Aug. 8-14 Vermont Vacation

“Families are like branches on a tree. We grow in different directions yet our roots remain as one.” –Unknown

Our August staycation...was actually a real vacation. We left the state and enjoyed a week with our family in the mountains of Vermont. We were joined by Bryt's parents Tom and Cynthia. We had two adults for every child, that's a great way to take care of kids. There was always someone for the kids to do something with and plenty of time for everyone to relax.

We spent the week exploring Manchester, Winhall and Stratton Mountain. We played golf, pickleball, card games, went swimming, kayaking, paddle boarding and even had a little time to shop. Best of all we had a lot of time to visit and enjoy each other's company.

The house

The bedrooms

The game room in the basement was a lot of fun.

Like usual...the deck was my favorite place.

The view I had with my morning coffee.

We had a lot of fun at Pike's Falls...the water was cold but refreshing on warm afternoons. 

Graham had a great time sliding down the rocks and jumping off the falls.

The deck and it's amazing view was a great place for us to paint. 

Even Hattie got to paint this time.

Dinner on the deck was also a lot of fun.

Graham had a chance to play golf with his Mom, Papa Fauch and CiCi. He had fun and caught on fast.

The week was very warm, so playing in the water was the most enjoyable. One day we went to the pond near the golf course to paddle board and kayak.

Hattie turns two this month. Since everyone was together we had a birthday party for her. I think she enjoys being two...she loved the cake.

Everyone helped on this 1000 piece puzzle. We actually finished it in record time. 

We spent one day at Stratton Mountain Village. 

Brytanie and her Dad did a little downhill mountain bike riding.  

The rest of us decided we weren't up for the workout and enjoyed riding the gondola to the top of the mountain.

View on the way up.

Stratton Mountain Village

The best thing to eat on a hot day is ice cream. We were in Vermont, so we had to have Ben and Jerry's.

No matter what else was going...playing at the house was the most fun.

Aug. 8 - Indian Ladder Trail

“We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure. There is no end to the adventures that we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open.” -Jawaharlal Nehru

We're on our way to Vermont to spend a week with family. Check in time at the house we've rented isn't till 4:00, so we thought we'd check out the beautiful Thacher State Park on our way. The park is situated along the Helderberg Escarpment (The Great Ledge), 15 miles southwest of Albany. It provides a marvelous panorama view of the Hudson-Mohawk Valleys and the Adirondack and Green Mountains. We hiked the Indian Ladder Trail today.

This hike’s ratio of scenic payoff to exertion is off the charts. Undoubtedly, it’s one of the most unique treks in the Hudson Valley and, except for stairs at the beginning and end, the hike was very easy. We began our hike at the visitors center with a spectacular view of the Helderberg Escarpment, a long, limestone ridge formed 300 million years ago. We then headed down and along the cliffs, passing beneath ledges and a waterfall, and small caves. After hiking half a mile we climbed the other set of steps that lead to the rim trail, from there we headed back to the visitors center. Total length of the hike was just over a mile. 

The history of the trail dates back to 1570 when it was used by the Mohawk Iroquois to reach a trading post run by Henry Hudson near what is now Albany. The most prominent feature of the park, the Helderberg Escarpment got its name from the Dutch words Helder meaning bright or light and Berg meaning mountain.

The path down to the cliff trail.

The walk along the cliff.

The trail leads under the cliff.

And a few waterfalls...that were a little small today.

The view of the valley.

Looking down from the rim trail to where we were on the cliff trail.

The visitors center

Looking back a.t part of the cliff trail and the Hudson Valley.

A short video I found of the Indian Ladder Trail

Aug. 2 - Cascadilla Gorge Trail

“Water is the most perfect traveller because when it travels it becomes the path itself!” ―Mehmet Murat ildan

We hiked the Casadilla Gorge today, or I should say we hiked half of the trail...it was a combination workout. A five mile bike ride to the falls and back and then a .59 mile hike. The prettiest portion of the trail was closed for repairs. We've hiked it several times, so I will include a few pictures from other hikes. 

Connective corridors are typically parks or natural areas that connect two distinct areas within a community, but in Ithaca it's the picturesque Cascadilla Gorge. It connects the downtown area with the Cornell Campus. The trail ascends over 400 feet, carving through bedrock exposing sedimentary rocks that were deposited 400 million years ago. You can see ripple marks on the rock surface, which once was the muddy floor of an ancient ocean.

The gorge hike is short in length, but long on amazing waterscapes. The stone trails and staircases were originally constructed in the 1920’s. The lower section of Cascadilla Gorge is truly a "gorges" display of rock, water and trees. There are eight waterfalls along this gorge ranging in height from 25’ to 80’. The steepness and depth of the gorge hides the fact that it’s surrounded by roads and buildings…it’s a little oasis in the midst of a hectic world. 

"Cascadilla" most likely comes from Spanish, meaning "little waterfall." 

At the moment the gorge is closed from Stewart Ave. to College Ave. We were only able to get to the top of the stairs in this photo.

These pictures are from our first visit to the gorge in 2017.