sunset over the Walkway - final report 2009

2. February 2010 by Kevin.


12-30-09


  I would return to the Walkway one last time for the year. As it was winter, the bicycle is in winter storage and so I would, as I did during my first
time out on the Walkway on opening day in October, be in “hiker” mode.I had taken the Poughkeepsie City bus NORTHSIDE route to the intersection of Washington St. and Parker Ave.I would walk the 1/4 mile from there to the Walkway entrance and then another 1/2 mile total in the Walkway park. (FYI: the NORTHSIDE route bus also serves the Dutchess RT at Morgan Lake).
I had timed it so I would be on the Walkway near sunset. As I was taking the last few pictures, I had noticed a private car,not a state park vehicle,aproaching from the west end.A park employee leaned out to let everyone know the Walkway would be closing in a few minutes.I quickly took the last few pictures and began the walk back to the east entrance along the south side. I had seen the electrical work that had been done.There seemed to be LED lights at regular intervals on this side.I did not see lights, on the north side.In just this last few months of 2009,the Walkway has already seen 215,000 visitors.


I look foward to riding across the Walkway in the spring during one of my first rides of 2010.

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Ashokan reservoir ride

1. February 2010 by Kevin.


10-25-09


  When I had taken the UCAT bus to Rosendale in April (2009), I had been thinking of a longer ride starting from the park-n-ride. With Rosendale’s proximity to the Catskill park,it had seemed likely I could ride to the Ashokan reservoir,and back,in about 35-40 miles. To make what had promised to be a very scenic ride even more scenic,I would hold off doing this ride untill the fall.


  I would follow my April route from Rosendale into the town of Marbletown along CR 26,all the way this time,to the intersection with US rt. 209/SR 213 at Ulster Community College. There is a country farm market at this intersection.I would get a soda and some “munchies”,and an Apple from the nearby Stone Ridge orchard, to have with the sandwich I had brought with me, for a leisurely lunch.The next road I would follow,Mill Dam Road,would provide me with my first bit of awesome, with a peek of the very near Catskill mountains.The Catskill park would be only 7 miles away from here.This road also provided me with the second of 2 serious hills from hell for the day,a 16 percent grade.The first being the ride out of Rosendale up the 14 percent CR7 Binewater Rd. grade.

NYC DEP watershed along SR 213 in the town of Olive - Ulster county NY


  Mill Dam road would take me to SR 213/CR 4.After going along some farms,the highway entered a forested section.The highway began a very gradual uphill climb, with an ocasional not so gradual uphill grade to the reservoir.I had stoped to take some pictures when I had spoted a NYC DEP watershed sign across the road.I was still 5 miles away from the Ashokan reservoir.After a few more miles I had entered the Catskill park. The so called “park”, is actualy more like a national forest out west covering a very large area with diferent sections,and diferent jurisdictions.The Ashokan reservoir area is under the jurisidiction of NYC Department of Enviromental Protection.The Ashokan reservoir is part of New York city’s vast reservoir,and aqueduct,system.I had stopped in the tiny mountain village of Olive Bridge to take some pictures (the camera realy slows you down on a ride like this) before continuing another mile to the intersection with SR 28A, where SR 213 ends. The reservoir, as per my map,  should have been near this intersection, but I could not see the reservoir because of the trees. It had seemed that I was in between 2 access points for the NYC DEP road that goes along the top of the dam which would asure me a view of the reservoir. I would turn right going downhill through the forested area that encircles the reservoir. After descending the grade. the 2 lane highway was restricted to a very narrow one lane for construction of a new viaduct under the highway.
  I rode past the DEP NYC Catskill region police HQ-baracks at the end of this construction area. A vertible mini Army base with the increased post 9-11 security. I would stop at the hydro-electric project public area and the base of the dam.I could see the dam road way up. I would have to ride a bit more in the direction I had been going on the state highway to find the NYC DEP road to the top of the dam. I did not have to ride too much farther, just a 1/4 mile.Then a short ride uphill to the top. And there it was before me,the reservoir view I had been expecting,There was a section closed to motor vehicle traffic to my right and I rode onto this section a bit for a much anticipated “photo op”.I would ride back mostly the way I had come along SR213 in order to get back to Rosendale before 4:30 PM.On Sundays,the last bus back to Poughkeepsie leaves at this time. With all the photo stops there was not enough time for exploring an alternate route.


  A spectacular end to a month of fall foilage cycling that began with the grand opening of the Walkway Over the Hudson.

