After The Rescue - Part 2

The dogs and I had hiked for miles when our car had gotten mired in a mud hole (see previous posts). After it had been pulled out, we stopped at the CCC reservoir for some cooling recreation. We walked to the tip of the peninsula and the dogs went right into the water:

Seamus is old and partially lame (like me), but he played like a goofy puppy when he was in the water:

Look at the happy smile on Seamus' face!:

Fergus usually goes into the water with the other dogs, but this time he stayed up on the highest part of the peninsula. We found him there when we began walking back:

We traveled along the ridge of the peninsula, with water on both sides of us:

And of course we took our time and enjoyed the beauty:

The dogs made a few attempts at going into the water again, but it's not so easy here as it was at the end of the peninsula. So we just kept walking:

We stopped a moment to appreciate the scenery. Seamus seemed particularly awed by it all:

And then we continued on our return walk back to the car:

The shallow parts of the reservoir were filled with white waterlilies in bloom:

And then we saw our little red car up ahead. It was totally covered with mud and a few things didn't work right after being immersed in water, but we climbed into it and headed for home, lunch and a long nap:

After The Rescue - Part 1

Once the tow truck left and I'd driven with the dogs as far as the CCC reservoir (see previous posts), I decided to stop and enjoy the cool forest and lovely waters. After all, that's why we'd come here in the first place. I parked and let the dogs run into the forest:

Little Daphne and Clover ran full speed toward the water:

I momentarily thought this was Joe-Pye-Weed but the leaves were not whorled, so it couldn't have been. Then I thought it was New York Ironweed but the leaves were opposite, not alternate. I finally gave up trying to figure it out. Does anyone know how to identify this wildflower?

We walked out onto the peninsula, keeping near the water all the way:

A look out over a section of the reservoir was a lovely sight:

And the dogs were again drawn to the water:

It was a fun place to cool off after a long hike:

Cool water to wade in and to drink, with beautiful scenery. Perhaps this day was not so bad after all:

These tiny white flowers were Wood Strawberry. No fruit yet, though:

Jack ran joyously along the top of the peninsula:

And then we headed toward the tip of the land which jutted out into the reservoir. I'll post Part 2 tomorrow:

Old Keenan Road, Brasher State Forest, Part 2

I'd gotten my car mired in a deep mud hole on the logging road called Old Keenan Road on the state map (see also Part 1, posted yesterday). I'd already contacted AAA and kept walking back toward the camping and picnic area even though I knew no one was there:

We kept walking, and by this time the dogs had also begun to slow down:

There is one small private property along the road, but no one was home:

We finally arrived at the camping area, and I still had enough energy to call the dogs into the forest to explore the stream from the overflow of the CCC reservoir:

It was cool and beautiful back there, with a new beaver dam under construction:

White Pines dominate this forest and much of the walking was free from brush:

We continued on along the stream, headed for the picnic area and reservoir:

When we got to a place with easy water access, Daphne went in to cool herself off:

Then Fergus and Clover joined her:

I had walked for several miles with my painful ankles and new leg braces, all the way to the camping area because the guy at AAA said that's where I'd meet the tow truck. But when I talked on the phone to the local operator, I explained that I was old, crippled and with five muddy dogs, so he might prefer me to head back to my car. He agreed, so I started walking again, this time back to where my car was stuck:


The tow truck arrived at my mired car before I did, but not by much, and my car was out of the mud by the time I got there. I made it a point to turn around on that narrow dirt road so I wouldn't have to back through any more mud holes. That, after all, is how I got stuck in the first place. But I had been rescued and was on my way back to civilization and decent roads:

Old Keenan Road, Brasher State Forest, Part 1

I took the dogs to nearby Brasher State Forest, the place we go so often, but this time followed the state map to get to a hiking trail we'd never tried before. I turned onto what the state map said was a road. Alas, it had deep ruts and mud holes which I was able to avoid until I came to where the entire road was covered with water. There didn't look to be enough room to turn around safely, so I backed up - but wound up stuck permanently in a deep mud puddle.

The dogs and I were able to get out on the passenger's side, avoiding the two feet of muddy water on the other side. Then we started walking. As you can see, the dogs thought it was just a happy, fun hike:

I tried repeatedly to call AAA but without success. They put me on eternal hold, promised to return the call but only left a voice mail (which I was able to return only by calling the main "emergency" number and going through the whole process again). We kept walking:

It was a happy walk in the woods for the dogs and I enjoyed the scenery:

I took my time because of my lameness and new, uncomfortable leg braces. The dogs wanted to run, and I had to keep calling them back:

But at least the "road" was level and made of soft sand:

I stopped to check on local wildflowers, including this Yellow Loosestrife:

And there was deep forest on both sides of the "road:"

Logging operations had obliterated any intersections with hiking trails, but they'd finished logging and moved elsewhere, so there was no one to assist me:

So we kept walking, and I kept trying to reach AAA:


I finally called the Albany area office where I originally got my AAA membership. They were helpful, and a local tow service owner said he'd come out and check to see if he could pull me out of the mire. He was not happy to be called to what he called "a trail, not a road," but he said he'd come take a look. I'll post Part 2 tomorrow:

Exploring Around The Reservoir

My friend and I, with our six dogs, had just finished a Pink Ladyslipper walk (see previous two posts), but I didn't want to leave without stopping at the CCC reservoir. We drove to it and let the dogs out, all of whom ran directly down to the water's edge:

My friend and her dog, Teddy, headed for the peninsula, so that's where we went next:

A magical, wild landscape. This is why I love this spot - and the dogs do also:

We walked to the opposite side of the peninsula to see the beautiful view:

The dogs explored the water's edge while we appreciated the beautiful scenery:

And then we began walking to the end of the peninsula:

My dogs raced down to the water, but Teddy wanted no part of such silliness and stayed with his owner:

Splashing like happy children, my five dogs had a great time:

And then we began walking back up the peninsula, but on the opposite shore:

Teddy and my dogs all seemed perfectly happy together, apparently already bonded and feeling like they were part of a pack:

Little Clover, always the brave explorer, climbed up over the tree roots to see what she could see:

The rest of us stayed on the shoreline, walking past Sand Cherries in bloom. This was the end of our morning excursion. We had six happy and tired dogs: