the dragonfly are one of the most amazing and awe inspiring sights. Given almost 80% of the insect’s brain power is dedicated to its sight and the fact that it can see in all 360 degrees around it, it symbolizes the uninhibited vision of the mind and the ability to see beyond the limitations of the human self. It also in a manner of speaking symbolizes a man/woman’s rising from materialism to be able to see beyond the mundane into the vastness that is really our Universe, and our own minds.

Okay! So that is definitely food for thought! And it is appropriate for me on so many levels…and I am feeling blessed to have not only seen them this day, but was able to take a keepsake along with me afterward. That’s my boon from this place.

As I was returning, I decided to try to be artsy as I reached the threshold once more:

The leaves symbolize life, and the tendrils are growth. There is a light awaiting me on the other side of the threshold, and the waterfall is singing goodbye for now.

Once I got on the other side once more, I asked if there were any last minute creatures who wanted to be photographed, and this guy landed near me.

He’s so cute, how could I resist? And since he wanted to stop by, he must have had a reason, so I looked up his totem as well:

Blue jays are talkative creatures utilizing a wide range of vocalizations to express their opinions. Indeed, their speech abilities are so advanced, that they are able to mimic other birds and even humans. Blue jay’s have been known to mimic hawk calls as a ploy to lure these birds of prey away from jay’s nests.

Likewise, those with the blue jay as their totem are quite loquacious and have the gift of gab. Common vocations of those with the blue jay as their totem are sales people, lawyers, politicians, public speakers, and teachers.

Interesting. Click on his picture for more because there certainly is! I certainly felt that I had been given many gifts today, and it wasn’t even noon yet. I felt that in order to complete the journey of the day, I needed to visit a second labyrinth.

On to First Unitarian Church!

Following My Bliss: Exploring the Varied Terrain of Acadia National Park

Published July 14, 2013 by Susan Woodward

I have been taking time following my bliss of doing nothing for the past few days…and liking it! But I do want to share my Acadia adventure up a mountain, down to the seashore, and into a forest around a pond. Such diverse terrains on one island!

Welcome to Acadia National Park (click on the pic for a link)!

It took me several hours to get from Moody Beach to the Bar Harbor and Acadia region, and because I didn’t take the coastal route, it wasn’t as pretty. I took 295 and then 95 north, and it was just highway driving. But I’d left at 5:30 AM to get an early start, so that wasn’t too bad.

I originally wanted to stay in Bar Harbor, but when I finally found the place, it was crawling with people for the 4th of July…craft show included. And my car literally crawled through there amidst the other crazies who dared to drive down those roads, even before noon! Actually, I am happy simply being able to say that I passed through Bar Harbor and leave it at that.

Not stopping in Bar Harbor allowed me to go straight to the part right then and there, and I am so glad that I did! I first found the Wild Gardens of Acadia.

After walking the paths through the gardens for a bit, I was beginning to feel adventurous. The man in the Nature Center told me about a challenging hiking path that led up Dorr Mountain behind the Sieur de Monts Spring House. Feeling up to the challenge, I decided to go ahead and give it a try.

I am so very glad that I brought my hot pink running shoes! My sandals never would have made it!

At first the hike started out pretty neutral, and I was feeling pretty darned confident that this was going to be a walk in the park (ha ha).

Walking though the woods was so much cooler than the humid, blistering 96 degrees in the sun, and the trail seemed so tame.

Now doesn’t that look gentle to you? I thought so…till the steps became steeper and steeper, and steeper! I was wishing that in some past life I’d been a mountain goat just to climb some of those steps. I have not been as glad to have quit smoking as I was during that hike! Turning around did cross my mind, albeit briefly. I wanted a challenge, and I was going to rise to it no matter what! In the future, though, I think I will make sure that I am hiking with someone else…just in case. These are just the pictures going UP!

I was very glad to have a water bottle, good shoes, and to have been working out. I was also glad to have my cell phone just in case. Once I finally made it to the trail that would cut across (I didn’t go all the way to the top, but darned close), I had to laugh and take a picture of the sign:

I had to call my daughter, Robin Homan, to tell her that I was on their hiking trail! According to the link, this trail was closed for a time due to earthquakes!

Here’s a view from as close to the top as I got:

See that ledge? It’s not as wide as it looks. This was where I was telling myself that my next mountain climbing extravaganza will include another person. Doing this solo wasn’t the smartest move…but I did have my cell phone.

And then I finally made it down! I was COVERED in sweat and glistening like I’d just been oiled (except for the red face and hard breathing, it might have been attractive to some mountain man…). The first thing I asked the park ranger was for directions to the nearest beach! I needed to cool off, pronto!

Parking at the beach was not the easiest thing…after all, several hundred other people thought that going to the beach on the 4th of July was a good idea. I had another hike along another trail just to get to the beach from where I had to park my car.

This is me trying to be artistic. I managed to get a flying gull in there within the “frame.”

The water was very cold and a dark, almost black seaweed lined the shore. Because I was carrying my camera and didn’t want to put anything down while I took a total plunge, I contented myself with wading in the 50+ degree water. I certainly cooled off in a hurry! And I splashed myself with water as well.

This cool cave was at the far end of the beach.

Well, after my beach excursion, I decided to head toward Jordan Pond. Hey, I’d seen Homan’s Path, right? Well, Jojo needed to have her place on my trip! So off to the next type of terrain.

I was told they serve tea and scones at this restaurant. I won’t know on this trip…there was a two hour wait! (4th of July thing…)

I did sneak upstairs to the closed-off area to take a quick pic.

Even the outdoor seating had a waiting list, so I decided to take a hike along the trail.

In order to avoid disturbing the natural environment, hikers are asked to stay on the boardwalk. This thing goes on for what must be miles! I’d like to know who split all these logs and placed them, LEVEL, all along this “pond” (which, by the way, is larger than some of the smaller Finger Lakes). Passing folks who were coming from the other direction while still remaining on the boardwalk was a challenge!

Three terrains: mountain, seashore, forest/pond. I feel like I traveled to three different places miles and miles away from each other, and yet I was on one island.

How awesome is that?

Amethyst Rose's Muses

A Woman in Transition: Life After 50!

hiking

All posts tagged hiking

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Summer Challenge: Sterling Nature Center

Summer Challenge: Mexico Point Park

Summer Challenge: Seneca Park Zoo Cascade

Summer Challenge: Build Your Own Damn House!

Following My Bliss: Chimney Bluffs

Following My Bliss: Barnes Creek Falls

Following My Bliss: Nature Meditations Pt 2 (Corbett’s Glen Park)

Symbolisms of the Dragonfly

Following My Bliss: Exploring the Varied Terrain of Acadia National Park

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Symbolisms of the Dragonfly

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