Photo Tour, number 2

(see my facebook page for more photos) August 26th-September 7th

Pigmy goat @ Ft. Rickey                      Sunset at Mom and Dad's          

                                        

<-- Dad w/his watercolors at Clinton Fest. of Art and Music

                                        Mom's Ponies -->





                  V-    Mohawk River   -V

 

 What do you suppose they distribute?             Erie Canal and bike path
                                                                       (that would have been easier!)  

 

 First night camping, just outside of posted area.
                                                           "Hotel Wooly-bear."
                                                                                                   Food hung in tree.

               Raquette Lake +

 Blue Mt. and Blue Mt. Lake 

^ Henry biking away from Blue Mt Museum

Me and Hemlock at Buttermilk Falls

Camp on Raquette River

                                                   Adirondack beauty

Me, Phil, Heidi, Ruby - striking a powerful pose as the camera ticks down.

 Wild Center!

stealthy campsite
on pond

            Saranac Lake Festival/Farmers' Market - cow; kraut demo

     Saranac Festival:  (top left, clockwise)  Beet ladies, om-ing squash monks, view to the lake, vendors and stage.

View from the Ice Cream Shop:

At Paul Smiths College .... lean-to site, bridge around pond, me w/Hotel Wooly Bear (picture to prove that it's still me, alive, at the other side of the camera).  This was the coldest night yet, into the low 40's.  It was an unfortunate time to discover that I forgot to bring any pants.

Entering "Special No Kill Area" along the Au Sable River descent - Why can't we have more such areas in the world?  I appointed myself temporary "Special No Kill Area" police,  and asked people if they had done any killing in this special area.  No one had.  Thank God.

NY somewhere

Au Sable Forks (west and east branch combine!)

Keeseville

Pulling into Fledging Crow Farm at sunset

The barn at sunrise

Kittens

Good heavens

some young veggies and a little mountain

 

Kale Forest

Carrot Party

Oliver washing greens

Barn/washing station/office/loft

I forgot to document the potatoes, carrots, and beets that I helped bring in .... here are some of them in the walk-in cooler.

Kyle, Ian, and Lucas, working on transplanting, as I leave

Fledging Crow and South End Arts District

Alrighty, so I'm still in Burlington - looks like I may stay until Friday or Saturday up here!  ....

So, I got into Fledging Crow farm (it's "fledging," - like fledgling minus the "l," as in the act of developing feathers to fly with!) at sundown, with some nice pink cotton candy clouds showing the way.  Lucas, who I'd met in Saranac, came up to greet me, and introduced me to Ian, the 2nd of the farming duo.  Totally warm welcome from these guys, they opened up their place to a basic stranger, gave me a nice loft to sleep in, offered the cooler's bounty in produce to snack on, and then brought out a full plate of dinner as I unpacked myself.  I went to bed knowing that my birthday on the 6th (the next day) would be a fine one!

I got up pretty early and walked around.  Astonishingly straight rows, 100+ ft. long with the full array of diversified vegetables (minus cucurbits) ... a dozen or so pigs who were tilling up a sizable chunk of field, some young grape vines ... all of this surrounded by an electric deer fence, and looked over by a little mountain of a couple hundred feet.  The barn, cabin, greenhouse, and apartment have all gone up in the last 2 years - there was a year living in a big tent, observing the land, and getting an energetic read on where to place things (there's a huge underground river, and a prolific aquifer directly beneath the land ... 22 gal/min well!).

My day consisted of this:
- Wash plastic veggie bins from the last week (a couple hundred or so), with Kyle, local dirtbike aficionado
- Dig half a row of potatoes with Kyle, with spading forks (they'll be getting the fancy machine soon that turns the whole row, without hand digging)
- Wash them potatoes (probably more slowly and deeply than was desirable ...)
- Pull, de-green, and collect storage carrots with Oliver, until Oliver gets tackled by Lucas (aka, "Lunch time rumble")
- Long and luxurious lunch!  Local beef and salad, pasta, red pepper sauce, ice cream cake, chocolate torte ...  Scottie, from down the road, filled us in on all the ways he shows cattle who's boss.
- Pick and de-green storage beets with Oliver
- Pick carrots and beets to bunch
- Wash bunched beets
- Pick and wash bunches of kale and chard
- Sit in on a CSA brochure design mtg with Lucas and Ian.
- Make dinner, tell Ian it's my birthday, celebrate accordingly!  Bela Fleck, dinner, beer, and stories.  Quite fine, to be sure.

