Lake Minnewaska, NY 08/21/09 (MTB)

[jamesdeluxe]

Jason and I both had today off so we ignored forecasts of heavy rain and headed up to the Gunks. Due to the high humidity and approaching thunderstorms, visibility and pix weren't nearly as good as my visit last September, but regardless, we had a great three-hour ride. It's a good cardio workout, and the scenics will keep you from complaining about the lack of technical riding. Once again, for those who've never been, Minnewaska is one of the most stunning places you'll visit anywhere, and it has the added bonus of three different swimming areas where you can cool off with perfect water temps.

Also, we timed this right to hit both blackberry and wild blueberry season... we were kicking ourselves for not bringing tupperware to collect our spoils. Along the upper part of the ride, there were blueberry patches literally as far as the eye could see. In New Paltz, they were selling freshly picked half pints for $3, which sounds exorbitant, but when you know how small wild blueberries are (maybe a fifth of the size of domesticated ones), you realize how long it would take to fill up a bowl. The tradeoff for the small size is their amazing taste and sweetness. I feel bad for anyone who hasn't tried them (that means you, godless westerners).

Me wandering into Awosting Falls:

Riding through a lush hardwood/hemlock forest:

Blackberries:

Wild blueberry bushes everywhere:

Here's how small they are:

Looking south toward Lake Awosting:

Jason riding through a Hemlock forest

Lake Awosting was lined with sweet pepperbush plants that had an intoxicating scent, like riding through a florist store:

Back in New Paltz filled with commie-pinko students -- another reason Admin moved west!

Obligatory busker chick taking a break:

 

[Patrick]

Obligatory busker chick

I was going to add "where is Miss Vermont" type comment until that last pic. Nice.

 

[Marc_C]

In New Paltz, they were selling freshly picked half pints for $3, which sounds exorbitant, but when you know how small wild blueberries are (maybe a fifth of the size of domesticated ones), you realize how long it would take to fill up a bowl. The tradeoff for the small size is their amazing taste and sweetness. I feel bad for anyone who hasn't tried them (that means you, godless westerners).

Watch those generalizations there Jersey boy! I climbed in the Gunks for over 25 years and I spent 1 - 2 weeks on Mount Desert Island, ME (Acadia NP) each summer from the age of 5 till 17. So some of us godless westerners are extremely familiar with the wild blueberries of the NE. The lack of black flies, mosquitos, and hellish humidity more than makes up for some losses.

 

[jamesdeluxe]

some of us godless westerners are extremely familiar with the wild blueberries of the NE. The lack of black flies, mosquitos, and hellish humidity more than makes up for some losses.

At the end of August every year, I miss the smell and taste of freshly roasted green chile from my days in New Mexico. I have my brother in Colorado freeze it and fly it in during his visits. Not quite the same experience, but there are + and - to everywhere. You make your decision and deal with it.

You live in the west; but you aren't a westerner.

 

[Marc_C]

You live in the west; but you aren't a westerner.

Sorta, I guess. After 9 years, locally, I qualify as a westerner. It's easier to do that here than say, Vermont or Maine, where you can live there for 50 years and still be "from away". Yet I certainly don't share many (most?) of the classically western political and cultural views and still retain that streak of NYC impatience (ordering a sandwich at lunchtime can still be a painful experience - a lot of folks here break every single protocol - stuff that at minimum would get you sent to the back of the line in NYC). I certainly don't speak Utahnics or western. People still pick up on my accent. They're not sure where it's from, but they know it isn't Utahn. With the first 22 years of my life spent in NJ and the second 25 in CT, it's not particularly strong nor is it distinctly regional, like Jersey City, Brooklyn, or Eastern MA - I call it a Northeastern accent.

I am a snow, weather, terrain, and locale snob though!

 

[jasoncapecod]

What a great day of riding , despite the upper 80's temp and EXTREME humidity..

Jason bolloxes up what should be money shots of me swimming next to the waterfall

those are great photos!!! :-D

Huffing and Puffing maybe a little 8) ..towards the end of the ride i was getting a unwanted Prostate exam from my seat :lol:

 

[jamesdeluxe]

I certainly don't share many (most?) of the classically western political and cultural views.

That's what I meant.

People still pick up on my accent. They're not sure where it's from, but they know it isn't Utahn.

During my first two years in Colorado, I took so much abuse from college friends about my Central New York accent (sounds similar to Chicago-ese and is, admittedly, tough on the ears), that I successfully purged it by my junior year. Although I had a chip on my shoulder about their treatment for a long time, I thanked them later on... their ball-busting forced me to develop my ear so that I was able to tone down my American accent when speaking French and German, and helped me become a better teacher.

Huffing and Puffing maybe a little 8)

I felt bad about that comment and edited it out later. I heard you cursing me during the climbs, but you never fell behind.

 

[jasoncapecod]

I felt bad about that comment and edited it out later. I heard you cursing me during the climbs, but you never fell behind.

I wasn't cursing you.. i just like to bitch.. 8)

 

[Harvey]

Beautiful photos guys, sorry I missed out. Thanks for sharing.