nature-you.org Blog

March 25, 2007 (Contributor: Leader)  Hiking is an activity appropriate for all generations. There were 15 participants in this trip with the ages range from 16 to 58. I planned this trip intented to combine easy and tough portion to ensure all participants could participate. All participants seemed enjoy the trip. 

We walked on Fawn Trail to reach Anthony Wayne Recreation Area. I expected restroom facilities would be a big favor for all beginners, but the rooms were locked in winter season. We did enjoy the clean picnic tables on a large lawn and food sharing was well practice in this trip. We tasted Vicki’s baked cake and Jessica’s tea egg and roasted beef. Even our teen hikers were sharing with us their favorite “junk food”.   

Anthony Wayne was quiet and under renovation. We passed through construction area until I found the bike trail to connect us back to AT. The climbing of West Mountain was the fun part for experience hikers. Those hikers who were still fit during winter could hike all the way to the top while our new hikers had to break the route into portions to finish. 

We enjoyed great viewpoints at the submit. Young people refreshed fast after posting a few photos. They laughed a lot and made the trip more lively. On the way go down slope, Young Lin’s sisters stayed at the back and joked to call Kit and me Kit “Shu Shu” (uncle) and Michael “Shu Shu”. They had good hearts to remind us (seniors) to hike carefully from slippery trail even though they themselves had sat on the trail a few times. I guessed this was their first experience to reach a submit by foot and hopefully, it would proudly be present to their friends about the fun of hiking.   

March 18, 2007 (Contributor: Leader) Step walking machine at nature

Do you know where is Silvermine Lake Picnic Area at Harriman Park? Yes. It is the one with a huge gigantic parking area (can fit 150 cars). Believe it or not, we could not find parking today! Even though it was so windy, I didn’t want to cancel and go home. I decided to change our location to Tiorati Circle to see if any great views for Ice Cave again due to the snowfall yesterday. The truth for the change was: there was thick snow all over the parking lot. The early birds had got all the few available clean spots. I thought probably Tiorati Circle was the priority area to clean the snow, parking was not a problem over there. We had a group of 7 participants today and all of them were first time with Nature-You. They were also the first group to receive the Hiking Passport and start the stamp collection game.

To prepare for the icy condition of the trail, we had prepared stabilizers this time. Weather changed quick that we could not find too much glossy icy slopes but only smoothie ice. The steps were safe and firm though. We had a small group again. It was Karen’s first hike on ice so she was so exciting. There were also three different trail conditions as tennis (red clay, grass and cement) in hiking. To be a first grade hiker, you should also be able to handle normal trail, snowy trail and icy trail conditions. Today’s menu was: Ice Cave at Harriman and 4 miles hiking exercise.

We went to Ice Cave first because I was afraid that no more ice in the cave. There were still a nice view at the cave and we climbed to other location to touch the ice waterfall. We hiked to the top of ice cave and found another angle of looking ice cave. We hiked on an extra 1 mile loop to test the trail condition. It was fun to climb slope on stones. I thought I was doing rock climbing by feet. I found there was an extra Red trail not reflecting on the hiking map. Likely, we need to buy a new version of hiking map again very soon.

We took lunch under the shelter of new water tower and decided to go by original plan because the trail condition was fine. In order to catch the time, we hiked quite fast. We took break at the shelter where Wendy demonstrate how to peel an orange skin in the easiest way. I told her there was no patent she could file to protect her invention. We met a big group of Korean hikers at the end and completed the mission by 4pm. We added 5 miles today into our 2007 record book.

I was surprised when I realized that there were still so much ice on the mountain when the ice of city had almost melted and cleared. We had a small group of six today. Hiking pole was really a must when approaching the downslope which had no grasses or stones that you could step on but only a clear and shiny surface. Joe walked back to his car to let me borrowed his extra hiking pole.