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Walkway OTH report - October 2009

4. November 2009 by Kevin.

10-06-09

  Today I went for a short shopping sojurn to the Hanaford’s in Highland . Of course, the walkway is now the primary bicycle-pedestrian crossing. As this is not the summer vacation time of year, and a workday, I was somewhat surprised at the number of people. There must be a lot more people out of work than I had thought. I had expected to meet some touring cyclists at some point. The walkway has already become a gathering place and perhaps the new slogan for the 21st century,at least here in Poughkeepsie, will be “meet me on the walkway”.

  And so there he was, a touring cyclist, with a Giant ATB loaded like a pack mule. I imediately noticed the French tri-color flag protruding from one of those hard shell rack “trunks”. There was a multi colored sticker with the words TOUR DU MONDE A VELO wrapped around it. The first touring cyclist I meet on the walkway and he is from France. I had to quickly remember what little French I knew from high school and that big race in July. He must have recognized me as a fellow kindered spirit, as there I was also with a Giant ATB outfitted with a set of old,beat up, Madden “bread bags”, or in the language of this French touring cyclist,panniers. With my broken French, and he with his broken English, I was able to asertain that his name is Mack, and he had ridden north up route 9W from NYC. One of several “route 9’s” in the area. He had found the days old Walkway Over The Hudson state park somewhat by accident. There is at Haviland road and route 9W, a green bicycle route sign. (route a velo) with a directional arrow pointing down Haviland road to what used to be the primary bicycle-pedestrian crossing,
 the FDR MH bridge north side sidewalk. With the west entrance to the walkway only a half mile from the highway, one certainly can’t miss it as one begins the ride down to that other bridge. With a map, he had pointed to route 9G and inquired about that highway. Parker Ave. in the city of Poughkeepsie is actualy route 9G. I had indicated to him 9G is a smaller (route petite) less traveled highway and would be OK as an alernate route to the much busier US route 9, which is also NY bike route 9 (route a velo 9) and the Atlantic Coast Route. He said “bye” and I said “aurevoir” and wished him ”bon chance”, as we parted ways, he going north, and me going west.


10-11-09 Sunday Columbus Day weekend


ohhh… the humanity
.

the view along Haviland Rd. in Highland - at the west end of the walkway


I had stopped at a convenience store in the city of Poughkeepsie near the east entrance of the WOTH state park. As I was enjoying my late morning snack of juice and a cookie,I had noticed all of the cars going by were all going in the same direction,toward the walkway.When I had arived at the east entrance,I had seen that the dirt parking lot was being used as an auxilary-overflow parking lot. I had also seen today, as on Tuesday, and last Sunday, the old ROW between Parker Ave. and Garden St. was being used as a parking lot. In the dirt parking lot I had seen that a food vendor had set up a cart with a table and an umbrela. A week before the walkway opened to the public, when at the local library, someone had asked me about a food concession at or on the walkway.This may have been that same person. I had indicated to him that the actual walkway is a state park but that dirt parking lot adjoining the walkway ROW,may be city property and may be less problematic than setting up a food concession in a state park.


  There was much ado about the potential economic benefits to the communities on both ends of the walkway. I had read something in the local paper about a county official who was quoted as saying “I don’t get it” in regards to the potential economic benefits of the walkway. FYI: that person is the county economic development official.The walkway still had that opening day feel with what seemed like half the population of Poughkeepsie out on the bridge. (the figures for last weekend were 40,000 - which is a bit more than the population of Poughkeepsie - so my estimate may very well be acurate)


  I had seen that picnic tables had been set up. I had taken a closer look at one of those solar powered structures at each end. They are clearly divided in 2 sections with handicap friendly door handles and a ramp with wood railing common to the walkway. They also have 2 wastewater vent pipes. IE: these 2 structures are,as I had previously conjectured, a public bathroom - yet they both have a sign taped to each door that reads: ”STORAGE Authorized Personnel Only” with a NY state park and WOTH logo at the bottom.On the bridge,over the city,there were traffic cones set up in the middle of the walkway. Aparently somebody had missed a section of rubber expansion joint strip,or perhaps a section had come out. The walkway is still a diamond-in-the-rough and over time will be completely finished.Of course next year will be the first major “re-modleing” with the addition of the elevator from Water St. As I weaved my way through the mass of humanity,I found myself at one point behind a more mature fellow my age.I had noticed blood was trickling down his back right calf from a recent wound.I pointed this out to him. He kept pedaling. Ahhh. yes, a fellow velopedic masochist. He will wear the scar on the back of his calf like a “badge-of-honor”

Ulster County Route 22 - view of New York’s “Blue Ridge Mountains” - the Catskills