All in all, it's a grand place to be.  Lots of vegetables moving about, lots of people coming in and out and through (Ian, Lucas, Ian's wife and child all live there, along with 2 adorable kittens ... then a bunch of regular and irregular help).  There's more masculine energy here than at Ithaca farms I know, which is encouraging I think.  And Ian and Lucas are simply sharp, funny fellows - it's no wonder their growing is going well, and their popularity is expanding (up there, it's a pretty unique operation they've got going on, so folks are picking up on it!).  Hard workers, with things in perspective.

The next day (Tuesday), I took my time getting settled before leaving, and got a route plan from Ian.  I was on the verge of heading toward a place to sky-dive, but that isn't in the cards just yet.  It was threatening rain, but nothing serious, so I set off south toward Crown Point.  I'd hopefully be to the ferry by late afternoon.  It was indeed a good route he gave me, with rolling hills and steep cliffs to the sides.  As I went on, though, I thought Crown Point might be too far, and maybe I did still want to go to Burlington (I could have gone straight across from Keeseville).  So I started heading toward the Essex ferry, a good compromise.

Before I could get too close, I began to notice a low tire, which turned to a flat tire.  First one!  I found myself in the middle of a hill in a big grassy lawn, so I sat down to grab some food and water, then set to it.  I had never changed a flat tire on my own before ... I got it off okay, and then eventually got the tube on and inflated ... maybe took 40 minutes or so!!  Then I noticed that the brakes were uneven, so I started to adjust the wires, until I realized that maybe the wheel wasn't sitting straight!  Oh, gosh, before that, I couldn't figure out how the chain wove around the chains on the back wheel.  That had me stumped and worried (could be dangerous if I messed it up ....).  So, after maybe 90 minutes of tribulation, the trip continued.

A few hundred feet down the road, I stopped at this fellow's antique store to ask for a bike pump.  No luck on that, but he was an amazingly chill guy.  Just seemed happy about life, even though all the shoppers were gone after Labor Day.  He told me the ferry left every half hour, so I had no more anxiety about catching it.  Then, I ran into a group of bikers with bright clothing on.  I talked to this one woman from VT (they were on a day trip), who was also amazingly chill.  Gave me a route to take, once I was in VT.  She went to catch up with her group, and I noticed a team of 4 horses in a big field, with the farmer sitting at the back, resting.  I stopped to say hi and admire the horses.  A third amazingly chill fellow.  These are the kind of folks that you have to just say, "Gosh, I'm glad you're alive and in this world!"  There's nothing more to it, no, "see you soon," or "let's do this together" ... just ... appreciation for good people.

So ... I made it to the ferry, and it was the best $5 I've spent in a while.  A 20 minute boat ride that made the leaving of NY seem far more momentous.  As I gazed out at the shadows of the Green Mountains, lake spray blowing at me, I finally felt the significance of this boundary.  I'd never been on Champlain, that I can remember, and I always love being on lakes.  This one is spectacular, with Adirondacks and Green mountains in the foreground and distance to both sides of the long N-S lake.  2 other bikers gave me more things to think about, and also helped me pump up my tire, once we got to land.  Thanks guys!

Up a hill and into the countryside, and Charlotte, VT.  I eventually came to the quaintest darn market/cafe/deli you've ever seen, and I got some food, plus directions.  The woman running the place sent me up a little ways to a road that would go all the way to Burlington without taking the highway.  There were other customers, but she explained to them, "I'll just be a minute, we don't want him getting lost," which drew nonchalant understanding ("well, he'd just end up back here, and that wouldn't be so terrible!").  A young lady said she was telling me lies of directions!  But sure enough, the map she drew me was perfect, and I began the 12-mile journey from "Vermont" into "Chittenden County," which I take to be similar to "10 square miles surrounded by reality."  Burlington isn't quite really Vermont, though it is also very much so.  Did I mention that as soon as I started biking in VT, I felt like a living citizen again?  Cars would slow down and give ample space to feel like your life isn't perpetually on the line.  There was even a bike path for the last couple miles into Burlington.  Actually, starting a few miles outside of town, I passed bikers nearly every minute or two.  Pretty intense.

