SEPTEMBER- NOVEMBER 2018 Newsletter of the Mohican Chapter of the Adirondack Mountain Club Serving Westchester, Putnam, and Fairfield Counties ...and Beyond From the Chair We want to thank Deirdre and Fran Resch for hosting ------------------------------------------------------ our summer picnic at their house as they were packing In our last newsletter, we mentioned we up to move. It was a delightful day, and we were able would write about the benefits of hiking. to sit outdoors and enjoy the beautiful grounds owned I would like to add paddling to this column as I have by their landlord. Fran reported to us that they did recently returned from 10 days (two five-day sessions) finally move in to their new house in Norwalk, CT. at the annual ADK St. Regis Paddle Outing held at Paul Smiths College. The St Regis Canoe Area is the largest wilderness canoe area in the east--a paddlers’ dream. The area is noted for its clear spring fed ponds, short canoe carries and tranquil beauty. Over a five-day session, 40 different day trips are possible. Trips led daily by volunteer leaders may have 8-12 paddlers. Meeting new people each day working together brings about a feeling of camaraderie and a good time on the water plus getting the physical benefit of a cardio and strengthening workout for all muscles. And, of course, the same goes for hiking. The hike or the paddle is often rewarding enough, but I feel the benefits go far beyond good vistas or a quiet Fran celebrating his birthday at our annual paddle. It is good for our health, our mind and body in picnic. Best of luck in your new home in CT. a surprising number of ways. John Muir was onto something when he said, “In every walk with nature, We will be trying something one receives far more than he seeks.” Or one could different for our holiday substitute, “In every paddle on the open water one party this year. It will be receives far more than he seeks.” As president of the held on Sunday, December Hikers and Walkers Club, I was asked in a sentence to 9, 2018 at Casa Rina sum up what hiking means to me for an article in our Restaurant, 886 Commerce Heritage Hills Community Newsletter. I said, “With a Street, Thornwood, New step on the trail, I leave behind life’s daily routine and York. The price will be $25 which includes your choices focus on the serenity of the moment,” or “With a step in from 10 appetizers, 11 entrees and 4 desserts. Tax, tip, my canoe…” soda and coffee are included – drinks are on your own. The combination of any kind of physical exercise and The fun will start at 5 p.m. for a social hour, and then spending time in the outdoors has a proven effect that dinner will be around 6 p.m. makes us happier. Being in nature, away from the chaos of our daily lives and technology, we can allow Your $25 check should be made out to ADK Mohican, ourselves to connect with nature in a way that brings and sent to Annette Grau, P.O. Box 352, Bedford, NY about peace and a sense of well-being. Come join us 10506. Check out our menu. on a hike or a paddle this fall! Jane Smalley, Chair 1 SEPTEMBER- NOVEMBER 2018 NOTICE OF WINTER TRIP Please complete the form below and mail with your Adirondack Loj Trip room preference and check made payable to Friday-Monday, January 18-21, 2019 ADK Mohican Chapter NO LATER THAN DECEMBER DEADLINE – DECEMBER 8, 2018 8, 2018 to the following: Lisa Weismiller Join us for a fun-filled winter 118 Grove Street #11 weekend in the heart of the Stamford, CT 06901 high peaks region of the If you have questions, call Lisa Weismiller at 203-246- Adirondack Mountains. The 8200 or email at [email protected]. ADK Loj will be our base where you can enjoy hiking, Name: _____________________________________ snowshoeing, backcountry or cross- Address: ___________________________________ country skiing, or just relax by the ___________________________________________ Email: _____________________________________ Phone: ____________________________________ Private Rooms fire in the rustic gathering room. A #5 - two twin beds #6 - two twin beds short drive will take you to #8 - King size bed Lake Placid for ice skating, dog Deposit of $120.80/person for the weekend sledding or tobogganing. You can #3-4 person bunkroom tour the Olympic Center or Deposit of $94.50/person for the weekend Olympic Ski Jump, take an Loft (coed bunkroom) – 2 spaces exhilarating ride on a bobsled or skeleton, or cross- Deposit of $81/person for the weekend country ski at the nearby Mt. Van Hoevenberg center. For the downhill skiers among