north woods, ny

As soon as I took the last exam for my summer semester,  I drove my well-packed vehicle north into the mountains.  While my recent return to school has been better than what I anticipated, life lately has still been ridiculously busy.   By the end of finals, I knew I would be due for life away from computer screens so I coordinated time off from work with time off from school and made the 6+ hour drive to New York’s Adirondack Park. 

My extended family has an annual summer tradition of descending on the North Woods.  As each of us winds our way down one of my favorite wooded paths to the designated campsites we will call home for the next week, a regression occurs.   The past weaves in and out with the present and we all fall back into the familiar rhythms of lovingly harassing one another through the routine of sleep, eat, play, repeat.  The sheer number of bug bites and bruises on my body attest to this undeniable fact about family vacations.

Time has a funny way of nonlinearity when family traditions are involved.  We run and scamper, and poke and prod, and tease and tangle our way back into the familiarity of unchanging relationships.  I am yours and you are mine and I will love you until the end of time.  Isn't that the rhyming vow of all families?  Sure the attendance may vary a bit from year to year as relationships begin and turn into marriages, extraneous commitments take precedence, and the traveling to a place where there is no longer a living family member at times seem a bit too much to bear.

But even with the hubbub and the schlepping and the rigmarole of it all, this yearly ritual is an utmost necessity.  We play games both old and new, tell mostly true stories, and go on the most epic of adventures.  We stay up late, endearing ourselves to our neighbors with our deafening laughter well past the quiet hours curfew.  We sneak out onto the lake in the middle of the night for just one more glimpse of the Milky Way and maybe even just one more shooting star. 

This tradition did not begin with my generation but I will do everything in my power to ensure that it sticks around for the next one. There is something undeniably magically about intentionally gathering together year after year in this little piece of the woods we claim as our own.  Something that I hope to experience with this family of mine for a very long time.

notes:

- there are many places to lay claim to in new york’s adirondack park, including public and private campgrounds.  we stay near tupper lake as per tradition and fortunately it is also an ideal locale since it provides easy access to the tri-lakes area for a variety of hiking/paddling opportunities as well as rainy day adventures.

- related to the above note: if you happen to be in the area and looking for mild outdoorsy/rainy day activities check out the wild center or the lake placid olympic sites.  we checked out the ski jumps which host extreme summer tubing during the latter half of the week.  sadly, we visited on a tuesday but fear not; we have big plans in place for next year.

- my big brother got engaged to one of my favorite people while we were camping.  krissy has been a voting member of the family for many years but i am ridiculously excited for them to make it all official.  obviously my excitement is not real unless i announce it onthe interwebs.  obviously.

be careful what you wish for

Over the past few weeks, I have been figuring out how to maintain some sort of balance in my life.  And I get that this will always be a work in progress but I am feeling pretty good about it these days.  Maybe it's because this summer sun has me all sorts of happy.  Or maybe it's because I greatly overestimated how crazy my life would be at this point.  Granted I am only a three weeks into the swing of school, work, summer, etc., but so far so good.

With yesterday's festivities, I knew that my cousin Colin would be around in our hometown and that he would totally be up for a mini-adventure.  We set our sights on an early run at Connetquot River State Park for Sunday morning.

The only time we were running 'together.'

To be completely honest, I have fallen off the running wagon these past couple of weeks.  I would like to blame this entirely on an injury but there has also been just a lack of motivation.  No bueno.  It's funny because I am feeling fairly motivated in other parts of my life.  It's almost like I only have so much brain capacity for willpower.  At the end of the day, all I want is ice cream and my bed.  I hoped that by getting my feet dirty I would feel re-inspired to stick with my training plan or you know at least run a couple times a week.  If I had known what these trails had in store for me, I probably would have cut back on that whole I need motivation thing.

This running buddy is more my speed.