Ulster County Route 22 - view of the Shawangunk Ridge - Mohonk Smiley Tower can be seen protruding above the ridge


  Once at the west end I would ride one half of my “Fruit Loop Figure 8″ ride that goes through the village of Clintondale twice. Today I would ride through Clintondale one tme and ride CR22, with the spectacular views of the “Gunks” and the Catskills, out of the village to Old New Paltz Rd. - the Atlantic Coast Route. I would ride the Hudson Valley RT for the final leg of this short,but very scenic, loop. On the return ride across the walkway, a group of “turbo jocks” and a “turbo diva” passed me as I tried to weave my way through the humanity. I took the oportunity to use this group as my ”lead out train” and I followed behind the last rider at a fast,for the walkway,tempo ride of 10 MPH.

THE ROUTE

10-22-09


  Today I would meet a trio of cyclists going cross country from San Francisco to NYC. They were from New Zealand this time, and so had little or no dificulty in conversing with them. With the walkway and Franny Reese state park,I can make an otherwise drab utilitarian bike ride to the store into quite a nice,albeit relatively short, scenic fall bike ride.At the west end I would ride to the Hanaford’s by way of Franny Reese state park.The park was officialy open to the public 10/16. I wanted to see what the park looked like now that it was a state park. In September,I had ridden to the park in hopes that the construction phase would be complete.It was not. (see previous blog entry)

FRANNY REESE STATE PARK

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Walkway Over The Hudson - grand opening

10. October 2009 by Kevin.


  In the early 1990’s, when I was living in Pawling, an organization was formed by Bill Sepe. Bill Sepe’s dream was to convert (with volunteer workers and private donations) the old RR bridge between Poughkeepsie and Highland, that had been a part of the area “skyline” for over 100 years, into a linear sort of park with a boardwalk, or walkway, so that people may go out onto the bridge and enjoy the awesome view etc. That organization would be named “Walkway Over The Hudson”. In the late 90’s, after I had moved to here in Poughkeepsie, I had the oportunity during a public “open bridge” day at the west end in Highland, to go out on the bridge up to the first support, or “bent” in RR trestle parlance. It was indeed quite awesome, but was also a bit precarious.The track was still there and so to my left I could seen down through the RR ties, and to my right the only thing to prevent me from plunging 212 feet down to the river, was a somewhat flimsy looking wood rail. Once on the bridge I could also get a scale of just how big of a project it would be to convert this bridge into a “walkway” This would be no job for a bunch of amateur volunteers. Bill Sepe’s dream would have been a nightmare. Over the next 10 years both the Dutchess rail trail and the Walkway seemed to fade into a wishful dream by a small handful of visonaries.


    During this period, unbeknownst to the public, a rift in the Walkway OTH organization had developed between Bill Sepe, and those that realized to make it happen would require very serious money from the government, and also corporation with. These “rebels” within the organization were led by Fred Schaeffer. Fred Schaeffer is an avid cyclist and lawyer. He had been on a couple of my MHBC bike rides. I had also been on one or two rides he had led. In 2004 he became the chairman-of-the-board. Bill Sepe had a dream,but Fred Schaeffer had the practical business plan. He also has a vested interest as well. Like myself, and many other cyclists in the area, he would like to be able to one day ride across that bridge. And so there I was, on a short ride within the city of Poughkeepsie last year during the late summer, and as I rode along Parker Ave. I had seen that something was going on with the old RR siding to the main Maybrook line ROW. The track was being removed. Then a bit later I was on a ride across the river for an early apple picking ride. On my return, as I rode past the power sub-station along Haviland Rd. in Highland, I could see a construction area fence-gate and a construction office trailer. There was also a large Walkway Over The Hudson sign which also had the logos for the various contractors. It was finaly hapening after all these years, the old RR bridge was being converted into a walkway. The actual walkway would consist of 974 pre-fab concrete deck sections. And so, on this first October weekend 2009, the big day is upon us . The grand opening ceremonies, and festivities, would take place Friday 10-2, and Saturday 10-3. Sunday 10-4 would be the first full day the Walkway Over The Hudson State Park would be open to the public, and would be a part of the weekend events with a foot race in the early morning and a bit latter  a mass bike ride across the walkway from the west end.