us, Whiteface Mountain is only a short distance away. Accommodation # of people Rate/night Bunkroom #3 4 $ 63/person We were saddened to receive this note from the Private Room #5 (twin beds) 2 $161.10/night Bosworth family: Private Room #6 (twin beds) 2 $161.10/night Private Room #8 (king bed) 2 $161.10/night “Just want you all to know that Bill suddenly died of Loft 2 $ 54/person heart failure this past Sunday (August 5). It happened on the way back from Martha’s Vineyard where we had Your 3% bed tax, dinners and trail lunches will be spent a few days with Michele and family. He collapsed added at the time of check out. Your deposit will be in the ferry terminal parking lot and was taken to Kent 50% of the room cost with the balance to be paid by Hospital in Warwick, RI. They tried for 24 hours to bring you at checkout time. The room cost includes 3 him back, and he passed away on Sunday, very breakfasts, but NO dinners. Dinner is $19.50 and sudden and sad. There will be a memorial service at a reservations can be made upon arrival. NOTE: later time in the fall. Sorry to share this bad news via Reservations must be received by 11 a.m. so if you are email. Hope you keep us in your thoughts” planning on having dinner Friday night upon arrival, YOU NEED TO MAKE YOUR OWN RESERVATIONS. Doris and Bill were very long-time members of the Trail lunches are also available for $9.50. The private Mohican Chapter until their move to Heritage Village in and family rooms tend to fill up quickly so send in your Southbury. Doris’ address is: reservation as soon as you can, but no later than 4228 East Hill Road December 8. If your choice is no longer available, I will Heritage Village, Southbury, CT 06488 call you to discuss alternatives. Cancellations received on or after December 8 will lose the deposit unless we A donation will be made to ADK in Bill’s memory. can fill the spot from a waiting list. 2 SEPTEMBER- NOVEMBER 2018 The next two adventures were in 2017 but Irish coast as well as never made it into the newsletter (sorry Kathie) rolling farmland in various shades of Olympic National Park green populated by July 2017 sheep, cows, goats, and donkeys. We also visited Inishmore, largest of the three Aran Islands, which is known for preserving Gaelic culture and for its fine woolen goods. The trip ended with a farewell Medieval Feast at a 13th century castle. We certainly packed a lot into one week on this well-organized trip! Submitted by Kathie Laug The Land of Fire and Ice Kathie Laug, Sonia Grant, and Ovral Wynter (Sonia's Hiking and Sightseeing in Iceland sister) joined an AMC trip to Olympic National Park in June 16-30, 2018 July 2017. The Olympic Peninsula is home to three very different ecosystems--mountains, rainforest, and coast--and we hiked in all three of them. The hiking in the mountain region is through meadows full of wildflowers with tall evergreens and snow-capped peaks in the background. The Hoh rainforest gets about 12 feet of rain a year and is home to huge trees, gigantic ferns, and lush moss as well as being the reputed habitat of Big Foot. The north Pacific Coast is a very unusual area littered with gigantic pieces of driftwood in unusual formations. We saw bald eagles and spouting gray whales while hiking along the coast. Using the driftwood to build campfires on the beach is allowed so we had campfires with stories, songs, and Carol Ann Benton, Mike Jablonski, Kathie Laug, Vivian S'mores while watching the stars come out. The trip Odorizzi, Chris Percoulis, Tudy Pojman, and Lisa ended with a ferry ride across Puget Sound to Seattle Weismiller spent two weeks on an Appalachian Hikers with views of Mt. Rainier. Kathie was able to visit with trip to Iceland. We circumnavigated the country on the Pat Johnston in Oregon before the trip started. famous Ring Road (Route 1)--a 1330 km drive that Submitted by Kathie Laug passes through barren lava fields, verdant valleys decked with waterfalls, and meadows full of Icelandic Hiking in Southwest Ireland horses and sheep. Our walks and hikes took us under April 20-27, 2017 a waterfall, on top of a glacier, through steaming geothermal areas, among unusual rock formations, Kathie Laug and Jeanne Thomson spent one week past a lagoon full of icebergs, up the sides of volcanic hiking in Ireland with an ADK group. We were fortunate craters, past snow-capped peaks, and onto black sand to have clear weather for the whole week, which is beaches. This is a land of spectacular and quite varied pretty unusual in Ireland.