I passed through UVM, then went down into the city (via the sidewalk ... poor choice, for the tires' sake).  Got off at Church street, the many-blocked pedestrian mall, and walked the whole thing.  I was looking for "Pine St." where Marie said her studio would be.  Plus I just wanted to check in with the center of things.  I wasn't really feeling it, actually ... the same way I don't get that excited when I walk down Ithaca commons these days.  Not the kind of pure liveliness you hope for ... and plenty of judgment.  But I had also had too much sun, and apparently another flat tire that I hadn't realized.  Made pushing the bike significantly harder with a flat back tire holding 50 lbs of bags.  I went down pine a ways, then gave up finding the studio.  Walked back the many blocks to a park, and set my bike up to work on.  I got this tire changed in much less time.  Marie called, and I had a place to stay for real!  I got on the bike, tried to pedal, and - forgetting that I had it in a hard gear to change the tire - fell straight down to my left.  Not even any forward motion, just up-down, bam!  Played it off like I was stretching and relaxing under the tree.

Met Marie and Aaron, got my tent up, ate some dinner with them, used the computer, and slept.  It was nice and thunderstormy, though the rain was light.
It occurs to me that blogs are maybe supposed to be extremely engaging and well-written, and thought-provoking.  Well, this blog is more of a drab description of what I've done ... it's kind of the way i write in journals, and then never get to the juicier thoughts I've been having.  I'm not sure how to reconcile this ... does anyone have any ideas?  I feel like chronicling the details of what and where, but the majority of my deeper thoughts are forgotten about.  Well ... for now ...

I really took my time this morning getting settled ... showered, laundered, cooking, load-lightening ....  Then biked to the waterfront.  There's this place, Locomotion, that's right on the waterfront bike path, and is dedicated to bicycling information and rentals.  Real sweet woman who helped me a lot with maps, bikes, and traveling ideas.  Then I went to Marie's studio (touring the local foods market/grocery/bakery, first) to help with some projects.  There's this event called the Art Hop on Friday, and it's "Bigger than Christmas" to the artists community.  The South End Arts District is a bunch of artists with studios down that way, and are hoping to get the city's recognition as an official "district."  The Art Hop is like an elaborate gallery night, where everyone pulls out all the stops.

In the studio, it was just lots of excitement and fun and delight at projects coming together.  I ended up down in a glass studio, drilling holes with a diamond-coated bit into iridescent glass discs.  They'll hang on a bike-wheel sculpture and a SEAD sign.  I got to play artist for a good long while!  I'm even doing the hanging arrangement for the bike piece.  Contributing artist right here!  Ha, but it really feels good to just freely get into the excitement of visual art, when I've taken such little part in it since ... middle school I guess.  I went to Aaron's studio, which is in the same building as the juried displays (which Aaron and Marie have pieces in - media, license plates and polymere clay, resepctively.  Vermont and Sunflower, respectively.  Classy and stunning, respectively).  So, anyway, I think I'm staying here until Friday night for the event, and there's plenty to explore and play with in the meanwhile.  Fun fun, life is good!

I LOVE VERMONT! (and New York was pretty alright, too)

I came across Lake Champlain by ferry today, from Essex, NY to Charlotte, VT, and I am now in - without exagggggeration - a completely new world.  It felt like some sort of sigh of relief and rekindled love affair (because it was only puppy love when I was here before, and now it's for real).  The landscape is greener, people are grounded, friendly, and look you in the eye as they smile, the animals have more energy, all the food is from down the road, there are mountains to see in every direction, the sun is always shining, and root beer flows out of tapped trees all year round!  Really, I didn't expect to feel so comfortable in the Vermont countryside, but sure enough ....  Coming into Burlington, things got more hectic, and I was reassured that I'll never like being in cities that much.  Fortunately, my aunt Julie's friend, Marie called me this morning and offered me her backyard at the edge of the city.  And also quite fortunately, she and her partner are awesome and lovely!  Artists the both of 'em, and they made me dinner and I feel very at home.  Thanks!