Friday

out of the shadows and into the light …


  The weather forcast for the weekend did not look good. There were showers predicted for today and showers with scatered thunderstorms on Saturday. The showers did not happen as predicted for today, and the evening’s festivities were rain free.Todays festivities would be all about light and take place after sunset. I do not have lighting for my bicycle, and so I would ride a city bus, with camera and tripod, to the transportation center bus stop at the RR station. It would be a short walk from there to Waryas park along the river. The first part of the evening’s festivities would be the lighting of the bridge with a thousand points of light. And all of a sudden there it was, the old RR bridge, now walkway, iluminated with blue lights along the entire span for the first time in this bridge’s history. There were now two iluminated bridges over the Hudson, the FDR Mid Hudson motor vehicle bridge, and the walkway pedestrian bridge.The second part of the festivities would be a release of (lighted) Japanese lanterns. The first lantern was released. A single point of light drifted up into the pitch black night sky. Then more and more lanterns were released until there were many points of light in the night sky, like so many fireflies.The grand finale to the night’s festivities, would be a spectacular fire works show. I had discovered that the city of Poughkeepsie had put all 4 new buses into shuttle service. I would take the shuttle bus up the Main Street grade and walk home from the final shuttle bus stop downtown.

Saturday

opening day …

NY Governor David Paterson during the official opening ceremony


 With a dire weather forecast of showers and scatered thunderstorms in the afternoon, I decided not to go to today’s events as cyclist, but as pedestrian. The city of Poughkeepsie was operating the regular Saturday bus schedule only until 12:00 PM and was free. As I did on Friday, I took the bus to the transportation center and then walked to Waryas park where the festivities could be viewed. I say viewed because the actual location for all of the ceremonies, would be on the walkway,which was not yet open to the public at this time. To allow public viewing of the ceremonies a Barco “jumbo-tron” screen had been set up in Waryas park, in the city of Poughkeepsie. When I had arived, I had met a fellow that worked for EMI Guiderail, the company that made the railing for the walkway. Among the vesels in the Hudson this day, the sloop Clearwater, and the replica Dutch sailing vessel the Onrust, was a vessel with that most familiar, to this former member of the “Tonkin Gulf Yatch club”, gray color. “Oh my”… I had thought at first, the Navy is here, perhaps due to the hightened terrorism alert. I had seen that this vessel was a WWII era PT boat, the hull desigination was PT 728, and so was an inactive duty restored former US Navy vessel. The Onrust crew would ocasionaly fire her cannon causing everybody to jump. The PT728 crew,thankfuly, did not return fire.  While there was a brief period of light drizzle, the expected hunderstorms, thankfuly, did not happen and surprisingly it had gotten brighter and a hazy sun could be seen. I had met a number of cyclists and was now sorry I had not ridden my bicycle.


  After the official formal ceremony, a mile away at the west end in Highland, the festivities, and less formal ceremonies, moved out onto the actual walkway
 212 feet above the river. There was an elaborate tying-of-the knot ceremony joining the communities on both ends of the bridge, and a “walking on air”
 parade. All of the communities on both sides were represented by people marching with long Bamboo poles with a hand made medalion on top for each community.
 The medalion for the city of Poughkeepsie depicted the two bridges.


  The festivities on the walkway ended with a 90 year old Pete Seeger leading a group of local children in one of his signature songs “This land is your land”.  This proved to be the most memorable, and moving moments of the days ceremonies. As he was signing, there was the sloop Clearwater on the Hudson river 212 feet below. Pete Seeger is the founding father of the Clearwater sloop and associate organization.The walkway would now be open to the public. I took the shuttle bus up to the east entrance on Parker Ave. When I had gotten there,  the parade people were still coming down the RT path and so I had to walk up the vehicle entrance. There was to be some sort of circus latter  on and so, with what seemed like half the population of Poughkeepsie, there were the circus people,the parade people and a female roller derby team. It was quite a scene. With all the people I did not realize at first that I was on the the actual walkway,the bridge. I caught my first view of Mt. Carmel Place from high above on the walkway. I just walked out to the river on the elevated section in Poughkeepsie and then back. On Sunday, which was
 suposed to be sunny,I would go for my much anticipated first ride across the entire span.

Sunday

riding on air …

Fred Schaeffer - chairman Walkway Over The Hudson


 When I had first learned of a mass bike ride via the local newspaper, on Sunday, it was not indicated from which end of the walkway the ride would start. There was a phone number for Fred Schaeffer to call but I had forgotten to call. On Saturday I had learned from one of the cyclists that the ride would start at the west end. I would ride to the east end of the walkway in the city of Poughkeepsie early enough on Sunday to ride across to meet the big group at the west end in Highland.


 The big ride was just about to start when I had gotten to the west end. I turned my bike around and joined the group. I was in full “parade dress” cycling atire, with my new WOTH T shirt,blue dress Argyle socks, and my patch sash. I would ride with the group at parade/processional speed back to the east end. I would then turn around and ride back west for my planed scenic ride in Ulster county to the Weed orchard PYO.

pedaling and picking … .