As we made our way to the park, the skies opened up and it started to pour.  Not to be deterred, we continued to the trail and accepted that we would be thoroughly soaked.  Looking back, I should have been thankful for the rain because at least it wasn't hot.  After a couple of miles, the rain stopped and the air became stagnant, sticky, and steamy.  Not my favorite.  And to make matters worse, with this insanely humid weather came swarms of insects which were mostly horseflies.  Stupidly, when I first saw them encroaching in my space I thought what funny looking moths.  I know.  I am just as disappointed in myself as you are.  They let me know pretty quickly that they were merciless bloodsuckers and hence became my primary running motivation. 

I spent the remaining 3-4 miles of my run alternating between swinging my arms in the air above and around my head and smacking myself all over my body in a sad attempt to keep them off of me.  The shear number of bugs was ridiculous.  Also, at this point my feet were audibly squishing in my sneakers and with each stride I was generously sprinkled with sand and mud.  I was uncomfortable, looked absolutely ridiculous, and knew that there was no way I could stop. I could have been angry about it or at the very least frustrated but all I could do was laugh. I mean I got exactly what I asked for.

I should have known better when this swamp was at the start of the trail.

notes:

- if you drive to connetquot, you must pay to park there ($8 per vehicle).  you can alternatively bike, run, or horseback ride in and avoid a fee.  with that in mind, be aware of horses while exploring this park and remember that they always have right of way.

- get a map when you enter the park or use gps on your phone.  i am pretty familiar with this park as i used to horseback ride here and i still managed to get turned around making my planned 3-4 mile run a 5-6 mile run.  you can imagine how thrilled i was to be running for an even longer time with my horsefly friends.

- no fathers were neglected in the execution of this activity.  they were of course invited and shockingly decided that spending the morning indoors and dry was a better option.  don't fret - there was plenty of adventuring that afternoon (evidence below).

sunken meadow state park, ny

I started classes a couple of weeks ago and I’m not going to lie.  This whole find time to run in between full-time work and full-time school is not going so well.  Actually, finding time to do anything other than my job and classes during the week has proven to be rather difficult.  I spend Friday evenings attempting to reconnect with friends I had to cancel or ignore throughout the week which really does not feel good. (Mea culpa, mea culpa).  That being said, I have managed to sneak in a few runs and activities to keep me a sane person and hopefully somewhat on track for September’s race. 

This past weekend I took advantage of the break in rain and checked out Sunken Meadow State Park out on Long Island.  I am in love.  I have been to this park a few times before when hiking the greenbelt as part of a family Thanksgiving tradition but never to run the trails.  When asking my cousin where he recommended I run this weekend, he immediately replied Sunken Meadow.  And being the swell guy he is, he even mapped out a path for me to make my miles.  Cousins are the best.

He also recommended I arrive at the park early to avoid the picnicking crowds.  I did not follow this advice and somewhat regret that decision.  I saw somewhat because I really love people watching and there were all sorts of people enjoying the outdoors on a very sunny Sunday.  There were families playing soccer and barbecuing up a feast, kids climbing up into the trees, impromptu baseball games using sticks for bats, and music.  So much music. 

As soon as I left the picnic areas and made my way for the trail, the crowds disappeared and I could no longer make out the Latin beats.  Instead I was completely consumed by the LI Sound to my left and the hills up ahead.  Having not run on a trail with any kind of elevation for a few weeks, they burned.  But it also was so much fun just to get out and stretch my legs.  The only other people I saw were a couple going through a proposal/break-up (I’m really not sure which and yes, it was super awkward for me to literally run into it.)  and some disgruntled yogis (shouldn’t that be an oxymoron?).  At the end of my jog, I cooled down on the boardwalk and breathed in some salt air while cooling off with the seaside breeze.  All in all it was a lovely way to spend the afternoon.

