[at-l] Gasp! I took a hike!

[jbullar1 at twcny.rr.com (Jim Bullard)]

Today I went on an overdue hike. Just a short one, 5.6 miles. I intended to 
go farther but got a late start so I had to change my destination to a 
closer one in order to get out before dark. I could have managed the longer 
one were I not prone to take so many photos (over 100 today) but I really 
enjoy taking photos as I see more that way than if I'm just trying to get 
in miles.

I drove to South Meadow and hiked in the old truck road trail to Marcy Dam 
in the High Peaks area of the Adirondacks. Only one party of 3 was ahead of 
me today in the register. I ended up meeting them as they were coming out. 
They were the only people I saw all day. Except for the occasional 
chickadee the woods were dead still. There wasn't even any wind blowing 
through the trees until I got almost to Marcy Dam.

The trail caved in under my feet in several places, dropping a half inch or 
more under my weight and often when I put my pole on a rock it would sink 
up to an inch. Apparently the soil had been saturated and frozen then after 
the frost had expanded it the frost melted and sunk into the subsoil but 
the earth, gravel and rocks had stayed in their frost heaved position. It 
was strange to step on or put my pole on a rock only to have it sink 
leaving a rim of soil raised around it.

I ate lunch at a lean-to near the Dam and spent more time taking pictures 
then hiked back out by 3PM with it already starting to get dark due to the 
heavy overcast combined with the season. A very pleasant and quiet day.

Saunterer