So ... I'll back up to where I left the narration last.  If I'm not mistaken, I was typing from the Blue Mountain Museum in the Adirondacks.  Well, I ended up not going to the museum, instead playing the piano for a little bit, then getting back on the bike.  I made it the rest of the way up the Blue Mt. pass, which was way shorter than I had anticipated (3/4 mi total?), then it was some good ADK cruising through bogs and hemlocks.  Made it as far as Long Lake, then turned down a recommended road to find a nice camp site.  Found Buttermilk Falls, not quite like Ithaca's, but fun.  Found a nice campsite where you paddle out, but too expensive.  Finally ended up at a lean-to by a canoe carry spot on the Raquette River.  It was quite perfect!  All to myself, water rushing all night and day.  I thought it was finally my chance to really relax, but after looking through maps and setting up camp, it was dark!  Funny how I still haven't figured out how to make time for yoga/meditation/breathing with regularity, even with a seemingly open schedule.  I just feel like pushing forward most days.  And there is plenty of good mental/physical space on the bike.

So, a 15 mile day was enough rest for my knees, and they were feeling much better as I set off northward.  More stellar ADK cruising, up to Tupper Lake.  The lake itself is different than most, as it has all this grassland around it where it looks like there used to be water.  And, sure enough, I later learned that it used to be much higher, then much lower, then dammed to facilitate log-moving near the city.  Anyway ... at the far edge of town, is the Wild Center, which I assumed was an elaborate petting zoo of wild animals.  Not the case ... first, I met Phil and Heidi, as they were headed back home after camping, and I convinced them to come to the "Great Entrance Hall" at the Wild Center.  Big stuffed Moose, live porcupine and turtle parties.

Then I went on into the museum alone, and found it to be a fantastic celebration of ecology, natural history, education, and wildlife!!  The whole thing is set up very intelligently (and it's the first LEED-certified building in the Adirondacks), with clear and inviting pathways and vibrant displays.  I could go on for paragraphs about the Wild Center, but I'll just leave it at ... you should check it out, if you're interested in ecology, natural history, education, wildlife, the Adirondacks, permaculture, sense of place, botany, etc.  I had 3 hours, and barely made it around the main part.  It could be an all-day affair, for the strong-minded who can absorb so much info.  We're talking olfactory stations, bog-simulating stepping squish pads, marsh sound keyboard, real-life labeled trout stream, above-building-level pond, miles of trails, hours of engaging films.  Well done up there!

After the Wild Center, I tried to make it to some camping, but it was now Labor Day weekend, and things were crazy.  I asked some park officials where I could camp for free, and it was all pretty far (knees hurt too much to push on, and it was getting dark).  So I pushed my bike into the woods near a fishing put-in spot.  I was only a few feet from the water, making it not quite a legal spot to camp, but it was cozy, on a pond/lake/bay, with a bed of pine needles below.

On, again, to the north - I was feeling kind of bummed and pointless.  The whole trip, my emotions are doing triple-time ... I'm rocking out moody like it's going out of style.  So, feeling bummed, tired, frazzled, and pointless, I pull into Saranac Lake, and find myself in the middle of a festival farmers' market.  An old German lady explaining how she makes kraut, a cow on the corner, gluten-free brownies, produce, flowers, sampling of local chefs' creations, harmonizing/kabocha-worshiping/fake moustache-wearing chef contingent, jams, cheeses, maple sugar ... everything you could ask for, in a park on Saranac Lake.  And a band!  This was such a perfect delight to run into, and I was digging it all.  Plus, I saw Fledging Crow Vegetables, who my dad had mentioned to me - I met Lucas as he buzzed about bagging beans and greens and chatted with everyone.  Stocked up on carrots, spinach, and green beans, and asked if I could stop by in a couple days.

Well, I eventually had to leave the market ... I had spoken with some Paul Smiths College folks doing permaculture work.  I got a tip for a lean-to on a pond up there, 12 mi. from Saranac ... so I headed that way, stopped for world-famous Dannelly's ice cream, and turned into the woods where I would find camp.  Pushed the bike a mile or so on the path, and found a great site (i kind of kicked some students out by mistake, but rain was coming and they seemed to be heading out..).  Ate a little, set up camp, read the whole Thanksgiving Address (including my mangled Mohawk version), and slept.  At least twice I could have sworn the high winds and rain knocked the food out of the tree, and at one point there was some animal in the lean-to at my bags.  Shooed it off in a tired stupor.  Food was fine in the morning, though it had become cold!  40 or so, and I realized I left my pants somewhere.  I mean .. i lost my pants.  who knows.  I've got long underwear, at least.

So, I had come to the site one way around the pond, and I tried to leave the other way around it.  I must have missed a turn or something, because I lost the path and had to push my bike for a good hour through the woods to get to the end of the series of ponds.  Needless to say, by the end, I was beat, but I got on the bike and tried to find a 6 Nations museum that I'd seen a sign for the day before.  Got close, but this nice woman and her baby at a home tackle shop told me it was another few miles north.  I figured out that I was feeling ready to leave the Adirondacks, so I went to Saranac Lake again for some food, and continued on to Lake Placid.

The road (86) between Saranac and Placid should be illegal for bikes.  It's hands-down the worst I've been on.  No shoulder, crumbling away where there was, constant traffic (most heavily used road in the ADKs), and people on vacation who don't care too much what's going on with the biker.  The first half of the 8 miles, I was just getting really angry and how dangerous and impossible the situation is.  Then I started talking to the cars and myself in my ridiculous eastern european accent, and suddenly I was having a blast.  And keeping the vibe positive, I was safer and focused.

Made it to Lake Placid, and I think this is truly the tourist center of the Adirondacks.  Out of control, but fun to pass through on the bike.  My knee gave out as I climbed what would be the last hill in NY, and I was conveniently at a nice bicycle shop.  Then I began to descend from 1,800 ft, following the Au Sable River.  If the Au Sable is looking for fans, I am number one!  What a beautiful river valley.  Great ride, all gradually downhill, and as I descended, the zones ascended.  Pretty soon, I felt like upstate new york again, people were playing outside (that weren't tourists), and the vegetation was green along the ground.  I saw a heron, and everything was great.  I guess I had had enough adirondacks.


Noticing my knees had been hurting since the beginning of the day, and noticing also that it was all downhill, I decided I could make Fledging Crow farm that day.  at 65 miles, it would be my longest day yet.  And I made it by nightfall.  I am beginning to fall asleep at the keyboard now ... time to sleep (I'll fill in fthe Fledging Crow portion tomorrow).  night, thunderstorms in vermont!

Blue Mountain Lake

(from Thursday the 2nd)
As I coasted downhill, overlooking Blue Mountain Lake and the Mountain
itself, I felt a calm sense of arrival. I was biking with Henry, who
met up with me past Inlet, and graciously slowed his pace so we could
ride together and find a place for the night. Assessing my knees, and
finding comfort in the little village, I decided I couldn't go any
further (and there was some climbing to come). Henry knew of this
place with a lawn and a shower, from the Adventure Cycling maps (I
might get one of these handy tools!), and sure enough the proprietress
(is that a word?) of the Blue Mountain Lake Inn greeted us knowingly
and set us up.

I had a great swim on the beach across the street, plus free pizza
from the market and free chocolate cake from aforementioned
proprietress (is it a word now?). There was a hammered dulcimer
ensemble playing on the wrap-around porch overlooking the lake ...
life was swell. Another biker (Gabriel?) stayed there for the night.
Both he and Henry gave me a new sense of how one can move on a bike -
I think they're doing between 70 and 130 miles per day, and Henry is
doing the "northern tier" route, from WA state! Exciting!

No 100 mile days for me in the near future, that's for sure! My
Achilles is feeling much better, though I'm still treating it
tenderly. In "travis' aching body" news, both of my knees (anterior,
lateral quadraceps attachment ... i suppose there's a name, but I was
stopped short in my anatomy coloring book progress by muscle names)
are hurting/popping/straining. Not good ... so, I'm hanging out at
the Blue Mountain Adirondack Museum today, and maybe biking a few
miles to some camping. A lean-to by the lake would be ideal,
especially if there is indeed a hurricane coming. I've been hearing
all sorts of predictions ....