  The route I would follow goes down very steeply from Haviland Rd., at the west end, and goes under the walkway to the river. I stoped at the relatively new Highland Landing town (Lloyd) park to take in the view. The Clearwater was there for the festival that was about to start. I wanted to go apple picking first though, and had sort of planed on returning to the festival. I never did get back to the festival.


  After a scenic 13 miles through the orchard country of south-east Ulster county, I had arived at my destination,the Weed orchard-farm pick-your-own. Over the past 7 or 8 years I have been going here, this place has gotten to be very popular and has now become a P.Y.O. weekend festival with music and BBQ chicken,etc. This orchard-farm has more than just apples for picking,they also had a pumkin patch, and vegies for picking. A one stop PYO. I had talked to a woman who was from Bergen county NJ, and there was also a large Asian group there as well.


After a fresh still-warm donut and some fresh pressed cider, I would leave Weed Orchard for an even more scenic return route with spectacular
views along a ridge. Of course it goes without saying, there were several hills from hell involved.The early AM was kind of hazy and so would save taking pictures of the views from the walkway until the afternoon return crossing when it would be less hazy.

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

27. September 2009 by Kevin.


09-24-09


I went for a short ride from the Poughkeepsie RR station to the east entrance of the Walkway OTH, to do a mileage check of the route I had previously maped out. The east entrance is now paved. The single track siding, that had served as the construction entrance, was also paved. There was a wood frame for a large sign. Interestingly, I had seen some NY state parks - Taconic region - vehicles in the dirt city parking lot. The soon-to-be new owners of the Walkway. One of the dark green vehicles was a dump truck with a trailer. I could also see a paving roller machine nearby. It would seem they had done the paving. I did not have my camera, so I would have to return the next day on Friday to take some pictures (thus the photo date discrepency)


09-25-09


The west entrance in Highland is now complete. The chain link fence gate and the construction office trailer, that were a part of the Highland ”landscape” for a little over a year were all gone. The big sign on the concrete base seemed to be up higher. I could see at the far end of the parking lot, behind a tree, a small structure. In the zoom close-up picture I could see that this structure had a solar panel and a vent pipe. It would seem to be a pre-fab solar powered bathroom. There was striping on Haviland road for additional parking. If the phase 2 section of the Dutchess RT is any indication, the Walkway should be very, very popular.

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Walkway OTH report

23. September 2009 by Kevin.


09-20-09


  This past Sunday I went for a short ride across the river. The walkway now looks almost baren without the 2 big crawler cranes and all the other heavy construction equipment. What vehicles and equipment remain, is now dispersed along the entire length of the walkway. The big Royal rental crane could not be seen. As I rode out of Johnson Iorio park, at the west end of the FDR Mid Hudson bridge, I had noticed a fresh coat of silver  paint on the guardrail. This continued along Haviland Rd. There seems to have been some recent mowing /triming along the road. The town of Lloyd road department would like to make a good impression for the grand opening of the Walkway, in less than 2 weeks time, it would seem. I rode past Ransom Rd. to the west entrance of the Walkway. I could see through the chain link fence, there is now a new wood split rail fence along the north side of the Walkway property. I had also noticed that a large Scenic Hudson sign had been added to all the other signs.


  However, the most noticiceable was not what I had seen, but rather what I did not see. The old caboose, that was in that construction
 lot along Haviland Rd., was no longer there. When I was at the Walkway entrance, I could not see the caboose through the fence. The caboose must be just out of sight from Haviland Rd. around the corner behind the trees. While I was taking pictures of the west entrance, a car drove by slowly toward Johnson Iorio park and then turned around and stoped at the entrance. I yelled out “two more weeks!” to the ocupants inside. As I was taking a picture of the construction lot, sans caboose, someone driving a white Chevy Astro mini van pulled into the lot. I saw that it had custom DMV plates that read “WALKWAY1″. A lean fellow of some maturity, wearing a Walway OTH hat, steped out of the van. I started my conversation with him by telling him what a great idea it was for the concrete decking of the Walkway OTH, and to see just what a great idea that was, he should see the mini trestle in Rosendale that is a part of the Wallkill RT. The old wood decking, out to mid span, is now all warped and nails are sticking up. He had told me that the bridge was closed due to unsafe conditions. I had told him when I was there in April, the old bridge was still open. As I so often do, I forgot to get this fellows name, and did not give mine and most importantly, did not give him my e mail address and the URL for this blog.


