Author: Brownski

Robert H Treman State Park

Posted on by Brownski

Robert H Treman State Park has been on my radar for a long time. I haven’t been camping much lately but back when I was — spending weekends at North Lake or Little Pond in the Catskills — one of my customers, Chuck, suggested Robert H Treman.

Lower Falls Swimming Hole

Chuck loved the Ithaca area generally and Robert H Treman State Park in particular. He repeatedly described how beautiful the gorge was and swimming under the waterfalls. He painted an idyllic picture, really went for the hard sell. I put it on my list fifteen years ago but somehow never got there. Beach vacations, road trips and local staycations always won out.

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Tagged: Ski Life9 Comments

Paddling Lake Welch in Harriman State Park

Posted on by Brownski

Lake Welch in Harriman State Park is a frequent paddling spot for me. There are multiple reasons for that. It is right off of exit 14 on the Palisades Parkway, making it supremely accessible. It has a dedicated parking area for paddlers behind a locked gate so even on the park’s busiest days I am almost guaranteed to be able to find a spot. It’s big enough to get a modest workout and do a little exploring so I don’t get too bored with the scenery.

Lake Welch boat launch

All the lakes in Harriman are compromised as pure nature experiences. The place is just too popular and too close to the city to find true solitude.

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Tagged: Harriman, Paddling6 Comments

Piermont to Irvington by Kayak: Back in the Zone

Posted on by Brownski

Last week, I had an idea of driving up to Vermont for a day or two of spring at Killington. As I got to the actual planning stage though, I had second thoughts. Taking off would leave important chores undone and after a ton of windshield time for work and traveling up to Plattsburgh for graduation last week, I was not looking forward to hours of driving.

I made the decision to skip Superstar this year. I spent Saturday mowing grass and taking care of the yard. When I was done, I put some effort into organizing my garage, which had the added benefit of locating all my kayaking gear, PFDs, paddles, bilge pumps, everything.

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Tagged: Hudson Valley, Paddling3 Comments