13 October 2023 Visiting Letchworth

Letchworth is awesome when there is a lot of flow. Today promised to be one of those days.

Mist over the water

Late blooming lobelia

Getting closer to the falls

Cuba, New York is a colorful place.

6 May 2022 New York to Pennsylvania

I was headed home to Pennsylvania after aa work trip to New York. The weather was perfect for a stop at Allegany State Park. My first spot was at Red House Lake where a cormorant. There were also a few mergansers on the water.

I moved on to the eastern end of Quaker Lake hoping to spot an osprey. I was lucky and not only spotted one guarding the nest. The mate was on nest.

After watching the osprey for a bit, I moved on to a spot at the edge of the park. We had stopped here the last year to look for a cache, but passed by the hunt when we couldn't find a place to park. The area was crowded with an essentially single-lane road back. Today there was no one at this scenic area.

I found the cache quickly and was very happy to spend time enjoying the spring wildflowers.

After a pleasant stop at ASP I headed for Pennsylvania and home. My bird watching was not done for the day as I spotted a turkey at the house.

23 February 2019 ASP in Snow

Spring was creeping closer.  We decided for a late winter walk at Allegany State Park.  There were a few caches with expiring permits and the dogs were ready to hit the trail.  Our first visit was along the stream at the edge of the park.  There was significant flow and melting already.  😊

Red House Lake, however,  was not thawed.

This ice shanty looks rather unhappy at being out in the cold.  Those ice fishing weren't the only ones on the lake as people were walking with their dogs and children.  I'm not sure I would take a child or a pet on late season ice.

The paved trails were mostly clear and easily managed.

This winter walk gave us an opportunity to see something I knew was in the park, but which is hard to see in warm months.  The remnants of the park's two ski jumps are clearly visible.  The last jumps and competition happened in 1979 at the park.  At that time I didn't even know this gem existed.

The day was a fun adventure and brought spring one day closer.

20 May 2017 Our Tenth ASP Geobash

This year was the twelfth ASP Geobash geocaching event at ASP. It was the tenth time we were able to attend. It's like a homecoming for us with a chance to be a part of the reviewer panel, visit friends from places like Elk County, and spend the afternoon hiking in the woods with friends. Today there was warm weather and blue skies. We were happy to spend that enjoying on of New York's finest state parks.

We always feel welcome here.

The crowd seemed a little smaller this year, but it seems like many attendees stop for the smiley and leave quickly so they can grab the roadside hides. Those of us who were there for the image were enjoying the company of friends and the wonderful surroundings.

This sweet VW bus was not only the perfect camping experience for the weekend. It hit the state park roads as a geomobile.

We met a couple from Quebec near the covered bridge. Ali's French made it possible for us to welcome them and give them some souvenirs to remember their first visit to Allegany State Park.

The fence is long gone, but the gate remains at the entrance to the old field.

26 February 2017 Winter Walk at Allegany State Park

29 October 2016 ASP Again

We are kind of stuck in a rut between ASP and SGL219 or the geocacher's version of Groundhog Day. They are both great places to walk and see wildlife so it's not a bad rut. Today's journey brought us to Allegany State Park for a fall day that promised rain at some time on the trail. We made our first visit to the Beehunter Trail and enjoyed a long, pleasant hike in the woods. Despite the threatening weather, there were many other people on the trail. We found the caches and watched a pileated woodpecker demolishing a tree. We were also able to enjoy the sights along a few other trails despite the rain.

We were surprised to see Herb Robert in bloom this late. Herb Robert is native to parts of the US but has earned classification as a weed in parts of the US, particularly the northwest since it has escaped from home gardens and can grow aggressively. The plant is rumored to have cancer prevention traits (with all these internet herbal cures, shouldn't we all be cured by now ;) ).