Ponding in Harriman Park
From Thursday, April 13, to Saturday the 15th, Fr. Jim Mulloy and I camped at 2 of our favorite spots in Harriman State Park. We’d originally talked of going out on Easter Monday, the 10th, to Wednesday the 12th, but Fr. Jim proposed that we go later in the week to accommodate a friend of his who sometimes joins us. So we picked the 2 hottest days of the spring (so far)—temperatures reaching 87 each day, and hardly any shade available because the trees were barely starting to leaf out. And then our would-be companion wasn’t able to come anyway because of a family situation.
The hiking component of our excursion wasn’t much—about 45 minutes each day: from the car on Kanawauke Road to Green Pond on Thursday; from Green Pond to Island Pond on Friday; from Island Pond back to the car on Saturday. I’d have liked a little more hiking—in theory, but in practice the weight of my backpack was a little much for a long hike. But we usually go short because Fr. Jim has a troublesome ankle. But on this trip it behaved itself.
Aside from the heat and scarcity of shade, we had a good trip. We made camp, Fr. Jim setting up his hammock and I my tent. It was so warm and dry that I didn’t use the tent fly; it was neat to sleep under the stars. I had a great view of the Big Dipper directly overhead.
On both days we explored a little bit, read a little bit, prayed and said Mass, dozed in the available shade, and cooked our meals. On Friday we spent some time by Island Pond. On Thursday nite we dined on hot dogs grilled over a modest fire (a short-lived one—no further need) and cheese and crackers.
On Friday nite Fr. Jim had Spam; I had freeze-dried pasta with chicken and spinach.
Lunches were sandwiches or PB on crackers. He doesn’t do breakfast; I had oatmeal on Friday, pop tarts and crackers on Saturday. And coffee, of course!
On Thursday 2 or 3 hikers took off from the parking spot a little ahead of us, and we didn’t see them again. I saw 1 hiker on the Dunning Trail near our camp above Green Pond. Island Pond attracted a few more visitors hoping to swim (the water was cold) or catch fish—and there were kayakers and canoers on it too, using the access point at the north end.
On Saturday we up early and made our exit by 8:30.
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