The grand opening of the Walkway Over The Hudson, will be over the first weekend of October - Friday 10-02,Saturday 10-03, and Sunday 10-04. The actual opening ceremony will be on Saturday. The ceromony for officials, dignitaries, and other invited guests will be between 11:00 AM and 1:00 PM. The walkway will be open to the public at 3:00 PM. The Walkway OTH site has a full schedule of the grand opening events over the weekend. The city of Poughkeepsie will be providing additional parking and a shuttle bus. Hopefuly they will sacrafice one of the new diesel-electric hybrid buses, with the bike racks, for this special event shuttle. This will be much apreciated for the “topographicaly chalenged” cyclists coming up here, via train, as the east entrance on Parker Ave. is at elevation higher than the RR station.


here is my RR station to Walkway route for those that would like to ride from the MTA Metro North Poughkeepsie station to the Walkway

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Walkway OTH report

18. September 2009 by Kevin.


09-15-09


Only 2 weeks to go! - before the grand opening October 3. The railing on the south side, except for a short 20 ft. section, is almost complete in the city of Poughkeepsie over Water St. On the north side though, in the same area, there is a more substantial section of uncompleted railing from rt. 9 to just west of Water St. I could see that back hoe closer and could see that it has a hook on the end - a back hoe crane. This is perhaps being used for the railing sections.


When I was across the river over the Labor Day weekend, I saw one of those Royal rental cranes, common in this area, parked in that
parking/storage area (that was made for the project) next to rt. 55/44 off Haviland Rd. in Highland. This crane is the rubber wheel truck, hydraulic boom type. On this day I could see that crane at the very west end. I don’t know what this crane was being used for. Aparently for something that requires a bit more lift than that mini crane on the back of the steel work truck.


At the Parker Ave. (SR 9G) east entrance, there did not seem to be any further progress than what I had seen during the Labor Day weekend. While I was taking a picture, a tractor-trailer truck started to drive out the not-yet-paved entance and turned right toward the west end of the dirt city parking lot. As the truck turned, I could see a Mercury vapor type building light on the side. With darkness coming early these days, and only 2 weeks before the scheduled opening, it would seem the contactor is planing on doing some OT to get finished in time. Then all of a sudden, one of the double wheels from the trailer rolled out into the street and stoped in the middle of the street. Traffic had to swerve around it. I walked toward the west end of the city dirt parking lot. I saw the driver of the truck looking around like for the wheel that just fell off. I yelled out “it’s over here!” pointing to the double trailer wheel in the middle of the street. The double wheel eventualy rolled, still upright, up against the curb.

 

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Labor Day Weekend 2009

10. September 2009 by Kevin.

Friday

  The Labor Day weekend weather was looking to be quite nice and started with a warm sunny day.I rode to the RR station and Water St. to see if I could witness the very last section of decking for the Walkway, being placed. I had been there on Thursday and saw the last sections being placed. It would seem I had missed the very last section of decking being placed by mere minutes.  (see Walkway OTH report blog entry)  I had ridden UP along the now, almost completed, Walkway to the east entrance off Parker Ave. After watching the big crane being moved to the weekend “parking spot” over Washington. Ave., I rode to Morgan Lake, the northern terminus of the Dutchess Rail Trail. I rode to Overocker Rd. and then to the Arlington Library, in the town of Poughkeepsie.

Saturday


  A toasty ,low humidity, Colorado-like day with daytime temps in the mid-80’s.On this unoficial end of Summer weekend, it was very summer-like. I could not let the summer end without a visit to Rita’s, in the town of Hyde Park on SR 9G, for a soft serve ice cream cone. There are several places along SR 9G one could get ice cream including the afore mentioned Rita’s. I would document the ride along SR 9G and CR 41 to US rt. 9 - Atlantic Coast Route - BR9 for an alternate US rt. 9 bypass between Marist college and the north end of Hyde Park (village) from the east access, in the city of Poughkeepsie, of the Walkway-OTH. I arrived at my first destination, for the day, Rita’s. (4.7 mi. - see below for more detail)

  I continued north on SR 9G to East Park in the town of Hyde Park and then along a winding county road to US rt. 9 and the village of Hyde Park. I would turn left on US rt. 9 et al. to my second destination, the FDR home National Historic Site.


  After a riding - walking tour of the grounds, and the Henry Wallace visitor center, I would ride home via BR9 / Atlantic Coast Route south (US rt. 9)
 and a route within the city of Poughkeepsie.

US route 9 alternate route via SR 9G - NB


START:Walkway OTH east acces Parker Ave. (SR 9G) city of Poughkeepsie

0.0 L Parker Ave SR 9G    

.3 CROSS Hamilton Ave.  begin up hill 8% max grade  

.4 CROSS Clinton Ave.  .6 } town of Poughkeepsie - top of hill improved shoulder  CAUTION! inadequate width in sections 

 1.2 } FOOD Raymond’s dinner  2.1 Cottage St. HRPC at TCL 

CAUTION! right turn only lane - must move over one lane to continue north

 2.2 } town of Hyde Park

 2.3 } FOOD Sunoco food mart

 3.6 CR 40A

 4.2 } ER Val Kill NHS
 

 4.5 } ICE CREAM Inside Scoop on SB side - sit down inside ice cream shoppe

  } FOOD deli - just after above K&D Deli and just before below

 4.7 } ICE CREAM Rita’s on NB side at Haviland Rd. intersection - north side of TCL - al fresco roadside stand type

 6.0 EAST PARK

  } FOOD Krouser’s market (chain) convenience store on NB side - just before Stewart’s

  CAUTION! must get in left lane for below turn

 6.2 L CR41 Crum Elbow Rd. at TCL

  } FOOD ICE CREAM Stewart’s (chain) convenience store

  CAUTION! winding road narrow in sections

  follow to village of Hyde Park

 7.5 US rt. 9 - Atlantic Coast Route - NY BR9

Sunday

Poughkeepsie Newman and the windmill of the lost village …


  When I had ridden to the Franny Reese Preserve back in July, for a second visit, the entrance on Mack Rd. had been cleared and there was now a gravel road going into the preserve. There was also a chain across the entrance, a trail closed sign, and a small buldozer on the other side of the chain. Construction had obviously begun, as per the master plan map  I had found on the Scenic Hudson site, to make the preserve into a fully developed park.The trail closed sign had indicated that work would be completed August 30 2009. I had planed on returning over the Labor Day weekend.


  When I arived on Sunday, this Labor Day weekend,I was quite surprised to find the preserve still closed.The chain was still across the entrance.
 The small buldozer that was there in July was gone. I had seen a parked car at the entrance.Undaunted by the construction area signs,the trail closed sign, and determined to find that windmill,I went around the chain to enter the preserve. I saw some people walking out, most likely the ones from that parked car. I followed the gravel road to the area where the new parking lot, kiosk, and bathrooms are suposed to be as per the master plan. There was only rudimentry clearing for the parking lot.There was no heavy equipment and there was no foundation for the bathrooms. I continued deeper into the preserve along the old Lewisburgh Road, which is one of the road-trails of the preserve. With the relatively dry weather the past several weeks, the trails were dry and I would not be in amphibious terrain bicycle mode this time. I emerged at the trails intersection, in the clearing under the power lines. There were 2 new log posts but no new signs or markers. It would seem very little additional work had been done since July.


 With the MP map, I now knew I should have continued straight instead of turning left, on that near verticle, rocky road-trail that roughly followed the power lines up, at a 21++ percent grade. The trail, at first went into, then out of, then back into the woods at the top of the hill as the trail made a sharp left turn. There were downed branches and a small tree at the edge of the woods on top of the hill. I saw an old stone base for a gate. The iron hook for the gate could be seen. The trail emerged out of the woods into a thicket of thorny vegitation. I pushed my bike through the thick vegitation. On the other side of the thicket there was another thin vegitation covered road-trail to the left. I continued straight and found myself at a gate. I was at the upper access to the preserve. On the other side of the gate was an open expanse of neatly mowed property. A “yuppie McMansion” could be seen in at the top of the property.


I turned around and went back to the thicket and the trail T intersection. I could see that if I went to the right on the road-trail, it would intersect at a T with that road-trail that went to the left at the top of the hill I had passed by previously. I would turn left on this trail and thus bypassing the thicket. On the road-trail from the thicket, there was a section that was overgrown with thorny vines and on a slight downgrade, I caught the thorny vines on my right side, causing some deep scratches on my arm and leg. I did not realize how badly scratched I was untill I saw some blood trickling down my arm. At the intersection with the main trail where I had been, I tended to my wounds. A couple of hikers appeared on the road-trail I had  just been on, at the intersection. I had asked them if they knew where the windmill was. They did not even know there was a windmill. Once back at the gate, I consulted the MP map. I had determined the ruins of the windmill, and other structures were way on the other side of the thick vegitation covered power line clearing. I had decided the best way to find these ruins would be to go full hiker mode. I left my bicycle leaned up a tree, and with my camera began to walk through the tall ferns, grass and other thick vegitation toward the old stone wall going along the edge of the woods on the other side of the clearing. As I looked to my right, and my eyes followed the power lines down, I could see  a view of the river and a section of the walkway.


