Princess Falls and Fantasyland

 The next day (Sept 11, 2019) we went to Princess Falls. This is a view from above, but you could walk right down to the falls and play in the water. I think we ate lunch there. I may need to work harder at finding my notes from that trip to do a good job on these posts.

Almost every day we went out and did one or two short hikes that added up to something between 7 and 10 miles. I don't remember if this shelf cave had a name, but it was spectacular. So many places on that hike were like a fantasy land. I'm using a picture that has Marie in it so you can get a sense of the scale.

The colors were intense, the transitions were abrupt and unexpected. It just seemed otherworldly. For example, the cave walls are so red. Then the bowl was lined with those rounded, shiny rocks, and the bottom of the depression was pure sand. The light made the greens very bright. This view is looking out from under that shelf.

Also on that day, we saw pink Pinesap Monotropa hypopitys. It's usually white like it's cousin Monotropa uniflora (Ghost or Indian Pipe). I've only seen pink ones twice in my life.

In other news: I worked really consistently all day on things that need to be done. I wish I could say I made more progress. Got to cross one thing off the list. Had a Zoom meeting. Ordered one more thing I need.

See Cumberland

Cumberland

 I've decided I'm going to take the next few days and show you pictures of the trip Marie and I took to Kentucky in September 2019. That was the trip where I discovered the Sheltowee Trace Trail that I'll be hiking in a few weeks. Both my computer and my phone catastrophically failed on that trip, and I did not blog for over two weeks.

But it was one of the most interesting places Marie and I have visited, so I'd like to share some of it with you. We took my partially fixed up trailer and camped in luxury.

First we went to Cumberland River and Falls. The walk along the river was really interesting to me with all the hanging shelf caves.

Most of the waterways there were defined by this pale sandstone- on a nice day it's very picturesque with blue sky and green leaves.

Just upstream from there is the famous Cumberland Falls. It is about the same size as Tahquamenon Falls (so familiar to many of my Michigan friends). They are considered two of the greatest "block waterfalls" in the eastern US.

All of the previous pictures were taken from the west side of the river. On this hike, I'll be coming down the east side, presumably on the same trail this picture was taken from. So I guess I was also on the Sheltowee Trace there. This year, I'll get to see more of the river upstream from the falls.

One side hike we took (which is on the opposite side of the river from the Sheltowee) was to Eagle Falls, a fun little dribble where you could wade in the pool and play on the rocks.

And we loved the bridge across the river. I'll be hiking this. It's also part of the trail.

In other news: I worked my little summer job this morning, got groceries, made myself get some things done on my never-ending lists, and sorted all the food I still have left from my NCT hike. Even dehydrated food can get stale. Some of it had become unpalatable. I threw all of the things out that even I am unwilling to eat. Nevertheless, I ended up with more than enough snack items for the hiking days on this trip. Washed the tub and packed it back up.

Most seriously, I started a list of the things I must get done before I leave for over a month on this hike. Big item on the list was to order new shock cord for the tent I want to take and a couple small items for the hike.

I have to admit... I'm always really happy while planning a hike!

See Best Buds

Did You Guess Diane?

I would suspect that you had prior information if you guessed Diane because she hasn't been part of my regular circuit until recently although we knew each other as children. We have so many interests in common that we became instant adult friends.

We packed the day just about as full as possible. It began with a puppy fix for me. The white puppy is Nola and the black lab is Tula.

Their owner is a man I also haven't seen since childhood. His name is Gary. He is younger than I am, but I was quite good friends with his older sister. We are no longer children as you can probably tell. (I think the last time I saw him, I was taller than he was.) He treated us to coffee and homemade lemon cookies. Yum!

Next up was a little hike. Diane has been able to up her mileage quite a lot since last summer. She gave me local choices and we walked to a place I've featured on the blog quite often, but I think the last time I did this particular hike was around 1970.

We walked up the Taughannock gorge. It's hard to get a sense of the perspective, but those rock walls are about 500 feet high.

This trail takes you to the base of Taughannock Falls. This is 215-foot free fall drop, considered the highest free drop east of the Rockies.

The walk in to the falls and back was 1.9 miles.

All the pictures I've shown on the blog before today were taken from an overlook that is along one of the edges of the bluff. I took another of those today, but I won't post it. The one I will share is that if you walk a short way along a different trail from that upper overlook you can get much closer to the falls. I think this shot gives you a better sense of the power of the water. It was really noisy from this vantage point. All the sound of the falling water and ice was rising right up the rock walls!

