Tramp & Trail

Write-up: Sue Manier
Leader: Sue Manier
Co-Leader: Rick Manier

News Report: “A powerful storm ripped through Madison County Saturday afternoon and left a path of destruction behind. Trees came down along with power lines in Cazenovia leaving over a 1,000 National Grid customers in the area without power. Emergency management crews have been busy with flooding and now storm damage. As rain continues to relentlessly fall across Central New York, residents have been urged to prepare for flash flooding. The National Weather Service has extended a flash flood warning for parts of several counties in Central New York.”

The next day, weather calmed down and it was a beautiful sunny day. Thirteen Tramps arrived to hike Chittanango Falls State Park. With several park trails and bridges closed, we managed to hike what I believe was the shortest Tramp and Trail Club hike ever! 1.7 miles. But what pictures we took…amazing.

Many Faces of Chittanango Falls. Depending on the season Chittanango Falls can take on very different appearances. Visitors from all over come to see the 167 foot waterfall.

Write-up: Jerry Stewart
Leader: Jerry Stewart
Co-Leader: Carolyn Eastman

Sunday’s bike ride with the Tramps…20 hearty souls braved the 90-degree heat and followed me on what was supposed to be a 15 – 20 mile ride. I was close, it turned out to be 25 but what’s 5 miles among friends? It was a great ride, such a nice day to be out and share my hometown with my friends. As we got to Lock 21 there was a tug and 2 barges going through. This is the same one that delivered new brew tanks to Genesee brewery in Rochester. We chatted with the deck hands, they said they were not giving any samples while there. How rude! I tried to get them to sing an old canal song, “Low bridge, everybody down. Low bridge, we’re coming into town.”
A few knew the song, fewer knew the words. All were impressed with my bass singing voice.
At the end of the ride I took those who were interested to the VFW, a local hot spot for very affordable beverages. Those who came were impressed and will most likely stop there again when they are in the area. As always, I try to chat with everyone as we go along. Sharing stories and planning our next adventures.  You only get one shot in life, I’m not spending mine sitting. Come along and explore.

Write-up: Nancy Coleman
Leader: Nancy Coleman
Co-Leader: Mary Pat Connors

It has been a very rainy Spring and June 10th was nice which is probably what brought out 26 Tramps for an interesting hike to the Pot Holes on Moss Island in Little Falls.  After meeting at Gems Along the Mohawk in Herkimer, we parked at Rotary Park.  This is a pleasant spot.  There is a facility with clean bathrooms, a boat launch and a small park.

We hiked East to The Miracle Mile and a half, saw a lovely water fall, walked over Lock 17, once the largest lift lock in the world, and saw a boat go through the lock before we started hiking on Moss Island.

Moss Island, although not large, has many interesting features.

It is made of Gneiss Rock.  This particular rock formation is some of the oldest exposed rock in the world.  There are also plants that grow here, but not anywhere else in this region.

Write-up: Mary Pat Connors
Leader: Mary Pat Connors
Co-Leader: Sarah Cotter

Once again Gleasmans Falls beckoned to 14 Tramps. It has been visited several times but never fails to delight. This hike offers: a very doable distance, 6 miles; a very slightly rolling trail mostly lined with sand and pine needles (well the usual mud also); and a beautiful destination on the Independence River… a nearly perfect hike.

It is an adventure merely arriving at the trailhead. About 5 miles on a narrow dirt road into the Independence River wilderness led many to wonder if the leader knew where she was going.

The sky was overcast, the day cool. The forecast had threatened rain but we dodged the few raindrops and managed to stay dry. The ferns had unfurled, their Spring green lush. The falls were full and fast-moving, with quite lovely wild azaleas by the side. The lush pink lady’s-slippers were a sight to see. The black flies only seemed to bother us while we were sitting still trying to eat our lunch.

 
Mike Huss commented that it was the sign of an experienced leader when the post-hike pub was already chosen before the hike. And yes we had “Boondocks” in mind before we got started.

Sarah almost left her pants at the bar, Carolyn said “what a tramp!” Inside Tramp humor.

As usual, so much fun.

These and more photos may be viewed in a larger format at:

June 2017

Write-up: Deb Roberts
Leader: Deb Roberts
Co-Leader: Meg Higgerson

What’s boots ‘n’ bar hopping you ask?
Well, it’s what you get when you mix Deb and Meg together as leader and co-leader……. and combine with a few cute little hikes, each too short for its own Tramp outing.
We found 4 hikes along Rt 28, each with something special not seen before. That’s the boot hopping. Then you add Meg’s great imagination to bring the ‘bar’ to the trail.

