Martin Dunham Reservoir Hike - Part 5

We were stopped dead in our tracks by this very deep, very fast moving feeder stream rushing its way into the reservoir. There was absolutely no chance of rock hopping across it, so the dogs and I began tracing it upstream looking for a fallen log to use as a bridge:

Though it may not look like it in the photo, most of this stream was 3 to 4 feet deep and, and as I said, moving swiftly towards the reservoir. I kept the dogs on leashes just to be safe:

I saw a fallen log crossing the river up ahead and walked toward it. And once we'd arrived, I discovered an actual, honest-to-goodness bridge crossing the rushing stream. I'd apparently strayed from the official trail. Figuring that all danger was past, I again let the dogs off their leashes as we crossed the bridge:

The momentous "Crossing O' The Bridge:"


The trail soon ended at a small dirt road. Clover ran into someone's yard and refused to come when called. I walked down after her and met a very nice couple who were out in their yard gardening. Thankfully, they loved dogs and especially Papillons and Standard Poodles. They explained to me that I'd reached the southern end of the lake and would have to travel by road around the tip of the lake and pick up a new trail to take me back up the opposite side of the reservoir. This meant a mile or two walking roads, but there was little traffic and there were some nice views:

I made a couple of excursions off the road and into the woods:

And explored a dock with the dogs:

Seamus and Fergus consider themselves to have "sea legs," unperturbed by the rising and falling of the dock. The Papillons didn't much like the wave action:

We eventually found our way back into the woods following a trail northward along the eastern length of the reservoir:

This trail did not hug the shoreline but climbed up into the adjacent hills and had a very different feel to it. So our adventure continued. I'll post more tomorrow:

Martin Dunham Reservoir Hike - Part 4

My four hiking dogs were accompanying me on an autumn hike around the perimeter of Martin Dunham Reservoir in Grafton, New York on a fine Sunday in October (see previous three posts). The day's weather was alternately sunny and cloudy, but at any time, the leaf colors were beautiful. We had both the trails and the lake to ourselves, so I let the silly puppies run to their hearts' content:

The forest was still and quiet, the lake almost without ripples. But the earthy aroma of fallen leaves filled the air. It was a fine day to be alive and I had the fine company of four very happy dogs:

My spirits were high as I began to consider this one of the finest hikes I'd ever taken:

The dogs were pretty darn elated about it all as well:

Daphne made an exploratory trip to the shoreline:

And Clover considered a brief swim but then decided against it:

The dogs at the shoreline:


Always there was joyful, exuberant puppy racing:

And I was taking so many pictures that I was beginning to wonder how I'd find time to sort and edit them. Well, never mind. The hiking experience was grand:

I began to hear the sound of rushing water as we approached the southern end of the lake and guessed that we were nearing the spillway. I was unsure what we might find so I put the dogs on leashes. We soon arrived at a very deep, rushing feeder stream. This was over four feet deep and moving very fast. It appeared uncrossable, but I'll post more about that tomorrow: