Breakneck Ridge Trail, Cold Spring NY

What up fellow Ramblers. 1st day back to work today after a few days off and it was not easy! However this is a short week because it's time to roll in 2009. I am so done with '08 and can't wait for the spring to lace up the boots once again. The hike I am posting about today is not on the AT but it's another great hike right next to the Hudson River. Looking down on the Hudson from the top of a mountain on a warm summer day is an amazing sight that never gets old. Hiking a trail that has the words "Break" and "Neck" in it might not sound that smart, but trust me, this is a good one. Yes there are some challenging parts but it is definitely worth it. It's easy to get too as well. There is even a Metro North station that drops you off less than a mile from the trail head. As you can see from the video you come across some freaky old buildings during your ramble. This is a perfect spot to make another Friday the 13th sequel without a doubt. From what I have read these are the remains of a dairy farm. I'll get my milk from another venue thank you very much! Another great site is the Breakneck Pond. On a clear sunny day the reflection is so good it's hard to tell in my pictures what is the sky and what is the water! Wind you day down with a bite and a brew at any of the small little towns that are right on the Hudson. It's a great hike, so put it on your list! More info can be found here and here. Happy New Years everyone. I will keep posting my old school hikes to get through the winter. As soon as spring hits, new adventures are on the way! Ohh and I got a few EMS gift certificates for Christmas that I am looking forward to cashing in on in the very near future.

Bear Mountain Connecticut

Merry Christmas fellow Ramblers! Back 2 Back Bear Mountain Hikes for ya. This is the lesser known Bear Mountain, located in Salisbury Connecticut. However the AT also goes though here.
Hiked this one a few years back with my sis who is a frequent co-hiker of mine. OK so a little trivia, Bear Mountain is the highest point in Connecticut at 2,316 feet HOWEVER it is not the highest point in the state. Huh??? Yeah I was confused too at first. The highest point in the state is actually on a ledge of a neighboring mountain called Mount Frissell whose peak is actually in Massachusetts. Comprende?
Anyways this is a more challenging hike than Bear Mountain NY but it is a very rewarding one. Views are awesome, there is a cool stone monument on the top, and is great place to just chill, take a nap, or zen out before hiking back down. By the way a great hiking book series is called 50 Hikes. I own two of the books, 50 Hikes in Connecticut, and 50 Hikes in the Lower Hudson Valley. I highly suggest them regardless of your hiking experience. They are broken down into difficulty level, offer suggested routes, and they give you a good overview of the sights you will come across on your ramble. That's it for today. Until next time...Ramble on!

Bear Mountain State Park NY

Ahh good ole Bear Mountain. Great warm up hike to get ready for the season. The AT runs through it but there are also a bunch of other feeder trails that are fun to explore. I have hit this place a few times. If you have kids it's a good spot for them too. There is also a lake, pool, ice skating in the winter, zoo (with exotic animals such as raccoons, skunks, and squirrels), and a merry-go-round. Pack a lunch, have picnic, and hit the trail. Ohh and don't be a skirt and "drive" to the top. When you get out of the woods and reach the summit unfortunately you walk out to a ton of cars and motorcycles from people who took the easy way up. But the views make up for the crowds. The Hudson river flows below and if you look out real far on a clear day you can catch a glimpse of NYC. If you have been here let me know about your visit by writing a comment!

Book Review-A Walk in the Woods

So I just finished reading a book called A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail by Bill Bryson. It's about his attempt at walking the entire AT and the characters and challenges that greet him along the way. His sidekick "Katz" tags along at the beginning and the end of the journey. These two guys are both middle aged and out of shape so there are some funny parts in their adventure. I broke this book down into three parts. I don't want to give away much of it but I loved the first section which really talked about their adventures on the trail, the people they meet, and the whole "what the hell did we get ourselves into" factor. Plus Bill and Katz have two totally different personalities so the arguing and dialogue between the two is great. However the middle of the book slows down when Bryson starts preaching about the trail, save the trees, and a lot of history lessons. I will admit I skimmed a lot of that but it did pick up in the end when it got back to their attempt to finish the quest. If you want to get pumped up for the spring and hitting the trails I recommend getting A Walk in the Woods. Normally I am reading Stephen King or Chuck Palahniuk so this book was a nice calming change. Check it out!!

Welcome!

OK so this is my second attempt at blogging. My boxing blog, bumpNlump has had it's days so now it's time to move on to my other interest, hiking. one ramble AT a time (oraat) will talk about my tales and treks on the AT as well as other hiking excursions. I also want to hear from you about your trails stories, tips, reviews, pics, etc. Since it's the middle of the winter and I probably wont be hiking for another few months I am going to post some pics and vids from past hikes. This spring I am hoping to step it up and do some overnight hikes and try to hit as much of the AT in NY & CT as I possibly can. I will be looking for some of my peeps to join me so get ready for the woods!