Before I got here, I made a stop in Inlet at the bike shop that many
people had recommended. And, sure enough, it was a fine establishment
- I was topped off for air (and given a lesson in using Presta
valves/pumps) and water, and then chatted with John and Sara(h) for an hour or
two! Nice meeting such chill folks who eat raw corn and dislike the
Enchanted Forest water park. Although, I've come around on the water park,
even though it is a pretty senseless waste of water and energy .... I was
tempted to rekindle some delightful childhood memories and hit the
slides, because hey, fun is fun.  folks got to have fun.  I instead took the
southern road around the first of the Chain of Lakes (rather than bike 28).
It was a fantastic ride, small hills, low traffic, woods, and one local biker for
half the distance to Inlet.

I guess I'm narrating backwards today .... I considered taking the
scenic railroad from Thendara to Saranac, but it doesn't go that far.
Plus they pretend to rob on the way! With some extra funds, I think
the railroad will one day soon run from Utica to Lake Placid, and
there may even be a bike trail running alongside. Awesome.

Continuing retrograde narration, my ride from Clinton to Alder Creek
was a fine one. I made some wrong turns, but eventually crossed the
Erie Canal and the thruway, and headed into terrain that looked almost
like Adirondacks. In Holland Patent, I noticed that everyone spoke
like my Dad's mother and cousins. If I'd continued north or
northwest, this would have increased, I'm sure! It was comforting,
anyway.

As I got to the end of my legs, around Kayuta Lake, I asked for some
directions to camping. I finally ran into this fellow who was
checking the railroad gates, as a volunteer who "likes to play with
model trains.  but big ones." He directed me to another location that was near
some tracks, and where no one would bother me. I think the word he
used was "desolate." Sure enough, it was a bunch of 'posted' woods
with a track running through. So I set up just between the posted
sign and the tracks, with enough woods to feel comfortable.

I set up my tent, got everything in line, and went to hang my food in
a tree. This is harder than I thought, actually ... I quickly got
frustrated, but before I could get too upset, I heared a truck pull
off the road, and onto the gravel alongside the tracks. Coming my
way? Yup ... the blue pickup pulled into a maintenance clearing about
15 yards from me, and I hit the ground in my neon yellow, green, and
orange attire. The white rope was hanging in front of me.

I wasn't too concerned about camping where I was set up, but I was
hanging food in the 'posted' area. What luck, if the random
manufacturing company from Rome had sent some folks up to check on the
land. I lay still and listened, hidden behind two young spruce trees.
I couldn't see them clearly, so they couldn't see me, right? Well
... my best guess (to cut a 45 minute story short) is that they were
just two dudes smoking pot in a hidden spot. They beeped a couple
times, maybe because they saw me, but maybe not. I didn't move. Just
before leaving, they got out and walked around, and crushed a can of
"amp" on the ground. actually one of them threw a plastic bag of junk
out the window, I nearly cursed at him out loud. that would have been
a sight, to hear the woods shout at you after trashing it!

so ... i finally got my food up in small pine (everything was stunted
on this barren hill, even mini goldenrod everywhere!), but it wasn't
really that safe from any determined bear. I was too tired to worry.
and I wasn't even worried about folks coming back to bother me. but
the flies were driving me insane for some reason, and I got into my
tent around 6:00. slept until dusk, took a quick walk, and slept
again until morning light. well, it was great sleep, with constant
dreams - only i woke up every 5-20 minutes, so the dreams were
ever-changing. and full of cameo appearances of dozens of people I
know. pretty fun.

at night, a couple groups of coyotes (ha, almost wrote "wolves!")
killed a deer, and celebrated. it was a festive occasion. in the
morning, I swim-biked through the 110% humidity, and made it northward
successfully. Felt much better to be on the bike.

I'll write less when I'm less injured, I swear. It's a good excuse to
sit and give long accounts. I'll also upload some pictures as soon as
I can. Last night was luxurious, from now on I think I'll be camping
more, in more vibrant places than the first night. For the official
record, this is Day 6 on the bike, assuming I go more than a few
miles. over-and-out