Then we went up to the museum. Diane is Village Historian. I gave them the quilt made by Frances Leary.

And she wanted to show me this. It's an accordion that was donated. I've never seen one like it at all, so I wasn't very helpful. But it was fun. A few of the buttons still play notes.

The day was not done, but I didn't take more pictures except the selfie. We listened to a web seminar about trails, we got chicken wings for dinner from the local Sportsman's Club (honey mustard), and then we looked at some more of my family's genealogy. She has discovered a few more things that I didn't know. She's amazing!

There is no clue for tomorrow, because it's so obvious it needs no clue except maybe this- who is my best friend in the universe? I'll head out first thing in the morning.

Miles walked in 2026: 51

Taughannock Falls SP, New York, gorge trail and part of north rim trail, 2.3 miles.

See Did You Guess Elaine?

A Very Special Snail

I'm home safe and sound. Haven't done much for the rest of today. Chilling. Getting energy stored up for tomorrow when I will need to get moving again. Meanwhile...

I got to see something at the Paleontological Research Institute that I thought I NEVER would have the chance to observe.

First of all you need to see Chittenango Falls. This is in Central New York.

The North Country Trail doesn't go as close to it as I would like. It used to be on the road just above the falls. Now it's in the woods east of the falls. You would need to take a spur trail for about 1/2 mile to see the waterfall. Of course New York is stuffed with falls, but it's a really pretty one.

There is an interpretive sign at the falls about a unique creature. If I have a picture of that sign (which I thought I did), I can't find it. The critter is a snail. The Chittenango Ovate Amber Snail, Novisuccinea chittenangoensis. It's only found one place in the world, and it's in the spray on one side of this waterfall. There are 50-75 snails in the wild. It's hard to get an accurate population count.

There are also several captive populations at research facilities. People are trying to learn about what makes these snails happy without reducing the wild population.

So, on Tuesday, I saw a terrarium stuffed with dead leaves. I wondered if it housed a snake of some kind or a small mammal. I asked. Warren started talking about the Chittenango Snail and was shocked that I actually knew about it! I was equally shocked that they had some.

This one wanted his-her picture taken. It's sitting on a romaine lettuce leaf. Apparently individuals can be recognized by the pattern on their shells!

For one thing, I thought they were tiny, tiny snails. Not so. They are about 3/4 of an inch long!

An article in the Journal of Molluscan Studies says they only like romaine lettuce when they are getting ready to mate, even though it's a standard diet for most captive snails. The article does give some leaves that have been found to be preferred by Chitt (the nickname for this snail). They like some hickory and walnut. Cherry and oak in certain stages of decomposition are highly preferred. Seems this is a gourmand snail. Very fussy eater. There is a long list of leaves they won't even nibble.

Now for reproduction. Snails and slugs are hermaphrodites. Each individual is both sexes. Remember hearing about the snails' "love dart?" One snail shoots a projectile into another snail which stimulates the desire to reproduce. They bond for 10-15 hours and exchange packets of sperm. Then each snail lays eggs.

I am beyond pleased that I got to see these little critters!

Tomorrow I have to get my tush in gear.

See Paleontological Research Institute

Falling Waters- Saugerties

 Today we made a true effort to not get tied up in things that HAD to be done. We played our game, and read. We are trying to finish a book this week. We'll make it- only a few pages to go. We talked. OK, we made soup and salad and went to church, but it wasn't an all-out race to accomplish things.

We hiked at a nature preserve called Falling Waters. We were there last summer too (see link below). But this time we hiked both trails. This is the waterfall on an unnamed creek that gives it the name.

The upper trail is mostly smooth and graveled, but the return loop has some pretty good hills as it goes down by the river and back up the bluff.

The river is the Hudson, of course. Always impressive.

Today, we had the time to hike both loops of the trail, so I didn't see this second waterfall last summer.

In the 1800s, cutting ice from the river to ship to New York City was big business. There were huge icehouses that held 10,000 tons of ice. This wall is one of the few remnants of the buildings.

Good botanical find- this is snake fern (or common polypody). Nothing is really sprouting yet. These are evergreen, but it's nice to see patches of anything green.

Bad botanical find. These are the seed pods of the "water chestnut" (not the one you eat in Asian food) that are clogging the eastern waterways. See pix of the plants in the link below.

Tomorrow is my last day here.

Miles hiked in 2025: 35.7

Falling Waters Preserve, Saugerties, NY. Two trails and a little more. 2.5 miles

See Falling Waters Summer 2024

Conservation Trail - To Canada

  We had an absolutely perfect day to complete this quest. Blue sky and blue water, low humidity and low seventies for temperature.

First, we needed to get off Grand Island. This is the north bridge.

As we walked across, the mist from the Horseshoe (Canadian) falls could be seen along with the city skyline.

Between the bridge and the falls, we passed the Old Stone Chimney. This was built in 1750, and was the chimney of the mess hall and barracks at Fort Nisgara which guarded the long portage.

Shortly downstream from this location the rapids become severe. Boats can not approach the falls closely either above or below the falls-- the portage was both long and steep with an elevation change of about 200 feet. These are standing waves in the river above the falls.

Approaching the American Falls, with a sliver of the Horseshoe Falls behind it. They are separated by Goat Island.

A little farther, and both falls are clearly seen. The falls flow over the Niagara Escarpment. This is a rock cliff that extends from the southern shore of Lake Ontario, forms the peninsula that separates Lake Huron from the Georgian Bay, is visible on the North Country Trail at Maple Hill in the Upper Peninsula of Lake Michigan, and then curves south to form the Dorr Peninsula of Wisconsin.

And, here we are! We made it to the northern extent of the Conservation Trail. This completes all six branch trails for Marie and me. (And, incidentally, connects to the Bruce Trail.)

We came prepared with the proper paperwork to allow us to enter and walk across the Rainbow Bridge. Some of the best long views of the falls are from this location.

The last time I was here was in (pretty sure) 1982. It was probably time to visit again, eh?

This morning we said goodbye to Dave and Joyce, our hosts for the entire time of the hike. She's a hiker and also loves word games. They are now more than hosts. They have become our friends.

And now we have moved to the home of long-time trail friends Ruth and Dan.

This is plenty for one day, and I'm beat, so I'll sign off.

Miles hiked so far in 2024: 345.7. Finger Lakes Trail miles hiked in 2024: 67.5

Conservation Trail, Western NY., Eagle Overlook to Canadian border. 7.0 miles

See Grand Island

Lehigh Valley Black Diamond Trail

 This morning, Diane and her granddaughter Dani, Marie (yes!), and I headed for a piece of the Black Diamond Trail for a little hike.

And why does it have that name, you ask? It's on the bed of the former Lehigh Valley railroad, in fact, the very piece that ran in back of my farm if they ever manage to extend the trail that far.

So far, they only have about 8 miles of trail. When the Lehigh Valley shut down in 1976, most of the ROW reverted to the owners whose land was crossed. So getting the linear "pathway" back is presenting challenges.

The Black Diamond was the name of the signature passenger train of the LVRR. Here's a picture from about the 1960s, I would guess

The four of us walked two miles out and then turned around. Very level (rail trails are) and easy walking. It was plenty hot, but we were walking at 8:30, so we certainly got out there before it got really hot.

This end of this piece of trail is located at Upper Taughannock Falls, where Elaine and I hiked 12 years ago (wow- how can it be that long ago?). It's hard to believe. This is a "cauldron" of rock where the water spirals down. It's difficult to get a good picture, and the light certainly wasn't right at that time of day.

Here are Marie, Dani, and Diane.

I spent a fair amount of time working on the final edits for the book, and we visited with Dick and Darla. Tomorrow Marie and I head out for our yearly hike.

Miles hiked so far in 2024: 271.1

See Lehigh Valley

Return to Lick Brook Falls

 I made it to Elaine's tonight. We took a short hike in the evening, because it's going to continue to be pretty hot during the days. Lick Brook Falls, (along the Finger Lakes and North Country Trails) see link below for when I was there on the big hike, is only about a mile from where she lives, but she'd never been there. It's in a nature preserve, but it kind of a "secret."

To get there you have to cross a railroad bridge. This is probably illegal, but everyone does it, because there is no other bridge over the creek.

Elaine had never been there, and she loves waterfalls. But it was a bit disappointing because... it's July... not very much water.

But, there were a few interesting trickles.

Someone else thought the railroad bridge was interesting too. Yup, it's another blue racer!

You know I was looking at the plants. This isn't anything really special, but I don't see it very often, so I had to look it up to remind myself. It's Ditch Stonecrop, Penthorum sedoides.

And that's enough for today! We have some adventures planned for tomorrow, but I need a long nap first!

Miles hiked so far in 2024: 266.3. NCT miles hiked 106.2.

Route 96 to Lick Brook Falls and back and a little more. Near Ithaca, NY. 1.8 miles

See Lick Brook Falls