  On the other side of the power lines, I found a barely discernible path along the wall. I followed the path up through the high grass and ferns, all the while looking up and to my right into the woods looking for something that resembled the ruins of a structure. And finaly, after what seemed like an eternity, I could see the tops of some sort of structures up ahead at the edge of the woods. I had, at first, thought from my low vantage point, that I was just seeing the very tops of several old structures. When I had gotten closer, I could see that in essence, this is all there was to these two structures. The one structure, with the large standard V roof, was actualy very low, just a stone foundation for a full size small cottage with a tin roof. On either end were two large window-like openings. Inside this low structure, I could see a formed concrete sort of pit, like a swiming pool. In one corner of the rusted tin roof, there was a hole that had been blown out from the inside. The other rooftop was in fact just that. All that remained of a more complete structure. The rooftop was octagonal in shape, and from the size, I had come to the conclusion that this may have been a gazebo. My MP map had shown these two ruins. The windmill was shown as being directly across from these 2. After a bit of carefuly scaning the woods I spoted in between the trees, the grayed, weathered wood of a tall structure rising above the trees that surounded it. I had, at last found the windmill of the lost village. I had expected the windmill to be stone not a pyramid shaped wood structure rising to a point at the top. There was visible evidence this windmill was of the early 20th century, there were old porcelin insulators for electric power on the side. Without an interpretive sign, I was unsure if the power was TO the windmil, or coming FROM the windmill. I walked back to my bicycle and left the preserve the way I had come in. I was triumphant, albeit bloodied and sore, in achieving my goal for the day.

Monday - Labor Day

  A cool, cloudy October-like day. More like Columbus Day than Labor Day. I did a short ride incorporating the Dutchess Rail Trail to document the grade on Hornbeck Rd. in the town of Poughkeepsie from Van Wagner Rd. At the bottom of the grade my SkyMonti inclinometer registered just under 15% - 14 1/2% for documentation puposes. About half way up seemed to be a tad steeper for a very short section- perhaps 16% I was not able to get an acurate reading.

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Walkway update

8. September 2009 by Kevin.

09-04-09

I went down Water St. and the RR station to see if the decking was completed. I had been the past several weeks using the upper deck of the parking garage for my vantage point. The decking is now complete! I had hoped I would have been there for the last section of decking being placed. I had thought there might be some sort of ceremony. Alas I was too late and perhaps the last section had been placed yesterday 09-03. As I rode UP along the Walkway, I could hear the noises of a very large machine. I had realized it was one of the big cranes. I looked to my right in between the houses and there it was, the boom from the crane poking up above the trees. I could see the hook swaying. I also saw some people without hard hats, which I had thought was odd. The crane was moving in an easterly direction, and so when I had gotten to Washington St. I stoped to watch the big crane being driven along the Walkway. There was a large van truck parked on the Washinton St. overpass. I had expected it would be moved to make way for the crane, but was not. I could see that heavy wood timbers were being placed ahead of the crane as it advanced to protect the concrete deck from the crane’s catepillar tracks and imense weight. The crane was stoped at the truck and “parked” for the weekend. It was less than a few hours latter when I got to the library to check my e mail and to check the Walkway website. On the Walkway.org site, there was no news about the placing of the very last deck section. I also visited the Scenic Hudson site for any updates about the Franny Reese Preserve. There, on the main page was a picture of Ned Sulivan, the SH director, signing the last section of decking for the walkway. The date given was September 04! Whoever is the web designer/master, must have had one of those new Verizon 3G enabled netbooks to be able to update the SH main page so quickly. I had aprently missed the verylast section of decking being placed, and the acompying ceremony, by mere minutes. This would explain the hard hatless people I saw up on the Walkway

09-03-09


The decking is almost complete! - less than 50′ to go. There was only the one big crane, the one that started from Highland last year. The crane that had started from the east end in the city of Poughkeepsie was not there. The truck with the little crane was on the decking on the east side of water St.. The railing is now over Water St. It would seem some of what the steel workers were doing, was to remove the old power lines and supports. 

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

trailways report

31. August 2009 by Kevin.

WALKWAY OTH

8-24

The last sections of the pre-fab conconcrete deck are stacked up just west of Water St. in the city of Poughkeepsie.In between the 2 crews, and underneath the  little crane, steel workers are working on the bridge structure.

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Next Entries »