Thirty-one people joined in merriment as we hiked the Cathedral Pines Trail, followed by the bar (instead of a cookie, a pumpkin bar); the canoe carry between 8th Lake and Raquette Lake, followed by another trip to the bar (a banana nut bar this time); the Trail to Death Brook Falls with a stop for lunch, another bar (candy bar); and lastly a hike up Rocky Mountain, followed by a stop at Kratzy’s. With great anticipation, this was the “bar” some of the hikers had been expecting!!

Total mileage was somewhere around 3.8 which most likely did not work off the calories from the bars, but everyone enjoyed the day. The weather held out…no rain, and the black flies were fairly mild. I didn’t even wear my netting, and bug spray staved them off well.

Write-up: Don Fellows
Leader: Don Fellows
Co-Leader: Madonna Fellows

Sixteen tramps hiked the gorges in Ithaca on a beautiful day. On our way to the gorge the guy ahead of me must have washed his windshield and a few drops landed on mine causing me to have a moment of panic that we were going to be rained on. In a short time, the sun reappeared and stayed with us all day.

There were several who had never been to the gorges before which makes it nice to witness first impressions. We hiked up the gorge trail at Buttermilk Falls and down the rim trail for a 1.5mi. hike. We then drove to Robert Treman State Park where we were informed there was no swimming (OH SHUCKS) and the gorge trail was closed. We did a shuttle to the top of the gorge, had lunch and walked into the falls where the swimming area is to check that out. Since the gorge trail was closed we hiked the rim trail which was a nice climb in the woods. When we got to the bridge we crossed and there was no “closed sign” at that point so we continued up the gorge trail. This portion is the best part of the hike so I was glad it was open. When we got to the end the gate was closed and the sign read “trail closed” OOPS.

There was a notice that told how teams scale the cliffs and clear any loose rock in the spring before the trail is opened. There were piles of rock and shale on the trail we had just hiked. This portion of the hike was 2.25 mi. Next we wound our way back through Ithaca and north to Taughannock Falls State Park.

We hiked into the base of the falls and some of the tramps behind us said there was a landslide behind us and we would see it going out. Sure enough there were some good size rocks on the trail going back. This hike was 2 1/4 mi. for a total of 6 mi.
We stopped at the Empire Brewery for food and refreshments eating outside on their deck.
Beautiful day.

Write-up: George Fogg
Leader: George Fogg
Co-Leader: Eric Vander Bogart

Hike around Stoney Pond uneventful, lots of wild leeks, no mishaps.
27 attended.

(George gets kudos for conciseness.)

Write-up: Carolyn Eastman
Leader: Carolyn Eastman
Co-Leader: Pam Carrier

Our hike to Sleeping Beauty Mountain started at Gems along the Mohawk. With 9 tramps
in tow we started out for Lake George. It is a long drive but the area is very beautiful and filled with many hikes so this should entice anyone to take the drive.

The day was sunny and warm with a few clouds so clothes were being stripped off right away,
down to tank tops as the trail started steep in the beginning. The trails were clean of snow until we reached the top and then we ran into some ice but not enough to put our spikes on or detour us from reaching some great views of Lake George.

We always seem to run into new people and talk about our club and how they can join. With many questions asked, the most common comment we like to give  is “we are Tramps,”  and that just opens up the conversation with many laughs.

Write-Up: Jerry Stewart
Leader: Jerry Stewart
Co-Leader: Lori Waterman

I know you’re all wondering, how did it go? Freezing rain in Utica that morning, misty rain around Rome. Well, when we got to Chateaugay, it had been doing neither of those. Overcast yes, but it was great weather for a stroll through the woods.

17 tramps, some still feeling the effects from 7.3 miles of snowshoeing in wet weather yesterday. The promise of fresh baked cookies and a new place to explore was enough to get them there! Some wore snowshoes, some just boots and 2 skied. Five miles and many laughs along the way.

Big woods, one section not well marked found us back on a trail we had already been on. Oops!

No problem, girl scout Lori Waterman and Bobbie soon had us back on track. Had a lunch break then headed back to the cars. Watering hole stop at Florence Hotel. The bartender was happy we saved her from an empty establishment. We were happy  for the $3 bottles of beer?! The barmaids always smile when we tell them we are tramps. There is always room for more adventurous people, come see what it’s all about.