Years ago I got “arrested.” I was in grad school at the time and a few buddies and I decided to head up to the Adirondacks for a weekend of camping. It was mid fall and the mountains were exploding with color. Three … Continued
Stepping into the Adirondacks is a move toward sensory simplicity and away from the cacophony of life (in New York City). The ruckus of traffic, sirens, sewers, even light dissipate into a clarified Adirondack sensory delight: hear the light rain’s … Continued
As the double rainbow spilled from cottony clouds, the Adirondack evening cast its colorful stripes on Lake Saranac’s glassy surface. Located five hours from New York City yet a world away, a lush paradise of pine covered mountains, crystal clear … Continued
America’s rugged wilderness imposes a calming salve, even when mosquitos are attacking you. Nature doesn’t know silence. There’s always some sound like an oscillating frog belch or raspy crickets mashing their legs together. Wind whispers through the trees and when … Continued
It felt like a plague of biblical proportions. The frogs and hail weren’t a problem but hot damn, the clouds of mosquitoes were lifted directly from that miserable list of Passover plagues. Starting off the hike, we knew the park … Continued
I love to shvitz. I’m not just talking about shvitzing (sweating) on a balmy day or from a good run, but the yiddish kind of shvitz: the place and bodily function melded into the singular experience of sitting in a steam room or … Continued
As the gentle wind rustled through the forest canopy, a shower of reds and yellows and oranges rained onto the mountain trail. Beams of light poked through the leaves as the trail climbed above tree line (3,500 feet) and ropes … Continued
Sure footing’s never a guarantee when exploring the wilderness. Hikers wear thick treaded boots with hard rubber soles that grip the rocks and dirt and gnarled roots underfoot. Nature’s tenacity often overcomes the limitations of our own footwear and a … Continued