 How was your weekend?

wanderlust wednesday : north fork, li

The forecast looks prime for an outdoor adventure this weekend.  And with the start of strawberry season, there is no place I would rather be than exploring the North Fork farms and vineyards on the east end of Long Island.  Here's what I think a perfect day on the North Fork would look like:

U-Pick Strawberries

It turns out one of my favorite strawberry places is closed for u-pick this year but Garden of Eve Farm in Riverhead is a pretty sweet place too (pun always intended).  I prefer my farms organic whenever possible but there are other u-pick farms in the area if that’s not your jam (I can’t help myself).

Bike Ride through Mattituck

I mean there is a road called Lovers Lane with bookstores and a little café.  The adorableness is almost too much to handle.  Also, the bicycle is the ideal way to mosey about the east end.  You avoid the traffic and get to take in the sights and sounds of the farms and sea shore.

Sunset Booze and Blues

Ok, so there isn’t actually an event called this but there should be.  My ideal evening includes sitting in a vineyard and listening to some live music while probably eating way too much cheese.  Some of my favorite places to do this are  Pindar, Martha Clara, and Lieb.

 Where are you dreaming of escaping to on this wanderlust Wednesday?

notes:

- to get to the north fork from nyc, take the lirr to mattituck.  if you are bringing your bicycle (highly recommended) be sure to get a permit to take it on the train.

- the vineyards listed are for their live music... not necessarily their wine.  i usually enjoy what paumanok has to offer.

- these photos are from grace's and my very own north fork adventure last summer. we need to repeat that this year and add in some wine tasting. just saying. ​

breakneck ridge, ny

A couple of weeks ago, I found myself in NYC with nothing to do for the upcoming weekend.  Work had been a bit of a beast, as is its wont, and I was itching to get out of town.  Actually, let’s be real - I am always up for stretching my legs in a new-to-me place.  A good friend and I hatched a plan over late Friday afternoon drinks for the following day so bright and early Saturday morning we found ourselves winding up along the Palisades in search of some rock scrambling and fresh air.

I had never heard of Breakneck Ridge before that Friday which surprised me, especially with its unforgettable name. Since I grew up on Long Island, my parents grew up in Putnam County, and I have lived in NYC for about 10 years, I have the tendency to assume that I am at the very least familiar with all things to see and do within 100 miles of my current home.  How ridiculous is that? If that were the case, the New York metropolitan area would only consist of a handful of places and parks.  In other words, it would be terribly boring.

Breakneck Ridge is not a hidden gem by any means.  Don’t get me wrong - it’s a well-worth it and rewarding hike - but everyone and their mother have heard of it which we found out as we started off at the trailhead.  For the initial ascent, we climbed alongside fashionable European tourists who must have had a good chuckle at our ‘mountainous’ hike,  swarms of students with an endless supply of  nature commentary and boob jokes, and a hodgepodge of localish adventure-seekers ably ambling their way to the top with the rest of us.  A few times I became concerned about my well-being as a fellow hiker slid down while trying to climb up and over the boulder-filled paths.  For the most part though, it was prime nature and people watching.

Up and up and up we would climb only to come to a landing and realize there was yet another path leading higher up in the distance.  I appreciated the unveiling of total elevation in this piecemeal fashion.  Instead of getting burned out quickly and feeling like we were not making progress, we had little victories to celebrate before continuing on our way.  It also helped that we didn’t really need to pay attention to trail markings or distances traveled.  For the entire ascent we were in a pack of people and the trail description assured us that we would not be able to miss our turn off.

Lo and behold our trusty guide was right and we made the descent in less than half the time it took us to reach the top of the ridge.  In fact, the way down was so easy we ended up heading over to Bear Mountain to try out the Lemon Squeezer before making our way back to Brooklyn.  The trail was almost the same distance and total elevation as Breakneck but it seemed at times effortless which is funny because the first time I hiked this with Grace back in September, I had to stop multiple times during the ascent to catch my breath.

