walking/hiking/biking

Happy Maple Weekend!

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maple leaves

It’s time to celebrate the New York State tree – the sugar maple. The sugar maple was adopted as the state tree for the Empire State in 1956. This weekend (and last, though many of us were too busy celebrating St. Patrick’s Day to notice) is the 23rd annual Maple Weekend – when maple farms across New York State invite the public to come tour their maple farms and see firsthand the process of producing maple syrup and related products. The Maple Producers Association also has a comprehensive list of pancake breakfasts available this weekend to try your New York maple syrup, as well as an interactive list of participating maple farms to visit. Check their website for more details.

Vacationland: York, Maine

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Nubble Lighthouse

If you happen to be in “Downeast” Maine for a few days’ R&R, York has plenty of attractions to make for a good visit. Home of Cape Neddick Lighthouse, better known as “Nubble Light”, York has beautiful coastlines and attractive beaches. There’s even an arcade right at the beach. At The Goldenrod you can watch the saltwater taffy being made fresh right before your eyes – and their lunches (and frappes!) are delicious.

For the fiber enthusiasts, York has a very attractive and welcoming yarn shop (the Yarn Sellar) which happens to be on the Maine Yarn Cruise (a summer yarn crawl around the state) and stocks Maine yarns.

And last but certainly not least – the York Wild Kingdom offers fun for all ages, whether that be on the amusement park rides or visiting the wide variety of animals at the zoo and butterflies in their Butterfly Kingdom.

Happy vacation planning!

flower at Nubble Light

A healthy new year

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Rensselaer Lake

Often when one thinks of new year’s resolutions, a common resolution that comes to mind is to exercise more, get fit, or lose weight. In the spirit of starting as you mean to go on- why not get outdoors on New Year’s Day?

Most states offer First Day Hikes in state parks- the perfect way to get out for a stroll and enjoy your local park. A number of them include seasonal refreshments (hot cocoa, warm apple cider or snacks). If you’re in Massachusetts, the flyer from the Department of Conservation and Recreation is here; New Yorkers, check out the info on the New York State Parks website here.

And if you’re in the Boston area and prefer to add time on the water to your hike this year, the Friends of the Boston Harbor Islands are having their annual Seafarers’ Cruise on Sunday – this year the trip is going to Thompson Island (don’t worry, the boat is heated).

Upstate New York: Mohawk Hudson Bike/Hike Trail

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Mohawk Hudson Bike-Hike Trail Rotterdam 2

The Mohawk Hudson Bike/Hike Trail is a 36.8-mile trail that runs from Steamboat Square in downtown Albany to Rotterdam Junction in Schenectady County, and makes up the easternmost portion of the Erie Canalway. Sections of the trail are frequently quite busy with walkers, runners, and dog-walkers all enjoying the route. Much of it is a rail trail, created from sections of the old Troy & Schenectady Railroad. For those planning a visit, there’s a handy list of access points (with details about parking) on the website of the Friends of the Mohawk Hudson Bike/Hike Trail. The trail has a number of scenic views of the Erie Canal, passes by multiple canal locks and also offers beautiful views of farmland and wooded areas.

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