Walk 11, The Jim Schug Trail

December 17th,

The first walk from our new home in Dryden, NY.  The dog and I caught the Jim Schug Trail about 3 blocks from our house and followed it for about 2 of its 4 mile distance.  The trail is a former railroad, and crosses a beautiful creek twice and follows the edge of a pond created by damming that creek.  This trail isn’t the IBM Glen, but it is close to home and very nice.  During the entire walk, flocks of Canada geese passed far overhead heading south.  I’ve never seen so many at one time.

Walk 10 – Midtown to Greenwich Village, Manhattan

Gaylen and I went to NYC on December 15 to get my visa for an upcoming trip to China.  When we left the consulate at 10:15 AM, we had some free time before needing to return home and we decided to take a walk.  And so we headed south down 9th, 8th and 7th Avenues in the general direction of New York University.  We didn’t have a particular plan, figuring that in New York City something interesting always meets you if you are open and looking.

And thus we encountered this on 17th Street, between 6th and 7th Avenue:

It is one of the amazing works of art to be found at the Rubin Museum of Art.  Featuring art of the Himalayas, it is a spectacular introduction to the art and iconography of Buddhism and spiritual life of Tibet, Nepal, Mongolia and India.  We lingered there for over two hours before hunger pangs led us back to the street and down to Greenwich Village.

It was a great day.

 

Walk 9 – On the Banks of the Red Cedar

Thanksgiving morning I walked on Michigan State University’s campus with Milt, Sue and the dog Riley.  It was a great start to a great day to be back on a campus where I lived, worked and sometimes studied.

Walk 8 – Markers in the IBM Glen

November 20, 2011

Today I came upon a cairn someone constructed along the creek bed.  I couldn’t get close to it from where I was but I took a photo of it’s rather elaborate construction.

When people are around rocks, they seem to have an instinctive desire to build cairns.  Sometimes they mark the trail, other times they are just a way to signal “I was here.”  But cairns share a respect for the place where they are constructed that sometimes give them a magical air.

As I continued my walk, I started to think about other kinds of markers.  Here’s one.

 

 

The mylar on this balloon made shiny scales on my hand as I stuffed it in the dog’s poop bag.

 

One of the things I love about the IBM Glen is its recent history.  Several years ago, IBM planned to harvest much of the timber and sell the tract.  A group of people in the area mobilized and induced the company to donate most of the land to the Waterman Conservation Center a nonprofit organization that manages the land well today.

The blue slash on the tree indicates that it was destined for the lumber yard before the change in plans.  The yellow tag marks one of my favorite trails in the glen.  Go if you can, but leave your balloons behind.

Top Walks

If I were to name the best walks of my life what would they be and why?

In no particular order:

Cinqua Terra in Italy – the walk through small villages and olive groves by the Mediterranean sea with my family was absolutely unforgettable.

Through the orchards, fields and forests near my childhood home in Hartford, Michigan.  So many rambles of entire afternoons discovering wonders of nature.

Cornell Slide Wittenberg – 10 miles of gorgeous and fun hiking on the crest of the Catskills.

The hike to Bow Falls in the Canadian Rockies – with family again and to see a waterfall come from the top of the world into a hanging valley of rocks and to finish with a world class meal.  A perfect day.

Hiking along the beach of Nordhouse Dunes on Lake Michigan with Julie.  A perfect day and a perfect walk.

Along the rim of the Grand Canyon with my friend Bill.  After two hundred yards, the crowds were gone and we were alone with the majesty of the canyon.

So many parts of the Lake Superior Provincial Park Trail – a week of fabulous backpacking on the shores of Lake Superior.  Never will I have a better backpacking experience.

Walking with Gaylen along the north side of Manhattan.  It was a special day exploring the city.

The Northville-Lake Placid Trail in the Adirondacks with my family – beauty and challenge.

Hiking with Julie and Gaylen in Poland on a weekend around the Krakow area.  Castles and forests , villages and farms.  We culled some potatoes fresh from the ground.

The Northeastern shore of Isle Royale with my brother Steve.  Granite,  lichens and the icy waters of Lake Superior.

Walk 7 – The Synchronotron Lab and Athletes

Yesterday I found myself on the Cornell University campus, needing a walk after an afternoon of proposal writing.  It was a dreary, drizzly day and my path took me past something called the Wilson Synchronotron Laboratory.  I also passed by Cornell’s athletic facilities where the plate glass windows showcased wrestlers, track and field and others training in their respective weight and workout rooms.  Runners glided by my doughy sweater-wrapped body with effortless strides.

When I got home, I learned that 12 meters below us was a different kind of track, where electrons collide.  A different kind of physics and a different league.

 

Source:  http://www.chess.cornell.edu/

Walk 6 – Back in the Glen

November 12, 2011

The house was shown again today, which gave me plenty of time for another walk in the IBM Glen with the dog.

I took my normal route, but backwards.  Familiar sights from a different angle felt new.  Is it that easy to make a fresh start?

 

 

 

Go Slow – Walk 5

November 11, 2011

We’re moving soon and the recent weeks have been packed with preparing our house for the market on top of the normal craziness of an academic term.  I haven’t made any time for walks.  But yesterday when our house was getting its first showing, I loaded up the dog and headed to the IBM Glen.  It seemed like a dreary day for a hike, a gloomy November dusk threatening rain.  But the sounds of damp leaves muffling my footsteps, the smell of damp and chill earth and the feeling of movement were restorative.  The stress didn’t give up easy yesterday, but I managed to quiet my soul a little bit, for a little while.

The Three Poop Walk, October 26, 2011

Walk 4

This morning I took our dog Riley out for a walk around the neighborhood.  Being a good neighbor, as always I stuffed a plastic bag in my pocket to scoop and store her predictable deposit.  But today, about two blocks after her first go, Riley circled around and dropped another load.  I untied the bag and managed to collect the second batch without smearing any turds on my hands.  But when she pooped again a little way further, I just couldn’t bear to repeat the process.  Hey, she’s a little dog and she didn’t leave much evidence, but I still want to apologize to my anonymous neighbor down the hill.

A Comment on Walking

For most people, most of the time walking is something that we take for granted. It’s like breathing.   Unless I am sick or injured, I don’t usually notice how my foot connects with the ground on each step, how my arms swing in rhythm with my legs, or the length and speed of my stride. I move mindlessly. But, when I think of my father, a man who walked miles each day at his work, struggle to take his morning steps with his legs in braces and a cane for support, I am reminded that the act of walking is a gift that can be taken away by time or circumstance.