There is probably a lesson in here about how I should be approaching daily living.  I’ve mentioned before that my life is about to be turned upside down when I start school at the beginning of June.  The monstrosity of managing work, life, and school has begun to weigh me down and the preemptive anxiety is starting to take hold.  Perhaps the smarter plan would be to look at the tasks at hand instead of getting stressed out at the looming and never-ending checklist.  I may need to return a few more times to Breakneck Ridge before that lesson is learned. Just saying.

notes:

- for public transit takers, the trailhead is easily accessible by metro north.  if heading up on the weekend or a holiday, take the metro north hudson line to breakneck ridge station which is just a few hundred feet north of the trailhead.  otherwise take the same line to cold spring and walk about 2.5 miles north along 9D.  the trailhead will be on the west side of the road just after a short tunnel where there’s a small parking area.

- to keep hiking hangry at bay, check out the hop in beacon.  i can personally attest to the deliciousness that is the vegan reuben and elly ate just about every last bit of the hog burger.  also, they get bonus points for ignoring the fact that we had just been hiking for 3 hours. don’t worry we at least attempted to wash ourselves up a bit.

rockaway, ny

As a final ode to summer, I must reflect on la playa. We wait all year long for it to be summer, because we're going to do ALL THE THINGS. We'll see all the free movies and concerts in the park, breath in every sunset on cool rooftops, and of course beach it as much as possible. And somehow, at the end of the summer, there's no time left to do ALL THE THINGS. "How did we only make it to the beach twice in the past 3 months?"

Well, I was a bit more intentional this year than summers past about beaching it more often. Why not? I decided to simplify my routine for a few months: work less and breath more. Create some space in my life for new things to blossom. Create some time in my life to actually dream about what I want those new blossoming things to look like and taste like. And eat a few tacos. (Best decision ever.) 

We frequented Rockaway Beach quite often. (the Ramones were onto something...) It's a hit for us 20-somethings in the city; I know i'm not unique in this find. But I love that I can get on the A train up in the heights, ride it down for an hour or so, collecting more folks along the way, pass JFK, and then hop out in a small local surf town. I didn't really need much notice on the decision-making end to beach or not to beach on any given day. It's a choose your own adventure. And it's free...so anyone could come along, no excuses. 

There are multiple beaches accessible to the city, and Meg and I made a list of all the ones to hit up this summer (and report back here of course), but I found myself liking the familiar. Don't get me wrong, I love new things, but I may be the type of person who goes to a restaurant and orders the same thing I got the last time. Because it's sooo good every time. Sure, the menu probably has a lot of other good options, but I just get my reminiscent heart set on things some times. I would rather have something I know I'll love than the risk of something mediocre. Do you know what I mean? Rockaway became my local beach of choice. 

Rockaway has an eclectic scene-- young families, thong-wearing Latino mothers, tatted Scandinavian hipsters, dreaded surfers, and everything in between. And I love that. I love the freedom of diversity, the accessibility to all, and the fact that we all made the pilgrimage to this small chunk of the sea because being by the ocean is good for the soul. It may not be the cleanest, but I prefer it to the homogeny of the hamptons. Did I mention THE FOOD? There's good food options (and usually friends to make while waiting in line and some live music). Gamechanger. 

The chill of Fall may have settled in, but consider running away to the Rockaways for a few hours. The town has come so far post-Sandy, so come breathe in the sea, do some people watching, eat a taco, and boost the local economy :) 

to note:

- head to the 97th St Pier for more of a crowd & diverse hipster-y food options. (i mean the stop on the subway is called: "Beach 98 Street- Playland")

- head further down to 116th for less of a crowd. on your way back to the train, check out the Wharf Bar & Grill on the bay-side of the beach. It's hidden behind a gas station, so it's not swarmed with people. You can sit on the deck, drink some Coronas, eat fish & chips, and watch the sun sink into the little tiny city skyline in the distance. It's not fancy, and I likey that way. 

- make sure you stop at Rockaway Taco. #tacos4lyfe warning: the line gets LONG