First Day Trip: Glimmerglass State Park

As I have mentioned earlier this week, I was going to start hiking. On Thursday, I had decided that we are going to travel West and explore the nature Glimmerglass State Park had to offer. I have to admit, the trip did not disappoint! There were even some serendipitous post- hiking adventures had.

In anticipation, I woke up a half an hour early this morning. I finished stuffing my day pack with water bottles and band aids (which for the first time I didn't need) and then hopped in the shower. I left my house at quarter to 8 and stopped off at the market to get some trail snacks. I decided to go with the package of Planters Mixed Nuts and Raisins (these were super tasty, I would recommend!) and a bagel for my ride to Albany. I was a little bit late picking up my friend but we got right on the road.

About 30 minutes or so into our ride, I was pulled over for speeding. I really had no idea that I was going too fast, but the officer seemed to be a decent guy. I got off with a ticket for having unauthorized stickers on my rear window (who knew this was a violation?). I didn't let this little hiccup ruin my day as I have in the past. I have really let traffic tickets get to me, which in the grand scheme of things is a little silly. So we continued on our journey forgetting the whole event even happened.


At around 10 AM, we arrived at the park and payed our $7.00 to get in. We drove past the beach and parked at the Beaver Pond Parking area. There, we embarked on our first trail. We headed North on the Beaver Pond Trail, from there we heading to the Meadow, then around Blue Bird. Along the way we encountered some merky ponds and water soaked ground which were tell tale signs of some much needed rain. In the mud, we saw some deer tracks, unfortunately, these were the only sign of wildlife that we had seen.

The vast meadows of golden rod that had quaint purple blossoms scattered throughout and their resident butterflies provided a peaceful setting for reflection. It was so nice to just be outside and enjoy the splendor of nature and my uninterrupted thoughts. While musing on modern life, I realized that I could not go a week with out my computer or cell phone. While I do not necessarily need to use them all the time, I am very embarrassed to admit this, but I am calmed by the sense that help is just a phone call away no matter where I am. While walking around these trails, I realized that I would probably be better off if I didn't know what the internet is. Now that I have instant messaging and online shopping, I do not think I could go back to the way things were.

Instant gratification is infectious and I am not immune. What we, in these modern times, forget is how great it feels to anticipate something. I love waiting for a package in the mail. The process is much like Masters and Johnson's four stages of sexual arousal. Ordering something and finding out when it will arrive is the excitement phase. After the initial excitement, the days between ordering and delivery is the plateau, all building up to the moment the delivery person drops the package off, which is the climax. It feels so great to open the box and see whats inside. After you have your prize the excitement eventually fizzles out, this is until you order you next thing. (And this is evidence that I need abandon my technological ways!)

After hiking around the trails we headed over to the lake. Unfortunately, people were starting to arrive and the early morning solitude was disappearing. After enjoying a light snack, I went to get my tired feet wet in the clear lake water. Unfortunately, this happened to be a rocky section of the lake and wading in was like walking on shards of glass, but I didn't care. After just standing there for a while, I started to skip rocks, which was actually therapeutic. I like watching these flat rocks glide across the surface of the lake, only disrupted by the wakes of passing boats and my unskilled arm. Shortly before 1 PM we got back on the road.

Our ride home was more eventful than our ride there. Riding along route 20, we stopped at a farm stand and bought some fresh picked flowers and juicy raspberries. These were a delicious car ride snack, although my fingers and lap looked like they were covered in blood. Before continuing, we agreed that we wanted to check out a small town deli. Following a bee scare and a false alarm (who knew a place with a full parking lot and a new sign would be closed) we found this delightful little shop along the Turnpike in Delansin, NY. This was quite the road side treasure. It was filled with nuts, spices, candy, cheeses, jams, and fresh milk, as well as an extensive sandwich menu. It took me about ten minutes to make up my mind, but I decided on the Chicken Fajita Wrap, which was delicious. The chicken, peppers, and onions all tasted fresh and delicious within this extra large toasty wrap. I would definitely go back there again (I probably will when I go to court for my sticker ticket).

After this eventful day, I couldn't wait to be home and take a nap. The mercury raised 20 degrees since our initial departure and all that walking and good eating really took a lot out of me. I cannot wait for my next adventure. I am looking north, perhaps the Lake George region, but I have the Scottish games to worry about in a week.

Until next time!

What am I doing with this life.

When is living not enough?

I know, I know, out of context this may seem like a suicidal hypothetical, but to the contrary, my meaning is much different. Life isn't enough when you are just existing. By existing, I mean the mundane routine of going through the motions; waking up; going to school; heading to work; going to bed. Maybe there is some excitement here and there, but for the most part its the same old same old.

This is a shameful way to spend our century on Earth. Especially if you consider how miraculous life is. I don't mean to get too brainy here, but the fact that over 13.7 billion years ago, the teeniest of particles exploded (expanded really) and eventually condensed into planets, which in time developed a life sustaining environment that allowed for complex organisms like ourselves and the platypus(es) to thrive, is mind blowing. Us humans are also lucky enough to have loads of free time, unlike baleen whales who have to eat constantly for half the year or zebras that have to constantly be on guard in order to not be an afternoon snack. I feel like this is evolution saying, "Hey you, whats the point of evolving if you are not going to take advantage of these biological adaptions?"

So I am going to take charge of my life (this is much easier said than done) and start doing things that I really enjoy. For the last four years I have rarely done the things that make me the most happy. That is why I have decided engage in some self improvement activities.

For the last few weeks I have been thinking about various past times that I could pick up and I have come up with four that I want to pursue. If I complete just two of them, I will be happy. These four activities are cooking, sewing, hiking, and meditation. Essentially, as a nature enthusiast with domestic prowess, I am attempting to find joy and fulfillment.

Lately I have been stuck in a funk where I cannot get motivated to do the things I love. But I am a firm believer in the Universe giving you signs, and recently, I have received a few. First being instead of working a 40 hour a week clerical job, I am going to be a governess (technically, I will be a nanny, but since I am educated, I want to give myself more credit than I deserve). This I hope will provide me with more time to do things. The next sign has been a recent (re)obsession with all things nature (of course except fish and birds). I love looking at outcrops, wild flowers, and meromictic lakes. So when my friend proposed we climb the High Peaks in the Adirondacks, I was over-joyed.

While I am in no physical shape to climb the tallest peaks in New York State, I have decided to take small steps. We are going to start hiking nature trails, in three days! Sunday morning we are going to wake up early, hit the road and hike around Glimmerglass State Park. I was so excited that I have already made up an itinerary and evaluated what trails we will hike. In addition to a lake, this particular state park has a historic site and a beaver pond! (Beavers happen to be my favorite rodent.) I get so excited just thinking about this upcoming adventure.

I will conclude with declaring my expectations. I hope to be able to once again enjoy life's simple pleasures (and I am not talking about the laundry softener). I want to enjoy the sounds of water flowing and wind blowing as well as the aesthetic beauty of the sky's reflection on the calm lake waters. I also intend to get in shape for Fall and Winter, my two favorite seasons.

Here I have "publicly" declared my goals for the next few months. I plan on writing about my experiences; spiritual; domestic; or environmental, and track my progress in self rediscovery.

Cheers!