The Wild Adirondacks

My stay at the farm was over all too soon. I can only spend one afternoon and night there. The following morning it's time to head back to Albany - and even then, the parenting doves are looking for more food and water when I get back. I doubled their portions before leaving, but each pair is eating for four birds at this point. But I decided that I'd try once again to drive home on the small roads through the northern Adirondacks which got me lost last time in Owls Head, New York. This time I'd be more careful to follow the map.

So the dogs and I left the farm and headed down Port Kent Road. I bought gas in St. Regis Falls because I learned last time that there's no gas stations along those back roads. Then we traveled down Red Tavern Road heading southeast. I found where I'd missed the turn last time, but the road I was supposed to take had a big sign announcing that it was a limited use road, only seasonally maintained, for the next 9 miles. But I kept going anyway. I figured I could always turn back.

It was indeed a narrow, poorly maintained road with NO other cars or people, but the scenery was spectacular. But the dogs wanted a rest stop and so did I. When we passed a small road into State land, I pulled onto it and let the dogs out:

The ground there seemed to be nearly pure sand and the forest was filled with aromatic Balsams which perfumed the air. We all ignored the biting deer flies and went exploring. The two Papillon puppies thought they were the Queens Of The Jungle:

Wren did her business but mostly wanted to wait by the car:

But the rest of us went exploring:

Yes, Winky felt he should explore on his own:

And little Clover must have felt like a wild wolf puppy:

She was a force to be reckoned with, a dog conquering the wild Adirondacks:

"I know you're in there, bears, and I dare you to come out!:

"Are there really bears here, Dad?":

The aroma of Balsams and the songs of White-Throated Sparrows (and other birds) filled the air. I took this video of the dogs exploring the sandy area primarily to get a recording of the bird songs, but they turned out to not be very loud on the video, so you may have to turn up your sound. I can tell you that just listening to it releases tension in me and I begin to relax. The sounds of nature have always had that effect on me and so do the memories of my happy dogs exploring the Adirondacks: