Write-up: Bobbie Scarpino

Leader: Bobbie Scarpino

Co-Leader: Nancy Agen

Patrick Hooker and Karen Huxtable-Hooker hosted 35 Tramps at their sugarhouse that Patrick built himself on their property. The new sugarhouse is located down the road from the original Huxtable sugarhouse in Millers Mills that many Tramps fondly remember.  We enjoyed homemade muffins, cookies and warm chili as we listened to Patrick explain the sugaring process. It was apparent how much he and his entire family love the land, the trees, and turning sap into sweet syrup. 

Karen then took us on a 3.5-mile hike on trails all around the property that included slushy snow, mud, water and many hills. The vista views were beautiful and the forest was enchanting. In fact, we had to pay the troll to cross a log bridge over a stream! Another fast moving stream was a bit more challenging to cross and some chose to ride across in the land rover instead. 

Making our way across a field we were entertained by a herd of deer doing ballet through the air over a fence as they tried to escape from our group that had intruded their space. We did our own acrobatics as we did the limbo under and hops over the sap lines that crisscrossed one section of woods. 
Once back at the sugarhouse, we warmed ourselves with hot chocolate, coffee, and more chili and made purchases of the delectable maple syrup produced on the premises. 
On the way home, some took a short detour to take a gander at the unique creatures that adorn the roadside on a hill in West Winfield.