Destination: The Mighty Hudson

Mike, my favorite fellow guide, and I trekked near the Hudson River today, exploring some trails thereabouts. I haven't seen Mike in weeks, because of our busy guiding schedules. It was fun to catch up on his paddling adventures in the northwestern Adirondacks. We also discussed some worrisome news about a loon stranded in a "pond" too small for the loon to fly out of. The loon is stuck in a quarry lagoon until the loon rescue folks can get down there and rescue him. In the meantime, the loon is doing fine, chowing down on tadpoles and the like. But it isn't safe for him to stay there indefinitely.

I was disappointed in the lack of variety of vegetation in the area, largely due to the large numbers of scotch pines that block sunlight, but I'll keep the trails on my list because they're excellent for beginning snowshoers and cross-country skiers. A good place for beginners to build skills before venturing out on winter wilderness jaunts. I'm already looking forward to those!

I did find a wildflower that took me by surprise, not because of its rarity, but because I haven't seen it yet in the Adirondacks--Butterfly Weed. Because the place I found it wasn't its usual habitat, I wonder if someone planted it there.